[I didn't try to shorten this, but I did add some headings and rearranged a few paragraphs to try to make it more coherent. The last half is quite confusing, but I didn't try to rewrite it because there are too many references I just don't understand. One of the authors ought to review this and make sure we haven't introduced any errors.Ñ Fathom (ed.)]
Extending inland from the Pacific Ocean to the Six Rivers and Mendocino National Forests, and north from the San Francisco Bay Area Greenbelt to Redwood National Park, the California North Coastal Basin was once a biological treasure chest which surpassed even the tropical rainforests in its productivity and quantity of biomass concentrations. Coastal Redwood, the tallest trees on earth, once blanketed over two million acres of the Basin. The redwoods and the bordering mixed evergreen forests provided a continuous canopy under which a rich array of plant, mammal and bird species flourished. The root systems of the ancient forests held soil in place while abundant seasonal rains filtered through the forest floor to become cool, clear rivers teeming with salmon.
Now the timber industry, which built communities and a regional identity with redwoods, has all but made a memory of ancient lowland forests, and left a social and biological disaster in their place. The clear-cutting of forested watersheds by the industry, and subsequent erosion of soil into rivers, has destroyed salmon spawning beds and threatens drinking water supplies. Like salmon, other species such as the Marbled Murrelet, the Western Red Tree Vole, Tailed Frog and the Northern Spotten Owl have experienced population declines. (See species list, Appendix A). Their habitatÑconsisting of large old growth trees, a multi-layered canopy, standing dead and downed trees, surface litter, and abundant food and waterÑis in extremely scarce supply.
Of the remaining four percent of ancient redwood and mixed evergreen forests, less than two percent are protected in parks. Additional stands administered by Bureau of Land Management are under tenuous reserve status. Significant areas of critical habitat are privately owned, and threatened with logging and development. A lack of coordinated planning has left us a landscape consisting of isolated critical habitat fragments surrounded by intensively managed lands. The conflicting missions of land use agencies, to provide both for environmental and economic concerns, will ensure the continued decline of lowland forest species and the destruction of their habitat.
The Northcoast timber industry has accelerated its liquidation of these unique forests. Considering the species diversity found in lowland forests, the numerous sightings of Spotted Owls and Marbled Murrelets within the Basin, plus the need to keep these gene pools viable and accessible, the California North Coastal Basin should become a crucial component of a multi-species habitat recovery plan or any ancient forest legislation.
Current conservation biology research demonstrates that the mere protection of isolated habitat fragmentsÑeven if completely guarded from disturbances such as road building, logging, and developmentÑwill not guarantee the survival of a particular species within its boundaries. Species that require large territorial areas and those which must migrate may not be able to sustain populations in fragmented reserves. Inability to migrate subjects the separate populations to the effects of inbreeding depression, and could result in devastation by ordinary disturbances such as fire. If these species do wander into the unprotected lands outside of the reserve, they are subjected to predators, high-speed traffic, and poaching.
The California North Coastal Basin Proposal advocates management of public and private lands based on whole ecosystems, instead of individual species, and integrates human activities. "Ecosystem" planning designates areas of critical habitat (existing and for recovery) to be protected, and establishes ecological corridors for species movement. The draft maps of the Basin proposal identify known ancient forest stands and other critical habitat on state, federal (BLM and National Forest) and private lands as high priority for designation as core reserves. Lands surrounding the reserves represent buffer zones for critical habitat and serve to protect the reserves from intensive land use. Buffer zones also can serve as a link to accommodate excessive species members from within the reserves, or as a source of members when reserve populations dwindle. Ecological corridors extend directly from the core reserves and connect to other core reserves. Corridors will allow for the seasonal movement of wide-ranging species and for species dispersal to reduce the effects of isolation. To encourage movement and to decrease the chances of loss of individuals, corridors should be habitat similar to the structure of core reserves. See Multiple Use Module, figure 1.
Implementation of the California North Coastal Basin Proposal will require planning based on ecosystems, rather than ownerships. While the proposal favors public ownership of significant critical habitat, it does not require private lands acquisition within the majority of the Basin. Biologicallly based management will identify how critical habitat fits into the intensively managed landscape. Negotiated land use and conservation easements must be developed as incentives to involve private interests.
Providing an economic transition for workers in the forests products industry is crucial to any plan to protect biological diversity. We believe that maintaining the existence of diverse species and sustaining a healthy economy are not incompatible pursuitsÑif good planning is implemented. A multi-species approach to habitat conservation will reduce the potential for endangerment of additional species, thus ensuring that fewer lands will need to be set aside in the future. And most important is the knowledge that the implementation of practices which will truly provide for the recovery of coastal species and their habitat will ensure the sustenance of timber-dependent communities.
Critical Habitat is defined here (as an extension of Endangered Species Act definition) to mean: conditions required by species whose populations are in decline from depletion of native natural areas by human alteration and development. It may include other than forestland, e.g. wetlands and uninterrupted range for large furbearers. Late-serial and climax stage forest habitat is heavily depleted in the Basin. Species dependent on old forest (ancient forest) conditions are declining.
Core Reserves are set-aside where critical habitat remains or can be re-established. Buffer zones envelope core reserves to increase biological viability and reduce geographic isolation. The combination of cores and buffers form a system of ecological corridors set apart from working lands. See figures 1 and 2.
Ecological corridors encompass both upland and stream geography to provide a multiple-species approach to habitat conservation. Areas of lowest road density are chosen to avoid major human development. For continuity across the landscape, ecological and human transportation corridors must intersect. Intersection sites are chosen where it is most feasible to build roadway structures over or under the ecological corridor. See sketch on back cover.
Ecological corridors are not a substitute for improved protection standards in Watercourse/Lake Protection Zones (WLPZ, incl. seeps and springs) for entire Basin geography. Restoration is appropriate for achieving management goals in ecological corridors and working lands, especially to benefit anadromous fisheries and other species of special concern.
A zero to 1.5 Percent of Inventory (POI) range of timber harvest and other uses are allowed in ecological corridors (fig. 1). POI management goals are based upon (1) natural on-site capability and forest average annual growth rates, (2) preservation and restoration of critical habitat in a biology-based spatial pattern throughout the Basin, and (3) gradient buffering between different management goals.
In this proposal, balance is sought for reducing ecologic and economic uncertainty. Measuring economic impact should weight WLPZ's, Visual Resources, and POI varying rates in ecological corridors. Conservation of critical habitat away from roads is preferred.
California North Coastal Basin (Basin) is a "mixed ownership" region, defined in CA Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), EIS. Boundaries are: North-Redwood National Park and Hoopa Valley Reservation, East-Six Rivers and Mendocino National Forests, South-Fort Ross and Austin State Parks, West-Pacific Ocean. Urban development is confined to approximately 25 centers of various size. Types of habitat vary; lowland forest is predominant in naturally-evolved array of vegetative cover.
Because of Basin "mixed ownership," contribution from various classes of ownership to an Ecological Reserve System is proposed and corresponds to Proposal Draft Map as follows:
Compared to total 6,900 square miles in the Basin:
Bureau of Land Management, Arcata Resource Area of the Ukiah District=4.0% or 276 square miles. BLM preserves all public holdings of Old Growth Forest and preserves or appropriately restores adjacent forest stands as Associated Forest buffers. Non-forested lands are reserved for development of this proposal. Authority derives from current mandate to establish Old Growth Reserve System and/or US Congress Ancient Forest Protection legislation. Federal "school lands debt" may be satisfied by transfers to California Wildlife Conservation Board.
State-owned lands in four separate jurisdictions=3.33% or 230 square miles. These actions are proposed: (1) increase Wildlife Conservation Board jurisdictions (see acquisitions discussion below); (2) ensure that Parks and Recreation Ancient Forest, not essential for human enjoyment, is reserved for strict ecological management and buffered where appropriate; (3) change State Lands Commission management goals to include preservation of Old Growth and restoration of adjacent forest stands as buffers (revenues may be raised by conducting scientific and educational research); (4) adjust Jackson State Forest management goals to provide appropriate contributions to an ecological reserve system.
Private lands that lie within proposed ecological corridors=19.48% or 1,344 square miles. Ownerships range from 40-200 acre individuals to industrial holdings in thousands of acres. A role for private lands in habitat conservation is directed by current environmental law. This proposal attempts to reduce conflict between current forest practices and these laws. Findings of Timberlands Task Force and products of State contracts for satellite imagery interpretation should reveal appropriate needed action to refine this proposal.
Public acquisitions or incentives to conserve habitat may be called for where use restrictions tie up high proportions of smaller ownerships. Conservation easements may be negotiated to fit the spatial pattern of this proposal as it is refined. Where ecological corridors tie up small proportions of larger ownerships, public acquisition should not substitute for existing legal obligations toward environmental quality.
Further Information
A copy of the complete North Coastal Basin proposal, and map may be reviewed at the Mendocino Environmental Center, the Laytonville Environmental Action Center, Willits Environmental Center and EPIC in Garberville.
For more information, contact Rick, Steven or Todd at (707) 984-8354.
MAP RAP is a project of the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC) in Garberville.
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 2004
Permission granted to excerpt or use this article if source is cited