Land Trust Victory Secures 16,000 Acres of Mendocino Forests

The following is a press release issued by the Mendocino Land Trust:

After more than two years working together, The Conservation Fund (TCF) and the Mendocino Land Trust (MLT) are pleased to announce that TCF has conveyed two conservation easements (CE) of forestland along the Big River and Salmon Creek in Mendocino County to MLT. The two conservation easements comprise more than 16,000 acres. 

“MLT is delighted to be able to take over the perpetual role of monitoring and enforcing the CEs on these two stunning and large acreages,” said Conrad Kramer, MLT’s executive director. “It is always a pleasure to work with our friends at The Conservation Fund, and we are particularly pleased to be involved with these acreages that benefit our local economy, our local wildlife, and our global climate.”

“Land conservation efforts such as this benefit our communities as much as they benefit wildlife,” said Holly Newberger, program manager at TCF. “Clean water is something we all need – and the result of this work will help ensure the people, animals and plants around Mendocino County can thrive together well into the future. As the local expert and as a mission-driven organization, MLT is the ideal caretaker for this property. We at TCF couldn’t have asked for a better outcome.”

These forests are richly productive and particularly important to the conservation of the endangered coho salmon, steelhead trout, and northern spotted owl. The Big River Forest is in the middle portion of the Big River Watershed and contains tributaries, including the Little North Fork, Two Log Creek, and Laguna Creek as well as a central portion of the main stem of the Big River. The Big River Forest is 11,707 acres and the Salmon Creek Forest is 4,389 acres. The Salmon Creek Forest is located three miles southeast of the town of Albion along the mainstream of Salmon Creek and is situated between Albion Ridge and Navarro Ridge Roads.

Both of these CEs and their land are high-priority watersheds for anadromous salmonids as identified in the “Recovery Strategy for California Coho Salmon.”

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The combined forests include 34 miles of fish bearing streams, 41 miles of perennial streams, associated riparian habitats, four major sub-basins currently supporting coho, and an array of additional sensitive species. The size and locations of the forests provide significant contributions to the integrity and ecological viability of their respective watersheds and the larger ecoregion. The forests are typical of the north coast of California, dominated by native conifers (primarily redwood and Douglas fir) and adapted to the steep slopes and heavy rainfall common to the region. Old-growth redwoods and other conifer species, along with hardwoods, will be protected forever.

Forest Management Plans have been updated and prepared for both forests The forests will continue to be managed as working forests that will maintain and enhance habitat conditions for the northern spotted owl, coho Salmon, and steelhead trout by increasing structural diversity, high canopy closure, late seral forest characteristics, and the maturity of the riparian forests that promote and restore cold-water fisheries. The Mendocino Land Trust will be responsible for monitoring activities on the properties, ensuring that the CE provisions are followed and that forest management is consistent with the Forest Management Plans.

Both properties were acquired in November 2006 by TCF with the support of the State Coastal Conservancy, Wildlife Conservation Board, State Water Board, and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. The Conservation Fund will continue to own and manage the properties.

For more information, please contact Conrad Kramer at the Mendocino Land Trust ckramer@mendocinolandtrust.org) or Josh Lynch at The Conservation Fund (jlynch@conservationfund.org).

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