May 1, 2001
We all have experienced the frustration of trying to stop the annihilation of our redwood forests by timber corporations. Experience continues to teach us that the corporations control the regulation of logging on private lands, defeating every citizen effort to preserve the ecosystems of private forests.
The Campaign to Restore Jackson State Redwood Forest
offers you the rare opportunity to join in a fight for
a forest where the public holds the upper hand.
Jackson State Forest is already owned by the state,
meaning that you and I own it. To save it, we need
only to build sufficient political pressure to change
the law governing the forest. No public funds need to
be allocated, and no private property rights are
involved. This is a fight we can win.
The Treasure and the Tragedy
Established in 1947, and by far California?s largest
state forest, Jackson State Forest is a public
treasure. Comprising more than 50,000 acres of
redwood forest in Mendocino County, it reaches from
near the Pacific Coast 20 miles eastward to the ridge
of the inland valleys. The city of Fort Bragg and the
town of Mendocino lie two miles from its western edge.
It is criss?crossed by almost 100 miles of endangered
salmon streams, including Casper Creek, Hare Creek,
and tributaries of the Noyo River and Big River. It
is a trove of diversity, home to thousands of species,
from the yellow-cheeked chipmunk to the red-legged
frog, from the downy leatherwing to the spotted owl ?
some abundant, some declining, and some all but gone.
Jackson State Forest is located in Mendocino County
within four hours? driving time from the San Francisco
Bay Area and from Sacramento. It is a renowned tourist
destination, especially for coastal activities such as
abalone diving, kayaking and hiking. The nearby
Mendocino Headlands State Park hosts more than a
million visitors each year. Visitors who enjoy natural
beauty and adventurous recreation cherish the area. A
restored and protected Jackson State Forest could add
a magnificent redwood forest to the attractions of the
ocean and coast, creating an unequalled combination of
coast and forest recreation.
Tragically, the state views Jackson State Forest
(formally titled Jackson Demonstration State Forest or
JDSF) primarily as a source of lumber and revenue.
Each year, the California Department of Forestry
(CDF), which manages this public forest, cuts out of
it tens of thousands of trees, more than 28 million
board feet of lumber. In past years, timber sales have
been used to fund CDF?s review of private timber
harvest plans. Presently, the funds from cutting the
public?s trees go largely to subsidizing the timber
industry of California.
Even though the economy of Mendocino has been rapidly
shifting from traditional timber production to
tourism, CDF has largely ignored the fabulous
recreation potential of this forest. Hiking, biking,
horseback riding, and camping are sacrificed by CDF
whenever they conflict with timber production. CDF
has equally ignored the pressing need for wildlife
sanctuary for species dependent on mature redwood
forests and refused to give salmon habitat the
protection that science recommends.
CDF has targeted for immediate logging the parts of
the forest most useful for recreation and wildlife
habitat, those that have not been logged for 80 to 100
years, and those close to residential neighborhoods.
In short, Jackson State Forest is being managed as a
large commercial timber operation.
Current Goals and Objectives
The fundamental goal of this campaign is to change the
governing mandate of the Jackson State Forest from
?the maximum sustained production of high-quality
timber products? to ?restoration for recreation,
habitat, research, and education?. Although values
such as recreation, habitat, and water quality are
supposed to be ?considered? by the California
Department of Forestry (CDF) in its administration of
the forest, they are largely ignored. ?Getting out the
cut? is the oft-heard, dominant objective of CDF
management.
Because the healthiest and most beautiful parts of the
forest contain the most timber, these are the areas
being targeted by CDF for logging. Because these are
also of greatest value for recreation and habitat, our
most important immediate objective has been to halt
further logging until policies for the forest are
reconsidered. To accomplish this, the Campaign filed
a lawsuit in June 2000 to halt all logging in the
forest until the forest?s Management Plan, last
updated in 1983, is revised.
Initially, CDF refrained from selling new logging
plans while the Campaign?s suit was pending. In March
2001, however, it began soliciting bids for two new,
large timber sales. The Campaign filed and obtained a
temporary restraining order (TRO) on April 26, 2001.
The hearing for a preliminary injunction (PI) was held
on May 4. The judge will have made a decision by the
time this article appears. If we prevail in our suit,
CDF will not be able to log Jackson State until a new
management plan and EIR are approved.
Ultimately, the Campaign wants to amend the Public
Resources Code (PRC) to make restoration the primary
focus of demonstration projects within the Forest. Our
major focus this year is on publicizing Jackson State
Forest throughout the state and building a coalition
with environmental and recreational organizations. We
hope to pass legislation to change the mandate for the
forest by next year.
Even without a statutory amendment, the Campaign will
work to influence the management plan and EIR that are
now under development within CDF. The Campaign plans
to actively promote the broad public interest
throughout the public review process and, if
necessary, in court thereafter.
Join the Campaign
Please support our Campaign. Our strength lies in the
numbers of supporters. No current forest fight has
such a high benefit-to-cost ratio. CDF estimates that
Jackson Forest is worth $1.5 billion. Working
together, we can change the legislative mandate and
preserve this forest for its ecological and
recreational benefits for perhaps $500,000. This
means that each dollar spent will save $5,000 worth of
redwood forest. What an incredible bargain! It?s
easy to join. Just go to www.jacksonforest.com to
sign up.
More Information About
Campaign to Restore Jackson State Redwood Forest
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TOC for Forest & River News, Spring 2001