South Beach Spruce Grove. Photo Credit F.L. Hiser Jr.
A proposed Timber Harvest Plan in Del Norte County near Crescent City threatens to devalue a sensitive and unique grove if coastal Sitka spruce. THP 1-17-034DEL “Hambro” proposes to harvest and substantially degrade the ecological value of 44 acres of mature unique grove of Sitka spruce that has been designated as a special and unique area by the California Coastal Commission and that presently resides in a Coastal Special Treatment Area that calls for special management considerations. The Hambro THP is surrounded by a State-administered wildlife area, and otherwise by the industrial complex of Crescent City.
The Hambro THP Sitka spruce stand is over 120 years-old, with many large, structurally-complex, and very old trees. Based on standardized forest classification methods, the Hambro THP stand represents a near-climax successional stage, and even meets the Forest Practice Rules criteria for designation as a Late Successional Forest, which also calls for special consideration and management of the stand.
EPIC is working cooperatively with Friends of Del Norte County to raise public awareness and interest in protecting the unique coastal Sitka spruce stand at-risk from logging degradation by the Hambro THP.
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