Headwaters Forest
Encyclopedia
The Headwaters Forest Reserve is a series of old growth Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) groves measuring about 60000 acres (242.8 km²). Located in the Northern California coastal forests
ecoregion near Humboldt Bay of the U.S. state
of California
, most of it was owned by the now defunct Pacific Lumber Company
, which was owned by Charles Hurwitz and Maxxam Inc. The Headwaters Forest has been the site of many tree sits and anti-logging demonstrations.
Climate is characterized by maritime conditions of cool, wet and foggy winters and cool to warm cloudy summers. Elevations range from 100 feet (30.5 m) to over 2000 feet (609.6 m).
with over 35 miles (56.3 km) of road construction and over a hundred stream crossings which greatly degraded watershed ability to store and filter water runoff. The untouched portion, however, is dense, old-growth forest with pristine watershed conditions.
This reserve of 7472 acres (30.2 km²) is public land and is under the stewardship of the US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
(BLM). Of the total area, 3088 acres (12.5 km²) are old-growth redwood stands surrounded by 4384 acres (17.7 km²) of previously harvested timberlands. The reserve is located about 6 miles (9.7 km) southeast of Eureka, CA.
According to the BLM, "the reserve is set aside to protect and preserve the ecological and wildlife values in the area, particularly the stands of old-growth redwood that provide habitat for the threatened Marbled Murrelet
, Northern Spotted Owl
, native salmon stocks, and other old growth forest dependent species..."
As well as the stream systems that provide habitat for the threatened coho salmon
.
Other forest trees in the Reserve include Douglas-fir, tanoak, Sitka spruce, western red ceder, western hemlock and red alder.
There are limited distribution ( CNPS list 4) plants in the Reserve including the heart-shaped twayblade and Kellogg's Lily
.
The Headwaters Forest Reserve is one of the few remaining refuges for the endangered seabird the Marbled Murrelet. Marbled Murrelets make their nests on large redwood tree branches between March 25 and September 15. The seabird nesting can be disastrously disrupted by human activity. Visitors are restricted from entering the forest during breeding season, approximately June 25 to August 1.
It is the only forest reserve in the United States and is managed as a nature reserve
of the BLM's National Landscape Conservation System
.
105-83) authorizing the acquisition of the property resulted from an agreement between Department of the Interior and Pacific Lumber Company in September, 1996. This legislation established a specific boundary with access points, called for joint federal-state acquisition with the BLM the managing agency and the State of California having a conservation easement, and required a management plan for the forest. The California state easement gives the state oversight responsibility to ensure "all human activities with the Headwaters Forest shall be consistent with the stated goals and purposes..." The California Department of Fish and Game
represent the state's interest.
protests.
California provided its share of $130 million in Chapter 615, Statutes of 1998 with a requirement of stricter conditions regarding the Habitat Conservation Plan. Specifically, wider no-cut buffer zones, prohibitions on logging in certain areas, and a requirement for watershed analysis. Also, Chapter 615 authorized purchase of two additional portions, the Owl Creek, and the Grizzly Creek properties. Lastly, it provided Humbolt County with $12 million as economic assistance.
Northern California coastal forests
The Northern California coastal forests are a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion of coastal Northern California, USA.-Setting:The ecoregion lies close to the Pacific Ocean, and is kept moist by Pacific Ocean storms during the winter months, and by coastal fogs in the summer months...
ecoregion near Humboldt Bay of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of California
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...
, most of it was owned by the now defunct Pacific Lumber Company
Pacific Lumber Company
The Pacific Lumber Company, officially abbreviated PALCO, was one of California's major logging and sawmill operations, located south of Eureka and north of San Francisco. The once storied company and its historically positive relationship with conservationists begun in the 1920s was altered...
, which was owned by Charles Hurwitz and Maxxam Inc. The Headwaters Forest has been the site of many tree sits and anti-logging demonstrations.
Climate is characterized by maritime conditions of cool, wet and foggy winters and cool to warm cloudy summers. Elevations range from 100 feet (30.5 m) to over 2000 feet (609.6 m).
The reserve
The reserve was established in 1999 (H.R. 2107, Title V. Sec.501). The reserve was created after a 15 year effort to save the ancient ecosystem (with some trees estimated at over two thousand years old), from being clearcut. Almost 60 per cent of what is now the Reserve was harvested by mostly clearcuttingClearcutting
Clearcutting, or clearfelling, is a controversial forestry/logging practice in which most or all trees in an area are uniformly cut down. Clearcutting, along with shelterwood and seed tree harvests, is used by foresters to create certain types of forest ecosystems and to promote select species that...
with over 35 miles (56.3 km) of road construction and over a hundred stream crossings which greatly degraded watershed ability to store and filter water runoff. The untouched portion, however, is dense, old-growth forest with pristine watershed conditions.
This reserve of 7472 acres (30.2 km²) is public land and is under the stewardship of the US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
(BLM). Of the total area, 3088 acres (12.5 km²) are old-growth redwood stands surrounded by 4384 acres (17.7 km²) of previously harvested timberlands. The reserve is located about 6 miles (9.7 km) southeast of Eureka, CA.
According to the BLM, "the reserve is set aside to protect and preserve the ecological and wildlife values in the area, particularly the stands of old-growth redwood that provide habitat for the threatened Marbled Murrelet
Marbled Murrelet
The Marbled Murrelet is a small seabird from the North Pacific. It is a member of the auk family. It nests in old-growth forests or on the ground at higher latitudes where trees cannot grow...
, Northern Spotted Owl
Northern Spotted Owl
The Northern Spotted Owl, Strix occidentalis caurina, is one of three Spotted Owl subspecies. A Western North American bird in the family Strigidae, genus Strix, it is a medium-sized dark brown owl sixteen to nineteen inches in length and one to one and one sixth pounds. Females are larger than males...
, native salmon stocks, and other old growth forest dependent species..."
As well as the stream systems that provide habitat for the threatened coho salmon
Coho salmon
The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". It is the state animal of Chiba, Japan.-Description:...
.
Other forest trees in the Reserve include Douglas-fir, tanoak, Sitka spruce, western red ceder, western hemlock and red alder.
There are limited distribution ( CNPS list 4) plants in the Reserve including the heart-shaped twayblade and Kellogg's Lily
Lilium
Lilium is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs. Most species are native to the temperate northern hemisphere, though the range extends into the northern subtropics...
.
The Headwaters Forest Reserve is one of the few remaining refuges for the endangered seabird the Marbled Murrelet. Marbled Murrelets make their nests on large redwood tree branches between March 25 and September 15. The seabird nesting can be disastrously disrupted by human activity. Visitors are restricted from entering the forest during breeding season, approximately June 25 to August 1.
It is the only forest reserve in the United States and is managed as a nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
of the BLM's National Landscape Conservation System
National Landscape Conservation System
The National Landscape Conservation System is a collection of the lands considered to be the crown jewels of the American west. NLCS is also known as National Conservation Lands. These lands represent 10% of the managed by the Bureau of Land Management...
.
Background
The federal legislation (Public LawPublic law
Public law is a theory of law governing the relationship between individuals and the state. Under this theory, constitutional law, administrative law and criminal law are sub-divisions of public law...
105-83) authorizing the acquisition of the property resulted from an agreement between Department of the Interior and Pacific Lumber Company in September, 1996. This legislation established a specific boundary with access points, called for joint federal-state acquisition with the BLM the managing agency and the State of California having a conservation easement, and required a management plan for the forest. The California state easement gives the state oversight responsibility to ensure "all human activities with the Headwaters Forest shall be consistent with the stated goals and purposes..." The California Department of Fish and Game
California Department of Fish and Game
The California Department of Fish and Game is a department within the government of California, falling under its parent California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Fish and Game manages and protects the state's diverse fish, wildlife, plant resources, and native habitats...
represent the state's interest.
The agreement
The agreement had two main parts: first, it provided $380 million dollars of public funds for the purchase of the Reserve. Second, it required a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) be developed and approved to allow limited logging on the remaining 211000 acres (853.9 km²) of Pacific Lumber Company timberland. Headwaters Forest Reserve is the largest area of old-growth redwoods protected as a result of the Redwood SummerRedwood Summer
Organized in 1990, Redwood Summer was a movement of environmental activism aimed at protecting old-growth Redwood trees from logging by northern California timber companies...
protests.
Federal and state legislation
H.R. 2107 was passed by the US Congress on October 1997 which committed the government's share of $250 million of the purchase price.California provided its share of $130 million in Chapter 615, Statutes of 1998 with a requirement of stricter conditions regarding the Habitat Conservation Plan. Specifically, wider no-cut buffer zones, prohibitions on logging in certain areas, and a requirement for watershed analysis. Also, Chapter 615 authorized purchase of two additional portions, the Owl Creek, and the Grizzly Creek properties. Lastly, it provided Humbolt County with $12 million as economic assistance.