EPIC has unearthed documents through a Public Records Act request that show that CAL FIRE has been secretly editing questions submitted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on timber harvest plans submitted for the Jackson Demonstration State Forest, which is managed by CAL FIRE, as well as other THPs across the North Coast. Edits were frequently made both to substance and tone of questions in ways that appear to blunt criticism of logging regulated by CAL FIRE.

Please join us in welcoming Abigail Lowell to the EPIC Team! Abigail will be responsible for energizing and engaging with the EPIC community and will work collaboratively with members and volunteers to organize events and provide resources and materials for membership development. She will be overseeing communications and outreach and coordinates fundraising. Abigail has a B.S. in Environmental Science & Management with an emphasis in Environmental Education & Interpretation

In a recent report, the Climate Forests Campaign details ten mature and old growth forests that are at risk of being logged. We must do everything we can to protect these trees for our climate, wildlife, and communities. Join us in calling on President Biden, Secretary Vilsack, and Secretary Haaland, to incorporate permanent protections for mature and old growth temperate rainforests as part of our nation’s strategy to address climate change. While the White House has made pr

What is a Safe Harbor Agreement? A Safe Harbor Agreement is essentially a permit between government agencies and non-federal property owners regarding the management of species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). In a Safe Harbor Agreement, a property owner agrees to undertake certain actions for the benefit of a protected species. In return, the property owner receives legal immunity for acts ordinarily prohibited by the ESA. In California, three agencies govern t

The heart of the Tolowa Dee-ni’s ancestral territory, a property known as Reservation Ranch, was stolen from the Tolowa. Over 150 years of mismanagement has left the property abused and degraded. The details of this degradation are ghastly, from the filling of tidal sloughs with manure to damming estuarine salmon habitat for use as freshwater irrigation ponds. You can review the charges on our past blog post here. We’ve asked for your help before to encourage the state to pr

We are grateful to have such a great group of students working with us this summer for the protection and restoration of Northwest California's ecosystems. We look forward to seeing where their work takes them and are excited to be able to be a part of their journey. Join us in welcoming this wonderful trio to the EPIC Team! Gwen Atherton, Legal Intern Gwen is a third-year law student at Chapman University, Fowler School of Law. Gwen’s interest in environmentalism began at Ca