Restoration of the Garcia River Forest

          On November 9, 2012, our class had the opportunity to explore the Garcia River Forest restoration project. We began our trek driving north on the 101, then hung a left towards Booneville, all the while hoping that we would be spared the forecasted heavy rains. Upon entering the Garcia River Forest with our guide, Madison from the Conservation Fund, I had little inclination that the surrounding trees had at one point been completely deforested.

Ingrid, Faye Marie, and KC surveying the landscape.

            At our first stop, Madison explained how the 24,000 acre forest was purchased from a lumber company in 2004 and since then, the Conservation Fund has succeeded in restoring it to a functional ecosystem while still profiting from harvesting timber.

           Before harvesting timber, the Conservation Fund must write a Timber Harvest Plan to be approved. Some people often protest against harvesting timber because they are concerned of cutting down old growth and habitats of spotted owls or other endangered species. However, the public relatively approves of their plan in the Garcia River forest because the Conservation Fund encourages public input and hosts hikes to show and explain their plan.

           Selective harvesting is not actually healthy for the forest. Choosing the healthiest and biggest trees will result in a weaker population of trees. Instead, they mimic a natural burn and select an entire area of trees and cut them all down so that the new generation of trees has the ability to start again with an even playing field instead of competing with older generations. However, they do try to select trees that are damaged by disease, insects, and fire first.

Historically, timber harvesters used to skid the cut trees down to the creek to collect at the bottom of the river. Now, however, to avoid the disturbance of sensitive habitat and excessive soil deposition into the river, the cut trees are sent down specifically carved skid trails.

An example of a creek restoration project. The creek was at one time cleared because people believed that fish needed a clear passage way. Now, fallen trees are strategically placed in the creek to recreate habitat for coho salmon, macroinvertibrates,  and other organisms. The logs minimize erosion and capture sediment, making cleaner gravels for spawning.

Felicia's Fungi Finds

            The Conservation Fund produces another source of income by selling their earned carbon credits. They are given a limit of trees possible to harvest through the California Climate Action Registry. When they harvest fewer trees than their limit, they are given carbon credits that can be sold to make a profit. In this way, the organization can raise money for maintenance and restoration projects on the property all while carbon is sequestered by the redwood and Douglas fir forest. 

          

         At the end of the day, our Restoration Ecology class gained a new appreciation and a lot of knowledge of a functional forest restoration project. We give thanks to Madison, the Conservation Fund, and the other non-profit organizations that provided the opportunity for such a great experience.

         
             

Garcia River Forest, Mendocino Co.

On November 9th, 2012 our Restoration Ecology class got the chance to learn about sustainable timber harvesting and restoration practices within the Garcia River Forest in association with the Conservation Fund. Although it may not have been as hands on as previous field days, it was one of my favorite trips that we have been on so far.

The Drive into the Garcia River Forest

The property itself has a conservation easement and is comprised of 24,000 acres. The Conservation Fund purchased the tract in 2004 with wildlife conservation and nature conservancy funding, wanting to keep it as forest, not subdivided land.  Two thirds of the area provides sustainable timber harvesting while the remainder is dedicated to restoration for species such as Spotted Owl and Koho Salmon habitats.

The land was first cut for logging in the 50's and 60's and again in the 80's and 90's. There are no pure stands of old growth in the Garcia River Forest

Pictured below is our first stop within the forest at a burn site called, "Jack's Fire" which occurred in 2008 due to lightning. Approximately 700 acres burned.

Small patches of area that are affected by fire are typically not removed. Some reasons for this are because it is not economically feasible and is often not necessary. It is also difficult to cut down the small areas as far as physically getting equipment out there to do so.

In areas that you want to harvest, various data is collected and marked such as trees, the parcel as well as water ways within the specific site. Additional information should also include if the site will be for clear cutting or individual tree removal.



Tree marked by a blue tag indicating its need for removal

The type of conifer trees found in the forest consists of redwood, Douglas fir and sugar pine. Hardwood trees that are present are the pacific madrone and tan oak.

Trees that can be harvested are limited to small trees and group selection harvesting no bigger than an acre. This is due to the forest being part of the northern spotted owl habitat. In the Garcia River Forest this are a lot of foraging habitat but not roosting habitat. Classifications for each are based off of canopy coverage.

When harvesting you want to make enough growing space for regeneration and to make the forest harvestable in the years to come. This creates growing classes within different parts of the forest.

Fairly recent harvest area near Jack's Fire burn site

In order to remove trees from the forest after they have been cut is by using skid trails (path that a tree takes to get out of the forest area by logging equipment).



Skid Trail

  Because skid trails disrupt the soil, water bars are made to prevent runoff. Previously established skid trails are reused in order to reduce the damage to sites.


 

Our class looking majestic in the forest with our guide Madison 



                              Lunch Break! Not a bad view right?!

The beasts that got us here

After gathering figs and having lunch we learned that there are different ways to remove logs from the forest. One method is by cable yarding and another is by logging tractors.

(She thinks my tractors se...Sustaining timber harvest?...)

To the river!!!

We continue our journey to the restoration portion of the forest.

 

 The Department of Fish and Game had to get a sixteen-hundred permit in order to add logs into the river for fish habitat which goes against basic loggers instincts (always told to cut trees and bring them away from waterways, never towards them).

Having large wood in rivers offers a number of benefits to the Koho Salmon. They offer direct shelter from enemies such as raccoons, provide shelter during low flow, aid in blockage of high flowing water (fast moving water) that helps salmonoids move upstream and is also where algae can grow and feed baby salmoniods.

When logs are added into the stream they are anchored. Typically they're placed pointing upsteam so when water moves the log it will get locked into the stream. Every log gets a tag to trace them in the future and see if they have moved locations.



Identity tag on a log in the river



Felicia's fungi findings!

found on the path down to the river

  

The last stop of the day was looking at coverts. Coverts help direct water runoff from the forest hill slope to the stream. The outflows of coverts are onto rock beds.

One way to divert water runoff from roads is by having angled slopes as well as rolling dips.

Our last find of the day before heading back to Sonoma State!



Banana Slug! Anyone hungry?



By: Faye-Marie Pekar

The foggy trail going towards the ocean

Students observing the experimental areas

Our field trip to Point Reyes was definitely one of the coolest field trips I've been on. The autumn weather couldn't have been more perfect given the usually windy and cold conditions. We heard about some of the difficulties of managing such a huge piece of land by park biologist Dave Press, such as what to do about the oyster farm that has been "grandfathered" in and allowed to operate within park boundaries. We also heard from Dr. Cushman about the experimental plots he took over in 1998 which have been used to gauge the effects that elk grazing have on the grassland/coyote brush that is the dominant plant community. It was evident that the fenced-in plots were much more dense with coyote brush and probably provided better habitat for some species of animals. The most important point I took away from this field trip is how hard it is to manage such an area after 150 or so years of human-caused changes to the landscape. As Dr. Cushman emphasized, we really don't know what is the "right" mix of plant species since we don't have historical references, and so there is much to be learned.

Point Reyes Tule Elk talk

Off we go to Tomales Point in hopes of seeing Tule Elk!

Felicia happy we have arrived and off of those windy roads! Look at that view!

We arrived at Pierce Point ranch where we were greeted with Tule Elk examining us as well. 

Dillon taking in Point Reyes beauty!

Dave Press telling the classes about Tule reintroduction, their life cycles, and how the National Park service has been dealing with them the last 30 years.

Dave making the Tule Elk impression. Look at that antler!

The classes we able to learn a lot about the landscape, the history of Point Reyes and some current issues that the park service is encountering. Dave taught us about how well the Elk reintroduction has been, maybe even too well, contraceptives were an experiment to help maintain their populations because NPS was not aware of how many elk Tomales Point could hold. As of now the point holds 480 Elk and they are doing better than expected.

The class climbing up to one of the experimental squares. 

Nick and Emma examining the shrubs and grasses inside the fence as opposed to the landscape we had just previously waked through. 

We learned about an abandoned experiment out at Tomales Point, which SSU has now adopted back into commission. Elk have a large impact on the lands due to their stomping, antler rubbing, wastes and constant stomping down the area. They are studying the impacts that Tule Elk have upon the landscape. By squaring off a portion of land, they are able to save the vegetation inside to study the soil, plant time, and ground cover just to name a few.

It was a gorgeous day out at Point Reyes!

Taking a hike out to our lunch spot.

Class at Point Reyes is awesome!

Point Reyes field trip, success!

Tule elk at Tomales Point

Studying the effects of reintroduced herbivores on the coastal prairie grasslands

SSU's ENSP Restoration Ecology class and BIOL Ecology class got together last Friday for a field trip out to Tomales Point, the northernmost tip of Point Reyes National Seashore, to learn about the Tule Elk reintroduction program, issues related to population biology, and associated community effects of the reintroduction. Wildlife ecologist Dave Press spoke of the extirpation and near-extinction of this subspecies of American Elk, and the successful reintroduction of these native herbivores to Point Reyes National Seashore. 

Professors Dr. Caroline Christian and Dr. Hall Cushman, with Dave Press, NPS wildlife ecologist, speak at Pierce Point Ranch.

The day began at Pierce Point Ranch, where students learned about the history of land use and mammalian occupants over time, as well as techniques for surveying the populations of elk and some of their life history characteristics.

Pierce Point Ranch was a dairy and also had steer prior to the reintroduction of the native Tule elk.

An elk antler found recently.

After the introduction, the group hiked cross-country to visit the research sites, 36x36 meter plots with 8 foot-high elk-proof fencing and matching control plots. This is a paired block experiment that was established in 1998 by the National Park Service. Four pairs of plots are in lupine-dominated grasslands, four are in coyote bush-dominated grasslands, and four are in open grasslands. Dr. Hall Cushman and his research team have been doing community sampling to determine the long-term effects of the reintroduced elk.

The elk exclosure serves to keep the humans out as well. But not the deer--as we were surprised to see one inside an exclosure as we approached.

Gorgeous views make this a coveted research spot.

Tomales Point makes an excellent reintroduction site due to its topography--it is a long pennisula surrounded on three sides by the ocean, with a narrow stretch of land that was fenced to form the southern boundary. A cattle guard on the road is sufficient to keep the elk from crossing over to the cow fields. This boundary is visually stunning in the difference in vegetation.

The "elk guard" keeps the elk in. (But not the humans.)

Trip to the Jenner Headlands: A Focus on French Broom Control

OFF WE GO! After a short van quiz testing our knowledge of French Broom, the class loaded up in a van and BMW and set off to the Jenner Headlands, which is located approximately one hour from the campus entrance.

Friday, September 28th was a day of exploration for the Restoration Ecology students of Sonoma State University. The class (including myself) visited the Jenner Headlands, a privately-held 5,500+/- acre preserve located a few miles north of the small town of Jenner, CA that is not normally open to the public. Beyond the rewards offered by the beautiful, awe-inspiring views and unique forests of the property, the students had the opportunity to get their hands dirty while participating in an ongoing effort to control French Broom (Genista monspessulana) on the property.

The Jenner Headlands property is located a couple miles north of the town of Jenner, CA. Situated between multiple protected areas, the property is an important coastal corridor that boasts coastal prairie, redwood forest, and more. The 5,500+/- acre property was a former working ranch which is now being jointly managed by the Sonoma Land Trust and the Wildlands Conservancy.

In addition, the students were able to strike engaging conversations, applying what they have learned with regard to resource and public lands management, conservation, restoration, and the application of sound ecological principles when pursuing the implementation of a restoration project.

The students were able to get hands on experience with invasive species removal and the use of a "weed wrench", a metal tool that helps lift mature plants and their roots out of the soil. The weed wrench struck one student (Todd Harney) as an important tool that comes with an excessive cost to restoration projects and practitioners, which has potential to be lowered. Todd plans to craft his own weed wrenches at a lower cost in his brothers welding shop, where he may be able to offer the tools to future restoration projects at a reduced price.

We had the opportunity be educated by both Sonoma Land Trust and the Wildlands Conservancy staff about the property and why it is a unique area worthy of protection. The property was originally slated for sale for any purpose, including development for homes, a bed and breakfast, or world class resort. You can see the original "For sale" ad here, which really brings to terms just how important the actions the Sonoma Land Trust and other partner organizations took to protect the property were.

A good portion of the class on the hunt for French Broom to remove with their newly minted weed  wrench skills.

We are lucky enough to have a class member, Ingrid Stearns, who is a staff member at the Sonoma Land Trust and who was able to obtain permission for us to enter and tour the property. We then got a short overview of the French Broom control program the managing organizations had implemented since the property changed hands. Groups had visited the property on multiple occasions over the past few years to remove French Broom. To the classes surprise, control efforts seemed to be effective. The class was informed by Caroline Christian and program staff that broom invasion had been much worse in previous years class trips. This brought up questions that the group approached during their lunch break. What might be causing broom to appear in lower numbers than past years? Could the restoration efforts to control french broom be working? What should the partnered organizations do in the future to prevent french broom from reappearing?

The students regrouped for lunch to discuss the questions listed above, among others.

In addition to our french broom control activities, we were able to simply enjoy a piece of property on the coast of Jenner that most citizens cannot yet explore. We saw many bird spp., a few snakes (spp.), a bobcat on the way there and back, one of the oldest Mahogany trees in the area, and much, much more. Check out the slideshow below to see all the images taken on the trip (More to be added from Caroline and other classmates when they become available.)
 

After an excellent day and a lot of broom removal, the time came to go home. It was a hot day and most of us were exhausted, but it also gave us an idea of the types of experiences we can look forward to as we enter the workforce over the coming years.