Smart timber practices support forest sustainability
ByDevonBoer Mendocino County grows trees. It al- wayshas andalwayswill. Butwhat is done with our forest resources remains at the
Over its history as a state-run forest, the JDSF has demonstrated its value in envi- ronmental stewardship and has provided important research data on forest sus- tainability andwatershed protection—all while supporting recreation and sustain- able logging. Amid perilous wildfire threats, sound managementpracticesarebeingdiscussed to improve fireprevention, carbonseques- tration andwatershed health, as well as to protect habitat for fish andwildlife. As the timber debate flares up anew, it seems counter intuitive to be arguing once again aboutwhether toallowtrees tobeharvest- edunder strictmandates that aredesigned toprotect the forest ecosystem. Cal Fire is central to working with the Board of Forestry, the governor and state elected officials to steer the future of forest management. If the ability to harvest tim- ber on the largest state demonstration for- est iseliminatedor significantly reduced, it willweakenforest-managementapproach- es that have been improved upon over many years and that remain vital today. Mendocino County Farm Bureau will continue toengageon this issue tohelpour member commercial forest landowners, loggers, foresters,mill owners, truckdrivers andforest-productrepresentatives.Theyare caught in themiddleas the futureof timber harvestingat theJDSFhangs inthebalance. We hope the conversations we are hav- ing with decision makers will not fall on deaf ears and that a lasting solutioncanbe foundtoallowJDSFtocontinue tobeman- aged under the multi-use model that has supported valuable research, recreation and our local economy since 1947. (Devon Bo e r i s exe cut i ve di re c- tor of the Mendocino County Farm Bur eau and may b e cont ac t ed a t director@mendofarmbureau.org.)
The Jackson Demonstration
State Forest em- ploys multi-use forestry practices, supporting ecolog- ical research, rec- reation and timber
heart of a cyclical conversation that has gone on for several decades. Now that con- versation is inten- sifying anew in our county, with de- bate over manage- mentof the Jackson Demons t rat i on
operations with strict oversight.
Devon Boer
the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protectionon the reviewof the JDSFman- agement plan, ongoing implementation issues and other policy matters relevant to the forest. The committee reached out on multi- ple occasions for discussions with those opposing current and future logging on demonstration forest lands. But overtures seeking open dialogue have by and large been ignored. TheJDSFmanagementplanwas lastup- dated in 2016, as the result of a thorough review process that allowed for extensive public comment and feedback. Theman- agement plan directs the forest for 10-15 years, with the Board of Forestry able to adopt revisions in the interim. As a result, another opportunity exists for interested groups and individuals to offer suggestions or air concerns during the next scheduled JDSF management plan update. Approved timber harvesting plans on the demonstration forest go through a rigorous review process. They are scruti- nized bymultiple agencies, which review California Environmental Quality Act re- quirements andprovide opportunities for public input.
The current debate centers onwhether thecuttingof timber resources inthe forest shouldcontinue tobe includedintheover- all JDSFmanagement strategy. The forest hasatimber inventoryofapproximately2.3 billionboard-feet of conifer trees that grow about 53million board-feet each year. On average, JDSFharvests 14.3millionboard- feet of conifer timber each year, which is approximately 27%of the annual growth. Mendocino County Farm Bureau’s Natural Resources Committee has been meetingwithouraffectedmembership, law- makers and state agency representatives to seekabroaderconversationonthefutureof JDSFand the ability to continueharvesting timberwhileproviding important steward- shipof theproperty. Theanti-loggingsenti- ment fannedduring recent protests should notsteerthediscussionofsmart,sustainable forestmanagement inMendocinoCounty and throughout the state. The ideal outcome is for all sides tohave an honest discussion about timber man- agement on JDSF, through one of several existing platforms to do so. One of those, the Jackson Advisory Group, was formed in 2008 to work with the public and numerous stakeholders. It provides recommendations toCal Fireand
State Forest—the largest of California’s 10 state-run demonstration forests and a model formulti-use forestrypractices. The forest serves as a laboratory for University of California forest ecology researchers, as a treasured recreational resource and as the home of sustainable timber practices important to our economy. In1947, thestateofCaliforniapurchased the 48,652-acre JDSF property to demon- strate that previously cut-over timberland, if properly managed, can become a valu- ableasset thatoffersamultitudeofbenefits. The resultsof that experimenthaveproven positive forMendocinoCounty. Timber is an agricultural commodity here, employing foresters, loggers and sawmill workers, and supporting nu- merous additional jobs. The work of our local harvesters, including members of the Mendocino County Farm Bureau, is governed under California’s stringent forest practice rules and administered by licensed professionals. But now that work is being paused. In the faceof anti-loggingprotests,Cal Fireon Jan. 19 suspended additional timber sales for 2022as it reviews future forestmanage- ment plans for the demonstration forest.
VOL. 49, NO. 10
March 9, 2022
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