EcoNews Apr/May 2012 by EcoNews

40 Years of Environmental News



Arcata, California

Vol. 42, No. 2 April/May 2012

 Published by the Northcoast Environmental Center Since 1971

How

GREEN are the

Candidates?

The North Coast has a new Congressional District. NEC asks a range of environmental questions of our new Congressional Candidates. (Questionnaire insert inside this issue)

Suction Dredging Moratorium | We’ve Moved! | Transitioning to Sustainability Blast from the Past | Building Permaculture Community | Spring Wildflower Show

EcoNews is the official bi-monthly publication of the Northcoast Environmental Center, a non-profit organization. Third class postage paid in Arcata. ISSN No. 0885-7237. EcoNews is mailed to our members and distributed free throughout the Northern California/ Southern Oregon bioregion. The subscription rate is $35 per year.

Editor/Layout: Morgan Corviday, morgan@yournec.org Advertising: ads@yournec.org Proofreaders: Karen Schatz, Midge Brown Writers: Sid Dominitz, Morgan Corviday, Dan Ehresman, Jennifer Kalt, Sarah Marnick, Dan Sealy, Craig Tucker, Portia Bramble, Larry Goldberg, Dan Equinoss, Sara Mosser, and Susan Bower. Artist: Terry Torgerson Cover Photo: Google Maps NEC Programs Manager: Dan Ehresman, dan@yournec.org

NEC’s Mission

To promote understanding of the relations between people and the biosphere and to conserve, protect and celebrate terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems of northern California and southern Oregon.

NEC Board Of Directors

Safe Alternatives for our Forest EnvironmentLarry Glass, President., larryglass71@gmail.com At-Large, Trinity County Rep. - Bob Morris, Vice-President, bob.morris@wildblue.net At-Large - Chris Jenican Beresford, Treasurer, thegang7@pacbell.net California Native Plant Society - Jennifer Kalt, Secretary, jenkalt@gmail.com Humboldt Baykeeper - Beth Werner, beth@humboldtbaykeeper.org Redwood Region Audubon Society CJ Ralph, theralphs@humboldt1.com Sierra Club North Group, - Diane Fairchild Beck, dfbeck@northcoast.com At-Large - Tom Preble At-Large - Scott Greacen

Member Groups

North Group/Redwood Chapter of the Sierra Club, Redwood Region Audubon Society, North Coast Chapter of the California Native Plant Society, Humboldt Baykeeper, Safe Alternatives for Our Forest Environment.

NEC Sponsored Groups

Healthy Humboldt Coalition, Green Wheels

The ideas and views expressed in EcoNews are not necessarily those of the NEC.

Every issue of EcoNews is printed on recycled paper with soy-based inks. Please, Recycle!

your online perusal. We’ll also have some great new neighbors: Friends of the Eel River, Northcoast Growers Association, California Association of Family Farmers, CalTrout, Humboldt Cartography, and, of course, the fine folks of Greenway Partners. Hopefully, all will be as excited about this as we are here at the office. Please join us for an Earth Day celebration and open house on Sunday, April 22 from 4:00pm7:00pm. The Link (formerly the Arcata Technology Center) is located at 1385 8th Street in Arcata. Our office is in the Southwest corner of the building on the second floor. Food and drink and entertainment will be awaiting our guests (once you find us in the maze that envelops our new home). At the NEC, the last two months have been busy ones: wading through legislation, and reprimanding or giving thanks to our legislators, while also keeping our eyes on the local issues that matter most. Since our last EcoNews, we have joined with many other organizations and individuals to raise our voices on

a variety of issues: suction dredge mining in rivers; funding for bikes, pedestrians and buses; EPA regulation of lead ammunition to protect wildlife; and public review of pesticide applications. In the interest of providing even more information to our members, we put together a Second District Congressional Candidates Questionnaire, with 20 questions on a range of topics. A selection of these questions can be found inserted in this EcoNews. Responses to all of the questions can be found online at www.yournec.org. It hasn’t been all work, though. We had a great time with everyone who turned out to see Seattle songwriter extraordinaire Jim Page. A huge thanks to Morgan and Mo for getting the word out, doing the sound, and opening the show; Westhaven Center for the Arts for hosting; Tryphena Lewis for planting the seed for the show; and Allan Katz for his generous contribution. There is more fun to be had. We look forward to seeing you at our open house! If you can’t make it, drop on by during the week to visit.

We’ve Moved!

The Northcoast Environmental Center is now located at 1385 8th Street,

at The Link (formerly the Arcata Technology Center) the corner of 8th and N Streets (the old Yakima Building)

HERE! From the rear entrance, we are upstairs to the left, then left again Come see our new space at our mixer on Earth Day! April 22nd 4 - 7pm.

8th

St. Plaza

101

Affiliate Groups

Environmental Protection Information Center, Friends of Del Norte.

It’s that time of year. We are entering the season where daylight outbalances darkness. Winter’s touch remains, but the rhododendron and trillium, the houndstongue and slinkpod, along with many a migrant avian friend are singing of Spring’s return. Along with celebrations of the coming spring we are also confronted with the slander and hype of a big election year and much wayward legislation. Before we get into that, though, we have some exciting news! After much discussion and soul-searching, the NEC has moved from our everamazing Jacoby Storehouse location over to “The Link” (ye old Yakima building). By the time this goes to print, if all goes as planned, we should be settled in. It will be a big change, but the NEC will be just six blocks away from the Arcata plaza and it will present us with new opportunity. In addition to our main office, we will also have available a studio space for recording our EcoNews Report, staging the EcoNews paper, and archiving our old newsletters for

K St .

1385 8th Street - Suite 215, Arcata, CA 95521 PO Box 4259, Arcata, CA 95518 707- 822-6918, Fax 707-822-6980 www.yournec.org

News From the Center

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

Sam oa

Image: Google Maps.

Bouquets

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CA Gold Dredging Moratorium..........3

Sandpiper........................................insert

Building Permaculture Community...4

Candidates Questionnaire............insert

Transition and Humboldt Village.......4

CA Native Plant Society........................12

Digesting Foodwaste to Watts.............5

EPIC.....................................................13

Kin to the Earth.....................................7

Legislative Watch................................14

Good News............................................8

Blast from the Past- new feature!........15

Humboldt Baykeeper...........................9

EcoMania.............................................16

Green Wheels......................................10

Creature Feature.................................17

Sierra Club North Group News.........11

Kids’ Page............................................18

California rivers are safe from dredging—for now. Permaculture workshops teach sustainability.

New local group advocating Transition principles.

Pilot program converts foodwaste to energy.

Tom Stokely, advocate for the Trinity River. Back by popular demand!

Humboldt Bay expanding oyster production. May is Humboldt Bike Month!

News and conservation updates.

Newsletter of Redwood Region Audubon. Congressional candidates on green issues. News and Event Happenings.

Updates on Forest Road Rules and CA State Parks.

Transportation Bill’s long and winding road. The Good Old Days of 1977.

Thanks to Patrick Cleary and KHUM for helping to get the word out about our March 18 show with songwriter Jim Page! Thanks to Westhaven Center for the Arts for the fabulous venue, Mo Hollis for producing our promos and providing the sound, and thanks to everyone who came out for the show! And especially, THANKS JIM! Many thanks to the folks who have responded to our online request for EcoNews Report transcribers on Sparked.com! About 15 shows have been transcribed so far. Angelique Patton, Sue Kim, Matt Segneri, Jennifer Mizak, Ansley Benson, Jessica Wollett, Irina Ionel, and Arianna Schlege—Thank you!

Dermochelys coriacea, Pacific Leatherback Turtle.

Sincere gratitude to our long-time proof-readers, Karen Shlatz and Midge Brown, for tirelessly pouring over every article in every issue, seeking out typos, misspellings and bad grammar. EcoNews simply wouldn’t look as good without you! Extra thanks to Karen for also proofreading EcoNews Report transcripts as they come in!

Discover the Riparian zone.

And huge thanks to volunteer Frank Milelzcik for helping us move! Whew!

Melange of Salient Sillies.

You’re Invited Please join us for an Earth Day office warming party at our new location!

April 22 1385 8th St (corner of 8th & N) Please call 707-822-6918 for more information, directions, or to RSVP.

4-7pm

707-822-6918 nec@yournec.org

We Want You!

We’re looking for a few good interns! If you’ll be around this summer, and can commit to 5+ hours per week, we’d like to talk to you! Opportunities include: EcoNews production and archiving, volunteer coordination, outreach, office assistance, and more!

707-822-6918 nec@yournec.org Article submissions welcome!

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EcoNews is e x p a n d i n g to include web-only articles! In addition to the content available in the print EcoNews, look for more articles to appear on our website in the coming months. Visit our website today to check out what else is new!

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EcoNews

April/May 2012

This issue’s web articles, available online now:

• Seattle Grows a Public Food Forest • Local, Grass-fed Beef is Better! • More Buzz on Local Beekeeping • EPIC’s Spotted Owl Self-Defense

Full articles of 300-600 words may be submitted, preferably by email. Please pitch your idea to the editor prior to submitting a draft. Include your phone number and email with all submissions, to editor@yournec.org

And, the full text of our special election insert:

• NEC’s Congressional Candidate Environmental Issue Questionnaire www.yournec.org

California Rivers Protected from Gold Dredging—for Now Craig Tucker

this mercury to the water column where naturally occurring microorganisms chemically modify it. This process results in methyl-mercury—a particularly nasty compound that can cause severe neurological defects in relatively small doses. For many years, dredgers operated in the back country all over the West without much regulatory oversight. One dredge here or there may have a fairly limited negative impact. However, spikes in the price of gold and the formation of mining

California’s gold mining era of the 1850’s is often romanticized today in murals, books, film, and song. Revisionist accounts of this important period in California history often neglect to highlight the realities of the genocide and environmental destruction that resulted from early settlers’ unquenchable thirst for gold. Although the large scale hydraulic mining operations of the 19th century are now banned, contemporary gold mining by hobbyists continues to threaten the environment and traditional tribal cultures. Gold mining as a hobby gained in popularity in the 1960’s with the advent of the portable suction dredge. Suction dredges are powered by gas or diesel engines that are mounted on floating pontoons in the river. Attached to the engine is a powerful vacuum hose which the dredger uses to suction up the gravel and sand (sediment) from the bottom of the river. The material passes through a sluice box where heavier gold particles can settle into a series of riffles. The rest of the gravel is simply dumped back into the river. The miner typically uses a snorkel or even SCUBA gear, and Hooka Air systems enable the miner to spend hours at a time methodically vacuuming The sediment plume from a suction dredger spreads downstream. up the bed of a river looking for gold. Vacuuming up river bottoms can have Photo: Klamath-Salmon Media Collaborative. a negative effect on native fish, frogs, and other clubs have dramatically increased the number of aquatic species. Not surprisingly, miners deny dredgers and concentrated groups of dredgers into this. According to miners, the tailings (piles of small areas with significant biological impacts. rock) they leave behind are highly sought after by In 2005, the the Karuk Tribe filed a complaint spawning salmon as nests—a claim that has not against the California Department of Fish and been verified by fisheries experts. In fact, fisheries Game (DFG). Despite convincing the court that biologists overwhelmingly argue that dredging the current rules governing the practice were degrades fisheries habitat. inadequate to protect fisheries, DFG failed to revise In addition to the obvious harm to fish, dredges its suction dredge regulations in a timely manner. have another worrisome effect—the reintroduction In fact, DFG continued to issue permits to miners of elemental mercury (left over from the last even though the department admitted that suction gold rush) into the water column. Mercury was dredge mining under the outdated regulations historically used to separate gold from ore. When caused harm to endangered fish. miners left their claims, they left this mercury This led the Karuk Tribe to work with a broad behind and it now lies dormant in sediments of coalition of other tribes, environmentalists and rivers all around the West. Dredging reintroduces fishermen to stop suction dredging statewide

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until DFG developed better and more protective regulations. The coalition successfully worked to obtain bans on suction dredge mining from two separate branches of government. A collaboration with the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, Klamath Riverkeeper, the Sierra Fund, Northcoast Environmental Center, Friends of the Eel, EPIC, and others to supported legislation resulted in a statewide moratorium on suction dredge mining until the court order was fulfilled. This legislation (SB 670) was fielded by North Coast State Senator Patricia Wiggins. In addition, in 2009 the Karuk Tribe collaborated with the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, Institute of Fisheries Resources, Center for Biological Diversity, Klamath Riverkeeper, Friends of the River, and California Sportsfishing Protection Alliance in further litigation over Fish and Game’s improper use of tax payer dollars to fund the suction dredge mining permitting program. That litigation, which is ongoing, resulted in a court ordered moratorium on issuance of permits until new regulations are adopted. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the moratorium sunsets in 2016. The hope is that dredge rules will be in place by then that adequately protect fish and water quality. Over the past year DFG has proposed new regulations and developed an Environmental Impact Report detailing the environmental effects of these regulations. However, if the currently revised and proposed regulations developed by DFG go into effect, fish will still be at risk. The Karuk Tribe and their partners unanimously agree that the currently proposed regulations don’t go far enough to protect fish and that the environmental review process was legally defective. This could lead to more litigation in the immediate future. For more information on DFG’s suction dredging regulations (updated March 16), please visit http://www.dfg.ca.gov/suctiondredge. Craig Tucker is the Klamath Campaign Coordinator for the Karuk Tribe.

Something got your goat? If there’s a story you would like to see covered in EcoNews, contact us and let us know! April/May 2012

EcoNews

Building Community Through Community Dan Equinoss In an old industrial building on south G St., on a rainy Wednesday night, a group of people gathered to participate in a discussion about soil microbes. Often conversations about microbes, compost, rainwater harvesting and other topics of beneficial living go late into the night, as participants and presenters in the Beneficial Living Center’s Community Workshop Series engage in community building through permaculture. The Community Workshop Series at the Beneficial Living Center (BLC) began in the fall of 2010. The mission of the workshop series is simple: build community through the sharing of information related to beneficial and regenerative living (Permaculture principle #8: Integrate rather than segregate) while providing an opportunity for local businesses and professionals to expand their client base (Permaculture principle #3: Obtain a yield). “The workshops are truly the BLC’s primary gift to building community. We carry goods from various local artisans and regularly donate money or products to numerous non-profits, but the workshops are our crowning achievement”, states Seth Geddes, co-owner of the BLC. The first year was difficult. There was a huge turnout for the first couple of workshops and then

participation dropped off substantially. There were even workshops that no one showed up to. It was disheartening and, while standing there with a guest presenter, embarrassing (Permaculture principle #12: Respond to change). Advertising flyers, the main form of community communication regarding local events, was becoming expensive in time, energy and paper (Permaculture principle #6: Produce no waste). Some small changes over the year have had a great effect (Permaculture principle #9: Use small and slow solutions), with the BLC now offering workshops every first and third Wednesday of the month (6 p.m., $10). Consistency has been a key to success—now only one flyer is made (it’s on the counter at the shop) and social media (Facebook and Craigslist) has become not only a point of advertising but also a source for sharing resources and inspiration. In just over a year and a half a community of participants that is more than 130 strong has been built. Community builds community. The Beneficial Living Center, formally Beneficial Biologics, was formed because it was quickly becoming more than what the name could hold. “Our vision of incorporating sustainable living supplies was too big for a name that was so specific…So we lost the old name and took on a much larger vision”, says Geddes. “The name

Transitioning Humboldt Village Larry Goldberg Humboldt Village began as an offshoot of the Occupy Humboldt movement. After a few early meetings as an Occupy working group, participants decided to become an independent organization (Humboldt Village). Its expanded mission includes the lofty goal of “building an interconnected sense of community; implementing ventures that strengthen our resilience as a geographically semiisolated and primarily rural population against the fickle nature of economic, environmental and resource instability.” A public forum called “Humboldt Village Talks” began in January, with showings of films on alternative economics, followed by an open discussion by the attendees. Approximately 20 people attended the first meeting, but after a favorable article in the North Coast Journal (“Concrete Activists” 2/16), and despite a stormy,

windy night, the March showing of “In Transition 1.0”—a film about the burgeoning Transition Movement—was a standing-room only crowd of over 35 people. Moved and fired-up about the Transition Movement and the positive benefits that this area could see as a result of joining the growing citizen-based initiative, Humboldt Village decided not to reinvent the wheel. The Transition Movement embodied a way to see community that illustrates how best to apply ourselves to maximize our local resources, unleash others still unused, and become the strongest and most resilient community possible. The Transition Town Movement (now called the “Transition Initiative”) is a global effort of local communities to address the combined forces of climate change, peak oil and economic instability through localization efforts that promote community resiliency. Regular, systemic shocks are destabilizing to a society. Continued on page 6

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Luke Besmer, BLC manager, mixing up a batch of compost tea. Photo: Dan Equinoss.

Beneficial Living Center & Garden Supplies is meant to encapsulate the many aspects of what it means to live beneficially (to one another, and to the earth) with a special emphasis on reconnecting people to their food and to the land through their gardens”. The partnership between the BLC and High Tide Permaculture Design made the visions of both companies possible (Permaculture principle #11: Use edges and value the marginal). High Tide was created to provide the community with a renewable and regenerative service—providing people with the systems and knowledge to essentially not need those services forever. (Permaculture principle #5: use and value renewable resources and services). High Tide is committed to designing and implementing projects based on regeneration and the community workshops are an extension of that principle. Knowledge is empowering and benefits the whole community. “The workshops promote a connection between the individuals and their community”, says Troy Perez, a regular participant and co-owner of Samara Nursery, “they develop a person’s sense of place” (Permaculture principle #4: Apply selfregulation and accept feedback). Dan Equinoss is co-owner of High Tide Permaculture Design and is the Community Workshop Coordinator at the Beneficial Living Center. He can be reached at hightidepermaculture@gmail.com. Workshop schedules can be found at www.beneficiallivingcenter. com and www.hightidepermaculture.com.

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Lots to Love About Farmers’ Markets Portia Bramble Humboldt County has a rich history of diversified agricultural production. Today the tradition is alive and thriving, and is exemplified by the successful farmers’ markets that our community has been supporting for over 33 years. The Arcata Plaza Farmers’ Market was one of the first Certified Farmers’ Markets (CFMs) in the state when the Direct Marketing Program was created by the California Department of Food and Agriculture in 1978. Today, the North Coast Growers’ Association operates five CFMs in Arcata, Eureka and McKinleyville, offering agricultural products produced by over 100 local farms located within the county. Knowing where your food comes from, and the privilege of buying direct from the farmers, is an integral part of what makes a local food

system successful. While having the availability of the farm-fresh products is the cornerstone of the system, a community of shoppers dedicated to eating seasonally and locally is just as important. Smaller scale farms are able to implement diversified farming practices in which they grow a larger variety of crops than the conventional monocrop methods employed by most large farms. This means that fields are often healthier, a result of an increase in the biodiversity present within the ecosystem. The farm-fresh products you find at the farmers’ markets are often picked from the fields that day or the day before, a freshness that no conventional grocery store can match. This ensures that the full nutritional value of the foods remains intact, and that no chemicals need to be added for preservation. The relationship that forms between customer and farmer at the market is also invaluable; nowhere else can you find more information about the products that you are buying than directly from the farmer who planted, tended and harvested the food.

Farmers’ markets also serve as a vital part of the local economy. Every dollar you spend at the market goes directly into the hands of the producer, with no middleman or added costs. Because the North Coast Growers’ Association is a farmer-based organization, the focus on the farmers at our markets remains the priority, yet the farmers’ markets have also become an important community-building experience. Live music, locally produced prepared foods featuring farm-fresh products, children’s entertainment and information about community events and non-profit organizations are a few of the added benefits you can experience at the market. So come on out to the farmers’ market to enjoy all the best Humboldt County has to offer! The Arcata Plaza Farmers’ Market opens April 14. For more information on our farmers, our markets, food access, recipes and more please visit www.humfarm.org or call 707-441-9999. Portia Bramble is the Executive Director of the North Coast Growers’ Association.

Digester Converts Foodwaste to Watts

Sara Mosser Establishing affordable, effective waste management is crucial to a community’s long term sustainability. Diverting food waste, a major component of the overall waste stream, helps meet these goals. The Humboldt Waste Management Authority (HWMA) is collaborating with the County of Humboldt, the Cities of Eureka and Arcata, Humboldt State University, Recology, Arcata Garbage, and Pacific Gas & Electric Company to determine how to divert food waste from landfills. Currently, Humboldt County’s solid waste is hauled approximately 187 miles to Dry Creek landfill in Oregon, and Anderson landfill outside Redding, California. Each year, Humboldt County spends a significant amount of local dollars in fuel costs to truck heavy, energyrich food waste to these out-of-county landfills when we could keep this valuable resource here! Food waste is the largest component of the remaining disposed waste stream, comprising approximately 20% of residential waste and 34% of business waste. Food scraps decomposing in landfills are a leading source of anthropogenic methane emissions, a greenhouse gas 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. Only a small Helping Buyers and Sellers make “Green” Decisions about Humboldt County Real Estate. CALL TO LEARN MORE TODAY! Karen Orsolics, Broker/Owner 707-834-1818 655 F Street, Arcata, CA www.arcataproperty.com

portion (2.6%) of U.S. food waste is diverted away from landfills annually (US EPA). Under controlled anaerobic conditions, food waste can be converted into a valuable energy product. Program partners realized that repurposing this waste will provide Humboldt County with many economic, environmental, regulatory, and social benefits. In 2010, HWMA released a feasibility study for a regional food waste diversion program. Comparing an anaerobic digester facility to aerobic in-vessel composting and landfilling, the study included a thorough economic analysis and a lifecycle cost (LCC) analysis over a 20-year horizon. Results indicated that establishing a food waste digester will reduce the overall cost of waste management by $12 to $16 million over a 20-year time horizon— it has the lowest life cycle cost, and the greatest emissions reduction potential. Using an anaerobic digester to manage Humboldt County’s food waste has many benefits locally and globally. Locally, the digester will convert food waste to renewable energy and soil amendments. This will create “green-collar” jobs, reduce the County’s vulnerability to fuel price fluctuations, provide infrastructure to reuse industrial food waste, and increase regional independence.

Globally, a regional food waste digester will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by decreasing long distance waste hauling, offsetting fossil fuel derived electricity use, and diverting food waste from landfills. This program is moving forward! HWMA recently hired a food waste diversion specialist to implement the HWMA Food Waste Collection Pilot Program. HSU is the first partner in the pilot program and is currently diverting food waste at The Depot and The J dining hall. HWMA is currently looking for more Eureka and Arcata restaurants to get involved in our pilot program. If you are interested in becoming a partner or finding out more information about our free pilot program, visit HWMA at http://www.hwma.net/food-waste. Sara Mosser is HWMA’s Food Waste Diversion Programs Specialist.

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April/May 2012

EcoNews

Transition

Friends of the Eel River presents:

Continued from page 4

A River Renaissance -

the Ecology, Life and Future of the Eel River

Saturday, April 14 9:30am - 5pm

Learn about the ecology of the Eel river from leading scientists presenting on geology, hydrology, and river wildlife. Hear about successful dam decommissioning and removal, and the laws governing the Eel River, from experts in the field.

River Lodge Conference Center, Fortuna

A catered lunch will be provided for those who pre-register. Register online at www.eelriver.org, or by phone. For more information please call Friends of the Eel River at (707) 822-3342, or email foer@eelriver.org.

Navy Seeks Comments on Northwest Training and Testing

The U.S. Navy held a scoping hearing in Eureka on March 22 to solicit comments on its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on training and testing activities from Puget Sound to the HumboldtMendocino County line. Training and testing activities include the use of high- and mediumintensity sonar and underwater explosions that are known to harm and kill protected marine mammals, including Southern resident killer whales, blue whales, humpback whales, grey whales, dolphins, and porpoises, as well as marbled murrelets and numerous commercial fish species. Sonar can cause head and brain trauma, disrupts feeding and other vital behavior, and causes a wide range of species to panic and flee. Critics say the Navy’s current EIS fails to avoid biologic hotspots, migration routes, and other sensitive areas. Whales are only protected from the impacts of sonar when they are visually observed, rather than complete avoidance of areas where whales are known to be present. By the Navy’s own estimates, even 300 miles from the source, sonic waves can retain an intensity of 140 decibels—a hundred times more intense than the level known to alter the behavior of large whales.

The Navy’s mid-frequency sonar has been implicated in mass strandings of marine mammals. In 2004, during war games near Hawaii, the Navy’s sonar was implicated in a mass beaching of up to 200 melon-headed whales in Hanalei Bay. Cumulative effects of other military training, sonar used in shipping navigation, and other manmade noise also need to be considered.

Public comments are due April 27, and will be considered in the draft EIS, which is expected in the fall of 2013. Written comments should be sent to: Naval Facilities EngineeringCommand, Northwest ATTN: Mrs. Kimberly Kler – NWTT Project Manager 1101 Tautog Circle Silverdale, WA 98315-1100 Online comments can submitted at: http://nwtteis.com/GetInvolvedOnlineCommentForm.aspx. For more info, visit the Navy’s website at: https://nwtteis.com/.

As a community, we need to come up with solutions of our own. The Transition Movement follows this principle: while one person cannot change enough on their own—because the impact is too small—if you wait for the government to do it, it will never happen. The only solution, and the only practical means by which to accomplish any significant change, is for a community to get together and work as a group. As more and more communities step up to become Transition Towns, this will eventually change the world. There are over 500 transition initiatives underway with dozens being added each month. Local currency is one Transition principle that a Humboldt Village member has helped put into action. A new online HUMbucks “Community Exchange System” (CES) allows people to share services without exchanging currency. Instead, “credits” are given that can be exchanged for other services and goods. Today over 100 different services exist on the system ranging from hair cutting to massage. HUMbucks is also set up to coordinate RideSharing, GardenSharing (connecting would-be gardeners with available spaces and mentors with beginners), and a wide variety of other resource sharing. Discussions also include topics of housing, such as how to offer units that “need a little help” to be on the rental market (renting at lower rates and/ or allowing sweat equity where tenants themselves could bring a property up to snuff ), and arranging community teams to provide maintenance help for low income and disabled residents that might not have the resources to care for their property. Other projects underway include a Really, Really Free Market; Skill-Sharing Fairs; and a Village Commons Demonstration Project. Watch for more about this active and motivated grassroots group—or better yet, get involved! Find Humboldt Village on Facebook or at www.HumboldtVillage.wordpress.com.

Larry Goldberg is a Humboldt Village member and Conference Manager at Humboldt Plan It Green.

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EcoNews

April/May 2012

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Kin to the Earth

TOM STOKELY Susan Bower

Tom Stokely has been a strong advocate for the Trinity River and fisheries for decades. Tom first ventured into fisheries restoration in 1983, when he discovered that the small creek he lived on near Hayfork, Barker Creek, lacked fish passage for steelhead. He was ultimately able to remove several fish barriers, re-establishing a steelhead run. Barker Creek was also threatened by U.S. Forest Service proposals to spray herbicides on tree plantations. In response, he helped form Safe Alternatives for our Forest Environment (SAFE), which has successfully kept the Forest Service and Caltrans from spraying Trinity County with herbicides for decades. Tom then served as Trinity County Natural Resources Planner for 23 years. He represented Trinity County with the Trinity River Restoration Program (TRRP) in a variety of capacities to ensure that the Trinity River Record of Decision (ROD)—signed by former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt in 2000—was legally defensible and implemented to restore the Trinity’s depleted salmon and steelhead runs. Tom’s professional achievements have centered not only on restoring the Trinity River’s fisheries, but also focusing attention on the fact that the Trinity River was dammed specifically to send clean water to the Westlands Water District. Westlands farmers create toxic pollution by irrigating poisoned lands naturally contaminated with selenium, salt and other pollutants. In 1953, Westlands Water District hired agents to convince Trinity County to support the dams. Therefore, it is a natural progression for Tom to work for the California

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Water Impact Network (C-WIN) contesting the proposed Peripheral Canal and plans to move even more northern California water south to corporate subsidized agriculture. If the Peripheral Canal is built, it will eliminate constraints on pumping south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta that will ultimately drain Trinity Lake, depriving the Trinity and Klamath rivers of needed cold-water

flows. Construction of a Peripheral Canal will also increase pressure to un-designate North Coast rivers protected by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act because increased water deliveries will be sought to pay off construction bonds, since there is no “new” water in California. Tom considers the 1992 establishment of temperature standards Trinity River fish as another major achievement. The temperature standards resulted in an increase in the Trinity River’s summer flows from 300 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 450 cfs, creating an immediate 1500% increase in Trinity River commercial whitewater boating, while also protecting salmon and steelhead runs. Tom also lobbied for the Trinity River in federal legislation, including the 1992 Central Valley Project Improvement Act and a 1996 legislative extension of the old Trinity River Restoration

Program receiving unanimous support from the Senate and House of Representatives. Tom credits much of his success to his personal and professional contacts among both grassroots activists and government employees. His favorite recollection was a situation in which the late Byron Leydecker, Chairman of Friends of Trinity River, called him up after getting stuck in the mud below a Trinity River “restoration” project in 1993. Tom told Byron how to shut down the ill-designed projects with a letter to the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board about muddying the river, which Byron successfully accomplished. After taking a couple of years off from the TRRP following retirement, Tom became active again with the program, this time as a member of the public. He was recently appointed as a member of the federal advisory committee, the Trinity Adaptive Management Working Group. Tom’s re-emergence followed Byron’s death in May 2011. Motivated by Byron’s vision of getting the Trinity River ROD back on track, Tom allied C-WIN with the Trinity River Guides Association to publicly criticize excessive spawning gravel introduction and continued construction of mainstem projects without a mid-program independent scientific review, as called for in the Trinity ROD. As a result of those efforts, the TRRP recently decided to halt spawning gravel injections in 2012. Residents of the Trinity River basin and California’s North Coast are fortunate to have Tom Stokely looking out for the Trinity River. For more information about the California Water Impact Network and related issues, please visit www.c-win.org.

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April/May 2012

EcoNews

Good

GOOD NEWS News

San Francisco Recognized for E-Waste Mgt

San Francisco has been designated as an e-Stewards Enterprise. The e-Stewards Standard is endorsed by 70 environmental groups worldwide, and is the only e-waste standard to include protections for worker protection and the security of private data stored on the products being recycled. E-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment was created by the Basal Action Network, a Seattle-based nonprofit, and is the world’s most rigorous standard for electronics recycling.

Two Bird-Killing Pesticides Banned

The registrations of dimethoate and mehidathion, two pesticides used on food products such as blueberries, have been cancelled by the EPA. “There are a number of less toxic, widely-available, and equally effective insecticide alternatives that can be used by our nation’s farmers,” said Darin Schroeder, Vice President of Conservation Advocacy for American Bird Conservancy.

Methyl-iodide pulled from Market

California strawberry-lovers rejoice! The makers of methyl-iodide, a highly toxic pesticide previously applied to strawberry fields, has pulled the chemical from the American marketplace. Methyl-iodide is classified in California as a carcinogen under the state’s Prop 65 statute.

Ban on Cruise Ship Sewage Discharge

A California proposal to ban the discharge of more than 22 million gallons of treated vessel sewage in state marine waters was approved by the federal government in February. The “No Discharge Zone” applies to all coastal waters out to 3 miles from the coastline, and will protect CA’s coastal economy, environment, and public health

Mystery Seabird Rediscovered

Bryan’s Shearwater was announced as a new species in 2011—the first new species found in the U.S. in 37 years—based on only two records and thought to possibly be extinct However, six more records were recently discovered that indicate the bird might still breed on the Ogasawara Islands off the coast of Japan. The ten-inch-long Bryan’s shearwater is the smallest of the shearwaters known. If colonies are found to still exist, rat predation is suspected to be the greatest threat to their continued survival.

Grand Canyon Uranium Mining Banned

In January, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar barred new mining claims on 1 million acres around the Grand Canyon for the next 20 years. The 3,500 existing claims are still valid, but will face tougher requirements to prove validity before breaking ground. The Colorado River, which runs through the canyon, is the source of drinking water for 26 million people.

Massaging the Earth hands massaging the earth for the carefully planted seed remembering. . . the simple alchemy earth, sky, water and breeze the seasons embrace these prayers as a part of our ancestry a little sowing. . .a little sun just add water then we get nutrition simple gifts. . . a pleasure to eat spring beckons us to turn the soil again gently folding in the light promising everything anew here we go again a row or two. even a mound will do a spiraling flower a song to empower this familiar smile yes, it is blooming too 2012 Mihael Kavanaugh

Upper Klamath Basin: Wildlife Refuges, Sucker Fish & Tule Marsh Restoration Monday, April 23, 7 PM

featuring Wendell Wood of Oregon Wild

Arcata D Street Community Center

Sponsored by the North Group, Redwood Chapter, Sierra Club

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Contribute to EcoNews! We’re looking for talented volunteer writers for upcoming issues. If interested, please send inquiry letter to editor@yournec.org EcoNews

April/May 2012

Robert Berg, D.D.S.

212 J Street Eureka, CA 95501 707-445-0784 www.yournec.org

Bay District Looks to Expand Oyster Industry Jennifer Kalt

The Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation, and Conservation District is exploring ways to expand the oyster industry while protecting the environment. Last August, the District was awarded a $200,000 grant from the Headwaters Fund, which—if successful—could allow expansion of oyster farming into pre-approved areas of the bay. The project will examine ways to grow oysters without impacting eelgrass beds and other species in the bay mudflats. The District will also—if oyster growers and resource agencies can figure out how —work to put permits in place that will allow new or existing companies to expand into specific areas. Seeing an economic opportunity that is not reliant on outside investors, the District decided

2012 Humboldt Bay Exploration Tours Every weekend from April to October, Humboldt Baykeeper offers free natural history tours of the Bay. These tours provide an on the water educational experience for local residents and visitors. Volunteer docents and skippers share information on ecology, eel grass, tides, wildlife, local history and current uses of the Bay. This spring, Humboldt Baykeeper is recruiting volunteers to participate in the Bay Exploration program. Would you like to get involved and share your appreciation of Humboldt Bay with others? Baykeeper will be hosting a two day docent training on April 28 and 29th. These half day training will prepare participants to lead tours on Baykeeper’s 25’ Boston Whaler. For more information about how you can get involved email volunteer@humboldtbaykeeper. org or call Vanessa at 707-268-8897.

to explore the possibility of a master permitting process that would address environmental impacts on a more holistic level. It would also reduce the burden on reviewing agencies while reducing costs of individual permits. Five shellfish companies currently operate on 325 acres of tidelands in Humboldt Bay, employing 56 full-time workers, with total annual sales of $6 million. Oyster growers estimate that 1.2 jobs can be created for every six acres put into production.

Impacts of Oyster Culture, Past & Present Shellfish culture is a type of farming, but rather than using private property, it is done on tidelands which the state of California holds in trust for the public benefit. Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is one of the bay’s public trust resources. It is a species of biological and economic importance in that it supports Dungeness crab, juvenile salmon and steelhead, and numerous other species of fish, shellfish, waterfowl, and marine mammals. Arcata Bay is designated as critical to the recovery of three salmonids that are protected under the Endangered Species Act (Chinook salmon, Coho salmon and steelhead), in large part due to its extensive eelgrass beds. And compared to farm-raised meat, dairy, and eggs, oysters are produced with relatively little nutrient and energy input. In the past, oysters were grown on the bay mud and were harvested using suction dredges. This “bottom culture” resulted in the killing of bat rays and crabs that preyed upon the oysters, as well as destruction of eelgrass beds upon which many species rely. Today, the industry uses off-bottom methods such as “rack and bag” and “long-line” culture, which reduces impacts to eelgrass, keeps the oysters out of reach of bat rays, and reduces the amount of dioxin oysters are exposed to, since dioxin is more concentrated in the bay mud than in the water column. However, it remains unknown whether oysters can be grown primarily in areas that don’t support eelgrass. With input from the Coastal Commission, Department of Fish and Game, and other resource agencies, Coast Seafood Humboldt Baykeeper’s mission is to safeguard our coastal resources for the health, enjoyment and economic strength of the Humboldt Bay community through education, scientific research, and enforcement of laws to fight pollution. For more info, visit our website at www.humboldtbaykeeper.org, or call us at 268-8897.

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Circular scars in the bay mud from past “bottom culture.” Rectangular footprint of current practices using “off-bottom culture.” Photo: Courtesy of the CA Department of Fish & Game.

is experimenting with oyster culture in areas that don’t support eelgrass.

Importance of Water Quality Shellfish depend on the health of the bay ecosystem, including water quality of the bay and its tributaries. There are some water quality concerns in Humboldt Bay, including fecal coliform, a pollutant originating in the bowels of warm-blooded animals. However, according to Dan Berman, Conservation Director for the District, the strength of oyster culture here is that water quality is relatively good. As a result, most of the oysters grown in California are produced in Humboldt Bay.

Next Steps An opportunity and constraints analysis will be done with oyster growers’ input on the most likely areas for expansion based on tides, elevation, access, and other factors, and with input from resource agency biologists to discuss environmental concerns. Berman admits it will take a lot of review, but says the District wouldn’t invest the time and energy if they didn’t think it was feasible. Can oysters be sustainably produced in a larger area of Humboldt Bay? The answer will depend in large part on whether—and where—they can be grown with minimal impacts to eelgrass and other species that also depend on a healthy bay ecosystem. Jennifer Kalt is Policy Analyst for Humboldt Baykeeper.

April/May 2012

EcoNews

The

andpiper APRIL/MAY 2012

Redwood Region Audubon Society www.rras.org Every Saturday: Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary. These are our famous rain-or-shine, docent-led ﬁeld trips at the marsh; take your binocular(s) and have a great morning birding! Meet in the parking lot at the south end of I Street in Arcata at 8:30 a.m.

Saturday, April 7: eBird Site Survey—Shay Park. This monthly trip sounds more formal than it is! Join Rob Fowler (707-616-9841) as we survey the extent of Shay Park in Arcata for 1 to 3 hours and count every species present. For more info on the eBird site survey, visit this link at ebird. org: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/about/eBird_Site_Survey. Meet at 8 a.m. at the Shay Park parking lot located at the east end of Foster Avenue. Sunday, April 8: Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. This is a wonderful 2- to 3-hour trip for people wanting to learn the birds of the Humboldt Bay area. It takes a leisurely pace with emphasis on enjoying the birds! Beginners are more than welcome. Meet at the Refuge Visitor Center at 9 a.m. Call David Fix (707-825-1195) for more information. Sunday, April 15: Southern Humboldt Community Park. Jay Sooter (707-444-8001) and/or John Gafﬁn will lead this monthly walk. All ages and experience levels are encouraged to participate and revel in the beauty of the park and its avian inhabitants on this easy 2- to 3-hour walk. Binoculars are not provided, and dogs are not allowed; ﬁeld guides are usually available, but please provide your own if possible. Steady rain cancels. Meet at 9 a.m. in the parking lot on Kimtu Road in Garberville.

FIELD TRIPS

Sunday, April 15: Eureka (aka PALCO) Marsh. Join Ralph Bucher (707-499-1247; thebook@reninet.com for some great birding in downtown Eureka. We will spend an hour or 2 on a ﬂat loop that will take us through a variety of habitats from bay and mudﬂat to riparian and marshland. Meet in the parking lot at the foot of West Del Norte Street at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 5: eBird Site Survey—Shay Park. See April 7.

Sunday, May 6: Alderpoint. Enjoy the birds, plant life, and reptiles of the Eel River canyon on this half-day trip just south of Alderpoint. We will walk the railroad tracks about 2 miles to Cain Rock trestle and back (there are no trains). Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Ash-throated Flycatcher, and similar birds of dry habitats in southeast Humboldt County can be expected. A short side trip to Smith Point Bridge to enjoy White-throated Swifts may be made following the trip. Diogenes’ lantern, interior live-oak, and birch-leaf mountain-mahogany will be seen as well. Bring sun protection, layered clothing, and a small pack for carrying lunch and water. Meet in Ray’s Food Place parking lot in Garberville at 8:30 a.m. We should return to the Humboldt Bay area by mid-afternoon. Contact David Fix (707-825-1195) for more information. Sunday, May 13: Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. See April 8.

Saturday-Sunday, May 12-13: Orleans. Daryl Coldren (916-384-8089) and Tony Kurz (559-333-0893) will lead an overnight ﬁeld trip to look for both migrant and breeding

birds. Lodging will be at Sandy Bar Ranch in Orleans (Google them for directions & rates). Cabins can accommodate up to 4 persons. Please contact Daryl before making your reservation. He will connect prospective “cabin-poolers.” Meet on Valley West Blvd. in front of Espresso 101 at 8 a.m. on Saturday to carpool. Daryl may have scouted the previous day and, if so, will meet the carpool(s) at Sandy Bar Ranch between 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 19: Seabirds at Elk Head. We will search rocky shoreline for shorebirds (oystercatchers, turnstones, tattlers) and offshore rocks for nesting seabirds (murres, cormorants, pufﬁns). We will attempt to identify landbirds and ﬂowering plants encountered along the trail to the bluffs. Bring a spotting scope if you have one. Meet Gary Lester (707-839-3373; garys.lester@gmail.com) at the Elk Head parking lot at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, May 20: Southern Humboldt Community Park. See April 15. Note that meeting time changes to 8:30 a.m. this month. Sunday, May 20: Eureka Marsh. See April 15.

Saturday, May 26: Blue Lake. Greet spring in this wonderfully birdy area along the Mad River. We’ll focus on songs and calls of the summer breeding birds here such as Cassin’s Vireo, Bewick’s Wren, Yellow-breasted Chat, Lazuli Bunting, and Black-headed Grosbeaks and look for the northernmost breeding White-throated Swifts in northwestern California. Meet Rob Fowler (707-6169841) at Espresso 101 in the Valley West Shopping Center at 7:30 a.m.

April & May Programs Albatrosses and the Sea of Plastic U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Greg Goldsmith will speak on “Albatrosses and the Sea of Plastic.” He served a stint as refuge manager on remote Midway Atoll in the Paciﬁc, so the presentation will include photos of many nesting seabirds as well as beautiful coral reef and ﬁsh. The most striking event Goldsmith witnessed was the “sea of plastic” that albatrosses brought in from their wide-ranging foraging. He will also update us on the likely time and effects of Japanese tsunami debris coming ashore in California.

Friday, April 13, starting at 7:30 p.m.

Adventures and Discoveries with Birds of Northeast India

Join Bud and Margaret Widdowson as they recount a 2006 trip in their talk, “Adventures and Discoveries with Birds of Northeast India.” They explored the pristine Himalayas, visiting Nameri National Park, the Sangthi Valley, and the focus of the trip: the newly established Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in remote Arunachal Pradesh, near the Bhutan and Chinese borders. This is the last program until September 14.

Bugun Liocichla © Ramana Athreya

Friday, May 11, starting at 7:30 p.m.

The programs will be held at the Humboldt County Office of Education at Myrtle and West Avenues in Eureka, Please come fragrance free.

CHAPTER LEADERS OFFICERS President— Jim Clark ….........................… 707-445-8311 Vice President — Chet Ogan …..............… 707-442-9353 Secretary—Adam Brown............................. 707-826-0319 Treasurer—Syn-dee Noel............................. 707-442-8862

DIRECTORS AT LARGE Ralph Bucher …........................................ 707-443-6944 Joe Ceriani …............................................. 707-476-9127 Rob Fowler ………………..............…….. 707-839-3493 Lew Norton.....................................……… 707-445-1791 Chet Ogan ………………..............……… 707-442-9353 C.J. Ralph ............................................….. 707-822-2015 Josée Rousseau..................................……. 707-839-5763 Ryan Wells………………………….……. 707-496-2177 OTHER CHAPTER LEADERS Conservation — Chet Ogan ...............….. 707-442-9353 Education/Scholarships — Vacant eBird Liaison — Rob Fowler …………... 707-839-3493 Field Notes — Daryl Coldren...........…..... 916-384-8089 Field Trips— Rob Fowler ……….......….. 707-839-3493 Historian — John Hewston ...................... 707-822-5288 Membership — Lew & Judie Norton....... 707-445-1791 NEC Representative — C.J. Ralph.......... 707-822-2015 Nominating – Jim Clark …....................... 707-445-8311 Programs — C.J. Ralph......................….. 707-822-2015 Publications --- Vacant Publicity — Sue Leskiw............................. 707-442-5444 Sandpiper (editorial) — Tom & Sue Leskiw............................707-442-5444 —Jan Andersen …………………...… 707-616-3888 Sandpiper (layout) — Gary Bloomfield... 707-822-0210 Volunteer Coordinator — Josée Rousseau... 707-839-5763 Website Gatekeeper — Sue Leskiw ......... 707-442-5444 Lake Earl Branch — Sue Calla................ 707-465-6191 RRAS Web Page...........................……..... www.rras.org Arcata Bird Alert .........707-822-LOON (707-822-5666) The Sandpiper is published six times each year by Redwood Region Audubon Society P.O. Box 1054, Eureka, CA 95502.

New Members

Redwood Region Audubon Society welcomes the following new members and subscribers: Arcata – Linda Derksen, Audrey Kapitan, Laura Lomonaco, April Newlander, Roger Tuan, Miri & J. Wheeler Bayside – Dennis Cahill Eureka – Rita Carlson, Phil DeLorme, Rosalie Jahnke, George Morris, Lloyd Throne, Victoria White Ferndale – Bruce Slocum Fortuna – Patrice Trevoledes Garberville – Pamela Hanson McKinleyville – V.J. Eachus, Elsie George, Tim Gilbridge, Jeanie Hague Phillipsville – Leslie & Tom Lasbury Trinidad – Ildiko Cziglenyi, Ben Fairless, Michelle Forys Whitethorn – Peggy Cassidy We look forward to seeing you on field trips and at our monthly programs.

President’s Column:

Cogs and Wheels of Productivity, Sustainability, and Conservation By Jim Clark In February I participated in a Northcoast Regional Land Trust (NRLT) field trip to its Martin Slough project. The project consists of returning Martin Slough to its natural channel from the south end of the Eureka Municipal Golf Course to an improved tide gate where it enters Elk River. The slough will also be converted to a bioswale and soils from excavation placed to reduce the adverse effects of livestock in this area. After the project engineer explained the details of the original channel widening and contouring, a participant commented on the loss of productivity and asked if the widening and setbacks couldn’t be reduced. He was right about lost productivity, as at least a couple acres of good pasture would be taken out of production. So how do we justify reducing the production of Humboldt County’s sustainable grass-fed beef industry? The answer is to balance it with increased sustainable productivity values that the project will generate. The problem is how to do it. Improvement in fisheries, reduced flood damage, and reduced pasture impact might compensate for the loss of pasture (and animal units) overall, but a rancher raising beef cattle will only enjoy those benefits if he or she plays golf, fishes for salmon, and is a birder. Those less-tangible benefits may accrue to a commercial salmon fisher, a golf pro, and a merchant who sells binoculars Over 100 years ago, much of the Humboldt County tidal bottom land was “reclaimed” for pasture by diking. Hundreds of acres are now being abandoned as pasture because of soil compaction, loss of organic matter, and salt accumulation. Add to this stream channelization and blockage of fish passage, and you have a system that is not only unsustainable but detrimental to other natural and economic resources. Fortunately, we have seen the error of our ways. The Salt River Restoration Project in Ferndale, City of Arcata bottom land restoration projects, NRLT projects, Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge restoration projects, and California Fish and Game Wildlife Management Areas are examples of correcting what were good ideas at the time. These projects are possible because the previous use was not sustainable or problems were created that caused economic hardship and required a community response. The Martin Slough project is more complex. The City of Eureka was required to install a new wastewater interceptor and transport system to meet water quality requirements. Project mitigation and opportunity led to a combined project that includes flood reduction and, eventually, the last reach through the pasture to the tide gate. The pasture area that this last reach runs through has retained its productivity, and the object of the project is to retain it as working land and open space. Aldo Leopold wrote: “If the land mechanism as a whole is good, then every part is good, whether we understand it or not. If the biota in the course of aeons has built something we like but do not understand, then who but a fool would discard seemingly useless parts? To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering.” If we consider ourselves a part of the “land mechanism,” we need to include all the cogs and wheels of our economy and community when we consider productivity, sustainability, and conservation. Some of these social and economic cogs and wheels are difficult to fit into the land mechanism, but advances in economic analysis are making it easier.

Can You Help Us?

Audubon’s volunteers are the driving force behind achieving our mission. Our volunteers serve as an integral part of conservation actions while meeting and socializing with local bird enthusiasts. Your dedication, time, and energy are needed to accomplish various RRAS activities: -

Godwit Café Fundraiser: Get to hear about Godwit Days participants’ adventures while serving them pizza, drinks, and snacks. Shifts are at least 1 hour between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. April 20-21 at the Arcata Community Center. Help hang student bird art contest entries on Friday, April 20, 1-3 p.m,. Arcata Community Center. Bring a light hammer and something to hold pushpins (e.g., carpenter’s belt, fanny pack). Green Together Ivy-Pulling Event: Hands-on habitat restoration while enjoying the company of like-minded conservationists. Details to be announced at www.rras.org and via RRAS listserv. Provide shade-grown coffee and cookies to attendees of our monthly program (coffee maker provided, expenses reimbursed). Need one additional volunteer, 2nd Fridays, 7:15 p.m., September to May, Humboldt County Office of Education, Eureka. Go to http://www.rras.org/join.html#volunteer for a list of RRAS activities in which you can participate.

As a token of our appreciation, all RRAS volunteers get invited to a volunteer appreciation event in November. To volunteer for the tasks listed above or to get more information, contact Josée Rousseau, RRAS volunteer coordinator, at jsr@klamathbird.org or 707839-5763.

Thinking of Joining the National Audubon Society?

If so, please use the coupon below. By sending in your membership on this form, rather than replying to solicitations from National Audubon, $20 is sent directly to RRAS. This is how NAS rewards local chapters for recruiting national members. (Otherwise, the RRAS dues share per new member is only a couple of dollars.) Thank you.

Chapter Membership Application

Yes, I’d like to join.

Please enroll me as a member of the National Audubon Society and of my local chapter. Please send AUDUBON magazine and my membership card to the address below. My check for $20 is enclosed. (Introductory offer)

NAME_______________________________ ADDRESS___________________________ CITY ______________________________ STATE____________ZIP______________ email ______________________________ Local Chapter Code: C2ZC240Z Please make checks to the National Audubon Society. Send this application and your check to:

National Audubon Society P.O. Box 422250 Palm Coast, FL 32142-2250

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REDWOOD REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY P.O. BOX 1054 EUREKA, CA 95502

On the Cusp of a Milestone

I was birding with Daryl Coldren last July when he mentioned that, with a county list of 398, Alan Barron was nearing a milestone for Del Norte County. It took me back to 1992, when I was moved to write my first piece for The Sandpiper. Dr. Stan Harris was poised to be the first to reach the improbable milestone of 400 species for Humboldt County. Two decades later, the “Humboldt 400 Club” now has 13 members. Despite the fact that 20 years have passed since Doc’s achievement, Alan’s impending accomplishment stands out among other local listing efforts. Consider the following factors: Humboldt State University and College of the Redwoods have served as veritable birder factories. The list of former students who’ve since migrated elsewhere is truly impressive (see Footnote 1). Of course, many former HSU or CR students have elected to settle down in Humboldt (see Footnote 2). Non-students drawn to Humboldt’s rich avifauna include David Fix, Brooks Allen, and now-retired professors Stan Harris, Rich Ridenhour, and the late Paul Springer. An array of birders scoured Humboldt during 1995-99, conducting field work in support of the Breeding Bird Atlas. Add to that the current crop of students who’ve made their mark—Daryl Coldren and Tony Kurz—and one thing becomes clear: one needn’t be a frequent finder of noteworthy birds to amass an impressive Humboldt list. Even if some of us don’t go out as often as we used to, the next addition to our list is likely an e-mail or phone call away, courtesy of another birder. It’s within this context that Alan’s impending accomplishment looms large. The Del Norte cadre of birders has always been small: Alan, Lucas Brug, Colin

Dillingham, Joe Gartland, Jim Rooney, and the late Onik Arian and Richard Tryon. Some years ago, when he lived in Del Norte, Gary Lester and stellar birders like Dick Erickson and briefly Jeff Kingery were major contributors. Out-of-towners Jon Dunn, Richard Webster, Rich Stallcup, John Sterling, and Todd Easterla could be counted on to light things up when they hit town, and there’s always the Del Norte Christmas Bird Counts. But still, I suspect that Alan has personally found a higher percentage of birds on his county list than anyone else on the North Coast. Here’s a brief sampling of Alan’s Del Norte discoveries: Yellow Wagtail (9/12/86), White-eyed Vireo (6/27/88), Black-chinned Hummingbird (10/17/85), McCown’s Longspur (12/18/88), Royal Tern (9/22/90), Bohemian Waxwing (2/17/88), Eurasian Dotterel 9/8/92), Gyrfalcon 10/31/94), White Wagtail (6/9/94), Bristle-thighed Curlew (5/14/98), Chimney Swift (7/417/98 & 7/4-25/99), and Common Crane (5/5/11). The vireo, dotterel, and longspur were first discoveries for the North Coast, while the curlew was a first state record and the crane was a first for the western lower-48 states. Alan’s contributions include serving as Del Norte Christmas Bird Count participant/co-compiler for approximately 25 years. He was for many years a subregional editor for North American Birds. His knowledge of where to go birding on the North Coast has been published as A Birdfinding Guide to Del Norte, California (2001, 2007), plus he collaborated on the checklist Birds of Redwood National and State Parks. All of these activities have significantly contributed to ecotourism. According to organizer and data steward John Sterling, there are now 102 birders who track what

species they’ve seen in each of California’s 58 counties. Although this phalanx of county birders ﬂies somewhat under the radar of those who promote tourism, it’s astonishing to think of all the birders who’ve traveled to Del Norte to chase Alan’s amazing ﬁnds. Alan, on behalf of the birding community, I congratulate you on your impending accomplishment. Regardless of the locale, much of what is known about bird distribution is due to the efforts and enthusiasm of a single person intent on thoroughly exploring his or her greater “backyard.” Your multidecade effort has helped unlock the secrets of bird distribution in Del Norte, discovery by amazing discovery. Space constraints here preclude the printing of comments by other members of the birding community. I encourage you to check them out at www.rras.org/docs/ Congratulations_to_Alan_Barron.pdf. Tom Leskiw March 2012 Brian Accord, R.J. Adams, David Anderson, Bob Behrstock, Fred Broerman, Scott Carey, Bryon Cariss, Bruce Deuel, Colin Dillingham, Elias Elias, Dick Erickson, Gjon Hazard, Pablo Herrera, Craig Hohenberger, Jherime Kellerman, Ron LeValley, Kristie Nelson, Bob Richmond, Tom Schulenberg, John Sterling, Gary Strachan, Steve Summers, Jim Tietz, Leslie Tucci, Steve Tucker, Bud Widdowson, Jared Wolfe, and Brian Woodbridge.

Gary Bloomﬁeld, Rob Fowler, Rob Hewitt, Mark Higley, John Hunter, Ken Irwin, Gary and Lauren Lester, Sean McAllister, Michael Morris, Chet Ogan, Jude Power, Kerry Ross, and Matt Wachs.

Field Trips Are Our Forte

March Conservation Report

During 2011, RRAS sponsored 106 field trips (plus 3 that were rained out), 7 monthly lectures (plus 1 cancelled by a tsunami alert!), 3 raptor surveys, and 2 pelagic trips. Although attendance sheets were not turned in for all events, 903 folks signed in for field trips, 23 on raptor surveys, and 29 on pelagic trips. People who signed in for Friday night programs totaled 309, but attendance was likely higher than that number. The most highly attended field trips were Blue Lake in June (23), Waterdog Lake in June (23), Horse Mountain in June (22), and the December Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge walk (HBNWR) (22). Weekly Arcata Marsh trip attendance ranged from 3 to 17, while monthly Southern Humboldt Community Park walks were between 6 and 14 attendees and HBNWR outings drew from 6 to the aforementioned 22. Rob Fowler’s monthly eBird surveys of Shay Park in Arcata had between 1 and 11 people. RRAS thanks all the trip leaders who were willing to share their knowledge and experience with community members and out-of-area visitors alike.

Shades of 2002: The Klamath-Trinity River system is drawing attention of concerned conservationists. Preliminary estimates for salmon and steelhead returns are 0.7-1.4 million into the Klamath system this fall, the largest since the 1970s. Couple this with some of the lowest water levels on the Lower Klamath and Tule Lake refuges, and we are staging for another disaster, perhaps even worse than 2002. Klamath Wildlife Refuge staff estimate that 90,000 acre-feet of water is needed to sustain and pass through the refuges for them to be healthy. In 2011, Bureau of Reclamation sent through only 10,000 acre-feet, with the agreement that half could be drained or pumped off to provide for other uses. To date in 2012, the basin has received 70% of normal precipitation. In 2010 and 2011, drought was averted by ample late spring rains. Bald Eagle and waterfowl numbers continue to decrease. In the early 1990s, over 900 eagles were counted in the basin; estimates this year are 150-250. In 1950, an estimated 7 million waterfowl passed through the refuges. In 2010, the number is only 2 million. Without record spring rains, we may experience severe conditions throughout the Klamath and Trinity basins. If projected record salmonid numbers return this fall, coupled with very low water conditions, an epic ﬁsh die-off could occur.

By Chet Ogan, Chair

IMBD in Orleans May 4-5

International Migratory Bird Day will be celebrated in Orleans on May 4 and 5. The local event, “Tony Hacking Memorial Bigfoot Birding Day,” will kick off Friday evening with a community potluck dinner. Saturday at 7:30 a.m., Tom Leskiw, Daryl Coldren, and Bob Claypole will lead a bird walk to 2 locations in Orleans. Both events will be held at the Panamnik Building, 38150 Hwy 96, Orleans. Local entries in the Student Bird Art Contest cosponsored by RRAS will be posted. For more information, contact LeRoy Cyr at lcyr@fs.fed.us.

Raptor Survey Results Available Five years of data collected by RRAS volunteers on winter raptor numbers have been posted at http://rras.org/docs/raptorsurvey-summary-table.pdf. Ken Burton headed up the project,

Redwood Region Audubon Society would like to thank the following people for donating their time and energy during 2011 to keep our organization vibrant and relevant. These dedicated volunteers handled such tasks as leading ﬁeld trips, giving lectures, planning or stafﬁng special events, contributing to The Sandpiper, and/or serving on the board of directors or a standing committee. Whether their contribution was a couple hours or hundreds, all

which counted hawks, eagles, falcons, and other raptors during December, January, and February, beginning in December 2007.

Thank You, RRAS Volunteers!

are appreciated: Jan Andersen, Sandy Andersen, Louise BaconOgden, Melinda & Mark Bailey, Samantha Barton, Marika Benko, Pat Bitton, Gary Bloomﬁeld, Ken Burton, Sue Calla, Jim & Donna Clark, Daryl Coldren, Elias Elias, Gary Falxa, David Fix, Rob Fowler, Gary Friedrichsen, John Gafﬁn, Jenny Hanson, Larry Karsteadt, Tony Kurz, Sue & Tom Leskiw, Gary Lester, Sharon Levy, Debbie Marshall, John Mason, Kate McClain, Rinda & Don

McClure, Michael Morris, Moe Morrissette, Cindy Moyer, Syndee Noel, Lew & Judie Norton, Chet Ogan, Jude Power, David Price, CJ Ralph, Rich Ridenhour, Kerry Ross, Josée Rousseau, Kate Rowe, David Schumaker, Rachel Smith, Jay Sooter, Bob Stewart, Robert Sutherland, Lauren Tompkins, Ben Vernasco, Matt Wachs, Marlene Wagner, Joan Watanabe, Susan Whaley, Carol Wilson, Larry Womack, George Ziminsky.

Field Notes

By Daryl Coldren

S U M M A RY O F N O R T H W E S T E R N C A L I F O R N I A B I R D R E P O R T S

January 17 to March 17, 2012 Field Notes is a compilation of bird-sighting reports for Del Norte, Humboldt, northern Mendocino, Trinity, and western Siskiyou counties. Sources include the RRAS bird alert (707-822-LOON), the online northwestern California birding and information exchange (nwcalbird@yahoogroups.com), the Mendocino County birders’ listserv (mendobirds@yahoogroups.com), eBird (http://ebird.org/content/klamath-siskiyou), and reports submitted directly to the compiler. Reports may be submitted to any of the sources mentioned above or to Daryl Coldren (916-384-8089); QuiAvisPetit@aol.com. HBBO = Humboldt Bay Bird Observatory; HBNWR = Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge; HO = holdover from previous period; Men = Mendocino; MOb = many observers; FOS = first of spring Greater White-fronted Goose: 1-20, Bayside Cutoff, 23 Jan-28 Feb (MOb); 1-9, Arcata Bottoms, 27 Jan-14 Mar (MOb); 2-3, HBNWR, 28 Jan- 4 Feb (MOb); 1, Morgan Slough Rd, 4-5 Feb (DC, TK, RF, MW); 10, Hoopa, 4-11 Mar (TK, JSa, JT) • Snow Goose: 1-8, HBNWR, 19 Jan-7 Mar (MOb); 1-8, Arcata Bottoms, 22 Jan-29 Feb (MOb); 1-3, Eel River Estuary Preserve, 25 Jan (KB, MOb); 1, Bayside Cutoff, 4-28 Feb (TK, MOb); 1, Tooby Rd Fields, 10 Feb-18 Mar (DC, SM, MOb); 1, Eureka, 20 Feb (CO) • Ross’s Goose: 1-12, HBNWR, 19 Jan-5 Mar (MOb); 2-4, Arcata Bottoms, 21 Jan- 6 Mar (MOb); 3, Eureka, 30 Jan (CO); 4, Tooby Rd Fields, 4 Feb (JO, DC); 4, Ferndale Bottoms, 10 Feb (TK, DC, MB); 7, Jacoby Creek, 20 Feb (TK); 5, Eureka, 20 Feb (CO) • Trumpeter Swan: 2, Ferndale Bottoms, 4 Feb (DC, TK) • “Eurasian” Green-winged Teal: 1, Ferndale Bottoms, 18 Feb (OH); 1, Arcata Marsh, 28 Feb (GZ); 1, HBNWR, 4 Mar (JP, MOb) • “American X Eurasian” Green-winged Teal: 1, Arcata Marsh, 4 Feb-10 Mar (RF, DC, MOb); 1, HBNWR, 26 Feb (MMa) • Harlequin Duck: 1-3, Humboldt Jetties, 21 Jan19 Feb (MOb) • Long-tailed Duck: many reports of 1-3, Humboldt Jetties, Field’s Landing, King Salmon, Samoa Boat Ramp, 17 Jan-9 Mar (MOb); 1, Eel River, 5 Feb (RF, MW); 2, Ten-Mile Beach (Men), 3 Mar (DT); 1, Smith River, 14 Mar (TK) • Barrow’s Goldeneye: 1, Smith River, 27 Jan (LB) • Green Heron: 1, Arcata Marsh, 21 Feb-9 Mar (GZ, MOb) • “Harlan’s” Red-tailed Hawk: 1 (light morph), Moxon Dairy, 27 Jan (RF); 1, Jacoby Creek, 20 Feb (TK) • Osprey: 1, Big Lagoon, 29 Jan (BH, AM, MOb) • Ferruginous Hawk: 1, Arcata Bottoms, 22-28 Jan (AM, MOb); 1-4, Ferndale Bottoms, 25 Jan-26 Feb (MOb), 1, Bear River Ridge, 20 Feb (MMa); 1, Ocean Meadows (Men), 28 Jan (KH) • Rough-legged Hawk: 1, Arcata Bottoms, 27 Jan-3 Mar (MOb) • Golden Eagle: 1, HBNWR, 12 Nov 2011-10 Mar (GC, MOb); 1, Benbow, 26 Feb (JSo); 1, Kneeland, 3 Mar (TK, JSa); 1, Harris, 7 Mar (RH) • Crested Caracara: 1, Smith River Bottoms, July 2008-22 Feb (AB, MOb) • Gyrfalcon: 1, Mad River/McKinleyville, 27 Jan (KI) • Prairie Falcon: 1, V St Loop, 25 Jan-7 Feb (MOb); 1, Ferndale Bottoms, 4-18 Feb (DC, TK, OH) • Pacific Golden-Plover: 1, Loleta Bottoms, 4 Feb (DC, TK, RF); 14, end of Morgan Slough Rd, 10 Feb (TK, DC, MB); 1, Loleta Bottoms, 11 Mar (RF) • Ruddy Turnstone: 1, Patrick’s Point, 2 Feb (KB) • Red Knot: 2, Klopp Lake, 4 Feb (RF, MOb) • Rock Sandpiper: 1-5, North Jetty, 30 Jan-9 Mar (MOb); 1-2, Laguna Point [MEN], 1 Feb8 Mar (DT, MOb) • Franklin’s Gull: 1, Fernbridge, 13-17 Jan (TE, MMa, DC, TK) • Slaty-backed Gull: 1, Alexandre Dairy, 13 Mar (LB, AB) • Glaucous Gull: 1, Redwood Creek Mouth, 20 Jan (WW); 1-2, Crab Park, 4-10 Feb (TK, DC); 2, Ferndale Bottoms, 4-12 Feb (TK, DC, RF, MOb); 1, Mad River Estuary, 7 Feb (TK, JO); 1, Hiller

HBBO Year in Review

By Josée Rousseau, Humboldt Bay Bird Observatory Program Director Focusing on Humboldt Bay and northern California, with projects reaching as far as northeastern U.S. and Costa Rica, HBBO kept busy advancing ornithology: Over 2,000 birds, representing 70 species, were captured and released from 2 long-term monitoring stations at Lanphere Dunes operated yearround. Unusual vagrants included American Redstart, Claycolored Sparrow, and Northern Mockingbird. Our small owl survey captured 10 Northern Saw-whets. Former RRAS board member David Schumaker is developing a bird educational program using HBBO as a field lab and data contributor. The program will allow high school

Park, 19-24 Feb (KR, RS); 1, Trinidad, 23 Feb (MH); 1, Gold Bluffs Beach, 15 Mar (TK) • Sabine’s Gull: 1, Fleener Creek Overlook, 10 Mar (TK) • Black-legged Kittiwake: high numbers reported from seawatches, as well as on Humboldt Bay; 200+, Cock Robin Island Bridge, 10 Mar (DC, TK) • Horned Puffin: 1 (dead), Gold Bluffs Beach, 31 Jan (HB); 1 (alive, taken to rehab), Crescent City, 17 Jan (AB) • Tufted Puffin: 3 reports of single dead birds, North Spit, 1 Mar (ST, AP); Big Lagoon, 4 Mar (fide. GK); South Spit, 16 Mar (DC); 1 (picked up alive, died in rehab), 1 Mar (fide MMe) • Burrowing Owl: 2, South of Table Bluff and South Spit, 4-5 Feb (DC, TK, MMa) • Short-eared Owl: 1-3, Arcata Marsh/Arcata Bottoms, 19 Jan-3 Mar (MOb); 1, Eel River Estuary, 25 Jan (KB, MOb); 1, South Spit, 3-5 Feb (RH, DC, TK, MOb); 1, Crab Park, 4 Feb (TK, DC) • Common Poorwill: 1, Ocean Meadows, 20 Jan (KH) • White-throated Swift: 2, Blue Lake, 9 Mar (RH, CO); 2, SoHum Community Park, 11 Mar (JSo) • Rufous Hummingbird: 1 (FOS), Eureka, 13 Feb (CO) • Allen’s Hummingbird: 1 (FOS), Arcata, 9 Feb (WL) • Pacific-slope Flycatcher: 1 (FOS), Elk Head, 7

Horned Puffin , © Alan Barron, Crescent City, Del Norte County

Mar (WL) • Say’s Phoebe: 1, Ferndale Bottoms, 23-28 Jan (RF,CB, MOb); 1, Old Samoa Rd, 25 Jan (CO); 1, Pudding Creek (Men), 17 Feb (DT); 1, Willow Creek, 4 Mar (TK, JSa); 1, Centerville Rd, 10 Mar (TK, DC) • Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: 1, Ft Bragg Cemetery, HO-29 Feb (RH) • Tropical Kingbird: 1, Loleta Pond, 3-23 Jan (RF, MOb) • Loggerhead Shrike: 1, Eureka, 2 Feb-4 Mar (JTh, MOb) • Cassin’s Vireo: 1, Arcata, 29 Jan (RF); 1, McKinleyville, 2 Mar (RF) • Tree Swallow: 10 (FOS), Fernbridge, 18 Jan (CO) • Violet-green Swallow: 1 (FOS), Arcata Marsh, 19 Feb (KB, MMa) • Northern Rough-winged Swallow: 2, Fernbridge, 10 Mar (DC, TK) • Barn Swallow: 1, Arcata Marsh, 2 Mar (RF) • Whitebreasted Nuthatch: 1, Trinidad, 19-22 Feb (MH); 2, Kneeland, 3 Mar (TK, JSa) • Rock Wren: 1, Alderpoint Rd, 7 Mar (RH) • Western Bluebird: 3, Crannell Rd, 22 Jan (RF); 2, Lake Earl, 2 Mar (TK); 5, Arcata Airport, 14 Mar (RF) • Northern Mockingbird: 1, Trinidad, “early” Jan- 23 Feb (MH); 1, Arcata, 26 Jan (CB); 2, McKinleyville, 27 Jan-26 Feb (RF, KR); 1, Loleta, 4-12 Feb (DC, TK, MOb); 1, Crescent City, 1 Mar (TK); 1, Arcata, 2 Mar (RF); 1, Eureka, 3 Mar (GC) • Nashville Warbler: 1, Eureka, 17 Jan (CW); 1, Morgan Slough Rd, 4-5 Feb (DC, TK, RF); 1, Shay Park, 5 Feb-4 Mar (JO); 1, Arcata, 19 Feb (RF); 1, Arcata Marsh, 25 Feb (DC); 2 science students and teachers to discover the joys of science through bird observation, data collection, and analysis, while fulfilling required California High School Science Standards. HBBO partnered with Redwood Sciences Lab to monitor and report on several bird-banding stations and Breeding Bird Survey routes for Six Rivers National Forest. On a national scale and under the guidance of CJ Ralph, we continue involvement with the Landbird Monitoring Network of the Americas and North American Banding Council by improving banding data quality and data sharing, developing computer programs about avian life history, training and certifying banders and trainers, and analyzing bird data. We thank our 2011 volunteers for their time, dedication, and help reaching HBBO’s goal of advancing bird and habitat conservation through science, education, and

Loggerhead Shrike , © Tony Kurz, Eureka, Humboldt County

(FOS), Shay Park, 8 Mar (WL); 1, Cock Robin Island, 10 Mar (TK) • Hermit Warbler: 1, Shay Park, 11 Feb (RF, MOb) • Palm Warbler: many reports of 1-2, Arcata Marsh, Eureka (aka Palco) Marsh, Elk River WA, Fernbridge, etc.,17 Jan-15 Mar (MOb); 1, Bald Hill Rd (Men), 23 Jan (DT) • American Redstart: 1, Blue Lake Hatchery, 21 Feb (RH) • Northern Waterthrush: 1, Arcata Marsh, 28 Jan (KB, MOb) • Wilson’s Warbler: 1, Fernbridge, 10 Feb (MO); 1, Fernbridge, 10 Mar (DC, TK) • Lark Bunting: 1, Lanphere Rd, 16 Jan-18 Mar (JO, MOb) • “Red” Fox Sparrow: 1, Eureka, 9 Mar (MMo) • Swamp Sparrow: 1-2, Arcata Marsh, 21 Jan-11 Feb (MOb); 1, Redwood National Park, 28 Jan (MMa); 1, HBNWR, 12 Feb (DF, MOb) • White-throated Sparrow: many reports 1-4 birds, throughout region, 13 Mar (MOb) • Lapland Longspur: 1-2, Arcata Bottoms, 21-25 Jan (RF, AM, CB, MOb); 2, Morgan Slough Rd, 10 Feb (TK) • Tricolored Blackbird: 1-4, Arcata Bottoms, 21 Jan-19 Feb (KB, RF, JO, MOb); 1-4, Ocean Meadows, 28-29 Feb (KH) • Yellow-headed Blackbird: 1, Lanphere Rd, 16-20 Feb (JO, KB, MOb) • Bullock’s Oriole: 1, Arcata, 25 Jan (KI); 1, Ferndale, 10 Mar (TK) • Baltimore Oriole: 1, Ft Bragg Cemetery, HO-27 Jan (MOb) Corrections from last issue: • Blue-headed Vireo: 1, Eel River (not Elk River), 8 Dec (KB) • Tropical Kingbird: 1, Loleta Bottoms, 1 Dec (not 5 Dec) (GC, KB). Thanks to all who have submitted sightings! Cited observers: Alan Barron, Matt Brady, Heather Brown, Lucas Brug, Camden Bruner, Ken Burton, Greg Chapman, Daryl Coldren (DC), Diane Cavaness (DCa), Todd Easterla, David Fix, Rob Fowler, Melody Hamilton, Karen Havlena, Owen Head, Rob Hewitt, Brendan Higgens, Ken Irwin, Gail Kenny, Tony Kurz, Will Lawton, Mark Magnuson (MMa), Sean McAllister, Monte Merrick (MMe), Annie Meyer, Michael Morris (MMo), Chet Ogan, Megan Oldfather, John Oliver, Amy Patten, Jude Power, Kerry Ross, Jesse Sargent (JSa), Jay Sooter (JSo), Rachel Smith, Jim Tietz (JT), John Thomas (JTh), Dorothy “Toby” Tobkin, Steve Tucker, Matt Wachs, Wayne Weber, Carol Wilson, George Ziminsky. partnerships. A complete list of volunteers, plus details about achievements of our affiliated organization, Klamath Bird Observatory, is available in the winter 2011 newsletter: http:// www.klamathbird.org/ publications/newsletters. html.

2011 HBBO T-shirt: Anna’s Hummingbird’s life history through visualizations with all the hummers of Humboldt County. Art by Gary Bloomfield.

Community Wheel A PUBLICATION OF

green wheels

Humboldt’s Advocate for Transportation Choices

Pedal your way to Humboldt Bike Month in May!

May is National Bike Month—so gear up and roll on out for a series of community events throughout the Humboldt Bay area. Communities throughout Humboldt County are recognizing the importance of the bicycle as both an effective transportation choice and necessity for many residents. In addition, public support for a connected, regional trail system and the growing utilizaiton of the bicylce for short trips withinn towns and neighborhoods encourages celebration and further encouragement of bicycling in Humboldt County. Bike Month also provides inspiration to emerge from the damp, winter months, convene with fellow cyclists, and encourage new bike commuters and bike facilities throughout our communities—while having fun! Bike to Work Day is the prominent event for Humboldt Bike Month, and will be celebrated in Arcata and Eureka, May 10th and May 17th, respecitively. Bike to Work Day is a great way to meet fellow cyclists, inspire your commute with tips on bicycle safety and commuting skills, and exhibit community support for the bicycle as a vital transportaion choice.

On Thursday, May 10, Bike to Work Day will kick off in Arcata at the Co-op’s “Morning Energizer Station” where bicyclists wearing helmets cna roll in from 7:00-9:00 a.m. for free hot drinks and snacks. The Bike to Work Day celebration will then continue at noon, as biyclists will rally on the Arcata Plaza for contests, free raffle prizes, and the chance to mingle with fellow cyclists.

April showers bring cycling power!

Let’s Share the Road

Over the next few months, Humboldt County will experience a huge increase in the presence of cyclists, in the streets, along the highways, and riding many of the county’s hilly and isolated roads. The reason for this sudden increase in riders is tied to Bike Month in May and two events in particular that demand a high level of endurance training and preparation. In early May, our county’s premier cycling event, the Tour of the Unknown Coast, offers riders a choice of events of various lengths and difficulty, from a 10 mile family ride to the ultimate test, a 100 mile ride. This demanding century ride offers nearly 9,000 feet of climbing and traverses some of the country’s most dramatic scenery, including the Eel River Valley, the Avenue of the Giants, the King Range, the Lost Coast of Petrolia, and the Wildcat road to Ferndale. The second event is the 2012 Aids LifeCycle, a grueling, 7-day, 545 mile ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles, June 3 to June 9. This ride attracts over 2,500 participants and several hundred volunteers. This year has seen the formation of a Humboldt County-based team, the Foggy ottoms, a 15-member group of new and experienced riders that have dedicated themselves to raising a minimum amount of $3,000.00 to participate. The AIDS LifeCycle ride is the San Francisco AIDS Foundation’s principle fund-raising event

EcoNews

April/May 2012

and millions of dollars are raised through the tireless efforts of riders who’ll train for hundreds, even thousands of miles, at the same time as they are seeking donations. Please remember to Share the Road and wish all riders a safe and fulfilling training season and the best results for their rigorous efforts.

Eureka will celebrate Bike to Work Day on Thursday, May 17, kicking off the day with a Morning Energizing Station at the Eureka Coop. Then join the Bike to Work Day crowd at the Old Town Gazebo at noon to rally with fellow cyclists and join a “minimal mass” group ride though Old Town following the rally. Cyclists will take to the streets for the “minimal mass” ride to celebrate biking as a viable transportation option while demonstrating cyclists’ rules of the road. Bike to Work Day commuters can get their gears rolling with free bike tune-ups by local bike shops at each of the Morning Energizer Stations and Bike to Work Day noon rallies. Even if you can’t attend the Bike to Work Days, there are many ways to get involved in the biketastic events planned throughout May. A Bicyle Film Festival will also feature local youth films and other inspiring bicycle films at the Arcata Playhouse on May 10. Consider tuning up that bicycle and joining the growing community of people rolling their two wheels across Humboldt!

SUPPORT green wheels Members receive 10% off bike accessories at Revolution Bikes and Adventure’s Edge in Arcata. Your membership contribution is tax deductable.

$15 $25 $50

Membership Level:

Low-Income Individual Family

$100 Business $500 Sponser Other: $ _____

Name Address Email Make checks payable to Green Wheels and mail to Green Wheels c/o NEC 791 8th Street, P.O. Box 4259 Arcata, CA 95518

Or join online at: www.green-wheels.org

Thanks! Share the road.

www.yournec.org

North

Events and Updates ~ North Group, Redwood Chapter

CAMPER APPLICATIONS & DONORS SOUGHT

Each year, the North Group sponsors attendance by several young folks from our area at local nature camps. This year, Monday, May 14 is the deadline for receipt of applications to attend two overnight nature camps at the Wolf Creek Education Center in Redwood National and State Parks, Orick. The Towering Trees & Tidepools camp this July 23-27 is intended for children in grades 4 and 5, while the Redwoods Field Study from July 9-14 is aimed at grades 6-8. Details on the curriculum for each session are available at the Oregon Museum of Science & Industry website (www.omsi.edu). North Group hopes to support a total of four students living in our membership area of Humboldt, Del Norte, and Trinity Counties, two at each camp. Applications can be obtained by e-mailing nicholasvogel@gmail.com. Past camp scholarship recipients are not eligible to apply. Contributions to help underwrite the $500 per child tuition should be sent to Environmental Education Fund, c/o North Group Sierra Club, PO Box 238, Arcata CA, 95518.

PLANNING FOR CLIMATE CHANGE & ADAPTATION

The US Forest Service recently adopted regulations for a new round of national forest plans. National Forests dominate Northern California’s landscape. And while plans for the Mendocino, Six Rivers, Trinity, and Klamath National Forests are at least a couple of years away, Northern California forest activists are already beginning to prepare. Among changes from previous rounds of national forest planning, the new regulations mandate planning for climate change across administrative boundaries. This fits well with Sierra Club’s Resilient Habitats campaign, which has established the California Coast as one of several focus areas. And while we don’t tend to think of the “coast” when considering Northwest California’s national forests, most of our coastal watersheds extend to

headwaters deep within our national forests. And that is why North Group leaders have been in conversation with national campaign director Fran Hunt and others about the new round of forest plans. Folks interested in learning more about the organizing underway in preparation for the new round of national forest plans can contact Felice Pace at 707-954-6588.

DID YOU KNOW?

WE’RE LOOKING FOR A SECRETARY

OUTINGS

The North Group Executive Committee is looking for a secretary. To learn more about what is involved, contact Gregg Gold at 707-826-3740 or greggjgold@netscape.net.

HEARTFELT THANKS

Long-time North Group secretary and publicity chairperson Sue Leskiw recently stepped down from most of her duties with the North Group. In recent years, Sue has been largely responsible for the North Group’s work with young people, including judging Humboldt County science fairs and managing the Vinyard/Van Kirk Environmental Education Fund, which sponsors young people’s attendance at summer nature camps. She also planned special events such as picnics, parties, and banquets. Sue’s dedication, efficiency and attention to detail will be missed; thanks Sue for all you have done and continue to do for the Earth and the community.

PLEASE JOIN US!

The regular meeting of the North Group’s Executive Committee takes place on the second Tuesday of each month at the Adorni Center on the Eureka Waterfront beginning at 6:45 p.m. Members and friends are invited to join us and to bring their questions and environmental concerns. When other events take place in a month, we occasionally cancel the regular meeting. Check our web page at http://www.redwood.sierraclub. org/north/index.html to confirm that the regular meeting is taking place, to see scheduled outings, and for information on our other activities.

The Sierra Club is the only major American environmental group operating according to democratic principles. The national board of directors—as well as chapter and group executive committee members—are elected; all Sierra Club members are eligible to vote in national, chapter and group elections. Saturday, April 14 – Bull Creek Loop Hike, Humboldt Redwoods State Park. This 10-mile, medium-difficulty springtime ramble winds through ancient groves skirting Bull Creek from Founders Grove to Albee Campground, returning along the opposite side. The route includes one creek fording. No dogs. Must pre-register; leader will update on tentative departure time of 10:15 am from Founders Grove. Leader Melinda 707668-4275 or mgroomster@gmail.com. Sunday, April 22 – Flint Ridge Trail/Mouth of Klamath River, Redwood National Park. Celebrate Earth Day and John Muir’s birthday on this 11-mile, steep loop hike. We’ll follow Klamath Beach Road to the river mouth, where osprey, seals, and other wildlife are often present. Return along Flint Ridge Trail, past old-growth redwoods, trillium, and a waterlily-covered former mill pond. Bring water and lunch. No dogs. Rain cancels. Carpools: Meet 9 a.m. in McKinleyville Safeway parking lot or 10:30 a.m. Flint Ridge trailhead, east end of Alder Camp Road. Leader Bill 707-839-5971. Sunday, May 6 – Patrick’s Point State Park. Visit highlights including Sumeg Village, Ceremonial Rock, Palmers Point, Patrick’s Point, and Wedding Rock during this 5-mile, mediumdifficulty hike. Bring water and snacks. No dogs. Rain cancels. Carpools: Meet 12:30 p.m. in McKinleyville Safeway parking lot or 1 p.m. at Patrick’s Point Visitor Center. Leader Bill 707-839-5971. ...working with clients to improve the social, economic and environmental performance of their organizations and projects.

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

REGENERATIVE DEVELOPMENT

PLANNING AND RESEARCH

www.greenwaypartners.net 707.822.0597

www.yournec.org

April/May 2012

EcoNews

HAPPENINGS ~ News and Events from the North Coast Chapter SPRING WILDFLOWER SHOW

The 30th Anniversary Wildflower Show is more than flowers. Besides hundreds of specimens from prairies, dunes, woodlands and wetlands, there are demonstrations about gardening, edible and medicinal plants, ferns, native conifers, rare plants, invasive plants, Native American traditions, an art class, book table, live insects, and guided walks in the nearby dunes. A native plant sale accompanies the show on Saturday and Sunday. See flyer (right) for details.

NATIVE PLANT SALE

Saturday and Sunday May 5 and 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Manila Community Center, 1611 Peninsula Drive. Trees, shrubs, ferns, perennials, and ground covers, from three local nurseries and from many volunteer growers will be available. Experienced gardeners will help buyers select. Proceeds support the California Native Plant Society, North Coast Chapter. To help at the sale, contact Chris Beresford at thegang7@pacbell.net.

...the North Coast celebration of wild California plants

Wildflower Show

Friday

7:00 pm - Art Night, free drawing workshop with live music, Rick Tolley and friends

MAY 4-5-6, 2012

Saturday 11 am - Flora of the Dunes guided walk, Patty Sennott 12 pm - Introducing the Lily Family, Judie Hinman 1 pm - Getting to Know Lupines, Dana York 2 pm - Native Medicinal Plants, Christa Sinadinos

Fri 1-5 Sat 10-5 Sun 10-4

Native Plant Sale Saturday, Sunday 10-4

free - everyone welcome hundreds of plant species

Sunday 11 am - Wildflowers of the Dunes guided walk, Laurel Goldsmith 12 pm - “Keehl,” The Redwood Tree from the Yurok World View: Indigenous Environmental Justice, Skip and Sandra Lowry 2 pm - PhotographingFlowers, Bill Wood

Our 30th year!

April 28, Saturday. 1:00-3:00 p.m. Ferns in the Dunes. Meet eight species of fern, guided by Carol Ralph, in a short walk along the Lanphere Dunes entrance road. Bring a hand lens. Meet at Pacific Union School, 3001 Janes Road in Arcata, and carpool to the protected site. Co-sponsored with Friends of the Dunes. Please register by calling 707-444-1397 or email: info@friendsofthedunes.org. April 29, Sunday. 1-3 p.m. Wildflowers in a Hydesville Forest. A dappled, deciduous forest along a sparkling stream, a shady, grand fir forest, and sunny pasture edges present a springtime show hosted by Bill and Linda Shapeero. Join Carol Ralph and Janelle Egger walking on short, uneven trails. From 101 at the south end of Fortuna take the Highway 36 exit, go about 3 miles up to Hydesville, turn left at the church onto Rohnerville Rd., go about 1 mile, turn right onto Puddin Ln at the bottom of a gulch, follow signs and balloons to Shapeero. Kindly RSVP at 707-768-3287 or 707-822-2015.

May 12, Saturday. 12:30-4:30 p.m. Stony Creek Half-Day Hike. Carol Ralph and Brian Dykstra will lead a 2-mile, 1611 Peninsula Drive, Manila Second Wednesday evening, September roundtrip hike on this favorite trail 707-826-0259 • 707-822-7190 • 707-822-2015 • www.northcoastcnps.org through May. Refreshments at 7 p.m.; ...a community event coordinated by the through serpentine habitat. The trail is program at 7:30 p.m. at the Six Rivers North Coast Chapter of the California Native Plant Society uneven, with an optional extension over Masonic Lodge, 251 Bayside Road, near boulders. Meet at 12:30 p.m. at the Ruby 7th and Union, Arcata. Van Deventer Wildflower Show at the Del Norte FIELD TRIPS AND PLANT WALKS April 11, Wednesday. “A Native Plant Garden County Fairgrounds in Crescent City (along 101 Outings are open to everyone, not just members. All Story.” Eureka residents Vickie and John Patton at north end of town; opens at 11 a.m.) or at the levels of expertise, from beginners to experienced will share the inspiring story of their growing Gasquet store-post office at 1 p.m.. Please tell us botanizers, are welcome. Ask the leader about passion for native plants and the transformation of you are coming—call 707-822-2015. physical ability requirements. a weed filled wasteland into a lush garden retreat May 18-20, Friday-Sunday. Walker Ridge on a Eureka gulch. April 22, Sunday. 8-11 a.m. Native Plants in Yards and Bear Valley Field Trip. One of the earth’s and Forest. Join experienced gardeners Kathy May 9, Wednesday. “Heart Rot Fungi, at the important serpentine areas, Walker Ridge, east Dilley and Pete Haggard for a walk from the Arcata Heart of the Forest.” Working in nearby Douglas of Clear Lake, is the site of a proposed wind Community Center to the Community Forest, to see fir and true fir forests, mycology graduate student farm. It is adjacent to Bear Valley, where fields native plants in landscapes and in the redwood forest. Nikos Najarian is exploring the role of heart rot of wildflowers bloom like “in the good old days.” The walk is about 3 miles on sidewalks and good fungi in creating clearings in the forests and thus This quick trip will drive down Friday afternoon paths. Call 826-7050 to register for this free Godwit affecting the diversity and composition of the and return Sunday evening. Let Carol know by Days trip, or register at www.godwitdays.org. forest as a whole. May 4 if you are interested at 707-822-2015. April 22, Sunday. E-Ne-Nuk and Bluff Creek Day May 27, Sunday. Azaleas! at the Azalea State Hike. E-Ne-Nuk Campground, on Highway 96 near WILDFLOWER ART SHOW Reserve. Join experienced native plant gardener Orleans, and nearby Bluff Creek Trail offer varied, Pete Haggard to admire the azaleas and other native April 13, Friday. 6-9 p.m. A Wildflower Art rocky habitats and dramatic geology to explore. shrubs. Exit onto North Bank Rd. off 101 just north Show opens during Arts Arcata! at The Upstairs Surely fawn lilies will be there! This is a rustic trail of the Mad River; after 0.8 mile turn left on Azalea Gallery, Umpqua Bank, 1063 G. St., Arcata. A show with steep places. Bring lunch and water; dress for Dr., and then left into the parking lot. 707-839-0307. of diverse local artists all celebrating wilflowers. a day outside. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at Pacific Union Sales benefit the chapter’s Transportation Fund. School (3001 Janes Rd., Arcata) or arrange another Look for details and later additions at 707-668-5301. place. Tell Carol at 707-822-2015. www.northcoastcnps.org!

EVENING PROGRAMS

EcoNews

April/May 2012

Manila Community Center

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The Environmental Protection Information Center 145 G Street, Suite A, Arcata, CA 95521

Kimberly Baker

www.wildcalifornia.org

National Forest Road Facts

• There are 440,000 miles of roads in our national forests—enough to circle the Earth 17 times! • Roads are the leading source of sedimentation in waterways. • The Forest Service faces a $4.5 billion road maintenance backlog. • Roads fragment wildlife habitat, modify animal behavior, increase mortality, and they isolate and disrupt migration and interaction between populations. • Vehicles are vectors of seeds, which introduce and spread exotic plant species. • Human caused fires greatly increase with road density.

In 2005, the Forest Service published the Travel Management Rule for managing their Transportation System. The Rule has three sections. Subpart A requires identifying the minimum road system needed for safe travel and for administration, utilization, and protection of National Forest System lands. No Northern California National Forests have looked at the minimum road system needed. Subpart B designates roads, trails, and areas for motor vehicle use and Subpart C addresses use by over-snow vehicles. The Klamath, ShastaTrinity and most of the Six Rivers have completed designating routes for off highway vehicles (OHV). EPIC with allies are currently litigating the Klamath National Forest’s (KNF) OHV route designation decision. The KNF manages 4,536 miles of National Forest Transportation System (NFTS) roads and contains hundreds of miles of unmaintained roads and user created trails. While

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the proposal does eliminate cross country OHV use it also adds 224 unauthorized routes totaling approximately 53.42 miles to the NFTS; adds 20.59 miles to the NFTS as motorized trails; adds 2 motorized open riding areas (approximately 53 acres) to the NFTS; and downgrades the maintenance level on 130 miles of 18 roads. With elevations from 450 to 8,900 feet above sea level, the Klamath Forest is one of America’s most biologically diverse regions. Nearly 400 animal species reside on the Klamath. There are wild horses, seven elk herds, Coho and Chinook salmon, river otter, mink, deer, black bear, bobcat, mountain lion, badger, reptiles, amphibians, pronghorn antelope, and the region’s bird diversity is astonishing. The KNF OHV decision did not consider an alternative that removed any roads, or analyze or disclose the impacts of the entire forest road system, and failed to meet Water Quality Act standards.

Long Road to a Secure Future for State Parks Gary Graham Hughes Our community faces a long road towards securing a worry free future for the California State Parks system. State parks are currently stressed by an increasingly acute stewardship crisis. Legislatively mandated budget cuts that are resulting in park closures, severe cuts in personnel, and drastically reduced capacity for maintenance are having a dramatic impact on the future of our state parks. It is now estimated that the cost of the maintenance backlog in the state parks is closing in on the 2 billion dollar mark. This cost is not only intimidating; it is growing by the day. The threats to our parks inherent in this growing maintenance backlog are encapsulated in the dire condition of many roads in the parks. Roads are expensive to build, expensive to maintain, and expensive to decommission. Leaving roads alone is not an option, as unmaintained roads can quickly turn into a bleeding wound on the landscape, especially in a dynamic region like the redwood coast. In this sense, this metaphor of the road to be traveled for our state parks to achieve any sense of long-term management security is both symbolic and very real. Making important decisions about building, repairing, maintaining, and/or decommissioning critical roads is part and parcel of the obligations that go with stewarding

our world class California state protected area system. How park roads are managed will literally and figuratively determine the difficulty of the road ahead for attaining security for our parks. The recent wash out of the road to Bear Harbor in the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park is a case in point. The road from the park entrance at Needle Rock to Bear Harbor was washed out in late February during one of the sporadic yet powerful rain events that have been hurled upon the Lost Coast this winter. As of this writing, this road is closed to vehicle traffic down to Bear Harbor; it is a distance of three miles from Needle Rock to the Bear Harbor trailhead. EPIC may often advocate for decommissioning of roads because of the potential for reducing the negative impacts of a road on a wild landscape, yet we understand in the most intimate sense the convenience of having road access to Bear Harbor. Convenience aside, the challenge is to make immediate decisions about the road that maximize the conservation of the wilderness. The Needle Rock-Bear Harbor road washing out puts the issue of the cost of maintaining and repairing roads in state parks on the front burner. To be cost effective and conservation, oriented decisions about this road have to be made thinking of the long term. Is California State Parks committed to maintaining this road and/or prepared for further expensive www.yournec.org

repairs in responding to this and future washouts? Has the cost-benefit analysis of permanently closing this road to Bear Harbor been explored? Apparently, there is an effort to secure emergency funds for the repair and reconstruction of the washed out portion of the road. Is this another band-aid that does little for addressing long term road issues? Perhaps repairing the road with emergency funds will help us keep getting our supplies and sleeping bags down to Bear Harbor easily, but without integrated planning this issue will be another crucial item that is swallowed up in the 2 billion dollar maintenance backlog plaguing the state park system. Looking ahead, the road to a secure future for our state parks looks long indeed. Not All is Doom and Gloom for State Parks The North Coast’s own Assemblyperson Wesley Chesbro was instrumental in the design and authoring of AB 1589, the State Parks Stewardship Act of 2012. This act contains some important innovations in securing new revenues for the park system, and for insuring transparency in any future park closure decision-making by park administrators. This bill has passed out of one committee and will most likely be brought before the full Assembly in the coming months. Stay tuned for updates about this important legislative development for reversing the deterioration of our state parks.

April/May 2012

EcoNews

The Long and Winding Road

One Fine Day

On the same day members of the Black Hills Sioux Nation Treaty Council and Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota blocked trucks from Texas carrying equipment to build the Keystone XL Pipeline from crossing their lands headed to Canada, the President convinced the Senate to block a move to fast-track the Keystone Pipeline rather than wait for further study. Also on that day, the House of Representatives attempted to slip by a provision to allow drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, but that was blocked as well—for now. The current rush to pass bills in the U.S. House of Representatives indicates hopes that the Senate will be forced—politically—to approve bills that Senators otherwise might not support. These actions provide a national backdrop to the overall importance of environmental legislation that directly and indirectly affects local North Coast resources. We will see if these efforts result in attempts to sneak these issues into larger bills as riders in the coming year. For now, the preelection legislative tug of war is in full swing. The Transportation bill, H.R. 7, (which could be renamed the “sneak-dirty-energy-actionunder-a-cloak-of-Transportation” bill) also failed a vote due to a scuffle within the Republican Party. Meanwhile the bipartisan Senate version of the bill—led by Senator Boxer—passed the Senate and was sent back to the House for consideration. Boxer’s version is stripped of the worst of the anti-conservation legislation. A short-term substitution bill could emerge from the House to keep the federal highway program going beyond March 31, when funds for many bridge and highway construction projects would otherwise be halted. A good Transportation Bill is important to residents of the North Coast, as it funds rebuilding bridges and other important improvements, but there is no connection between passing energy bills that increase our reliance on fossil fuels and fixing deteriorating bridges and infrastructure. Did someone say “brinkmanship?” Stay tuned.

EcoNews

April/May 2012

Water Reliability?

The NEC recently added its voice to letters in support of our legislators who opposed a thinly veiled attempt to put agribusiness above endangered fish and jobs in the North Coast region—H.R. 1837, the so-called “Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act.” In our letter, we thank Representative Thompson’s strong and vocal opposition to this bill on the floor of the House, but unfortunately the bill eventually made it out of the House and will now be decided by the Senate—if it ever comes up to a vote. We are encouraging Senators Feinstein and Boxer to stop this detrimental water grab. More on H.R. 1837 below, and stay tuned…

Endangered Species

Question: When does a Scapegoat become a Scapefish? Answer: When members of Congress blame endangered salmon and delta smelt for causing the loss of jobs and agriculture. It is odd to see U.S. representatives pushing against state control of their own water—nothing more than an attempt by a couple of legislators representing agri-business (and a few local areas) to discard decades of collaborative work by Californians to decide their own water fate. This contentious issue is of local concern because it could affect salmon runs in northern California rivers and agriculture. H.R. 1837 also includes a proposal by Rep. McClintock (R-CA-Dist. 2) to change the method by which wildlife agencies determine population numbers of endangered species. He proposes that hatchery-raised fish be counted the same as ecologically wild fish. This ignores the sciences of biology and ecology that should direct endangered species policy. This proposal would essentially give aquarium fish the same biological status as salmon and smelt that evolved with a natural river-toestuary-to-ocean-and-back life cycle. The drama around the protection of the endangered delta smelt reads like a bad TV court show—with claims of biologists giving false testimony and a judge (hearing the case) leaving the bench to be employed representing the very

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companies accusing the biologists of wrongdoing. It’s another case of the classic “people vs. fish” false-dichotomy—taking away state water rights in the process. Humboldt County officials and the Hoopa Valley Tribal Council have sent letters to the Secretary of the Interior warning of a possible fish kill if Klamath River water is diverted to farmers in the San Joaquin Valley. With predicted low flows in rivers this summer, look for this discussion to get more heated.

Beyond Legislation

President Obama and the US Fish & Wildlife Service found themselves in hot water when the heads of 80 environmental groups—including the Endangered Species Coalition, Earthjustice and the Humane Society of the United States— and close to 100 conservation scientists sent letters opposing a new proposal that would re-define what constitutes “significant” habitat when evaluating new listing of species as Endangered or Threatened. The Act currently defines an endangered species as being “in danger of extinction in all or a significant portion of its range,” meaning that a species need not be at risk of disappearing everywhere in order to deserve protection. The administration’s proposal, however, would redefine what is considered a “significant” range as a portion of habitat so vital that its loss would threaten the survival of the species as a whole—a much higher bar, and a direction that biologists fear would limit options to protect species before they are virtually extinct. Also under the revised policy, consideration of whether a species is threatened or endangered in a portion of its range would be limited strictly to those areas where it currently exists, rather than to its historic range. The comment period for this revision has closed, but a final determination has not yet been made. EcoNews will provide updates in future issues. Dan Sealy is the NEC’s Legislative Analyst—our eyes and ears in Washington, D.C.

Blast from the Past...

Historic articles selected from the EcoNews Archives.

The Good Old Days of 1977 -

Once upon a time not so long ago, in 1968, a prestigious university gathered together a group of wellknown scientists and asked them to predict what the world would be like by the year 2000. As each presented papers describing how our children and grandchildren would be living, a glowing picture emerged. They saw a world where cheap, clean, abundant fuel would provide all the good things of life...where in futuristic cities weather would be controlled, the air forever fresh, the water pure...where all our needs would be produced by automation and our work week would be short...where poverty and want would no longer exist. The realities as we have learned them in the few years since that conference took place are quite different. An exploding world population is the reality we have to deal with. In the year 2000, a child born this year might look back at 1977 as the good old days. In 1850, there were one billion of us. By the year 2000 there will be eight billion of us. From 1950 until the early 1970’s, the amount of food produced for each person in the world edged upward in a steady, encouraging way. Governments

had a reason to feel optimistic about nutritional progress. Since that high point, available food resources have declined. Today, experts are hard-pressed to decide whether this historic reversal marks a temporary interlude or the beginning of a downward trend. Over the past twenty-five years, North America has emerged as the breadbasket for the fooddeficient countries. Grain exports have almost doubled since 1970. If our population had continued to grow at the same rate it did in the 1930’s, the additional people would now absorb all current exportable food surpluses and we ourselves would be struggling for self-sufficiency. Aside from the overly rapid growth in demand for food, production problems are already plaguing farmers and fishing fleets throughout the world. None of the basis resources, so abundant 25 years ago, can be considered abundant today. As a result, upward pressures on prices affect us all, most especially the poorer nations. As governments jockey for access to resources needed for their growing populations, the global politics of scarcity promises to fan the embers of discord and distrust. What is being done about population control? Attitudes on population matters differ widely among countries. Some governments announce as official policy their determination to slow population growth through various types of family

December 1977 by Romain Beaudrie

planning programs. Others, though espousing no official policy, permit private family planning organizations—such as Planned Parenthood —to function. The majority, however, have not yet developed any significant national policy. Countries where infant mortality is high as a result of malnutrition of both mothers and children tend to have the highest birth rates. Family planning is resisted in a pathetic attempt to ensure that some of their children survive. Vast numbers are trapped in an endless cycle of high fertility, low status, illiteracy and high unemployment, and they cannot lift themselves out of poverty or help themselves. In many countries, illiteracy, which was on the decline until 1970, is rising again as the population increases. Program experience has shown that in countries where women are achieving a more equal status, non-material options are opening up for them. Although they are no longer willing to bear unwanted children, they may still hesitate to go to a contraception clinic. In next month’s EcoNews we will discuss overpopulation and its effects here at home. This article is reprinted from the December 1977 issue of EcoNews. Stay tuned for our next Blast from the Past, a new regular EcoNews feature, for more from the archives!

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April/May 2012

EcoNews

Eco-Mania A Melange of Salient Sillies... THE NEW WORLD: The Seasteading Institute, run by the grandson of Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman, plans to create its own country by putting it on a giant platform in international waters. The institute has received $l.2 million from the billionaire founder of PayPal, Peter Thiel, 43, who wants to create a new society according to libertarian ideals. The first experimental example could be built off San Francisco, perhaps this year. YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT: A student at the Royal College of Art in London, Hannes Harms, has come up with a design for a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip that is edible and can send information about the food you eat to a personal computer. The idea is that it would send nutritional data and ingredients for people who have allergies, or want to count calories—or maybe even tell your fridge when the food has gone off. It could also be used to market organic produce.

GRUMPY GODDESS: Greek citizens are suing a German magazine over a cover showing the altered statue of the goddess Aphrodite flipping the middle finger to the rest of the euro zone. They claim that Focus, a German weekly, defamed the character of their financially troubled but proud nation. The cover summed up German concerns about a European Union bailout for debtridden Greece, but it led to the suit by six Greek citizens charging defamation, libel and denigration of national symbols. CANINE CARNAGE: Ukraine has killed an estimated 27,000 stray dogs, because foreigners will attend this year’s big Euro-soccer tournament. The country has a huge stray dog problem, estimated at the tens of thousands—with nearly 3,000 people reported being bitten last year in Kiev alone. The dogs, often running in packs, can be seen on streets, in parks and even children’s playgrounds.

CURE FOR DRUNKS: Extracts of a Chinese variety of the oriental raisin tree (Hovenia dulcis) have been used for 500 years to treat hangovers in China. Now dihydromyricetin (DHM), a component of the extract, has proved its worth as an intoxication blocker in rats. It works by preventing alcohol from having its usual intoxicating effects on the brain, however much is in blood. Soon a preparation containing DHM will be tested for the first time in people at UCLA. SAYONARA: About 5,000 million tons (that’s right: 5,000 million tons) of debris from the Japanese earthquake is headed for the U.S. West Coast, expected to hit the beach by October, 2013.

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: The Air Force Academy has spent more than $100,000 on a stone circle— to give pagans, druids and witches somewhere to worship. The academy says it is for cadets who practice ‘Earth-based’ religions, although it is believed only three out of the 4,300 cadets have openly admitted that they are pagan.

GUMMING UP THE WORKS: A toothless woman arrested for robbing a Pennsylvania bank told police she did it because she needed money to buy false teeth. Police on Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, say the 49-year-old woman stated she wanted to use the money to pay for dentures she was unable to get through welfare until next year. One of the bank employees recognised the robber as someone from her church, gave police her name and she was later arrested.

EcoNews

April/May 2012

UNTOUCHABLE: A new type of sensor will be integrated into hospital beds so it can monitor vital signs—tracking heart, lungs, limbs and even eyes— without actually touching you. The chip is essentially a super-sensitive digital voltmeter which can measure tiny changes in electrical fields around all muscles and nerves. Its special twist is a filtering technology which isolates the exact measurement you want. Scientists hope it also it can be used to help paraplegics. Because the chip can track eye movements, it can be hooked up to a computer or a wheelchair, allowing quadriplegics to control a mouse cursor or move a motorized wheelchair, simply by shifting their gaze. www.yournec.org

BEHIND BARS: The U.S., with 5 percent of the world’s population but 25 percent of its prisoners, is now the planet’s biggest jailer. With more than two million prisoners, the U.S. has moved ahead of China and Russia. Thirty percent of all Americans have been arrested by the tender age of 23. Almost half of all people in state prisons are nonviolent offenders, and one in nine are black men aged 20 to 34.

Creature Feature PACIFIC LEATHERBACK TURTLE Dermochelys coriacea

Morgan Corviday

actually nest and lay thier eggs along the western coast of Asia, travelling up to 12,000 miles each year to return to California in late summer and fall to feast on jellyfish (Scyphomedusae), their primary food source.

Duude... Pacific leatherback turtles may not actually speak in thick surfer accents, like Crush of Disney’s animated film “Finding Nemo” fame, but they have “claims to fame” of their own. The leatherback turtle, also called the lute turtle, is the largest, deepest diving (up to 4,200 feet!), and has the most wide ranging migration of all sea turtles. They are also the fourth largest of living reptiles. They can be found in oceans throughout the world— nesting on beaches in the tropics, and foraging far into high latitude subpolar waters. Unfortunately, they are also listed as endangered worldwide. Little was known about leatherback turtles until the mid-20th century. Early sailor records didn’t contain many references to leatherbacks, because in spite of their size, they were not often seen—as they spend much of their time in deep depths of the ocean. Nesting records prior to the 1950’s were virtually non-existant, but today nesting Newly hatched Pacific leatherback turtle makes it’s way to the ocean. Photo: NOAA. beaches are known in all major ocean basins. Biologists estimate leatherbacks can live for 45 There are genetically distinct subpopulations of years or more. Adults can reach 4 to 8 feet in length leatherback turtles—the Atlantic, Pacific (eastern and weigh 500 to 2000 pounds. and western), and Indian Ocean populations. It They have the most hydrodynamic shell of was originally assumed that the eastern Pacific any sea turtle, and unlike most other turtles, they populations nested along the eastern Pacific lack a bony carapace. Instead, their leathery skin is coast. Tracking and DNA studies, however, embedded with osteoderms—bony deposits, like have revealed that eastern Pacific leatherbacks scales or plates, within the skin layers.

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The leatherback’s flattened forelimbs are well adapted to swimming in the open ocean, and lack claws. They are the largest flippers (including proportion to body size) of any living sea turtle. Leatherbacks are also unique among reptiles for their ability to maintain high body temperature. This is accomplished due to a constant high activity rate, generating musclederived heat. Studies have shown they may spend as little as 0.1% of their day resting. Listed as endangered in the U.S. under the Endangered Species Act in 1970, Pacific leatherback turtles face a variety of dangers in both the marine environment and on land. A deeper understanding of the entire marine ecosystem is required to better understand how to conserve leatherbacks, whose numbers have fallen by 95% since the 1980’s. Their multiple foraging populations crisscross the globe—from foraging grounds to nesting beaches and the migratory routes that connect them. Recent studies have identified high-use areas that are of particular importance to their survival. An additional 41,914 square miles of critical habitat was recently designated in the Pacific Ocean off the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington—the largest protected area ever established in American waters. California lawmakers have also proposed making the leatherback the state marine reptile, which would increase recognition and (hopefully) conservation efforts for these turtles.

April/May 2012

EcoNews

the Kids’ Page DISCOVER THE RIPARIAN ZONE

Did you know that the land next to a stream or river has a special name? It’s called

the riparian zone. The riparian ecosystem has many functions and provides many benefits. The riparian area is the land next to a stream or river. Special plants live in this area. Mosses and liverworts are very simple plants that grow very close to the water. These plants enjoy a lot of water and help stabilize the stream or riverbank by holding the soil together—in turn making the soil more livable for other plants. Other water-loving plants such as grasses, ferns, sedges, rushes, irises, and trillium may be found nearby depending on the area. Some water-loving trees that may be found by the water’s edge are willow, cedars, big-leaf maples, alders, redwoods, and some types of oak. Many animals live in the riparian ecosystem as well. Amphibians (frogs and salamanders) can be found close to the water because they need moisture to survive and need water in which to lay their eggs. Their food also lives there. Some of our local amphibians you may encounter in the riparian ecosystem are the Northwestern salamander, Ensatina, Coastal giant, the California slender salamander, and the roughskinned newt. (Newts are a type of salamander!). You may also

EcoNews

April/May 2012

see frogs such as the Pacific tree frog, Yellow-legged frog, Redlegged frog, and the Western toad. (A toad is a type of frog!). The riparian area acts like a filter for the stream or river. The trees and plants absorb food (nutrients) from the stream or river, and also from what gets washed down from the rain. Trees provide shade for the animals and smaller plants that live there. They help keep the temperature down in the water, which is important for many of the animals that live there. Logging has harmed many riparian ecosystems. Land was sometimes cleared all the way down to the edge of rivers and streams. Fish, like salmon and trout, hide in roots growing into the water and lay eggs on the rocky bottom. Without the trees and other plants to hold the soil together, the loose soil washes into the water—a process called erosion. This covers up the rocky bottom and fills in holes that fish and other animals need for homes and hiding places. This hurts their ability to survive, and also hurts the animals that depend on them for food. Most areas now require a “riparian buffer” which is an area around the stream or river that is not logged to keep that area intact. All of the plants, animals and water that make up the riparian ecosystem need to be together for it to stay healthy. It all works together. Sarah Marnick

Word Search

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(Below) Liverwort snaking among mosses and leafy liverworts. Photo: Sarah Marnick.

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END OF HIBERNATION A 44-year-old Swedish man, trapped in his car for two months without food by a giant snow drift, survived by eating handfuls of s now and ice in sub-zero temperatures. Experts believe the cold slowed down his metabolism, like an animal in hibernation. All he had in snowy Sweden was a sleeping bag, and he lost more than 40 pounds. Here at the NEC, we have lately experienced something similar, in that we were trapped, without much funds, and this slowed down our activities—so that a lot of you thought the NEC was hibernating, was in a dormant state. But the weather has changed and, though we have lost some weight, we stand ready and alert to again be a force in the community. Earth Day is approaching, as are Godwit Days. Decisions are pending on the Humboldt General Plan Update, the Richardson Grove saga, Klamath River dams and the critical 2012 election. Once again, you will look to the NEC to help guide and speak for you. We have pledges, but need more, to insure that your NEC will be in the forefront for conservation on the North Coast—as it has for more than 40 years. So, please, contribute your money, time or support, and don’t leave us just sucking on ice. Thank you.

17th Annual

GODWI T DA YS S P RI N G M I G R A T I O N B I RD F E ST I VA L

April 19-25, 2012

• More than 100 events to choose from: field trips, lectures, workshops, boat and kayak excursions, and a banquet.

Mail this membership form to: NEC, PO Box 4259, Arcata, 95518 or join online at www.yournec.org.

• Humboldt “Big Day” - see over 100 bird species on a single day. • Keynote Speaker Keith Woodley, Manager of Miranda Shorebird Centre in New Zealand, author of Godwits: Long Haul Champions

• 235+ cumulative bird species recorded during past festivals.

•Free community activities: vendors and exhibit booths, optics, art show, live birds of prey, student art competition, family nature activities.•

1-800-908-WING or 707-826-7050

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