Trees Foundation Fall 2010 Forest & River News Grassroots Conservation & Restoration in the Redwood Region p h o t o : Th o m a s B. Du n k l i n St a t e o f t h e Sa l m o n i d s TREES FOUNDATION Ed i t o r ’s No t e

Well into the 20th century, coal miners brought canaries into coal mines as an early-warning signal for toxic gases. The birds, being more sensitive, would become sick before the miners, who would then have a chance to escape into fresh air. More recently, indicator species (like the canary) are being used as measures of habitat or ecosystem quality. Pacific salmon and steelhead have existed for at least two million years in the Pacific coastal waters of North America from Baja California Mattole Coho Salmon through Alaska. And there is no greater indicator of the quality of Population Critically Low, our water, and the health of our watersheds. Chinook on the Decline The serious decline of salmon and Urgent Action Needed steelhead which is now occurring By Amy Baier, Area. The Mattole is unique to many of can be seen as the proverbial canary Mattole Salmon Group in a coal mine—the signal of our the salmon-bearing streams in the Pacific The Mattole River Watershed encompasses declining watershed health. Northwest due to its lack of dams and 300 square miles of northern Mendocino any significant introduction of hatchery- In this issue we explore the state of and southern Humboldt counties in raised fish. the salmonids in our region, and it is northwestern California. Much of the not good news. drainage is remote, located within the The Mattole River is home to three King Range National Conservation Area independent populations of threatened And unlike the coal miners, we and other state and federal holdings, and salmonids, including Southern Oregon/ cannot simply escape to clean is of biological significance, draining Northern California Coast (SONCC) healthy water. Immediate action is directly into a State-designated Area of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), needed, and everyone must play a Special Biological Significance, Critical California Coastal (CC) Chinook part if we are all to survive. Coastal Area, and Marine Protected salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), photo: Will Kelly, MSG Staff Member, with a recovered Mattole Chinook carcass

IN THIS ISSUE: Reports from the 2010 Coho Confab...... 8 Activists Bodies Redwood Curtain Bicycle Run...... 14 One Beaver Mill Valley on the Line The Gienger Report: Diggin’ In...... 16 at a Time StreamKeepers Jacoby Creek Upslope Forest Restoration...... 20 MKWC New Partner Update Richardson Grove Update...... 23 • page 4 • page 12 Salvage Logging in the Redwoods...... 24 • page 30 and Northern California (NC) steelhead California coast. Our approach over cool habitat and have also become more (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Of these, coho the years has been multi-faceted. While and more dependent on a small area of salmon are acknowledged to be the restoring habitat throughout the basin, the Mattole headwaters and a few upper most imperiled of the Mattole River’s we have implemented small-scale stock tributaries. Low summertime flow and three native salmonid species and are enhancement programs to improve the resulting poor water quality, especially listed as threatened under the California survival. Long-term monitoring of low dissolved oxygen levels, further Endangered Species Act. All three species both habitat conditions and salmonid deplete available habitat in the coolest of Mattole salmonids are considered populations has provided us with areas of the mainstem. Summer rearing Functionally Independent Populations of information on the health of our watershed habitat for Chinook salmon now also their respective Evolutionarily Significant and the salmonids in it, and allowed us to appears to be focused in the headwaters, Units (ESUs). Historic estimates for the adapt our recovery strategies. as water quality conditions in the estuary Mattole watershed were approximated at do not support salmon survival. MSG monitoring efforts have included 12,000 for steelhead, 5,000 for Chinook, annual spawner surveys since the 1981- The most recent salmonid monitoring has and 20,000 for coho salmon. 1982 season, downstream migrant indicated significant declines in both the Natural disturbances coupled with trapping since 1985, and juvenile dive coho and Chinook populations. Mattole past land uses have drastically depleted surveys in conjunction with temperature coho, in particular, are literally on the brink favorable salmonid habitat. Frequent monitoring since 1994. In recent years, of extinction. The Mattole Salmon Group geologic activity, winter storm events, and focused salmonid population and water firmly believes that immediate action is steep, unstable terrain create high rates quality monitoring has been integrated needed for salmon recovery in the Mattole. of natural upheaval. Extensive timber in areas determined to present specific The 2009-2010 season was the 29th harvest throughout the basin occurred in limits to salmonid survival, including in consecutive year of MSG spawning the 1950s and 1960s, and the subsequent the Mattole estuary and headwaters. ground surveys in the Mattole, and its 15th increase in erosion has resulted in loss Water quality and concurrent salmonid of deep pool habitat and increased year of comparing Escapement Indexes. population monitoring indicates that instream temperatures, both of which are A dry winter allowed repeated and unfavorable to salmonid rearing. rearing habitat is a crucial limiting factor extensive survey effort, yet the 2009-2010 for Mattole salmonids. Temperature season was notable for low observations Since 1980, the Mattole Salmon Group monitoring indicates that viable of both live coho and Chinook and their (MSG) has been working to restore self- temperatures for juvenile salmonid nests (redds). Redd counts are used as an sustaining native salmonid populations rearing exist only in the upper mainstem. indicator of adult escapement in index in the Mattole. The citizen-run salmon Coho, as the most thermally sensitive reaches because of the inconsistency of restoration effort in the Mattole was one of the three Mattole salmonids, have live spawner sightings and the low number of the first of its kind on the northern become restricted to a limited amount of of carcass recoveries.

Juvenile Chinook and coho have become increasingly dependent on a small area of cool-water habitat in the Mattole headwaters (above). Water storage and conservation is necessary to address further habitat loss due to low flows in this critical rearing habitat.

Page 2 Forest & River News a Fall 2010 is necessary to ensure species survival. As such, the Mattole Salmon Group is working with state and federal agencies on the Mattole Recovery Rearing Program for Mattole coho and Chinook in the headwaters. In this program, Coho salmon would be captured soon after hatching and reared in artificial ponds throughout the summer, and sometimes winter months, to ensure freshwater survival and improved ocean survival. Chinook would be reared over summer The Mattole Estuary, while beautiful, no longer provides when instream flows in the headwaters adequate rearing habitat for salmonids. are not sufficient to ensure survival. The Mattole Salmon Group is also working Coho salmon escapement in 2009-2010 trapping, resulting in a late trap season. on our Chinook Survival Enhancement was at the lowest point of the past 15 years, A total of 3 coho and 6,758 Chinook were Program which diverts, at river mile with only three live fish and one redd caught. Juvenile population estimates four, a portion of Chinook salmon observed, all in a single creek. Similarly, are not made for coho due to low catch which would otherwise perish in the following results of the 2009-10 season, numbers from high spring flows and estuary or the ocean due to non-properly the MSG concludes the Mattole Chinook low outmigration numbers in general. functioning conditions in the estuary. run is diminishing as well. The number Chinook population estimates were of Chinook redds observed in 2009-2010 made and have ranged from a low of 7,432 was the lowest of the past 15 years, and (2004) to a high of 345,619 (2001) over the the Escapement Index (redds per mile 2001 to 2009 monitoring seasons. Final surveyed) was the second lowest for that data analysis from this season’s trapping period. Live fish observations of Chinook efforts is not yet complete, but initial were much lower (100) during the 2009- comparison shows the 2010 Chinook 10 season than any season since 2000-01. catch total was the lowest of the past four trapping seasons. In comparison to 2010 spring monitoring further indicated the 6,758 Chinook captured in 2010, the Summer Steelhead Dive Training at the decline of Mattole salmon. Dive surveys Chinook catch totals were 15,988 in 2009, MSG Giles Mead Office and Rearing Facility. were conducted in upper and lower Note rearing ponds in background. 18,457 in 2008, 10,953 in 2007, and 8,008 sections of all tributaries with coho in 2006. presence documented by MSG surveys For Mattole coho, the outlook is dire. We since 2000. Of 45 tributary locations Adult summer steelhead per mile, are at a crossroads when it comes to the surveyed throughout the watershed, observed during the MSG’s Summer survival of coho in the Mattole. Doing coho were found in 4 locations, all in Steelhead Dive in 2010, was the second nothing certainly risks their extinction. the headwaters, and 3 of these occurred lowest on record in 15 of surveys. Doing something necessitates careful in one tributary. This was Thompson Fourteen adults and 43 12”-16” steelhead contemplation and aggressive action. The Creek, the same tributary of all adult (half-pounders) were observed, despite endangered status of coho in the Mattole observations last winter. Less than two more miles surveyed than ever before. River and on the North Coast must be hundred juvenile coho were found in 2010 Due to the timing of spawner surveys, acknowledged and acted upon. If we thus far, despite the most comprehensive population estimates were not made for do not implement necessary recovery juvenile coho monitoring effort of the winter-run steelhead. actions right now, we may not only lose past thirty years. Following last winter’s Mattole coho, but the entire SONCC ESU. Although populations are severely survey effort and recent spring and The urgency is real and scary. depressed, ocean conditions are summer monitoring, we conclude that thought to be improving, and the two coho redds were successful last year. a Please visit www.mattolesalmon.org to continued restoration of freshwater lend support to coho recovery, and High spring flows in 2010 caused habitat is necessary. In addition, human contact us at (707) 629-3433 for more difficulties for downstream migrant intervention and direct enhancement information on how you can help. www.treesfoundation.org Page 3 St a t e o f t h e Sa l m o n i d s

Restoring Coho Salmon in the Klamath River, One Beaver At A Time

By Will Harling, Executive Director, moving upstream to spawn, leaving wakes all the stripped willow sticks along the Mid Klamath Watershed Council in the glassy water as they navigated shore, even a clump of uneaten willow After a sleepless full moon night with up through the shallows. I knew the shoved under an algal mat, possibly left our 18-month-old daughter, I bundled Klamath’s famed half-pounder Steelhead for a mid-night snack. her onto my back and walked down to run was coming in with them. Across the the Klamath River in the pre-dawn light, river, I also noticed a furry head moving Beaver are slowly coming back to the fishing pole in one hand, balancing out slowly upstream. The light brown tuft of Klamath, recovering from intense the diaper bag in the other. I had a spot hair visible above the water looked just trapping that began in the mid-1800’s and in mind, just downstream of the Orleans like what I thought a beaver would look continued for nearly a century after, until Bar River Access, where the river slides like, but couldn’t be sure. beavers were almost extinct. In 1850 alone, over a broad riffle so shallow that the fish famed frontiersman and trapper Stephen Just then I heard a rustle of grass and a are forced into a narrow slot that one Meek and his party reportedly trapped swish of a tail on the near shore. I backed could cast across, even with a groggy, 1800 beaver out of Scott Valley, which at into the willows to watch. Sure enough, grumpy, sleep-deprived toddler strapped the time was called Beaver Valley. The a beaver was swimming up towards us to one’s back. last beavers in Scott Valley were trapped along the edge of the river just 20 feet The relatively wide Orleans Valley gives away. As it cleared the riffle, it moved out by Frank C. Jordan in the winter of 1 the river a chance to meander a little, out into the river and I slowly followed it 1929-1930 on Marlahan Slough . Beaver reclaiming its sinuousity lost over the upstream. Big whiskers and a large black throughout much of the Klamath basin past six million years as the Klamath snout, those dark beady eyes and two cute suffered a similar fate, and even today as Mountains began to rise from underneath, little ears quickly disappeared when it they return to less inhabitated areas along forcing the river into steep sided canyons spotted me, and a loud thwack of its tail as the mainstem river and its tributaries, tracing fault lines in the uplifted bedrock it dove alerted its kin that danger was near. they are still shot and trapped in streams just upstream and downstream of the Walking home, giddy with excitement where their dams pose a perceived risk to valley. I watched fall chinook salmon from this rare close encounter, I noticed residential and agricultural property.

Figure 1. Map of proposed engineered log jam project near the mouth of Boise Creek. Beavers evidently received the proposal but decided to implement it in-house.

Page 4 Forest & River News a Fall 2010 St a t e o f t h e Sa l m o n i d s It is no coincidence that fish biologists Beaver dam across Boise Creek at looking to restore threatened coho in the the exact location Scott River and the larger Klamath system of a proposed have identified Marlahan Slough as a key engineered logjam project. The beaver habitat to restore. Low-gradient sloughs, dam routed a blind channels, off-channel ponds, portion of Boise Creek around an braids, and other low-velocity habitats adult salmon barrier are ideal for rearing coho, and beaver through a series dams just make them better. Recent of beaver ponds to the Klamath studies from Washington and Oregon River, restoring fish by NOAA scientist Michael Pollock and passage to others are further defining the intimate over three miles of good coho relationship between beaver, beaver spawning habitat. ponds, and coho smolt production2. A P h o t o : Br o c k Do l m a n , O c c i d e n t a l Ar t s a n d recent multi-year study being prepared E c o l o g y Ce n t e r for publication by the Karuk Tribe, Yurok Tribe, Larry Lestelle, and others, on the (excessive sedimentation and decreased subsequent lowering of groundwater ecology of coho in the Klamath River input of wood), road construction levels and drying of streams. identifies the lack of low-velocity habitats, (excessive sedimentation, instream With coho numbers critically low primarily during winter flood events, as barriers, disrupted groundwater flow), througout the basin, restoration actions a major potential limiting factor to coho and disrupted fire regimes (decreased are being planned and implemented to distribution and abundance3. Further input of wood). improve coho habitat by the Yurok Tribe, studies are needed to relate the loss of Karuk Tribe, Mid Klamath Watershed A recent study by Pollock et al. beaver and associated habitats to the loss Council (MKWC), US Forest Service, summarized the specific affects of the of coho in the Klamath River, but based and others. Many of these projects loss of beavers and the dams they are on other studies, it appears that beaver replicate habitats that would have been famous for on fishes4: ponds would provide much needed created historically by beavers. This overwintering and summer rearing Beaver dams alter the hydrology and spring, MKWC proposed a project near habitat for juvenile coho. Coho, out of all geomorphology of stream systems the mouth of Boise Creek, a tributary to and affect habitat for fishes. Beaver the salmon in the Klamath River, have dams measurably affect the rates of the Klamath near Orleans on property born the brunt of human development. groundwater recharge and stream owned by the Coates Vineyard and Low-gradient valleys and deltas that discharge, retain enough sediment to Winery, that would have used an provide the best farm and ranch lands, cause measurable changes in valley engineered log jam to re-route the creek and ideal places to build homes, are also floor morphology, and generally around a bedrock cascade barrier at the very same habitats that coho require enhance stream habitat quality for the mouth through a series of existing many fishes. Historically, beaver dams for spawning and rearing. In addition were numerous in small streams ponds maintained by several families of to the loss of beaver, coho have been throughout most of the Northern beavers (Figure 1). However, before the impacted by channelization for flood Hemisphere. The cumulative loss project could be implemented, beavers protection and floodplain development, of millions of beaver dams has constructed a five foot tall dam across excessive temperatures and disconnected dramatically affected the hydrology the creek at the exact location of the and sediment dynamics of stream habitats resulting from overallocation and proposed log jam, diverting a portion of systems. Assessing the cumulative use of surface flows, Additionally, large, hydrologic and geomorphic effects Boise Creek through their ponds, and mainstem dams create environments of depleting these millions of wood into the Klamath River at a location that conducive to the production and spread structures from small and medium- provides adult and juvenile fish access. of fish diseases, and nutrient-loading from sized streams is urgently needed. This MKWC and Karuk Tribe biologists have fertilizers, and loss of wetlands that lead to is particularly important in semiarid observed thousands of juvenile chinook climates, where the widespread poor water quality (low dissolved oxygen, and coho utilizing these ponds through removal of beaver dams may have unstable pH, etc.). Further impacts exacerbated effects of other land use the summer, and moving through the include historic mining (channelized, changes, such as livestock grazing, ponds into Boise Creek above the barrier! simplified instream habitats), logging to accelerate incision and the This fall and winter, we will see if the

www.treesfoundation.org Page 5 Panoramic view of off-channel pond at Stender property on Seiad Creek. The pond connects to Seiad Creek on the left and is fed by a perennial stream that goes subsurface 200 meters upslope of the pond. We anticipate beavers may inhabit this and other created ponds over time. P h o t o : Wi l l Ha r l i n g , MKWC beavers have also effectively redesigned of off-channel ponds along Seiad Creek, landowners along the creek, beaver once the creek to allow for adult spawning a tributary to the Klamath River that has played a major role in damming Seiad chinook and coho salmon to access more small but stable runs of spawning coho. Creek and flooding off-channel habitats than three miles of high quality spawning Seiad Creek is unique in that it has a along the creek. habitat above the barrier. large alluvial floodplain for three miles With cooperation from several In other areas, MKWC is working to upstream of its mouth that has been landowners along Seiad Creek, MKWC create high quality off-channel pools constrained by flood control berms to is currently completing excavation of that will provide winter and summer allow for settlement. Historically, Seiad two ponds, and will complete one more rearing habitat in low-gradient Klamath Creek would meander more than a mile this year and one next year as part of a tributaries. MKWC, through funding upstream or downstream in relation to larger floodplain reconnectivity project from the US Fish and Wildlife Service the Klamath River, creating complex slow in coordination with the Karuk Tribe. and the PacifiCorp Coho Enhancement water habitats preferred by coho salmon. When designing off-channel habitat Fund, is currently implementing a series Based on anecdotal information from projects, having more ponds along a

Figure 2. Map of off-channel ponds currently being built on Seiad Creek. Having multiple ponds along a larger reach of a tributary vs. individual larger ponds gives migrating fish more opportunities for migrating fish to find and use them. M a p : Wi l l Ha r l i n g , MKWC

Page 6 Forest & River News a Fall 2010 longer section of creek is better than planning fewer larger ponds. Only a certain percentage of fish will encounter the pond entrance, so having more ponds increases the potential for fish finding and occupying created off-channel habitats (Figure 2). Garnering landowner support along prioritized tributaries is critical to the success of habitat restoration projects. Seiad Creek provides an example of what can be accomplished on larger tributaries, such as the Scott River (once called Beaver River) which has also been degraded through channelization, dewatering, beaver extirpation, and upslope management. Innovative research by Michael Pollock and others on a small tributary to the John Day River in eastern Oregon is demonstrating Directional posts form the structure of a beaver dam that diverts high flows onto a flood how degraded stream and riparian terrace and away from an eroding bank on a small tributary to the John Day River in habitat can be restored by working with eastern Oregon. Dr. Michael Pollock and other are pioneering research demonstrating how degraded stream and riparian habitat can be restored by working with beavers to aggrade beavers to aggrade streams, connect off- streams, connect off-channel habitats, restore groundwater and increase stream sinuosity. channel habitats, restore groundwater P h o t o : Wi l l Ha r l i n g , MKWC and increase stream sinuosity. At a presentation in Whitethorn organized incised stream channel at key locations high flows, resulting in increased off- by Tasha McKee from the Sanctuary allowed beavers to recolonize sections of channel habitat, decreased erosion, and Forest this past September, Dr. Pollock the stream and create stable dams that aggradation of the stream channel. showed how wood posts pounded into an would otherwise be washed out during The restoration of threatened coho salmon popolations in the Klamath River system may be intricately tied to enhanced beaver populations and restoration projects that Flood control berms mimic the positive benefits of beaver along lower Seiad Creek dams. Educating the public about the currently constrict the critical role of beaver in restoring coho historic floodplain, blocking fish access salmon populations in the Klamath to important rearing River and other coho salmon streams habitat. A collaborative project between the in Northwest California may also help Karuk Tribe, MKWC to decrease take of beaver as a nuisance and landowners would species and allow them to reclaim their remove these berms and restore connectivity role as an ecological process shaping our to these habitats, while streams and valleys. protecting community resources at risk. a P h o t o : Wi l l Ha r l i n g , For more information: www.mkwc.org MKWC

1 Tappe, D.T. The Status of Beavers in California. Game Bulletin #3. State of California Department of Natural Resources. 1942. 2 Pollock et al. The Importance of Beaver Ponds to Coho Salmon Production in the Stillaguamish River Basin, Washington, USA. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 24:749–760, 2004. 3 Soto et al. The Role of the Klamath River Mainstem Corridor in the Life History And Performance of Juvenile Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Draft Report to US Bureau of Reclamation. 2009. 4 Pollock et al. Hydrologic and Geomorphic Effects of Beaver Dams and Their Influence on Fishes.The Ecology and Management of Wood in World Rivers. pp. 213-233. American Fisheries Society Symposium [Am. Fish. Soc. Symp.]. Vol. 37. www.treesfoundation.org Page 7 v Coho Confab 2010 Each year, Trees Foundation hosts the Coho Confab, an annual symposium to explore watershed restoration. This year our summer intern, Matt Dicks, a college senior at Humboldt State University in the Department of Environmental and Resource Sciences, attended the Confab. We asked him to write about his experience. The following section includes Matt’s article, and updates from two of the Confab’s field tours. My Confab Experience By Matt Dicks session over the weekend was a sufficient kept thinking how on a geologic time The 13th annual Coho Confabulation introduction into the vastness of each scale if this river wants to carve into the 2010 was an incredible success. A huge expert’s profound knowledge regarding bank the river is flowing into; though “Thanks” goes to everyone involved—from the interconnectedness of the biosphere of course we are working with human those who organized this gathering to and humans. recreation and the currently existing those who lead the tours and workshops, infrastructure of the campground. Defining “Coho” within the title Coho and the volunteers that prepared all the Combine this with previous human- Confabulation can assist with clear and excellent food. (Please view the schedule induced watershed degradation and we conscious future negotiations in all at the Trees Foundation website for get to the point that something has to be collaboration efforts. Coho is short for specifics). This year everyone gathered done to ensure ecosystem function for the the common name of the andromodous in the Russian River Watershed, which future generations. This tour began with fish “Coho Salmon” or “Silver Salmon,” consists of 1,500 square miles throughout descriptions of bioengineering projects scientifically known as Oncorhynchus Mendocino and Sonoma Counties. that have seen success with “Willow Wall” kisutch. However, just because Coho is Bringing together experts with active and/or “Willow Mattress” construction in the title of this gathering doesn’t mean participants from private and public mainly used to stabilize stream bank that the whole gathering is about this organizations and agencies, one could erosion. A digital slide show was used, see and feel successful collaboration. particular species of salmonid. Coho complete with outlines and pictures Confabulation, defined, allows for the are definitely important for many social, to orient people to the current project. informal free exchange of ideas and economic, and cultural reasons, but Also presented was a video showing of a strategies; toss in coho to the title and we’re they are also listed as endangered on bioengineering project from beginning all focused on creating and sustaining the Endangered Species List mandated to end which took a couple months to healthy watersheds. Collaboration is an by the Endangered Species Act of 1973. construct and was played in fast forward essential key to developing realistic goals Also, Coho are considered both keystone with coordinated music. The difference for everyone’s respective watersheds. and indicator species, which places them from beginning to end was phenomenal. in a vital niche when describing the There is not a single cause that can food web and the ecological balance of The Bioengineering tour proceeded to the be pinpointed and corrected when the watershed. Native cultures too have site which was within a couple hundred trying to figure out why the health of heavily relied on salmon long before yards of the initial speech. The feeling was our watersheds is lacking. A general European settlement. Focusing on a like walking into Willow Wall majesty. listing includes—intense resource valuable life form such as the coho will Willows are used for bank stabilization extraction, urban and agricultural runoff, ensure that the surrounding ecological primarily because of their quick root overfishing, and dams, all of which make communities will thrive. growth from cuttings. These roots also one think of human interactions. Tours help create a swirling of water which in and Workshops at the confabulation Deciding on which tour to attend is not turn spirals vital nutrients to the river focused on fish hatchery programs, as easy as it may seem. Every tour is so bottom. I am not a willow wall expert bioengineering, damn removal, rainwater important; how could anyone miss even but I will try to explain a few key points filtration and conservation, aquatic a moment of the knowledge available? I for a successful project. The Willow invertebrate and vertebrate identification, spun into the bioengineering tour on Wall is made up of bundle upon bundle in-stream monitoring techniques, the main-stem of the Russian River to of willows stacked one on top of another landowner tools to protect salmon, begin the weekend. This was a bank to form the desired shape. Granted, a in-stream flow restoration, and grant stabilization project using willow walls, smaller willow wall can be created by funding. All these can be extrapolated adjacent to a recreation facility. While pressing individual willow cuttings into on immensely; the time allotted for each trying to view this project practically, I the ground. Each bundle in this project

Page 8 Forest & River News a Fall 2010 v

contained up to 50 willow trees though which was long enough to reach a water maximum success rates have been tank. The chickens’ water utilized a acquired at 20-25 willow trees per bundle floating device that would maintain a (each cutting/tree averaging about one pre-determined water level that was inch in diameter). Where to find these supplied from the tank. With respect willows? At the nearest accessible stream to all the vegans out there, the OAEC bank is the answer. Since this is a relatively also demonstrated their use of water new technique, willow nurseries are still conservation by storing it in water tanks in their infancy. Obtaining willows close for summer time use in the garden. to the project site is better because this Ponds too can create habitat for wildlife can end up being a major monetary cost and provide functional water storage. if the travel time is significant. Once the Increasing various types of water storage willows have been bundled and stacked was the main point I gathered from this and sufficient amounts of earth have been tour. The practical example demonstrated placed in the rooting area, coco mats and at the OAEC was definitely inspiring. an irrigation system are placed a top of Moving into the afternoon, a whole the wall. new perspective was being placed on A participant takes photos of the Willow It is important to keep water on the roots Wall during the Bank Stabilization Tour the confabulation in the version of for two years, assuring consistent healthy at the 2010 Coho Confab. “Workshops.” The tours definitely brought p h o t o : Fr a n c i n e Al l e n growth of the willows. At this point a deer us into observable range of some very fence can be considered unless the Sand state-of-the-art ecosystem projects, Bar Willow (scientifically known as Salix new shape as they were placed not only but the workshops were designed to sessilifoia) is planted, because common to keep water from the roads but used get our feet wet. Aquatic invertebrate knowledge has proven that deer do not along the hillside to help slow the water identification is part of the standard data eat this particular species of willow. flow and decrease sediment into the gathered to monitor restoration efforts. From this point, sprinkling some native creeks. By strategically placing these Some techniques from these workshops wildflower seeds in the area will only water catchments perpendicular to the include measuring stream depth and help with increasing species diversity and hill slope, one can see that water will be width, which is differentiated from enhance the already beautiful natural directed deep into the ground rather than channel depth and width. Measuring the landscape for years. It’s important to quickly skimming across the top. “Slow canopy cover above the river is important consult the Best Management Practices it, Spread it, Sink it” was a slogan used because of the evaporation rates that (BMPs) when developing any new project, by the OAEC to describe this human correlate to the stream bank vegetation. especially when stream sediment may/ interaction. I have come to understand Acquiring sediment samples taken of will increase. Friday’s events concluded that since we cannot instantly re-grow the river bottom are part of the checklist with excellent speeches about the the ancient resilient dynamic climax too. Knowing the flow rate of the river economics of ecological restoration, core forest, our next best option is to mimic at each transect establishes the base recovery targets, and holistic perspectives the processes that we understand line data needed for a larger perspective. of the watershed. as important. In this circumstance, The slope of the river relates to the flow observation has lead one to see rainwater Saturday began with an amazing opening rate but is a different measurement all quickly moving from the hillside to the circle, allowing everyone time and space together. Documenting the invertebrate river and onto the ocean at remarkable to get acquainted with the area and to and vertebrate populations gives a rates. Water catchments are a simple prepare a lunch for the day’s tours and direct indication of stream health. solution to this complex circumstance. workshops. The Occidental Arts and Initially walking up to the river, many Ecology Center (OAEC) was the site of The OAEC also had a very nice example invertebrates are not easily noticeable, the first tour I attended. This amazing of water conservation that incorporated though with a bit of skill in flipping over place is a grand example of what a the roof of the goats’ shelter for the a few stones and scooping up the water few people can do for their respective purpose of giving the chickens drinking within all the movement and finally using watershed. Rainwater catchment and water. Simply explained, this invention a magnified glass, one can find a nice water conservation practices were the incorporated a corrugated tube spliced variety of life forms in a healthy reach. vision for the day. Culvers took on a and placed at the lower edge of a roof Most of the rivers have been impacted

www.treesfoundation.org Page 9 by unsustainable logging, which has the evening off for everyone to enjoy and the hydrological cycle have been transformed the aquatic areas relatively and converse. Sunday was going to be taken for granted. Non-timber forest quickly when compared to the geologic full of more exciting tours. Another products are available but have been time scale. Evaluating stream health “Thanks” to all the speakers at this year’s set to the wayside within many general can give us the basic knowledge needed Coho Confabulation. There were so plans. Cultural services such as the to make the decisions about how to many awesome tours and workshops “placed based experiences” happening enhance the health of our watersheds over the weekend that attending them within Mother Nature are priceless and therefore increase the populations of all would have been impossible. Though and therefore currently undervalued. invertebrates and vertebrates. with everyone so motivated to enhance Coho are one of many aquatic species Saturday concluded with a Barbeque the ecosystems of the earth, many that provide essential nutrients to our set to the tone of “Organic” for both opportunities were available to exchange watersheds’ plant and animal kingdoms. Vegetarians and Carnivores. The live knowledge of the concurrent tours and We come a step closer to allowing our music that followed dinner enlightened workshops. Many ecological services go ecosystems to thrive once again every the atmosphere and was very without a value within our economic time gatherings such as the “Coho entertaining. A nice campfire topped system. Processes such as photosynthesis Confabulation” manifest. Report from Austin Creek During the 13th Annual Coho Confab, Administration (NOAA); Andy Casarez, High levels of sediment affect both water the Sotoyome Resource Conservation Physical Scientist with Sotoyome RCD; quality and aquatic habitat in Austin District (RCD) led a field tour out to and Fred Euphrat, Senior Consultant Creek. The Austin Creek watershed has Austin Creek to show interested Confab in Fisheries and Aquaculture to Senator undergone significant disturbance due attendees the important and innovative Pat Wiggins. to timber harvest, mining, and rural environmental projects which are On the tour, participants learned that the residential development activities. This happening in the watershed. Participants Austin Creek watershed is comprised of disturbance, coupled with steep terrain traveled to the old steel HWY 116 bridge 68.7 square miles, ranging from three and highly erodible geology, results in over Austin Creek, off of Cazadero Road, feet above sea level at its mouth to the an erosion-prone landscape. Based on where they were offered an introduction ridge-lined headwaters which reach over findings in the Sotoyome RCD’s 2005 to the tour by Kara Heckert, managing 2,100 feet, all emptying into the Russian Austin Creek Watershed Assessment, a director of the Sotoyome RCD. Kara River estuary approximately five miles dense network of unpaved rural roads introduced the guest speakers of the tour from the Pacific Ocean. One of largest in the Austin Creek watershed has who were: Homer Canelis, a property tributaries to the Russian River, Austin caused excessive erosion and sediment owner of land where the restoration work Creek provides critical summer flows to delivery to nearby streams. Additionally, in lower Austin Creek is occurring; Brian the Russian River estuary in addition to the excessive erosion and subsequent Cluer, Ph.D.,Fluvial Geomorphologist its function as a spawning and rearing aggradations in lower Austin Creek have with National Oceanic and Atmospheric habitat for salmonids. impaired the ability of coho salmon to enter Austin Creek to spawn. It has also resulted in habitat simplification throughout the watershed, reducing the ability of salmonids to successfully rear in lower Austin Creek. The Sotoyome RCD is creating a program designed to determine specific sediment sources, focusing primarily on 90 miles of unpaved road segments and other sources of anthropogenic erosion. This series of site-specific sediment source A wood structure inventories will include a prioritization on Austin Creek of treatment sites based on cost- p h o t o : c o u r t e s y So t o y o m e RCD a r c h i v e s effectiveness and an estimate of the total yards of sediment prevented from

Page 10 Forest & River News a Spring 2010 entering the stream. From this inventory, roads currently being conducted by mining interests, government agencies, additional funding will be pursued to Pacific Watershed Associates (PWA) local residents, and non-governmental implement these recommendations. within the watershed, making for a organizations to not only place new With 92% of the watershed in private comprehensive first phase of a watershed- structures, but also to modify existing landownership, a crucial outreach wide road assessment. structures to increase their function, and program, targeted towards landowners Also included in the program is the create additional alcoves via innovative with potential sedimentation issues on geomorphic study of the lower reach of techniques of gravel extraction. their property, will be completed. To date, Austin Creek that includes the placement Working to increase habitat lost due to the Sotoyome RCD has already received of log, root wad, or boulder structures aggradation in Austin Creek’s lower interest agreements from landowners that scour gravel, generate pools, and reaches while simultaneously reducing representing 85 miles of rural roads improve vital migration and rearing upslope sediment inputs contributing that could be assessed. In addition, the habitat for salmonids. This is part of the to the habitat loss will result in a Sotoyome RCD will coordinate efforts ongoing Lower Austin Creek Migration compounding beneficial effect on with the Sonoma County Transportation Improvement Program. The Sotoyome salmonid habitat and a maximization of Department on the assessment of county RCD will continue to work with gravel watershed restoration efforts. Grape Creek Update During the 13th Annual Coho Confab, and was completed by the Sotoyome Friday’s Dry Creek Tour included a visit RCD, in partnership with the Sonoma to Grape Creek, a Dry Creek tributary County Water Agency. where cooperative fishery restoration Flow restoration efforts have focused on efforts are in full swing. The tour was led restoring in-stream flow while securing by Valerie Minton and Kara Heckert of water for landowners. In-stream flow the Sotoyome Resource Conservation District (RCD). Grape Creek is a current gauges in the watershed are providing steelhead stream, and a recent historic baseline data, helping partners to identify coho stream, with coho observed in areas where improvements are needed, a 1998 survey by the Department of and providing data that will assist Fish and Game. Limiting factors for landowners in water rights applications salmonids in this system include pools where they are necessary for flow and pool cover, excessive fine sediment, restoration projects. Flow restoration A recently installed large wood and projects that have been implemented so boulder structure provides habitat for fish passage, and instream flow. A wide Grape Creek Salmonids. range of collaborative efforts have far include rainwater catchment, winery p h o t o : c o u r t e s y So t o y o m e RCD a r c h i v e s emerged to address these issues through facility water conservation, and frost stream restoration, flow restoration, protection alternatives that do not rely on the first year that coho were stocked in and coho population augmentation and water. Currently leading these efforts in the Grape Creek watershed through this monitoring. The Grape Creek watershed Grape Creek is the Russian River Coho program, with 500 juvenile coho stocked is entirely privately owned, so landowner Water Resources Partnership, a group in each of two reaches of Grape Creek. participation is a critical element in all of of non-profit and government agencies Throughout the summer, comprehensive these efforts. funded by the National Fish and Wildlife survival and habitat condition data were Foundation to develop a systematic taken in order to quantify the ability of Stream restoration efforts have included approach to improve streamflow and coho to survive in the varying summer fish passage improvement, in-stream water supply reliability to assist in the conditions of this watershed. This data structures to promote pool formation and recovery of endangered coho salmon. will provide vital information linking pool cover, streamside revegetation, and flow conditions to coho survival, and it erosion control both on streambanks and Population augmentation and monitoring will provide a baseline against which the on upslope sources such as rural roads. efforts are headed up by the Russian River success of future flow restoration efforts The in-stream project that was included in Captive Broodstock Program. As a result can be measured. the tour was one of the projects called for of the cooperative restoration efforts in in the Russian River Biological Opinion, the Grape Creek watershed, 2010 marks a For more information: sotoyomercd.org www.treesfoundation.org Page 11 We l c o m e t o Ou r Ne w Pa r t n e r Mill Valley StreamKeepers

By Joyce Britt and Betsy Bikle Mill Valley StreamKeepers (MVSK) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that grew out of the Mill Valley Watershed Project, which began in 1994. Our purpose is to protect and restore the watershed of the city of Mill Valley, Richardson Bay, and adjacent unincorporated areas. Because Richardson Bay is part of the San Francisco Bay, we are involved with organizations working to promote the health and functioning of the North Bay and, in fact, the whole coastal/Bay region.

MVSK is a collaborative effort in the community to reach citizens and other groups, as well as local agencies—both municipal and county—to accomplish our goals. We get grants to do scientific studies as a basis for our work. These On Earth Day weekend, volunteers “beautify” riparian areas back to “native” nature. studies have included stream monitoring, p h o t o : B.Bi k l e hydraulic fish passage studies, and benthic macroinvertebrate sampling. Our direct presentations regarding the importance meetings, reviewing EIRs, engineering activities include creek side plantings, of the ecosystem of the watershed, creek- reports, and landscape design, keeping creation of raingarden exemplars, side walks, creek monitoring, watch- in constant contact with city and county initiating and co-sponsoring events and dogging development issues at public personnel charged with watershed issues, and serving on committees and boards of city, county, and regional environmental groups. Together with the Bay Model Association and the Marin Clean Water Stewardship Project, we produced a watershed map of Mill Valley, which is displayed in City Hall, the Community Center, and the Library. One of our goals is that every residence in Mill Valley will have this map and understand what it means. Education and outreach to the public are essential to our mission of protection and preservation. MVSK understands that land use issues are not trivial and present challenges in raising public awareness about the necessity of viewing our watershed as a community asset which all of us own and Just inside the front door of the Mill Valley Public Library, for two to four weeks, the display case reveals MVSK educational and eyecatching watershed information. must protect. To that end, we promote p h o t o : B.Bi k l e enforcement of and education about the

Page 12 Forest & River News a Fall 2010 Endangered Species Act, not only for our course of the year, we correspond and Although we do not have forestry, fishing, steelhead and restoration efforts for coho, talk with local citizens about watershed or agricultural issues, we are striving to but also for Spotted Owls and native issues and practices on their properties. enhance the natural processes at work plants. Flooding has been a recurrent We encourage the use of permeable and to mitigate harmful urban effects in problem in our watershed and we turned paving, mulch, water catchment, and our watershed. We hope to bring coho our attention to the links between creek native plants! We are hoping that state salmon back to spawning under our restoration, erosion control, habitat money will be freed up to fund a grant Redwoods and to ensure the thriving of protection, development, and flooding request we are supporting from the city steelhead. We look forward to partnering years before the state’s agencies started to restore a stretch of stream and address with the Trees Foundation in support of doing so. For many years we have been flooding issues. Removal of barriers to these efforts. working on an issue which impacts fish migration (five have been identified) every urban area seeking to revitalize its is also an ongoing goal. a For More information: streams while addressing flooding, i.e., www.millvalleystreamkeepers.org fish barriers. In this regard, we use science as a means to persuade and promote. While beauty of the environment is the largest selling point to the public at large, we know that it is science which can bring differing views into coalition. Our current projects include all of the above in varying degrees of intensity. We are working with the county as part of the Citizens Advisory Group on the Mill Valley Watershed. We will monitor the city’s Creek Maintenance Agreement, review and lobby for appropriate clean up of toxic sites scheduled for development, and review and critique draft EIRs; we will address a long-awaited engineering report on flooding in Mill Valley. We will sponsor and co-sponsor programs at the Community Center and Library, and we look forward to continued collaboration with the Sierra Club and with Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN), another of the Tree Foundation’s partners. {picture included} Our annual newsletter informs the community of watershed issues and problems as well as our accomplishments and goals. We are gratified by donations from supporters. We will continue to advocate for addressing sewer connection problems and spills. We will assist the city in creek restoration and native plantings in our city parks. On Earth Day each year, we take part in Mill Valley beautification. We use volunteers to pull aggressive non- Many people enjoy this map of the watershed developed by MVSK which has given it as native plants and install some filtering framed posters to the city, used in MVSK brochure, and made available on the website runoff settlement ponds. Over the MillValleyStreamKeepers.org. p r o d u c e d b y Gr e e n i n f o .o r g www.treesfoundation.org Page 13 The Redwood Curtain Bicycle Run, Part III Jeffery “Muskrat” Musgrave fact that Caltrans plans to cut the roots have been impossible to pull over and and “Healing Tree” of sixty-six ancient redwoods that line see all of the amazing cliffs, wildlife, The bicycle tour did not end at the Highway 101 through Richardson Grove and even abandoned state parks. But Redwood Curtain... State Park, in addition to removing fifty- on a bicycle, you can easily access and four other trees. “guerilla camp” many of the parks that After camping out in Richardson Grove closed due to lack of funding. But do your State Park with the lovely and fun folks In fact, it was really hard to find part and pick up some trash if you choose who sponsored the ground camp for ANYONE during the bicycle run event to guerilla camp, anywhere! Governor the event, my partner and I continued or along our continued journey to Schwarzenegger had threatened to close bicycling down the coast via Highway 1, San Francisco that had ANY opinion half of California’s state parks but was the California coastal route. We had left supporting the federally illegal Caltrans met with overwhelming opposition and the safety and tranquility of the Redwood highway project (it’s against federal public outcry. He eventually gave in and Highway for the majestic Pacific Ocean law to alter state parks). There are even stated publicly that he would not close and all of her unspoiled glory. Caltrans employees who are silently anymore of the dwindling parks we have opposed to the RIP (Richardson Grove Highway 1 is a very touristy route, so we left. (It turns out that Schwarzenegger Improvement Project), as well as a brought fliers and other info about the DID cut half the funding to the State Park majority of State Park employees who campaign to Save Richardson Grove system, which is practically the same have to keep their mouths shut in order and distritibuted them by bicycle to the thing as closing half of our parks). to keep their jobs. I have yet to find a coastal towns we passed through. We State Park employee who wants to see Of all the stops to make along Highway were very surprised at how many people Caltrans RIP “rip” a hole in the Redwood 1, the best place to visit on the coast we met who knew about Richardson Curtain. Their support is “tongue-in- is the town of Mendocino, located in Grove State Park and how many special cheek,” which is understandable but also Mendocino County just south of Fort memories they shared of the Redwood much appreciated. Bragg. Fort Bragg is also fighting a similar Curtain. I was surprised at how many fight against a corporate big-box invasion, people from the Bay area and beyond Our travels took us to some of the most as we are here in Humboldt County with visit Richardson Grove. THEY were beautiful and inaccessible views of the the RIP. The whole reason to widen the surprised, even mortified about the Pacific. If we were in a vehicle, it would 101 through Richardson Grove State Park is to get bigger trucks into Humboldt County, subsidizing the greed of a few local businesses while trading smaller “Mom and Pop” operations for Walmarts and Home Depots. Fort Bragg is fighting a Walmart with multiple environmental (and economic) impact issues. The town of Mendocino is also one of those places that hasn’t been overrun by corporations. There are multiple art galleries and wine tasting locations as well as bed and breakfasts and gift shops. It sounds kind of touristy, but the town is very friendly and progressive. Even the welcome center (operated by the State Parks) was flying the American flag. Upside down. I think it was a mistake (or was it?). We slept at the welcome center in plain view without any harassment from rangers or sheriffs. There is a great

Page 14 Forest & River News a Fall 2010 coffee/internet cafe, as well as a nude community sauna/hot tub/bed and breakfast called “Sweetwater Inn”. It was really hard to leave such comforts and easily- made friends for the open road. We only paid for hike/bike camps as we chose to stay in the State Park, which was very reasonable at around $2-$5 each, and we weren’t about to rip off the parks by camping for free. There are timberlands, parks and coastline for that. But hike and bike camps are probably the best part about bicycle touring because you meet a very diverse section of society, such as international tourists and other activists. It takes a lot of courage to contend with drunk drivers and rental RV’s while cycling with gear a few feet next to a hundred-foot drop off a cliff into the Pacific ocean or, at worst, Richardson Grove gathering the rocks waiting below. Plus, you see a lot of roadkill, pollution, and occasionally eye and greet complete strangers where State Park. But we also wanted to share the person that must have been trying to I live now. Where I’m from, that could get with others who also have a connection run you right off the road (I recommend you shot. It’s important to remember that to redwood trees and endangered species a very large flag to alert and even “block” while bicycle touring, you face the same such as Marbled Murrletes, Mom and Pop traffic when needed). You meet a lot of threats and dangers that travelers and the shops, local independent small businesses, strong and fearless individuals with many houseless deal with on a daily basis from farmers, habitat, open space, and friendly different stories and backgrounds. Some law enforcement and other aggressors. and down-to-earth folks that another were like us, taking our time and letting Things like that get worse as population entire paradise is being threatened by things happen while seeing everything gets denser. greed, industry, the U.S. military, and non- that vehicle traffic misses. Some were local corporations. How long did it take for us to get to the riding 100 miles per day and usually Bay Area? That doesn’t matter, and I hope Again. competing with others, while missing it won’t for you if you decide to join the pretty much the same things that the And we wanted to share our story with thousands that bicycle tour the North autos do. It is a lot like life, off-tour. you about the fight to save the Redwood Coast via Highway 101. It’s becoming ever Curtain. Richardson Grove State Park As you ride south along Highway 1 from more popular. It’s “green,” and if you ride is not the only thing at stake here; our Eureka to the Bay Area, you begin to the Pacific Coast toward the south, it’s all entire county of Humboldt is being realize that life is much slower, “mellower,” downhill. Get it? (That’s not a very funny threatened by something even bigger and people are more friendly away joke, but I have learned on my adventures than marijuana legalization. from urban and suburban life. Drivers that for every steep uphill there is always got angrier, people got sketchier and that rewarding downhill, like in life). a Please visit saverichardsongrove.org the pollution and trash became more We were very lucky because a huge for current campaign and affiliate apparent and pervasive towards nature humboldtforestdefense. storm was tailing us from the North. As information. Visit the closer we traveled towards the city. It’s blogspot.com for Redwood Curtain direct we made it to our destination at a very not that I’m saying that country folk are action information or efhumboldt.org magical activist’s place in San Francisco, to jump into Humboldt County forest better than city folk. I’m just saying that it started dumping. actions right now. life has more distractions, more duties, and more responsibilities in the city. But Our hopes were to share our cause with our To read part I and II, please visit I feel very fortunate to have escaped that local community by cycling for the State www.treesfoundation.org lifestyle. People look each other in the Parks and the trees in Richardson Grove www.treesfoundation.org Page 15 Diggin’ In: Th e Gi e n g e r Re p o r t

By Richard Gienger some type was often used to lubricate the of the skidding systems, the railroads In this Diggin’ In I will continue with aspects surface the logs were skidded upon. In the impacted streams less because trestles of the history recap of ‘modern forestry’ and down-to-the-dammed-river or railroad were required to be built over the ravines its many varied and crucial issues from logging in the 1800s and early 1900s, the and valleys. It should be mentioned that a about the early 1970s through the present skid road system was the tributary stream lot of the early logging across the country that I started to focus on writing about system. In general, until something was involved getting the logs to the rivers—the in my previous column. I’ll also bring in done to protect streams and watercourses, logs being so packed in the Susquehanna some short summaries of ‘what’s going on the only criteria for logging practices at Williamsport, Pennsylvania that you now.’ I would encourage you to take some (besides making some money) was couldn’t see the river. And on the West forest and watershed initiatives yourself: following the physics of least resistance. Coast, notably in Mendocino County, whole valleys were filled with old- Do some reading and thinking, take some Various cable-yarding systems were growth logs to be released from behind stewardship actions on your own property developed, especially after the steam dams when storms raised the water level and/or in your own watershed, work with donkey engine was invented by Eureka’s sufficiently. Whole streams and rivers others, and support some of those worthy John Dolbeer in the early 1880s. This were scoured when freshets sent the logs non-profits and businesses engaging revolutionized logging, especially in downstream in a tumult, often past the in watershed restoration, fuel hazard conjunction with railroads and Shay mills into the ocean. reduction, sustainable forest management, locomotives. Aside from the impacts and community-based forest models. In this issue of Forest and River News check out John Roger’s article about ‘upslope restoration’.

Roads and Road Building Let’s talk about forest, ranch, and homestead roads. Many of you probably know a lot about them: their impacts, their construction, some of their history and evolution over the last 40 years. But for those who don’t and as a simple review for all those involved, I’ll make a ‘reader’s digest’ condensed version. O.K., let’s start with “skid road,” sometimes called “skid trails” when they’re only used a time or two. These go back a century

or more, or in some form, probably for p h o t o : NOAA

millennia. This is a road for dragging logs. This LIDAR photo shows a typical historical tractor-logged area along California’s North Often these roads were ‘corduroyed’ in Coast. LIDAR, or Light Detection and Ranging, is a remote sensing system used to collect the past, with less-valued (or sacrificed) topographic data. Data is collected with aircraft-mounted lasers capable of recording elevation measurements at a rate of 2,000 to 5,000 pulses per second and have a vertical logs laid parallel to each other in the road precision of 6 inches. The lasers are able to show the detailed contours and impacts on the perpendicular to the route of the road, ground itself beneath the canopy of the forest, dramatically showing the “deranged hillslope especially when animals were used prior hydrology” (quote by Professor Donald Gray) that make watershed and fisheries habitat restoration efforts hugely difficult. The disruption, triggered landslides, and erosion from to caterpillar-type tracked machines the incredible web of roads and skid trails—on already unstable/high rainfall terrain—upset doing the dragging. Water or grease of relatively stable equilibriums for given terrains established over millennia.

Page 16 Forest & River News a Fall 2010 But let’s get back to roads. With the advent in the Redwood Creek watershed For More Info: of powerful tracked ‘cats,’ chainsaws, big near Orick that was the result of the C Board of Forestry logging trucks, and plenty of manpower controversy, fury, and spite that resulted www.bof.fire.ca.gov after World War II, the impacts of from the struggle to enlarge Redwood C Assemblyman Chesbro logging and logging roads affected larger National Park to protect the Creek’s http://democrates.assembly.ca.gov/ areas quicker than ever could have been watershed. The huge scale of the damage members/a01/ imagined—even a decade before. The cat that was documented was close to that C EPIC could and did put a road anywhere you of the damage which occurred all over www.wildcalifornia.org wanted it. The tractor logging made, in the North Coast. The remedies began to C Humboldt Watershed Council many places, every stream a road. Cable become evident. The large machines that www.voicesofhumboldtcounty.com yarding was prevalent in some areas created the damage needed to be part C RFFI of Oregon and elsewhere, but tractor of the correction of that damage. And RFFI.org yarding was dominant in California. With another machine, hardly known at that C Richard Gienger [email protected] no bridges or painstaking trestles, the cat time in a forestland setting, was central in could move huge volumes of soil—fast. The that it had the capability to pull back and era of the Humboldt Crossing had arrived: pull up the soil that had been dumped cull logs in the bottom of the channel into the streams and watercourses and Many studies for many watersheds have with hundreds or thousands of cubic down steep slopes. They could rotate found that roads are the major source yards of soil pushed over them—the soil 360 degrees to place soil back into stable of sediment. For certain watersheds, often from haul road cuts on extremely locations or to fill dump trucks that landslides are the major source. In steep slopes. Some tributaries were simply could deliver the reclaimed soil to stable many watersheds, landsliding triggered buried for landings. Whole counties were locations. Cats could help in this effort, by roads is a major factor. As hinted given this treatment. Because the logging and in the recontouringC of roadbeds to above, the way roads are being built was such an economic driver, water laws approximations of original slopes in the is generally being transformed. The and fish and game laws were unable to case of recontoured decommissioned principles of getting water off the road be enforced. As I’ve mentioned in earlier roads—or shaped to respect the factors as expeditiously as possible, avoiding columns, the floods of 1955 and 1964 of hydrology and slope stability in roads inside ditches as much as appropriate and were a game changer. that were to be ‘upgraded.’ possible, disconnecting the road network The exacerbation of the damage of those from the stream network, and adequately Almost ‘overnight’ and through the 1980s, treating problem areas are part of the way floods by the widespread damage of great strides were made in the thinking, tractor logging was clearly evident to the roads are beginning to be viewed. For you planning, management, and maintenance to get further information and specifics public, and the clamor for prevention of of roads by almost everyone—from about these issues, get a copy of Forest such land abuse greatly increased. The timber companies to homesteaders. and Ranch Roads by two of the staunch hydrology and stability of vast watershed Many of the subdivision roads from initiators of much of this change, Bill areas were hugely compromised. Older the 1960s were originally logging roads Weaver and Danny Hagans. Originally styles of logging would greatly disrupt retained by the developer. All of a sudden, at the forefront with some others at natural equilibrium processes, but not water laws and fish and game related laws Redwood National Park (and elsewhere), over such a large area in such a short were relevant and applied. The onerous they now are the principles in their own period of time. By the time the modern effects of sediment on water quality and Forest Practice Act was passed in 1973 the survival of species like Steelhead these forestland abuses were starting to Since arriving in the Mattole Valley of and Salmon were beginning to be taken be addressed, in the Act and elsewhere. Humboldt County in 1971, Richard Gienger seriously. Timber companies seldom has immersed himself in homesteading, Unfortunately, established habits are hard built roads on steep slopes anymore, and forest activism, and watershed restoration. Richard’s column covers a range of to change and the destructive ‘traditional’ if they did, they used and were required issues including fisheries and watershed road building and yarding procedures to use the excavator to eliminate sidecast restoration and forestry, plus describes were seriously ingrained in timber and respond to prescriptions by trained opportunities for the public to make operators and many foresters. Ironically, positive contributions in the administrative geologists. Unfortunately, road building and legislative arenas as well as in their some of the necessary change rose out by others did not advance so readily, but own backyards. of the effort to correct the devastation positive change is still evolving. www.treesfoundation.org Page 17 to dump directly into streams that lead to endangered coho salmon habitat. We all can do better. Let’s get with it.

An Update On Assembly Member Wesley Chesbro’s AB 2575: The following is an informational summary and near-future artifact, written to encourage support for the Governor’s signature, which by the time you get this will have happened or not. Either way it’s an important step. If it’s signed we’ll have some good foundation to go on. If it isn’t, it will be back to the legislature again. Assemblyman Wesley Chesbro’s AB 2575 has passed the Legislature and is enrolled. Why you and your organization should support this bill and the Governor’s signature: If signed into law, AB 2575 would amend the Forest Practice Act as “Article 5.5. Comprehensive Forest Land A September 2010 tour group at a crossing on Usal Road in Waterfall Gulch which the DOT rocked heavily, but left the outside berm in place and a long inside ditch that will, despite the Recovery and Restoration Act.” Although straw, both erode and conduct sediment into the stream with every winter storm. Corrective Article 5.5 will have to be filled out a bit measures were determined, a funding source (luckily) was found, and if the ‘stars are to live up to its title, it does provide a aligned’, the corrective measures will be implemented during the last two weeks in October. solid foundation as regards dealing with cumulative effects, involving the public, business, Pacific Watershed Associates. depending on site and scale and so forth, and getting pertinent internet-available Just google “Handbook for Forest and please do. It’s not if a culvert will fail and/ information organized on a planning or have to be replaced, it’s when.) Ranch Roads” and there you have it. watershed basis. Back to sediment from crossing What I’m trying to lead up to is one of First, new Forest Practice Rules—a approaches: Sediment from your road the current upgrades that need to come partial update of the former ‘temporary’ surface and/or inside ditches needs to be about: prevention of sediment entering Threatened or Impaired Watershed ushered into areas where the sediment streams and watercourses from the Rules—named Andromous Salmonid can settle out and not reach the stream approaches to crossings. Overall, the Protection Rules 2009, went into effect on or watercourse. Inside ditches that deliver construction of crossings is generally 1 January 2010. Sub-section 916.9(v)(10) sediment defeat the whole purpose of a much improved: culverted crossings have was part of this package, providing for good crossing. Road-approach surfaces oversized culverts set at watercourse pilot projects for site-specific measures that erode and deliver sediment do the grade with adequate armoring—and which might be used in riparian areas same. Armor-road approaches that slope one should hopefully have a ‘critical with approval by CalFire and the to the crossing with good rock keep the Department of Fish & Game. dip’ that keeps a channel in the channel sediment-laden water out of the crossing if the culvert plugs, instead of creating approaches with rolling dips, waterbars, Assemblyman Chesbro; with sponsorship a huge gully that takes out hundreds of or inside ditch relief culverts. This still by Forests Forever, and with support feet of road before delivering 1000s of isn’t happening enough. Good county by the Sierra Club, the California cubic yards of sediment to a stream. (A road crews are still rocking the heck out of Native Plants Society, the Center for little digression that I have to get in here: road crossings, but allowing hundreds of Biological Diversity, EPIC, and ultimately Please, if you can afford a bridge, or can feet of unarmored, eroding inside ditches the California Forestry Association; construct a high quality armored ford, successfully guided through legislation

Page 18 Forest & River News a Fall 2010 Short Summaries Of Other Issues: ΉΉ From the Fall 2010 RFFI Newsletter: “RFFI, the Conservation Fund and Save the Redwoods League have made significant progress toward the sale of a conservation easement on the Usal Redwood Forest (URF). Ultimately, the easement will be purchased by the Conservation Fund with financing provided by the Wildlife Conservation Board. The easement will prohibit future fragmentation and development, protect stream buffers and limit harvest to a sustainable level in perpetuity. The state bond freeze that had delayed the easement sale has now been lifted and RFFI is able to move forward. The required appraisal of the URF easement’s Art Harwood (Exec. Dir. of RFFI), Kent Standley (Head of Maintenance, Mendocino County Department of Transportation), Howard Dashiell (Director of the Mendocino County DOT), value is nearly complete, and RFFI and Mark Lancaster (Director of the Five Counties Salmonid Conservation Program) on Usal hopes that the Wildlife Conservation Road in Waterfall Gulch as Mark goes over road shaping and drainage corrections to prevent Board will include the purchase of the sediment from entering Waterfall Gulch Creek—note the long inside ditch and high outside easement on its November agenda. berm preventing timely & effective road drainage, and ushering silt laden water directly to We would like to thank Congressman the stream crossing behind Mark. Mike Thompson, State Senator Pat Wiggins, Assemblyman Wes Chesbro, that would, through the (v)(10) pilot original bill was stronger and more Assemblywoman Noreen Evans and project process: comprehensive, e.g. would have their staffs for their strong support required electronic information in helping RFFI secure funding for Require that a pilot project “shall to be organized by planning the Usal easement.” [Go to the RFFI result in the development of watersheds ASAP, but the essence website for more information.] guidelines for conducting a was retained and a foundation is lain. cumulative effects evaluation on ΉΉ New Northern Spotted Owl In the context of these times and the developments will be reviewed in a planning watershed scale,” with budgetary constraints, its passage is certain standards of consistency, October in forums sponsored by UC rather remarkable, and needs your Extension in Eureka and Ukiah. reproduction, quantitative methods, support to be added to the Forest documentation, and expertise. Practice Act and be implemented. ΉΉ The Board of Forestry (BOF) passed a new rule package about “stable Set out goals that include, but are Please draft a simple letter of strong operating surfaces” and “saturated not limited to, restoration of fisheries support from you and your organization soils” in September, and is anticipated and wildlife habitat, reduction of to pass a new rule in October requiring for the Governor’s support and wildfire risk, growing high-quality denial of a Timber Harvest Plan if timber, achieving long-term carbon signature on AB 2575. E-mails are not a California Geology Survey (CGS) sequestration, with an emphasis appropriate for this. It is imperative that Geologist determines that the THP on coho salmon recovery and your paper letters are sent ASAP to: will adversely affect slope stability restoration of impaired water bodies. The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger that presents a threat to public safety. Require that all documents that form Governor, State of California State ΉΉ How CalFire and the BOF will the basis for the pilot projects be Capitol, First Floor Sacramento, CA 95814 handle pilot projects remains to be seen posted on CalFire’s Internet Web site. Attention: Legislative Affairs—Request [See above RE: AB 2575]. Hoped-for participants in a Steering/Technical for Signature Require that the Board of Forestry Advisory Committee have submitted or a technical advisory committee, Go to the link: www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo. their requests for consideration. “develop recommendations for html And type in the bill number AB providing electronic public access C Get in touch with EPIC and Humboldt to all relevant documents that assist 2575 to look at the bill, it’s history. And— Watershed Council for the latest the department in administering Assembly Member Chesbro deserves information on many of the above timber harvest regulations for actions topics and other issues. Please get our thanks and support in this effort and involved in ways that are effective and that occur on a planning watershed evolution. meaningful for you, and that contribute scale.” You have to realize that the to real solutions...... rg www.treesfoundation.org Page 19 v

Community-based Forestry Community Forestry and Upslope Forest Restoration

By John Rogers Today’s “ecosystems” fail to provide the mature hardwood stand perpetuating In a recent article for the Trees Foundation habitat and ecosystem functions that itself without interference. Yet, if the newsletter, Forest & River News, I focused characterized North Coast forests in the restoration of North Coast forests to on one aspect of restoring North Coast early 1800s. something approximating historic stand compositions, habitat conditions, forests to something approximating historic It’s possible to see current hardwood- conservation values, and ecosystem levels of forest health and productivity: dominated stands as part of an early functions is our goal, then we will need the financial cost of delaying harvests for successional stage of forest recovery. But to commit the resources necessary to a generation or more as measured by a what we actually see on the ground is a accomplish those objectives. Discounted Cash Flow analysis. But, the firmly ensconced hardwood dominance cost of delayed harvests is only one cost out-of-balance with historic species Out-of-balance and Unmanaged of restoring or creating high conservation distributions. In some unmanaged Forest Landscapes value forests populated with bigger, stands, we do see occasional conifers Under the current over-crowded stand older trees. overtopping 20 to 30-year-old hardwoods conditions—damaged and misaligned Where We Are Now: Koyaanisqatsi to begin the process of establishing a by previous clearcut and leave-it-alone Many of our forests, left alone to conifer-dominated overstory similar to harvest practices—allowing second- recover, will take multiple generations historic North Coast forests. In others, it growth forest stands to self-manage may if not centuries to return to species appears that hardwood dominance will require us to endure further negative compositions, stand structures, and prevail with no particular assurance that ecological consequences before a new ecosystem complexity that even those mature hardwood stands will be ecological balance is achieved. replaced by conifers in this generation or approximate the forests living here for Dense hardwood-dominated stands even the next. thousands of years before the arrival of delay the development of larger trees— European settlers. Some of our forests, Hardwood-dominated and mixed both conifers and hardwoods. Species left to restore themselves, may never hardwood-conifer stands have always dependent on habitat conditions that come back to pre-settler conditions. been a part of North Coast forests. include mature conifer stands will In the wake of intensive post-war There is nothing wrong about a remain scarce. harvesting, much of our North Coast forestland is composed of very young stands—less than 40 years. And, depending on the level of active post- harvest management, many of these stands are choked with dense resprouting native hardwoods and brush, particularly on non-industrial forestland. Even those stands planted and stocked with redwood and Douglas-fir are consistently overtopped by hardwoods. These stands provide some cover for soils and some root strength to hold hillsides together and prevent erosion. But, they are nothing like the historic conifer and mixed hardwood-conifer stands that

dominated North Coast landscapes and John Rogers in a Mattole forest dominated and thick with Tanoak forest canopies prior to the Gold Rush. p h o t o s t h i s a r t i c l e : Ri c h a r d Gi e n g e r

Page 20 Forest & River News a Fall 2010 v

Fire Hazard Trend in Basal Area of Hum Co. Hdwd Dominated Stands These same dense young stands also represent a significant fire hazard. While 200 fire is a natural event in North Coast 180 landscapes, fire suppression coupled with 160 intensive forest management significantly 140 120 Hardwoods increases the risk of catastrophic fire—a 100 Conifers risk for humans as well as native flora and 80 fauna. To the extent these young stands 60 Sq Ft. Basal Area 40 are hardwood rather than conifer—the 20 risk of catastrophic fire increases. Under 0 these conditions the reintroduction of 2010 2155 low-intensity fire to native landscapes Year is next to impossible without active management of forest fuel loads. More Susceptible to Disease Trend in Basal Area of Hum Co. Conifer Dominated Stands

Dense unmanaged second-growth stands 250 are also more susceptible to the impacts of diseases and pests. For example: the 200 relatively recent arrival of Sudden Oak 150 Death (SOD) has had a significant impact Hardwoods Conifers on North Coast forests—particularly in 100 some tanoak-dominated stands. While it would be preferable to stop the progress Sq. Ft. Basal Area 50 of SOD in its tracks, indications are that 0 it will continue to spread—aided by dense 2010 2155 conditions, moist spring weather, and the Year presence of California bay trees as vector for the pathogen. The impact of SOD will be greatest in tanoak-dominated and abysmal road building practices to roads, and the loss of fog drip from stands—a significant proportion of many resulted in severe habitat degradation old-growth trees all play a part in water unmanaged second-growth watersheds. and a collapse in salmonid populations— budgets for North Coast watersheds. Yet primarily due to increased stream our young, dense, vigorous, unmanaged Lower Stream Flows temperatures and sediment contributions. stands could well be many decades A 2004 study of transpiration rates Ironically, it has also been noted that from mimicking mature forest stand (Structural and compositional controls clearcutting a watershed creates a conditions. And, as inventory volumes on transpiration in 40- and 450-year- temporary increase in stream flows as climb, they may vigorously transpire old riparian forests, Jones, et. al. 2004) the harvested trees no longer transpire yet more water per acre per year before in conifer-dominated forests in western moisture into the atmosphere. Now, 40 stand structure and maturity contribute Oregon gives evidence that 450-year- and 50 years after intensive logging, what to reduce transpiration rates—water that old old-growth stands transpire less we are seeing is significant reduction in water, per acre, than younger 40-year-old late summer stream flows—just as our forests. The younger stands were shown John Rogers is a 35 year resident of overcrowded second-growth forests enter S o u t h e r n H u m b o l d t w h o s e i n v o l v e m e n t w i t h to consume as much as 3.7 times as much their most productive years and begin to forestry issues emerged through his role as water per acre as the old-growth stands. develop the size characteristics of mature a woodworker and sustainability advocate. A member of the founding Institute for We know that the North Coast’s old- stands. There are of course a number of Sustainable Forestry board in 1991, John’s growth forest landscapes included factors influencing stream flows: normal writing focuses on the economic nuts stream flows and aquatic habitat that rainfall variability, gradual changes in and bolts of walking the talk of long-term sustainable forest management. Contact: supported an abundance of anadromous climate, increased diversions for human [email protected] fish. Over harvesting of native old growth use, increased runoff of groundwater due

www.treesfoundation.org Page 21 cooperation between several disciplines: forest managers, milling operations analysts, forest economists, and market analysts as well as environmental scientists and researchers. Given this complexity, and the current lack of appreciation of the cost of forest restoration, it is not surprising that Redwood in foreground, policy makers have difficulty developing Douglas-fir in middle appropriate supportive measures that ground and almost move beyond the regulation vs. greed all the the rest of the thick young growth is paradigm. Tanoak. Do note that the Incentives for Restoration Practices canopy is suppressing brush growth. and Community-based Forestry Support for efforts to reduce permitting costs associated with responsible forest Upslope Restoration Costs will not be flowing into regional streams management is a critical component in the foreseeable future. Using restoration-focused forest of efforts to restore regional forests. management tools to achieve Articulating, implementing, and Recent negative reactions to proposed conservation goals is possible, but the refining restoration forestry techniques efforts to reduce management costs for cost of reaching forest restoration goals and practices that address the above landowners engaged in uneven-aged outlined above—at a landscape scale—is issues constitute the pragmatic core of selection (restoration) management huge. Even landowners committed to community-based forest management. raise some interesting conundrums. The forest restoration goals, with little or no concern that unscrupulous landowners Restoration Forestry Can: expectation of personal profit in this will take advantage of reduced costs to ΉΉ decrease the risk of catastrophic generation, find the cost of restoration- increase the incidence of intensive and wildfire—stands managed for oriented forest practices difficult—if not damaging forest management practices restoration purposes with active impossible—to absorb. is not completely unfounded. There slash management are projected have certainly been instances where to have shorter flame lengths Stream and wetland restoration the designation of say, salvage logging, and lower mortality in wildfire projects, projects where landowner has been cynically applied to allow than stands managed under profits are typically not an issue, have even-aged prescriptions. intensive depletion of forest resources. been supported by multiple state-wide At the same time this lack of trust can ΉΉ increase the proportion of conifers initiatives as well other state and federal in unmanaged and highly overstocked create a situation where forest managers funding sources leading to billions of hardwood stands heavily impacted have fewer and fewer feasible options dollars being spent for aquatic habitat by previous practices—thin from until forest management itself is truly restoration projects throughout the state. below and actively promote better polarized: clearcut or sell out. species composition by removing a Supporting upslope restoration goals, in greater proportion of hardwoods contrast, is integrated with landowner From a community forestry perspective, ΉΉ slow or control the spread of harvest plans, the California regulatory the partial reduction of upslope forest SOD through the use of prescribed process, local markets for forest products, restoration permitting costs does not fire and reduced stand densities and the potential for both current income go far enough to support regional forest ΉΉ increase carbon sequestration— and income from future timber harvests restoration goals. If we intend to restore particularly if the end products for forest landowners. An objective balance to second-growth North Coast go into structural lumber accounting of forest restoration costs forests—if we intend to repair the ΉΉ hasten the development of late requires disaggregating costs associated damage done in the past—we will need seral stage conifer stand and habitat to build on recent efforts to reduce the conditions, by thinning from below with specific restoration forestry and increasing the proportion practices as well as understanding the cost of responsible forest management of larger size conifers, and potential market values that may accrue and engage in the analysis necessary to ΉΉ improve forest health and resiliency to landowners as a result of achieving provide real financial support for forest by removing suppressed and poorly particular restoration goals. Such an restoration goals and long-rotation all- growing conifers and hardwoods. accounting will also require close aged forest management.

Page 22 Forest & River News a Fall 2010 Opponents of Richardson Grove Highway Project File Second Suit to Save Old-growth Redwoods

On September 27 five individuals to resolve this situation that do not put the area’s environment. Caltrans claims and three environmental advocacy these trees at risk and preserve them for this “realignment” project is needed to organizations filed a federal lawsuit all Californians.” legally accommodate large-truck travel against the California Department of on this section of highway. However, it A lawsuit was filed under state law in Transportation. The Federal Action June, 2010 for violations of the California appears from Caltrans’ own statements challenges a major construction project Environmental Quality Act. A “finding and signage that this portion of road is along Highway 101 through Richardson already designated for larger trucks Grove State Park in Humboldt County. of no significant impact” that Caltrans and that Caltrans has exaggerated The project will destroy prized old- published in May contradicts the agency’s potential safety problems. Caltrans has growth redwoods to allow access for own conclusions that the project is likely not established this project is necessary large commercial trucks. The lawsuit— to harm or destroy ancient redwoods either for safety or for goods movement the second suit citizens have filed to stop in the grove. The newly filed Federal the controversial project—was filed due Complaint details numerous violations and the economy. Since smaller-sized to Caltrans’ failure to conduct a thorough of federal law due to inadequate commercial trucks already travel through environmental review of the project, in environmental review for the project; the grove to deliver goods to Humboldt violation of the National Environmental it also cites Caltrans’ own findings that County, the best alternative would be to Policy Act and the Wild and Scenic the project would cause harm to old- leave the highway as it is and retain the Rivers Act. growth trees. The project would harm integrity of the grove. and destroy ancient and irreplaceable Bess Bair, lead plaintiff on the federal redwoods in the grove by cutting their a We owe a huge debt of gratitude to EPIC, lawsuit, was born and raised in Humboldt roots or compacting hundreds of cubic the Center for Biological Diversity, and County near Richardson Grove. Bair is yards of soil and paving over the roots. the attorneys for undertaking this huge the granddaughter of Bess and Fred The work will affect at least 72 old-growth effort. The Administrative Record (the documents CALTRANS generated Hartsook, originators of the historic trees, and Caltrans acknowledges that Hartsook Inn, near the Richardson Grove. relating to the project) is more than “adverse effects to old-growth trees may Bair joined the lawsuit to carry on her 10,000 pages in length! The cost of these be a significant impact to this unique lawsuits will be tremendous. Please visit century-long family legacy of protecting natural community.” the EPIC website at wildcalifornia.org the majestic giant redwoods from harm. and make a donation to the Richardson “I know these trees intimately, I was raised The proposed widening does not serve Grove Legal Fund to help defray the cost among them,” said Bair. “There are ways the region’s best interests and threatens of the lawsuits. v

Wildfire Effects Salvage Logging in the Redwood Forest

by Jodi Frediani Timberland owners believe fully in and talk endlessly about the merits of ‘managing forestland.’ Such conversations often include admonitions that land that is not managed will be at risk from wildfire.

In Los Gatos, San Jose Water Company (SJWC) tried to convince neighbors that a 1000-acre Non-Industrial Timber Management Plant (NTMP) for SJWC’s redwood forestland would protect their mountain communities from wildfire by reducing crown fires. However, many of the neighbors had weathered the Salvage logging after Lockheed Fire 1987 Lexington Fire and knew that the redwoods actually slowed the fire spread A 2007 Oregon State University (OSU) “indictment of salvage logging—it may still and helped protect their homes. study found that the 2002 Biscuit Fire have value for economic purposes...” burned more severely in areas that had U.C. Berkeley Associate Professor Scott Of course, in the coastal redwood range, been salvage logged and replanted, Stephens wrote, in a letter regarding replanting post-logging is rarely done compared to similar areas that were also that NTMP, “Removing forest canopy by as redwoods regenerate readily from burned in a 1987 fire but had been left to thinning this [SJWC] forest would not stumps. However, the OSU Biscuit Fire regenerate naturally. effectively reduce potential fire behavior study suggested that logging, alone, and effects, especially in areas where The study found that fire severity was would actually increase the “levels of redwood is the dominant species. Redwood 16-61 percent higher in logged and material that could fuel another fire in foliage is not particularly flammable and planted areas, compared to those that the near future,” because of the “pulse” of there are few records of crown fires in had burned severely and were left alone easily-burned fine fuels and waste wood redwood forests.” after the fire 15 years earlier. “Many left behind on the forest floor after trees forest managers in the past have assumed are felled and processed. Most fire scientists agree that larger, that salvage logging after a severe forest Rich Casale, Certified Professional commercially desirable redwoods are fire, along with replanting new trees, will Erosion and Sediment Control Specialist more fire resistant than smaller trees. reduce future fire severity,” said Jonathan #3 and District Conservationist with the They will also tell you that logging Thompson, a doctoral student at OSU in USDA Natural Resources Conservation increases surface fuel loads and drying of the Department of Forest Science, and Service, has said the following regarding understory vegetation while removing the lead author on the study. The researchers post-fire management on timberlands: most fire resistant trees, thus potentially noted that after logging, there is more “Don’t be too quick to remove fire-damaged increasing the threat of catastrophic fire. dead woody fuel on the forest floor. trees and other vegetation, especially Dense homogenous plantations may The issue of salvage logging post-fire redwood and coastal live oak trees that also contribute to increased fire risk. But also raises questions about its use as a have thick and/or fire resistant bark. researchers did note the study was not an management tool. On some properties, doing nothing may

Page 24 Forest & River News a Fall 2010 v

be the best solution, allowing nature to saw 1100 of their 3280 acres blackened pure redwood forest burned at Very High restore cover naturally. In areas where in that fire. Dietterick explained that the severity, while close to 70% were assessed trees were partially damaged by fire, water-repellent soil “certainly does have at the Moderate rating: “Most mature smoke, or heat, there will be an enormous the effect of stopping catastrophic events plants survive, but some mortality. Fire leaf drop later this summer and fall that from occurring, at least that first year extension into the tree canopy of a small will provide soil protection from rain and after the fire.” Dietterick also said that number of individual trees. Needles on runoff next winter.” raindrops were “almost like mercury on trees may be scorched.” the soil surface. You can push the water Leaving forests intact post-fire may be droplet around.” During 2010, local land managers the best method of protecting soils utilized CAL FIRE Emergency Notices and nearby watercourses. While leaf During that August 2009 fire, 6755 (CCR 1052) to conduct salvage logging acres burned in the Scott Creek and San drop helps protect the soil from rainfall, on nearly 1000 of those fire-scared acres. Vicente Creek watersheds, both of which hydrophobic soil layers created by No timber harvest plans (THPs) had to were key coho salmon streams for the high fire heat lessen water infiltration be prepared or reviewed and little to no endangered Central Coast coho salmon immediately post-fire. This layer can agency oversight was required. Trees Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU). and did protect slopes during the first were removed via helicopter yarding, Of that total acreage, 2420 acres were limiting the need for road construction winter following the nearly 8000-acre redwood forest and 1951 acres were mixed or use. While soils were not compacted Lockheed Fire north of Davenport in conifer forest. 136 of those total forested from tractor yarding, more surface fuels Santa Cruz County. Anticipated debris acres were deemed to have burned at were created from the logging operations, slides and debris torrents did not occur, Very High burn severity and 1293 at High and falling trees may have damaged the according to Brian Dietterick, Director of severity. However, only about 2% of the hydrophobic layer. Clearly, landowners Cal Poly’s Swanton Pacific Ranch, which benefited economically as the cost of THP preparation was waived. The question remains open, however, regarding adverse environmental impacts from this logging and ‘management benefits. In April, 2010 CCFW attended a Lockheed Fire field day—on Cal Poly’s Swanton Pacific Ranch where we had a chance to see a couple of log decks from their salvage operations. Log size was largely small and while we saw some blackened bark, most logs looked as if the cambium layer was fire-free. We question whether the trees really ‘needed’ to be removed either for the health of the forest, or to preserve their commercial value. In order to get a birds-eye view of the broader landscape, we conducted a flyover of the Lockheed burn area in August of this year. Much canopy regeneration had occurred since our previous flyover in December 2009. We were able to photograph some logged areas that on Log deck from salvage closer inspection showed blackened bark logging on Cal Poly’s on some remaining trees. However, the Swanton Pacific Ranch after Lockheed Fire. canopy of these residuals was largely green and lush or recovering. Again, this raised

www.treesfoundation.org Page 25 Another log-deck from Cal Poly’s Swanton Pacific Ranch, following the Lockheed Fire the question in our minds of the ‘need’ for or damage to the hydrophobic soil layer may have summed up our concerns best. this logging to occur under an Emergency lead to increased erosion and/or debris “Postfire logging may conflict with Notice for management purposes. slides? Long-term effects will remain ecosystem recovery goals,” the Biscuit unknown for years to come. Felling of While the Lockheed Fire Post-Fire Risk Fire OSU Report authors concluded. several old-growth redwoods during Assessment report noted that “significant fire fighting efforts was clearly a loss for loss of commercial value is expected as habitat, and salvage of newly defective a result of fire scar defect introduced in trees will also remove valuable long- redwood and Douglas-fir trees coupled Jodi Frediani became involved in forest with subsequent biotic stressors,” we term wildlife habitat. Only time will tell and watershed protection in 1980 when note that such fire scar defect provides what environmental impacts will occur 30 acres of old-growth redwoods were from the combined effects of the 2009 proposed for logging adjacent to her excellent habitat for a variety of species. spring. Through her efforts, that forest is Decades of fire suppression have greatly Lockheed Fire and subsequent salvage now protected as state park land, and her reduced the creation of fire scars in logging operations. Will sediment loads spring continues to produce outstanding in local streams increase? How will coho clean, clear water. Jodi has remained a redwood forests. Now it appears that strong voice for forest and watershed salvage logging allows for and encourages salmon and steelhead trout be impacted? protection as Founder and Director of the removal of trees that have sustained What about cavity-dependent species? Central Coast Forest Watch, focusing on defect from wildfire. And how about future fire risk? timber harvest impacts, particularly those affecting old growth and riparian habitat. The verdict is still out on what effect if In the short term, the fire provided a Jodi’s column in Forest & River News focuses on the effects of fire in forested any these logging operations will have on windfall of harvestable trees to the land ecosystems. Contact: [email protected] this winter’s runoff. Will reduced canopy managers, but the OSU Report authors

Page 26 Forest & River News a Fall 2010 Our Partners at Work

management and stewardship of second- Redwood Company. Some details are Shaping Second-Growth growth forests. Of the 13,200 acres of still in play for the Mattole, such as the Logging in the Mattole old growth identified in 1988, 8,300 age beyond which trees are considered Mattole Restoration Council acres gained permanent protection old-growth, and we remain in dialogue in the Mattole headwaters, Gilham with company foresters about specifics. In the Mattole, it used to be that when Butte, King Range and adjacent areas, In second-growth stands, little cutting you talked about timber issues, the topic through purchases from willing sellers, has taken place, because the trees are just was old-growth logging. Our concern for and creation of reserves on public land. approaching maturity. In the Mattole, ancient forests led the Mattole Restoration Painfully, some 1,400 acres were lost to 72,000 acres were last logged between Council to create the landmark 1988 logging, mostly on land which was then 1947 and 1962. The second-growth forests map—based on aerial photo analysis and owned by Maxxam’s Pacific Lumber. An that replaced them are now between research in county archives—showing additional 1,500 acres of old growth 48 and 63 years old—an age when they that 91 percent of the old-growth conifer are now held by Humboldt Redwood might be considered for harvest. The forest in our watershed had been cut Company (HRC), acquired through the timber market has been in the doldrums since World War Two. That map was a key Pacific Lumber bankruptcy. For the time for three years, but when it revives, we tool in our work to protect the remnant being, they are safe from the saw because expect that more landowners will be old-growth groves, a goal we pursued of the company’s policy of preserving interested in logging. In a survey, more doggedly for more than twenty years. unentered old-growth stands—a voluntary than half of the 115 respondents—and Now, the old-growth question is close and welcome commitment by HRC that about 80 percent of those owning 160 acres to being resolved in the Mattole, and has been a central tenet of company policy or more—said they would be interested our forestry focus is shifting to sound here and at its sister enterprise, Mendocino in harvesting timber from their land.

www.treesfoundation.org Page 27 Our Partners at Work

old-growth character, any logging would restoration organizations and agencies have to maintain those qualities. by producing an annual conference, field schools and workshops. SRF’s statewide a We intend to submit this plan to CalFire conference on salmonid restoration this fall, and we invite you to our website provides an opportunity for field tours, at www.mattole.org/pteir to learn more. technical workshops, panels, and a plenary 29th Annual Salmonid session on the state of salmonid recovery. Restoration Conference This year the conference will feature workshops on topics including Fish Passage A team assesses the scientific validity of March 23-26, 2011 Design & Implementation, Stormwater the stream protections offered under the draft light-touch timber harvest permit Salmonid Restoration Federation Pollution Runoff & Water Quality, Invasive proposed by the Mattole Restoration Species Management for Salmonids, and Council. Clockwise from lower left: Richard Salmonid Restoration Federation is Water Conservation & Sustainable Water Gienger; forester Paul Harper; Redwood producing the 29th Annual Salmonid National Park geologist Greg Bundros; Practices. Concurrent sessions include: Restoration Conference entitled, “Holding Redwood National Park hydrologist Randy Role of Hatcheries and Captive Rearing Klein; Bureau of Land Management the Line to Preserve Salmonids,” in geologist Sam Flanagan; MRC forest in Recovery; The Future of California San Luis Obispo, CA March 23-26. practices advocate Ali Freedlund. Chinook Salmon: Fisheries, Restoration p h o t o : c o u r t e s y MRC a r c h i v e s Salmonid Restoration Federation (SRF) is and Recovery; Coho Salmon Recovery a non-profit organization that promotes Efforts; Monitoring and Demonstrating When that day comes, it will put our stewardship, sustainable management, and the Effect/Success of Restoration Activities previous stance to the test. During the restoration of California’s salmon, steelhead, and Recovery Planning for Central & controversy over old-growth logging, we and trout populations and their habitat. Southern Steelhead; Role of Lagoons said, in effect, “We aren’t against all logging. SRF provides critical educational services and Estuaries to Steelhead and Salmon We just want you to protect old growth, for California’s community-based salmonid in California; Providing Adequate to steer clear of streams and unstable areas, to cut at a sustainable rate without clearcutting, and not to use herbicides.”

In anticipation of second-growth logging, the Council has developed the Mattole Forest Futures Project, which is aimed at promoting forest practices compatible with watershed recovery. Through a permit we are pursuing for light-touch timber harvest, known as a Program Timberland Environmental Impact Report, or PTEIR, we are creating a template for second-growth logging we can support. It aims to safeguard fish, wildlife, and clean water through no-cut buffers along streams; a system for identifying and avoiding unstable ground; limits on rate of harvest; prohibition on herbicide use during the term of the plan; and a requirement of selective harvest. Trees SLO County of Agriculture’s Weed Management Area initiative to remove invasive species that pre-date 1850 will be off-limits, and along the Morro’s and within Chorro Valley. where second-growth forests develop p h o t o : c o u r t e s y SRF a r c h i v e s

Page 28 Forest & River News a Fall 2010 of 2002. Bob McKee, a third generation resident of this valley who had never seen the river so low, described the dry river bed as a “moonscape.” In 2002 and 2003, the residents of this reach organized community meetings with Sanctuary Forest, Mattole Salmon Group, and The Morro Bay Mattole Restoration Council to develop Estuary is an estuary of National solutions to the low-flow problem. Water Significance and storage—storing water from the wet season is home to many endangered to use during the dry season—was already and threatened being practiced by a few community species, including Steelhead Trout. members, including Bob McKee and Eve p h o t o : c o u r t e s y and Ron Broughton. In 2005, Sanctuary SRF a r c h i v e s Forest developed the Storage and Forbearance Program, and by 2009 it had Water Flow; Barrier Removal, Water Flows in the summer of 2008 were the installed storage for five landowners in the Allocations, and Managing Stream Flow; lowest ever recorded. Thousands of Junction reach, including the landowners Water Temperature and Salmonids; trapped salmonids have perished because of two “fish friendly” farms. The Junction Population Status and Trend Monitoring. the pools literally dry up, and today the community has fully joined the effort, with Mattole coho are at risk of extinction. five more landowners who are developing Field Tours will include tours of or have already installed storage on their Morro Bay Watershed, Headwaters One community, located at the own and two more who will receive to Mouth Tour; San Luis Obispo Whitethorn Junction, has played a key storage through the Sanctuary Forest Creek Tour; Sustainable Vineyards role in improving streamflows.. The program this summer. The community Tour; Instream Structures Tour Road section of river at Whitethorn Junction also practices water conservation and helps Decommissioning & Erosion Control Tour. was one of the hardest hit in the drought with education and river monitoring. The Plenary Session will include presentations from leaders in the salmonid restoration field. a For more information: www.calsalmon.org Whitethorn Junction: A Community Changes their Water Use for the River Sanctuary Forest

Climate change, land use practices, and human use are causing extreme low flows in the Mattole Headwaters of southwestern Humboldt County. Nine out of the last eleven years have had the Whitethorn Junction lowest flows measured at the Petrolia Community River Sign S i g n De s i g n a n d Ar t w o r k : Ev e Br o u g h t o n Station in its sixty years of operation. p h o t o : c o u r t e s y Sa n c t u a r y Fo r e s t a r c h i v e s Our Partners at Work

“turned off their pumps” and monitoring results indicate that for the first low-flow season since monitoring began in 2004, the downstream end of the reach had as much flow as the upstream end. In the previous low-flow years, from 2004 to2008, the Junction experienced a “losing reach” period, lasting from 45 to 71 days. This meant there was less flow at the downstream end than the upstream end, and in its worst years, there was no flow at the downstream end for 3-4 weeks.

We hope that other communities will become inspired by this story of people Sanctuary Forest Forbearance Program—60,000 gallon “tank farm.” who adapted to change and make a p h o t o : c o u r t e s y Sa n c t u a r y Fo r e s t a r c h i v e s difference in the place where they live.

Monitoring results during the summer and forbearance is working! During a For more information: of 2009 yielded exciting results—storage the low-flow season, 65% of landowners www.sanctuaryforest.org. Activists Put Their Bodies on the Line in Jacoby Creek By Earth First! Humboldt told the guys in the truck that someone’s and Redwood Forest Defense life was on the rope tied to the gate and After hearing the news that Green warned them not to tamper with it. Later, Diamond (GD) was clearcutting young as workers piled out of a van to inspect redwoods in the Jacoby Creek watershed the situation, one of them attempted to near Arcata, CA, forest activists cut through the rope. He cut over half- began taking direct action to oppose way through it before a supporter on the the logging. Two people blocked the ground squeezed between the rope and single-gated entrance to the area with the knife. an elaborate rope system, whereby one person was perched on a platform over “This is about global ecocide. We are 60 feet in the air (in the beginning) and doing this to preserve life on this planet, their main life-supporting rope was to fight climate change, loss of species securely anchored only to the logging and threats to our ability to survive,” said road gate. Another tree-climbing forest a young woman called “Fly,” from atop defender was perched in a tree nearby to the hanging platform. send her food and water that was being stored in the branches. Shortly after this Recent studies from Steve Sillett, a was finally set up, at around five o’clock botanist at Humboldt State University, in the morning, loggers arrived to find show that redwoods grow faster as the gate blocked and wrapped in yellow One of the tree-sit platforms they grow older, storing huge amounts in Jacoby Creek Watershed. caution tape. A supporter of the activists of carbon and slowing the rate of

Page 30 Forest & River News a Fall 2010 Our Partners at Work global warming. There is currently One of the tree sits stopped logging in a a collaboration of conservationists significant part of a lush riparian zone of and scientists using highly advanced a tributary to Jacoby Creek. It sits now on technology to decode the information the edge of the woods, a grove with many stored in redwood tree trunks, branches, old second-growth trees remaining to the and leaves to study the effects of climate south, which GD expects to log within change on these giants. the next few years. It has also been found that fog decrease A notice by Green Diamond in the is threatening California’s redwood September 18th issue of the Times- forests, as reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Standard recently announced that a new University of Berkley Professor Todd logging plan is in the works for Jacoby Dawson commented, “As fog decreases, Creek. The THP is being prepared for the mature redwoods along the coast are sections 28 and 29 of Township 5 North, not likely to die outright, but there may be Range 2 East, Humboldt Base Meridian. less recruitment of new trees. They will The notice states that the THP “includes look elsewhere for water, high humidity un-named tributaries to Jacoby Creek”. and cooler temperatures.” (Reuters, Feb.15, 2010) Additionally, a tree village a few miles south, in the area called the “McKay At the site of the blockade, one supporter Tract,” has stopped the logging of a 120+ was arrested at the scene after repeatedly Aerial view taken from over 100 feet year-old grove since February of 2009. warning the sheriffs about the dangers up in the canopy over the Jacoby Creek Watershed showing the nearby logging The grove is home to endangered Spotted of tampering with the life rope. He was Owls but Green Diamond has permits released the same day at the Humboldt clearcuts. The trees currently remain to “harm, harass, or kill” this dwindling County jail. standing and occupied by tree sitters. species. There are three more years Green Diamond’s loggers cut all of the Later that morning, the sheriffs cut and until the logging permit expires. The trees they could around the tree sitters, re-tied Fly’s life line to allow loggers in activists who are maintaining these tree despite the risk of injury or death of to the area. Their operation caused the sits hope for a peaceful resolution to the platform to violently swing and sag. In the tree sitters. The logs have all been situation before that time. They are also following days, the platform began to dragged away now by heavy machinery, seeking an end to clearcutting and the sink dramatically and the high-climbing but the sounds of forest devastation still implementation of restoration forestry, activists believed that the anchor tied carry over from the next hill. For over which is necessary for all species who live by the sheriffs was unsafe. The activists twenty days, Green Diamond maintained quietly descended late at night and snuck a security guard with a floodlight pointed in the redwoods, as well as all of Earth’s past the 24-hour security guard to escape. at one of the trees, depriving the tree residents suffering from climate change. sitter of sleep and resupply. This tactic On August 23, two more people climbed ended a few weeks ago, but the tree sitters a For more information into two rare 150+ year-old redwoods remain for now. http://forestdefender.blogspot.com at the forefront of one of the advancing and http://efhumboldt.org. To Donate Make checks payable to Trees Foundation, P.O. Box 2202, Redway, CA 95560

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Trees Foundation Office and Community Resource Center is open Monday-Thursday 10 am—4 pm at 439 Melville Road, Garberville. (707) 923-4377 Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters, Trees Foundation, and Roots of Change Media Education Project By Karen Pickett The Roots of Change project is based on Roots of Change has a PowerPoint Roots of Change Media Education Project, a model that builds capacity with small presentation on grassroots media a project of the Bay Area Coalition for grassroots groups to carry out outreach outreach and resource lists of reporters Headwaters, is collaborating with Trees to the media for news stories, events, and and media outlets to share, which we can Foundation to craft grassroots media campaigns, using minimal resources while do with a minimum outlay of resources workshops and assistance for North Coast maximizing visibility. The world of media if we coordinate. Contact us through grassroots environmental groups. We is one that is changing in major ways that Trees Foundation or directly at bach@ surveyed the organizations that partner demand vigilance and flexibility for those headwaterspreserve.org (510) 548-3113. with Trees Foundation, and we are putting trying to get media coverage. It is not together workshops and visits based on an easy task to keep one’s footing on a results of that survey, but there is still time to constantly shifting landscape. By sharing get in under the wire! If you are a non-profit experiences and resources, the grassroots grassroots group in Northern California, can remain effective at getting their unique we’d like to hear from you! and important messages out.

To read about the Mattole River & Estuary see cover article. p h o t o : Th o m a s B. Du n k l i n