Arcata Community Forest
Encyclopedia
The Arcata Community Forest is the center piece of the parks and recreation system of the City of Arcata, California
, United States
. Originally created from several tracts of land in 1955, the main forest area covers 793 acres (3.2 km²). The park is the culmination of efforts to combine tracks of forest land located east of the city together in one continuous section of city owned second-growth coast redwood forest. Over a 50 year period, 622 acres (2.5 km²) were obtained in several purchases. In November 2006, the 171 acre (0.69201306 km²) Sunny Brae Forest was added to the Community Forest. The City also owns and manages the 1200 acres (4.9 km²) Jacoby Creek Forest. The City owns a total of 2134 acres (8.6 km²) of forest."
Until 1964, this land was used as the municipal water source. It is currently used for education
, recreation
, wildlife
habitat
, and sustainable timber
harvesting. Many of Arcata's small streams possess their headwaters in the Arcata Community Forest.
In 1979, the citizens of Arcata passed the "Forest Management and Parkland Initiative." This was intended to develop an ecologically responsible long-term forest management program to generate income to develop and acquire parkland.
The objectives of the current forest management are:
The forest is popular with hikers, birders, and has a storied history of (illegal) camping that remains unpopular with some locals.
40.87393°N 124.05839°W
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Originally created from several tracts of land in 1955, the main forest area covers 793 acres (3.2 km²). The park is the culmination of efforts to combine tracks of forest land located east of the city together in one continuous section of city owned second-growth coast redwood forest. Over a 50 year period, 622 acres (2.5 km²) were obtained in several purchases. In November 2006, the 171 acre (0.69201306 km²) Sunny Brae Forest was added to the Community Forest. The City also owns and manages the 1200 acres (4.9 km²) Jacoby Creek Forest. The City owns a total of 2134 acres (8.6 km²) of forest."
Until 1964, this land was used as the municipal water source. It is currently used for education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, recreation
Recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
, wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
habitat
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
, and sustainable timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
harvesting. Many of Arcata's small streams possess their headwaters in the Arcata Community Forest.
In 1979, the citizens of Arcata passed the "Forest Management and Parkland Initiative." This was intended to develop an ecologically responsible long-term forest management program to generate income to develop and acquire parkland.
The objectives of the current forest management are:
- To provide educational and recreational opportunities for the community
- To sustainably harvest timber
- To generate revenue so the city may acquire and develop new recreational facilities
- To maintain and enhance the fisheriesFisheryGenerally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats,...
, watershedDrainage basinA drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
s, wildlife, and plantPlantPlants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
resources
The forest is popular with hikers, birders, and has a storied history of (illegal) camping that remains unpopular with some locals.
External links
40.87393°N 124.05839°W