The Scotia geese have been enjoying the recent sunny days and for them it often means more visitors. More visitors often means more treats and they love their treats. The geese are located just beyond the Humboldt Redwood Company main office in the parking lot by the old cross bridge. They are joined by several mallard ducks and have been reproducing for generations.

By TIM HEARDEN

Capital Press

SHINGLETOWN, Calif. — Organizers of a salvage logging demonstration here May 14 might have appreciated how a group of high school seniors from Anderson, Calif., evaluated what they saw.

“I think it’s good to see,” Connor McCone said. “They’re taking what’s left of (the forest) and being really environmental about it.”

“It’s like they’re recycling,” Christina Swaggerty said.

The students were among about 600 area schoolchildren this week who saw how crews cleared and harvested burned logs and debris from the Ponderosa Fire, a nearly 30,000-acre blaze that swept through miles of brush and timber and forced evacuations of three mountain communities east of Redding, Calif., last summer.

The Sierra Cascade Logging Conference has sponsored education days in the woods for elementary and high school students for more than 15 years as a way to engage youngsters about what really goes on at a logging site.

This year, the burn areas provided a backdrop to inform students about wildfires and the efforts to restore forests in their aftermath.

Students saw a demonstration of a “hot saw” felling what was left of some trees; watched as charred bark was scraped from logs that were later loaded onto a truck; and heard firefighters from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection discuss the behavior of wildfires.

At other stations, students saw how timber workers monitor the water quality in a stream and watched a chipper turn limbs and tops of trees into biomass for producing energy.

“I didn’t know they did all this after a fire,” said Tyler Mair, another Anderson High School senior.

The Ponderosa Fire burned about 17,600 acres of Sierra Pacific Industries timberland — the worst damage the company has ever sustained from a fire. The blaze destroyed nearly half of the 40,000 acres the timber giant owns in the Battle Creek drainage, according to SPI spokesman Mark Pawlicki.

Sierra Pacific employees helped Cal Fire and other agencies battle the blaze, providing masks and gate keys and helping to move trees out of the way. Cal Fire officials credited SPI’s fire breaks for slowing the spread of the wildfire.

The company estimated it would take a year to salvage and reforest the area. During that time, the company’s ongoing research in the Battle Creek drainage has been focused on fire recovery.

It’s important that the students learn that “we’re working in a management atmosphere,” said Delbert Gannon, whose Redding-based Creekside Logging Co. won the contract for the salvage work.

“I have a passion for it,” he said of education. “I think that’s what the industry needs is educating the young people, letting them know there are jobs out here and that the forests are being managed by professionals in a controlled environment.”

As the largest forest ownership group in the United States, family-owned woodlands are essential assets to every American.

The full Senate is expected to begin debating the Farm Bill on Monday and the House could vote in June.

Rita Hite, American Forest Foundation’s Executive Vice President of Woodlands and Policy, said today:

“The American Forest Foundation applauds both Agriculture Committees for their progress to move a strong Farm Bill forward, and we hope to see swift action by both chambers to get the 2013 Farm Bill enacted.

“The Farm Bill provides tools and resources for forest landowners to implement conservation practices on the ground to improve the health and productivity of their forestland. These lands are facing growing pressures from catastrophic wildfires, forest pests and pathogens, and urban sprawl. If families aren’t able to address these pressures, than the clean air and water, wood products, wildlife habitats and hunting and fishing opportunities that every American relies on will be at risk. And this will end up costing Americans much more than the Farm Bill investments in these programs.

“Both the House and Senate bills have strong provisions for forests that will help family forest owners and keep good-paying jobs in rural communities.

“We appreciate the work that both Committees have done to address the budget deficit while maintaining resources for forest and conservation programs. However, we remain concerned that the proposed cuts to conservation programs will jeopardize the future of family-owned forests and the important benefits that come from these forests.

“AFF will continue to work with both Committees to build on the improvements made to the USDA  Biobased Markets Program,  to ensure that forest products are recognized for their biobased qualities. Without a change to this program to level the playing field for forest products,  America’s 22 million family forest owners, who supply most of America’s forest products, will be cut out of markets for their products and have an even harder time paying the bills and keeping their forests as forests.”

“Action on a strong Farm Bill is an investment to protect public benefits that come from private forests. We appreciate the bipartisan work by both chambers that recognizes the vital role of family forest owners in protecting America’s forest resources and keeping rural economies strong.”

Learn more about forests in the farm bill and the House and Senate bills at www.forestfoundation.org/farm-bill.

Hite is a co-chair of the Forests in the Farm Bill Coalition and is available for interviews this week. Contact Amanda Cooke at acooke@forestfoundation.org or 202-463-2731.

The American Forest Foundation (AFF) works on the ground with families, teachers and elected officials to promote stewardship and protect our nation’s forest heritage. A commitment to the next generation unites our nationwide network of forest owners and teachers working to keep our forests healthy and our children well-prepared for the future they will inherit. Learn more at www.forestfoundation.org/farm-bill.

The Association provides opportunities for continuing education and public outreach to its membership, which includes professionals affiliated with government agencies, private timber companies, consultants, the public, and the academic community.

Governed by an elected Board of Directors, CLFA was established in 1980 after the passage of the landmark California Professional Foresters Law.

CLFA is seeking an Executive Director. This position is an independent contractor.  Duties include event planning, bookkeeping, membership services and more.  Knowledgeable in Quickbooks, MS Access and MS Publisher helpful. Some travel required.  See full announcement here.

Application processes closes June 1. Learn more about the CLFA at www.clfa.org .

For Immediate Release

May 6, 2013

(Sacramento) – Every spring, wildfire like an unstoppable monster runs through our hills and mountains consuming everything in its path until late fall. These wildfires can burn up waterways, wildlife habitat and homes in no time.  This year, there have been 200 more wildfires than the same time in 2012.

Californians need to be prepared and aware of the threats of the upcoming wildfire season.  To do that, Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. declared May 6-12, 2012 as “Wildfire Awareness Week”. The California Forestry Association (Calforests) will be participating in CAL FIRE’s Wildfire Awareness Week to spread the word that fighting wildfire begins with prevention and preparedness.

Recently, Calforests and CAL FIRE established a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), to address coordination on fire prevention and fire protection issues. This MOU, has strengthened the State’s wildland fire prevention efforts through successfully building education programs, creating annual coordination meetings, and the developing of shared best management practices to help prevent or mitigate the impacts of wildfires.

“Calforests is committed to being in active partner with CALFIRE to better safeguard the state from wildfires,” said Calforests President David Bischel. ”Our organizations have craft more effective fire prevention efforts through improved coordination and communication before and during wildland fires. We are appreciative for the opportunity to strengthen fire prevention activities, which benefit all of California.”

Calforests members work year round to help prevent wildfires through conducting thinning projects, prescribe fires and restoration projects to create healthy forests that are more resilient to wildfires and clean the forest floors of wildfire fuel.  Completing these activities throughout the year help protect the forests and the surrounding communities from deadly fires.

There are many steps homeowners can also do their part to protect their families, homes and communties from wildfires. CAL FIRE relaunched its wildfire preparedness website, www.ReadyForWildfire.org with added features and steps to assist homeowners in preparing for wildfires. The site offers tips for residents to make their homes more resistant to wildfires and to ensure that their families are ready to evacuate early and safely when a wildfire strikes.

For more information visit  www.ReadyForWildfire.org or www.Calforests.org.

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The California Forestry Association (Calforests) consists of forestry professionals committed to the protection of our natural resources, environmentally sound policies, sustainable use of renewable resources and responsible forestry. Calforests serves as a central voice for California’s forest-resource companies and communities. 

 Features:

1. Step-by-step instructions let you know what to do before/during/after an wildfire, even without data connectivity.
2. Get notified about current wildfires or wildfire-conducive weather.
3. Let family and friends know you are okay with the customizable “I’m Safe” alert for Facebook, Twitter, email and text.
4. Find open Red Cross shelters in your area when you need help.
5. Stay safe when the lights are out with the Toolkit, including a strobe light, flashlight and audible alert functions.
6. Prepare for the worst by learning how to assemble an emergency kit for your family in the event of power outage or evacuation.
7. Empower your family to stay safe and remain calm in an emergency by learning how to make and practice an emergency plan.
8. Earn badges that you can share with your friends and show off your wildfire knowledge with interactive quizzes.
9. See an illustrated history of wildfires in your area.

Be ready for wildfires with the official Red Cross wildfire app on your iPhone or Android device

California wildfire season is well ahead of schedule this year given the unusually dry winter followed almost immediately by hot temperatures. These conditions along with the growing vulnerability to severe wildfire due to unmanaged, over-stocked forests highlights the need for action to help California protect our environment, homes and residents from this enormous threat. Fortunately, Assembly Members Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) and Frank Bigelow’s (R-O’Neals) were able to foresee the grave situation facing the state and jointly introduced AB 350 earlier this year.

AB 350 bi-partisan legislation which  seeks to increase the diameter of trees that may be cleared under the state’s Forest Fire Prevention Act (FFPA) from 18 to 28 inches in stump diameter in order to incentivize private forest landowners to carry out what are known as forest “thinning” projects on their land in order to reduce the amount of wildfire fuel in California forests. Since the FFPA was passed in 2003 very few landowners have chosen to take advantage of the program because the 18-inch diameter limitation prevents thinning projects from being economically feasible. Raising the diameter limit to 28 inches at the stump will provide landowners with the appropriate incentive to complete thinning projects throughout the state to help reduce the growing threat of wildfires.

The goal of the bill is to eliminate unnaturally large amounts of fuel and the fuel ladder. Selective removal of trees, while still leaving the best and biggest as required under state law, will reduce the total amount of fuel present therefore decreasing the frequency and intensity of wildfires.

The diverse coalition supporting AB 350 includes regional air quality management districts Fire Safe Councils recreation groups, local governments and many others. In total, 59 organizations lent their support for the very important legislation created to better safeguard the state and environment from the devastation of wildfires when the bill was heard in the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources on April 29, 2013.

Despite a number of very strong statements indicating support for the need for enhanced fire prevention policies by the Committee Chairman Wes Chesbro (D-Arcata) and other members of the committee, the legislators expressed their the desire for this policies to be vetted through the Timber Harvest Working Group before being considered in committee. Chairman Chesbro reaffirmed that the working group would take a great interest in getting to a real solution to improve fire prevention in the state this year.

The authors of the bill were very successful in educating the committee on the importance and urgency of implementing fire prevention policies that result in significant progress toward decreasing the frequency and intensity of wildfires in the state. We are hopeful that we are on our way to realizing this goal with leadership from Assembly Members Bob Wieckowski and Frank Bigelow.

“I fear that fires are only going to increase in intensity and frequency in the coming years unless we take action. I am hopeful that we can work swiftly in the working group and come to a consensus measure, “said Wieckowski. “ It is critical to California that we find a way to achieve responsible thinning of our over-stocked forest lands.  I am hopeful that we can move something forward this year.”

“I came to Sacramento to work on positive, results-oriented solutions to real world problems. I stand ready to continue working with Assembly member Wieckowski, Chairman Chesbro, stakeholders and supporters to ensure results,” Bigelow said. “I’m confident that all parties can come together to craft a solution that will benefit both landowners and the environment.”

Whether it is in a remote area of the forest where it is critical to maintaining healthy air, water and wildlife habitat or in the urban-wildland interface where it is critical to protect human health and property – fuel hazard reduction is desperately needed throughout the state to better protect quality of life for all Californians.

Watch AB 350 hearing at Cal Channel : http://calchannel.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=7&clip_id=1200

Innovate North State announced today the 100 businesses on its inaugural “Nor-Cal 100” – a group of manufacturers located in Northern California that are making tremendous economic contributions.

Included on the list are Sierra Pacific Industries and the Vorwood Company, both of Anderson, said Jon Gregory, managing director of Innovate North State.

Gregory said he is pleased with the caliber of manufacturers to be honored at the Summit. “(T)he 100 manufacturers that make up the inaugural Nor-Cal 100 represent an amazing, in many cases unknown, group of business who are innovating throughout Northern California, selling products all over the world, and bringing dollars back home to the region,” Gregory commented.

Representatives from each of the Nor-Cal 100 firms will be honored during the first American Manufacturing Repatriation Summit taking place from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 9, at the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company’s “Big Room” in Chico.

Presenting the honors to the 100 Northern California manufacturers will be USDA Rural Development State Director Dr. Glenda Humiston and Louis Stewart from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.Title sponsor of the event is U.S. Bank.

Seating at the event is limited, so advance registration is highly recommended.

Read More at: http://www.andersonvalleypost.com/news/2013/apr/30/2-anderson-firms-named-top-100-northern-california/

In 2011, The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests. The Day will celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests. Forests provide 1.6 billion people from around the world with sustainable livelihoods. Outdoor recreation alone generates over $85 billion dollars a year here in California states a recent report from Outdoor Industry Association. Spending on outdoor recreation in the state also helps support 732,000 jobs and generates $6.7 billion in state and local taxes. All of us benefits from healthy forests each and every day. From clean water, to fresh air and wood products such as lumber for our homes.

California has some of the highest environmental standards in the country and arguably the world. Due to our sustainable forestry practices, California has the same acres of forested land as it did 100 years ago. Unfortunately, other countries have not been able to put in place such environmental standards and deforestation in places still still a huge issue. Widespread restoration and replanting efforts have slowed deforestation, but the world still loses forested acres daily. On each International Day of Forests, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns.  Click here for the full text of the UN Resolution.

Yesterday, Calforests handed out over 300 trees at Ag Day at the Capitol. Now it is your turn! Plant a tree, take a hike in the forests or talk to your family about the importance of our forestlands are snd celebrate all the gifts from trees we have been given!