Planning for a Climate Resilient Future
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
49 Years of Environmental News Arcata, California Vol. 50, No. 1 Feb/Mar 2020 ECEC NNPublished by the Northcoast EWS EWS Environmental Center Since 1971 What Next? Planning for a climate resilient future Board of Supervisors Candidates | Kin to the Earth - Cheryl Seidner | Last Chance Grade Climate Action Plan | Single Use Plastics Ban | Exploring Ecovillages National Parks Centennial Celebration News From the Center plans that were developed for the woodlands and small trees with Larry Glass, Executive Director, Sequoia, Sierra and Inyo National stems less than 12 inches in and Bella Waters, Admin. & Forests in Central California. e diameter, authorized by one Development Director plans fell well short of protecting federal decision. e Forest the valuable resources contained Service anticipates preparing a in these national forests. “Scary” Well, here it is - 2020. We’re still decision memo using categorical and “ugly” was how local activists on the lookout for the prophesized exclusion (CE) Category 6: described the plan and the public fl ying cars and robot servants, but for Timber stand and/or wildlife process. A coalition of environmental right now we’ll stay focused on things habitat improvement activities groups is forming, including regional, that are actually happening around that do not include the use of national and most importantly the Center. herbicides or do not require local environmental groups like more than 1 mile of low your NEC. e last time that we Long-Awaited Forest Planning standard road construction. all engaged in the forest planning Examples include but are not Process Begins process was in the early ‘90s and it limited to: (ii) … brush control Region Five of the Northwest took a herculean eff ort, lots of time … to reduce fi re hazard …; Forest Service has announced that and money, and years of engagement. (iii) Prescribed burning to control incumbent, Mike Wilson, running, it will begin the scoping process for is is an enormous task that we’ll be understory hardwoods …; and (iv) so that one is settled. e other its Land and Resource Management undertaking. Prescribed burning to reduce natural two districts have contests. District Plans for four Northwest California fuel build-up and improve plant 1 has the incumbent Rex Bohn forests - Klamath, Mendicino, Shasta- Forest Wide Fuels and Fire vigor (36 CFR 220.6(e)(6)). is is a versus challenger Clif Berkowitz. In Trinity, Six Rivers and the California very large project for a Categorical District 2, the fi eld is much bigger. portions of the Rogue River - Siskiyou Project e Six Rivers National Forest Exclusion (CE) and the NEC will be e incumbent Estelle Fennell is National Forests. at would cover has announced the beginning of monitoring this, along with EPIC and being challenged by four candidates: just under six million acres of public scoping as required by the National S.A.F.E. Michelle Bushnell, Sean DeVries, land in Northwest California. is is Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Rick French, and Michael McKaskle. a very important process because all of its Six Rivers Hazardous Fuels ere have been and will be debates activities that will take place in these Board of Supervisors Election and Fire Management Project. It Unlike election primaries of the and public forums leading up to forests will be governed exclusively will involve a series of vegetative past, this one takes place on March the March 3 election. If you live in for the next 15-20 years by these hazardous fuels reduction and fi re 3, which is coming quickly. ree these districts, get informed. To management plans. A worrisome management treatments across supervisorial districts are up for read statements from some of the indication of what this process could the forest targeting shrub fi elds, election. District 3 only has the candidates, see page 13. look like are the recent management Continued EcoNews Coordinator: Caroline Griffi th NEC Member Groups EcoNews Graphic Layout: Chelsea Pulliam NEC Board Of Directors Humboldt Baykeeper EC N EWS www.humboldtbaykeeper.org Proofreaders: Kris Diamond, Bella Waters. To contact NEC Board Members, please write to [email protected] Sierra Club, North Group, 415 I Street, Arcata, CA 95521 Authors: Larry Glass, Bella Waters, Jennifer Kalt, Redwood Chapter PO Box 4259, Arcata, CA 95518 Dan Sealy, Colin Fiske, Margaret Gainer, Casey President: Larry Glass, Safe Alternatives www.redwood.sierraclub.org/north/ Cruikshank, Tom Wheeler, Felice Pace, Caroline for our Forest Environment California Native Plant Society 707- 822-6918 Griffi th, Adam Canter, Tamara McFarland, Martha www.yournec.org Vice-President: Margaret Gainer, At-Large North Coast Chapter Walden, Carol Ralph www.northcoastcnps.org Secretary: Jennifer Kalt, Humboldt Cover: Terra-Gen Wind Energy rally on the Baykeeper Redwood Region Audubon EcoNews is the official bi-monthly Eagle Prairie Bridge in Rio Dell and Scotia. Society Photo by: Andrew Goff . Used with permission. Treasurer: Chris Jenican Beresford, www.rras.org publication of the Northcoast At-Large Environmental Center (NEC), a Friends of the Eel River Joan Tippets, Calfornia Native Plant Society www.eelriver.org non-profit organization. Third class NEC Staff CJ Ralph, Redwood Region Audubon Society postage paid in Arcata. ISSN No. Safe Alternatives for our Forest Executive Director: Richard Kreis, Sierra Club, North Group Environment (SAFE) 0885-7237. EcoNews is mailed to Larry Glass, [email protected] Alicia Hamann, Friends of the Eel River www.safealt.org our members and distributed free Environmental Protection throughout the Northern California Administrative & Development Director: Tom Wheeler, Environmental Protection Bella Waters, [email protected] Information Center Information Center (EPIC) and Southern Oregon bioregion. The www.wildcalifornia.org EcoNews Coordinator/Journalist: Dan Sealy, At-Large subscription rate is $50 per year. Caroline Griffi th, [email protected] Aisha Cissna, At-Large Coastal Programs Coordinator: NEC Affiliate Members The ideas and views expressed Casey Cruischank , [email protected] Humboldt Baykeeper Friends of Del Norte in EcoNews are not necessarily Admin. Assistant & Outreach Coordinator: www.fodn.org Fiscally sponsored by the NEC those of the NEC. Chelsea Pulliam, [email protected] Zero Waste Humboldt Director: www.zerowastehumboldt.org Bookkeeping Assistant: Anita Gilbride-Read, Jennifer Kalt, [email protected] volunteer Californians for Alternatives to Toxics Bay Tours Coordinator: www.alt2tox.org Jasmin Segura, [email protected] Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities www.transportationpriorities.org News from the Center 6th Annual Tim McKay Birdathon Continued from prior page Bird lovers! Now is the time to mark your calendars for the Sixth Annual “Tim McKay In This Issue Birdathon”. While the start date isn’t until May, now Your Watchdog is the time to start forming your team and soliciting 3 2019 Donor Thank You Our ability to monitor many of the items discussed donations. is is a fun event that helps get people 5 Greetings from your New Reporter here wouldn’t be possible without the help of our out in the fi eld, enjoying our beautiful surroundings supporters. e outpouring of fi nancial support we and remembering why it’s so important to protect 6 Zero Waste Humboldt: Single Use Plastic received from you in 2019 was very inspiring. We our valuable resources. Proceeds from the Birdathon 6 CRTP: Biking in the Rain also held two successful fundraisers and were able to are split between Redwood Region Audubon Society end the year in the black. and the NEC, so two great organizations benefi t 7 EPIC: Decade Review from you spending a day out in the fi eld, having fun 8 NEXUS: Ecovillages Exciting New Addition to the NEC counting birds. If you’re not a birder but would like 9 Kin to the Earth - Cheryl Seidner We’d like to welcome the very talented community to sponsor one, please contact the NEC offi ce. organizer Caroline Griffi th to the NEC staff as the 11 Sierra Club: Water Quality Challenges EcoNews Coordinator & Journalist. Caroline will 12 Humboldt Bay Keeper: King Tide Photos be attending various meetings and notifying our Letters to EcoNews 13 Board of Supervisors Candidates members of any important action opportunities or Letters should be 300 words or less, be decisions while coordinating all the varying aspects relevant to EcoNews readers and material 15 Casey’s Coastal Column: Data Collection of EcoNews. She’ll be assisted by Chelsea Pulliam, covered in EcoNews, and must include the writer’s address and phone number. 16 California Native Plant Society: Gold in our current Administrative Assistant and Outreach Letters may be edited and shortened Coordinator who will be stepping up to perform all for space. The NEC reserves the right to reject any submitted the Forest graphics and layout needs with EcoNews. is fi rst material for any reason (size, content, writing style, etc.). 17 Eye on Washington: Green Trade issue we’ve tried to stick to the tried and true format Send to [email protected] 18 Last Chance Grade that we have. In upcoming issues, this new team will be implementing new ideas as warranted. Please see 19 City of Eureka Climate Action Plan Caroline’s introduction on page 5. The NEC is looking for help with some 20 Get on Board for the Climate Open House projects! We Need: 20 Motocross Track on Dunes Considered anks to all for attending our Open House. It was 1 - a sidewalk sandwich board renovated 21 Shorts: Positive Bits of News great to see so many faces and hear what you’d like (sand and paint) us to work on. Also, big thanks to all who purchased 2 - a display case made for our cigarette salmon Winter Vacation Raffl e tickets and congrats to the lucky winners. We really appreciate the support of Interested in helping? Contact us at 707-822-6918 the businesses who donated: Humboldt Bay Social Club, Requa Inn, Blue Lake Casino, Benbow Historic Inn, Lady Anne Victorian Inn, 511 Restaurant and Bouquets of gratitude Finnish Country Sauna & Tubs.