August 19, 2009
In the previous update, I reported that the Jackson Advisory Group (JAG) was considering "Natural Forestry" for Jackson State Forest. Since that time, the concept of Natural Forestry has evolved and appears to be making headway as the preferred management approach.
As currently defined by the Landscape Committee of the JAG:
Natural Forestry is the adaptive management of forests to produce timber while simultaneously fostering the forests' development towards its natural age and diverse structural state.
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The idea is to manage Jackson Forest so that some portion of trees would be allowed to grow old and die as they would in an unmanaged forest. Another portion of old, large trees would continue to be harvested into the indefinite future. Over hundreds of years, the forest would develop more and more of the characteristics of an old-growth forest. At the same time, revenue would be produced to fund forest management, stream and road rehabilitation, research, and recreation. This seems like a wonderful combination.
The Landscape Committee plans to propose to the full advisory group that Natural Forestry be the basic management approach in all areas of the forest not specifically designated for different management, such as research and demonstration areas, special concern areas, reserves, and old-growth development areas (where timber harvesting will be more limited). If adopted, this proposal will mean a major change in future management of Jackson Forest. Except for R&D, there will be no more even-age management (except for justified research projects), and most of the forest will be placed on a course to develop older, bigger trees with more and more of the characteristics of old growth forests.
Because Jackson Forest is mandated to continue to produce revenue to support its own operations and those of other state forests, I've been concerned about whether it would be possible to manage the forest for growing older trees for hundreds of years while still harvesting sufficient trees to meet revenue needs. You can't keep cutting the current stand of trees indefinitely without cutting them all. New generations of trees are needed, but would it be possible to grow these while the existing trees keep growing bigger and taking more of the space and light?
My concerns have been laid to rest by a visit the Arcata Community Forest, which is owned by the City of Arcata and managed by Mark Andre. My fellow committee member, Mike Jani, and I toured the forest last week. What we saw made both of us feel that not only was Natural Forestry practical over the long run but that it will produce forests that are majestic and healthy, while allowing continued revenue generation.
The management practiced by Mark Andre is essentially Natural Forestry. It has been applied within the Arcata Forest since 1981. The stands in the forest were originally harvested at the turn of the 20th Century, as were most of the stands in Jackson State Forest. What we saw in the stands that have been thinned using Natural Forestry principles were large, well-spaced trees with understory plants typical of undisturbed redwood forests. Also, we saw trees of all sizes, including new generations of trees, growing along with the dominant tress. Mark showed us some recently thinned stands, and told us that he felt that it would be fifty to seventy years before another entry would be required. By this time, the newer generations of trees, as well as the older ones, will have made very substantial growth.
Growing the forest in this way leads to very high amounts of volume, so that even if returns are infrequent and selective thinning is practiced, substantial revenue can be obtained. Arcata City has found forest land managed in this way to be so profitable that they continue to add to their forest holdings. The same profitability should be found at Jackson Forest.
I have hopes that Jackson Forest will become a showcase for Natural Forestry. Given the research and demonstration mission, Jackson Forest and Natural Forestry seem like a natural combination.
I will be continually posting conversations and information on Natural Forestry, including this article, at Jackson Forum (*jacksonforum.org*), where you can read them easily and post your own ideas and comments. You can read all of the email communications, including attachments, as soon as they are distributed at the online archive of JAG communications (http://groups.google.com/group/jackson-advisory-group/)
For more information: www.jacksonforest.org.
Vince Taylor is a member of the Jackson Advisory Group, but all views expressed herein are solely his own.
© 2009 Vince Taylor. All rights reserved.
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TOC for Forest & River News, Summer 2009