A Bill of Rights for Jackson State Redwood Forest

  • Whereas Jackson State Forest is a 50,000-acre redwood forest owned by the people of California and should be used for the broadest public benefit;
     
  • Whereas Jackson State Forest is the only publicly owned redwood forest of significant size south of Humboldt County;
     
  • Whereas Mendocino County has only 2 percent of its timberland protected from logging, compared to 37 percent in Del Norte County and 11 percent in Humboldt County;
     
  • Whereas the industrially owned redwood timberlands of Mendocino County have been logged of almost all of their virgin timber and older second growth;
  • Whereas Jackson State Forest has large areas of undisturbed older second growth and is in much better condition than the industrial timberlands of Mendocino County;
  • Whereas timber operations in Jackson State Forest degrade the quantity and quality of water in its streams and threaten salmon survival;
     
  • Whereas Jackson State Forest offers the only significant potential sanctuary south of Humboldt County for species dependent on mature redwood forests;
     
  • Whereas logging in residential neighborhoods lowers the water table, increases fire danger, destroys animal and plant habitat, and degrades the quality of life of its neighbors;
     
  • Whereas Mendocino County is visited by over one million people annually because of its natural beauty; and
     
  • Whereas opportunities for hiking and camping in redwood forests in Mendocino County are presently very limited;

We therefore proclaim:

  • The primary management purpose of Jackson State Redwood Forest will be restoration to old growth for recreation, habitat, education and research.
     
  • A primary restoration purpose will be improving watershed health to increase the quantity and quality of water.
     
  • Recreation opportunities will be expanded and publicized.
    Traditional non-timber uses of the state forest system shall be continued to the extent consistent with restoring old growth forest ecology.
     
  • Facilities for education and research on the ecology of redwood forest restoration will be established.
     
  • All timber operations will be demonstrably consistent with the goals of restoring the forest to old growth, enhancing recreation opportunities, or protecting wildlife and botanical habitat. Appropriate selective logging in areas of the forest that have been clearcut and re-grown densely could well contribute to restoration.
     
  • All timber sales will be sized to have demonstration value to owners of small timber holdings and to allow small, local timber operators and mills to participate.
     
  • All timber harvest plans and operations shall demonstrate the highest attainable sensitivity to aesthetic and ecological values.
     
  • All research projects that involve altering the ecology of the forest shall be first reviewed and approved by an independent scientific peer group and shall be conducted within the smallest practicable area.
     
  • All funds generated by sales of timber from the Forest shall be spent within the forest for restoration, recreation, education, and research, or to add to the area of the forest.
     
  • The state should extend unemployment benefits and provide additional job retraining for timber workers.
     
  • An Advisory Committee to the Forest shall be appointed with representatives of affected state agencies and local governments, non-governmental environmental and recreation organizations, the general public, and neighbors of the forest. The Advisory Committee must approve management policies and plans for the forest.

The Campaign to Restore
Jackson State Redwood Forest