Annual Pikeminnow Dive Provides Insight
into Health of South Fork Eel River

ERRP in the river
Phil Georgakakos gets ready for plunge into deep high gradient riffle with Stella Stein trailing him. Photo by Pat Higgins

By Eel River Recovery Project The seventh annual Eel River Recovery Project pikeminnow survey of a key reach of the South Fork Eel River took place on June 28th and 29th. It was determined that despite the population of this non-native predator remaining high, there were a surprising number of salmon and steelhead juveniles and…

Read More

Public Records Requests and the Maintenance of Democracy

One of the documents released by CAL FIRE in response to the author’s August, 2021 request: an invoice for six days of private security in the Caspar 500 THP.

A Jackson Demonstration State Forest Case Study Implicit in a democratic process is the notion that government should be accountable for its actions. In order to verify accountability, individuals must have access to government files. Such access permits checks against the arbitrary exercise of official power and secrecy in the political process. (California Supreme Court:…

Read More

EPIC and Friends of the Shasta River Challenge NMFS Move to Protect Landowners not Salmon

Shasta River drying up

Dire Conditions in the Shasta River Call for Meaningful Federal Action, Not a Mockery of the Endangered Species Act By Environmental Protection Information Center The Shasta River is recognized by the Pacific Fishery Management Council as “the most important salmon-producing tributary of the Klamath River,” with annual juvenile production estimates sometimes greater than the entire…

Read More

Nurturing Nature: Adventures of the Friends of the Van Duzen River

Sal on the river

Friends of the Van Duzen River By Sal Steinberg Special thanks to the rain gods for bringing the Van Duzen and Eel Rivers back to a much healthier state of being this spring. Friends of the Van Duzen River (FOVD) spent several busy spring months working with five schools—Bridgeville, Hydesville, Loleta, Scotia, and Trillium Charter—and…

Read More

Defining and Working Toward Forest Health, Utilizing Wood When It’s Cleared, and Regenerating Community

Tan Oak Park

Reviewing a Community Event Series Northern Mendocino Ecosystem Recovery Alliance By Cheyenne Clarke The Eel River Recovery Project and Northern Mendocino Ecosystem Recovery Alliance have concluded their Spring community event series, which was made possible by the Trees Foundation Cereus Grant. Here’s what happened: Forest Health and Fire Resilience Workshop On April 3rd we kicked…

Read More

24th Annual Coho Confab on the South Fork Eel River

Cedar Creek and the South Fork Eel.
The Coho Confab will be held at the confluence of Cedar Creek and the South Fork Eel. Cal Trout is leading a fish passage barrier removal project on Cedar Creek that will open up nine miles of habitat. Photo courtesy SRF

Evolving Strategies to Enhance Coho Salmon Habitat Salmonid Restoration Federation Salmonid Restoration Federation (SRF) is coordinating the 24th Annual Coho Confab that will take place September 9–11, 2022 on the South Fork Eel River in Mendocino County. This year’s Coho Confab will be held at the Rangjung Gomde Buddhist Retreat Center, which is nestled in…

Read More

Prescribed Fire:
An Indigenous Perspective

Margo Robbins and others re-introducing fire to the land, starting the test fire with wormwood torches.

By Margo Robbins, Cultural Fire Management Council The following is a transcript of the talk given by Margo Robbins during a webinar hosted by Trees Foundation on Oct. 3rd, 2021 titled “Pathways to Fire Resilience.” She refers to some photos from her slideshow that don’t appear here, but you may watch her full presentation with…

Read More

The Oak Knoll Prescribed Fire:
A Landowner’s Perspective

The Oak Knoll prescribed fire during the burn is set from the top of the hill, working downward to ensure manageable fire behavior.

By Mitchell Danforth Wildfires represent the single greatest threat to most of our inland communities, especially in recent times, as fires have grown in size, intensity, and damage to people and property. It is critical to acknowledge that fires are not good or evil, they simply are—and like floods, landslides, snowstorms, and earthquakes, how we…

Read More