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Creating a Community Forest in the Headwaters of the Mattole River

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Creating a Community Forest in the Headwaters of the Mattole River Mattole River and Range Partnership Creating A Community Forest in the Headwaters of the Mattole River By April Newlander, Sanctuary Forest for the Mattole River and Range Partnership “The coevolution of humans and salmon on the North Pacific Rim fades into antiquity so completely that it is difficult to imagine a first encounter between the two species. Salmon probably arrived first. Their presence can be understood as one of the necessary preconditions for human settlement.” ~ Freeman House, Totem Salmon Historically, salmon have been intrinsically linked with food. In the nineteenth century, salmon were so abundant in the Mattole River that you could almost effortlessly spear them Family gathering in a Mattole Valley meadow. with a pitchfork as they swam upstream P HOTO BY G ALEN D OHERTY between your feet. David Simpson recalls his first encounter with Mattole salmon the headwaters of the Mattole—refugia for benefits and allow public access” (USFS in the headwaters in 1970—“they were Mattole salmonids and a rich biodiversity Community Forest Program). Benefits of like big ships going up a narrow channel.” of other species. The three Mattole community forests include the protection coho, Chinook, and steelhead salmonids watershed groups worked together for of water sources; protection of wildlife were all federally listed as threatened over two decades before the Mattole habitat; recreational opportunities; a species in the late 1990s; however, these River and Range Partnership (MRRP) was site for observing and studying nature species were experiencing rapid declines formed in 2008. With approximately ¾ of and forest management; and models of by the mid-1970s. the watershed privately owned, landowner conscientious resource management. Active citizens in the Mattole Valley input and collaboration is essential to The Van Arken Community Forest would organized and took action into their the work of the MRRP in achieving our be tailored to meet both ecosystem and own hands in an effort to protect the ultimate goal of abundant, native salmon human needs, and it would be guided native runs of Mattole salmon. It became runs along with healthy, productive by input from a committee of diverse apparent that not only did populations upslope ecosystems and sustainably community members. Partnerships need to be revitalized but that habitat integrated human communities. rehabilitation was necessary for their with agencies such as Bureau of Land survival. Community-based groups Today, Sanctuary Forest has the Management, California Department formed to address restoration efforts on opportunity to conserve and restore 1,600 of Fish and Wildlife, California Wildlife a watershed scale. The Mattole Salmon acres in the Mattole headwaters—the Conservation Board, and our partners Group (est. 1980) focused on salmon Van Arken watershed, along with the in the King Range Alliance including population and habitat restoration; the headwaters of neighboring McKee Creek. Mattole Salmon Group, Mattole Mattole Restoration Council (est. 1983) Our vision is to create a community Restoration Council, and Lost Coast focused on upslope restoration; and forest, defined as “forest lands that are Interpretive Association will be actively Sanctuary Forest (est. 1987) worked to threatened by conversion to non-forest engaged in restoration and educational protect the last of the old-growth forests in uses and can provide defined community activities. Universities will also have the Page 12 Forest & River News a Summer 2017 opportunity to conduct scientific studies that take a watershed approach. The Van Arken Community Forest— Envisioning the future Located right off Briceland-Thorn Road just outside the rural town of Whitethorn, CA, is the Van Arken watershed—and where we hope will be the future Van Arken Community Forest. Imagine, as you approach the entrance to the new Van Arken Community Forest, a wooden plaque will be displayed, acknowledging our “Fund-an-Acre Family” and all the donors who have helped conserve this land. A sign will illustrate the network of easy, moderate, and strenuous trails for hiking and biking, and the presence of black bear and mountain lion whose Hiking in the Madrone Forest in Autumn. P HOTO BY A NNA RO G ER S home you are about to enter. Information about firewood and mushroom gathering will be available—allowed only at certain times of the year with the appropriate permit. Not far from the entrance is a sunny meadow lined with manzanita shrubs and picnic tables perfect for a family gathering. You can deliberate on which trail you would like to explore—a journey through a majestic old-growth madrone forest where in autumn, golden and red hues of wild mushrooms peek out through the leaf litter and glisten in the light-dappled understory; an educational adventure where restoration actions guided by Sanctuary Forest, the Mattole Salmon Group, and other restoration practitioners will result in year-round cold, clear water with large woody debris and deep pools, and a chance to witness salmon returning to their natal streams; or a voyage ascending higher up in the watershed to a second-growth redwood Chinook in Van Arken forest where you can relax on a memorial P HOTO BY THOMA S bench and appreciate the spiritual and B. D UNKLIN aesthetic values of this magical forest. www.treesfoundation.org Page 13 Van Arken Summit P HOTO BY A NNA RO G ER S A mountain bike excursion along the Mattole River headwaters. As you rise “No one will ever know if it was stretch of old logging road will give you above the trees and reach the summit, the introduction of juvenile fish a firsthand look at the aftermath of in clear view is the vast landscape of into the creeks, or the restoration industrial logging and the sustainable the Upper Mattole River and Forest and maintenance of habitat, or the forestry practices that will be implemented Cooperative, a 5,500 acre reserve in the protection of the ancient forest, or to restore forest health. Dense plantations heart of the Mattole headwaters. Doesn’t a combination of the three that has of Douglas-fir will be thinned to retain that sound wonderful? Would you like to resulted in the presence of coho here. the largest trees, and overly dense stands be apart of making this vision a reality? No one much cares. Human hands have been applied in ways that resonate with of tanoak harvested and taken to the local The actions taken by the Mattole River the resilience of the recovery of the wild. Whitethorn Construction Hardwood & Range Partner groups, agencies, I am compelled to tell this story, too, to Mill to be turned into high quality conservation organizations and the my newer neighbors. If these stories hardwood products—a source of revenue Mattole community over the past 30+ to be re-invested into the stewardship of years have resulted in a connected are not kept alive in the collective the land, while strengthening the local landscape where humans, wildlife and memory, the salmon might be allowed economy. Certain areas of the property fish co-exist. Acquisition of the Van Arken to disappear once more.” that possess rare or unique forest types watershed presents a unique opportunity ~ Freeman House, Totem Salmon will be set aside to become the next to not only conserve vital lands and a generation of old-growth forests, which Sanctuary Forest needs your help to recover salmon populations, but provide make this vision become a reality. over time will grow to resemble the an open space for people to come for To make a donation today, visit historic old-growth conditions of the learning and recreational opportunities. www.sanctuaryforest.org/donate. Page 14 Forest & River News a Summer 2017.
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