On the Ground at Jackson: Two Interns’ Perspectives

Hello! I’m Grace, a legal intern at EPIC who had the privilege to take a trip down to Fort Bragg to attend an open Jackson Advisory Group (JAG) meeting. As a law school student who does not have a background in science, I was at first a bit intimidated being surrounded by Cal Fire members and environmentalists. I had assisted with writing a comment letter about the Camp South 8 Timber Harvest Plan (THP), so I knew about the project at hand being discussed. But it was one thing reading the divisive opinions about it online versus the in-person discussion.

The THP at hand is still in the JAG pre-approval stage, so when we were taken to the proposed location, a lot seemed… unclear. Cal Fire brought in a researcher who did a study on the biomass of old trees, who recommended that instead of clear-cutting, Potential Exceptional Trees (PETs) be left so they have a chance to grow and revitalize the forest.

Cal Fire wants to use this research in the Camp 8 South THP, and along with that, they want to utilize a skip-and-gap logging method. From what I understood, the skip and gap mean that for every acre logged, a little over an acre of forest is then skipped and not touched by the logging crews. I liked that it seemed as though Cal Fire is appearing to work towards more sustainable logging methods (if logging for profit could ever truly be sustainable… ). However, as the THP is still in such early stages, there was a lot of uncertainty about the plan. Cal Fire seemed very dismissive of questions from the public, saying that obviously, since the THP is not in full report status, they do not have all of the schematics figured out. However, as environmentalist Naomi Wagner stated during the trip out to the site, it seemed clear by how some of the JAG board members were speaking during the meeting, that this proposal will most likely get approved. Many of the environmentalists’ comments and concerns seemed not just dismissed by Cal Fire, but by certain JAG members as well.

While it was a great experience meeting so many influential environmentalists, the entire trip out to the forest felt somewhat useless. Many of the questions, such as: How will they identify what trees to keep at PET? Where will the new roadways be? What part of the forest will be skipped, and which will be gaps? We were all met with uncertainty and defensiveness by Cal Fire. This ultimately felt like an optics trip instead of anything substantial. While I left the meeting with a feeling of skepticism regarding the THP, I know all of the amazing environmentalists that I met, along with the continued work of EPIC, will keep Cal Fire on their toes. Listening to the older environmentalists and their stories of protesting up in the trees was inspiring and made me proud to be a part of a new generation of people working to protect our forests. Without the older generation of environmentalists, Cal Fire would not be trying to implement any of these “sustainable” changes, and I think that is extremely important to acknowledge.

Overall, attending the JAG meeting was eye-opening to see the inner workings of tree politics, and I was honored to get to experience it and meet such lovely people!

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Greetings all, Lily here! I’m currently attending Cal Poly Humboldt and interning with EPIC. This weekend, they provided us with the opportunity to attend the Jackson Advisory Group (JAG) meeting in Fort Bragg to discuss their new Timber Harvest Plan (THP) for Camp 8 South.

As an Environmental Science student still completing my undergrad, this trip widened my understanding of real-life environmental work in a manner that the classroom could never. My background allowed me to follow the scientific conversations and make constructive, ecologically conscious comments, but it could never conjure the compassion of community member attendees. I saw that advocacy work does not solely happen in the courtroom. In the middle of Jackson Demonstration State Forest, these people brought determination, and after listening to them defend their forest, no one could contest the necessity of preserving the land. Many gray hairs, etched faces, and blunt responses reflected how long this fight has transpired—certainly not the first rodeo for Earth First era environmentalists like Polly and Naomi. When speaking with me, though, these weathered eyes lit up with hopeful smiles. I felt fortunate to meet such knowledgeable elders, and they were equally elated to see young people ready to step up.

     During the meeting, JAG and Cal Fire presented the executive summary of the THP, which aims to use Jackson as a test ground for the Late Seral Development (LSD) strategy of selecting Potentially Exceptional Trees (PETs) to bring “big trees” back to Jackson. We came prepared with comments highlighting the risks of entering this rare ecosystem, like impairment to Northern Spotted Owl (NSO)/Coho salmon habitat, and the uncertain effectiveness of the proposed logging methods in LSD zones. Upon reaching the proposed site location—one clambering Cal Fire truck ride later—concerns intensified. The narrow road opened on either side to steep slopes that border the Noyo River. They stated the proposed road system “looks” like it would not cause harm, but offered no analysis due to the THP being in the “planning phases”. Throughout the visit, numerous valid critiques were dismissed and deferred for this reason. 

As we exited the site, I picked several of the THP proponents' brains and found we shared a lot of common ground, especially relating to the importance of ethical vs profitable management. I left wondering why well-intentioned foresters continued to believe in rehabilitating logged forests with more logging. Perhaps this is my shortsightedness, but the limited research provided about PETs did not convince me. Thinning a forest promotes growth to specific trees, but does “future potential” to sequester more carbon speak to the needs of today? Will the amount sequestered from a few PETs per acre even surpass current retention? Is disturbing this nearly extinct landscape worth it? I encourage you all to read the THP and decide for yourselves.

Thank you to EPIC, JAG, Cal Fire, and the forest defenders for this enriching experience, and I look forward to the next one!