EcoNews Vol. 43, No. 5 - Oct/Nov 2013 by EcoNews

Over 40 Years of Environmental News

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Arcata, California

Vol. 43, No. 5 Oct/Nov 2013

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

Rights of

Ecuador, Bolivia, New Zealand... North Coast? Around the world, Nature is starting to get a seat at the table

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1385 8th Street - Suite 226, Arcata, CA 95521 PO Box 4259, Arcata, CA 95518 707- 822-6918, Fax 707-822-6980 www.yournec.org

EcoNews is the official bi-monthly publication of the Northcoast Environmental Center (NEC), 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 and Southern Oregon bioregion. The subscription rate is $35 per year. Editor/Layout: Morgan Corviday, morgan@yournec.org Advertising: ads@yournec.org Proofreaders: Karen Schatz and Midge Brown Writers: Sid Dominitz, Dan Ehresman, Sarah Marnick, Dan Sealy, Jennifer Kalt, Jessica Hall, Brandon Drucker, Scott Greacen, Maggie Gainer, Gary Graham Hughes, Linda Sheehan, Todd Rowe, Rose Kelly, Hugh McGee Cover Photo: The Whanganui River in New Zealand, protected with legal rights in 2012. Photo: Jason Pratt, Flickr CC. Artist: Terry Torgerson

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

NEC Staff

NEC Executive Director: Dan Ehresman, dan@yournec.org EcoNews Editor/Web Manager: Morgan Corviday, morgan@yournec.org Office Assistant: Brandon Drucker, brandon@yournec.org Office Assistant: Alanna Cottrell, alanna@yournec.org

Board Of Directors

Safe Alternatives for our Forest Environment- Larry 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 SocietyJennifer Kalt, Secretary, jenkalt@gmail.com Humboldt Baykeeper-Jessica Hall, jessica@humboldtbaykeeper.org Redwood Region Audubon SocietyCJ Ralph, cjralph@humboldt1.com Sierra Club, North Group Richard Kreis, rgkreis@gmail.com Friends of the Eel River- Scott Greacen, scott@eelriver.org At-Large - Dan Sealy, rangerdans@msn.com

News From the Center

These days it feels like it’s important to celebrate even partial victories given all the bad news in the halls of our so-called government. After a spate of crappy legislation in California, the tea party has decided to take hostages on the national stage in its battle for their political idiocracy. Unfortunately, the hostages are the rest of us. At the time of this writing, “unessential” federal services have shut down. Locally, Redwood National Park is shuttered, beaches are cordoned off, and Headwaters Reserve has a “No Trespassing” sign on the locked gate. The U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to name a few, are all closed for all but services that protect “life and property”. There are a great number of people who are faced with the possible need to file for unemployment depending on how long this shutdown lasts. Meanwhile GOP extremists in Congress who are responsible for the shutdown are still getting paid. It seems like a poignant time to join together in the refrain, “This is an outrage—we will stand for no more!” Political charades notwithstanding,

NEC Member Groups Humboldt Baykeeper

www.humboldtbaykeeper.org 707-268-0664

Sierra Club,North Group, Redwood Chapter

www.redwood.sierraclub.org/north/

California Native Plant Society North Coast Chapter www.northcoastcnps.org

Redwood Region Audubon Society www.rras.org, rras@rras.org

Friends of the Eel River

www.eelriver.org, foer@eelriver.org 707-822-3342

Safe Alternatives for our Forest Environment (SAFE)

Dan Ehresman, Executive Director

we do have much to be thankful for in our neck of the woods. On August 22, in answer to a lawsuit filed by Central Valley irrigators to block any further release of water from Trinity River reservoirs, a federal court judge ruled that fish do, in fact, need water. After weighing substantial evidence from fisheries experts, the court ruled in favor of supplementing flows to benefit Klamath River salmon at risk of dying due to extremely low water levels and subsequent high temperatures. Thanks to this ruling, enough water was released to avert another catastrophe on the Klamath. Now, rain has returned to the region with a gusto that has salmon swimming by the thousands up our coastal rivers. With the rains upon us, we are hopeful that record returns of fish now making their way upstream to spawn will lead to even healthier returns in the future. Of course a crucial component of long-lasting success will depend on continued efforts towards dam removal and river restoration to ensure conditions conducive to salmonid survival and recovery. Another benefit of these early rains is that fires that were raging a matter of weeks ago are now mostly contained. After fire will

be renewal—and hopefully the catastrophic burns such as the Rim Fire in Yosemite will reinforce the importance of managing forest ecosystems for fire resilience. In other good news, despite many losses in terms of environmental legislation, we have one victory to report on from the state legislature: California is one step closer to doing away with toxic lead ammunition. A.B. 711 has passed both houses and awaits Governor Brown’s signature within the next few weeks. If signed into law, it will be a milestone for species protection and we will be even that much closer to realizing the return of condors to the North Coast. Please take a moment to let the governor know this is an important move to prevent unnecessary harm to wildlife and humans throughout the state. To email comments, visit: www.govnews.ca.gov/gov39mail/ mail.php Mailing address: Governor Jerry Brown c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 445-2841 Fax: (916) 558-3160

Leave a North Coast Legacy Give a gift that will endure beyond your lifetime. Leave a lasting legacy by naming the Northcoast Environmental Center as a beneﬁciary of your will, trust, or other estate plans.

Your bequest will help us advocate for and educate about the North Coast and the KlamathSiskiyou bioregion for future generations. To learn more, call us at 707-822-6918. The NEC is a 501(c)(3) not-for-proﬁt organization, EIN 23-7122386.

www.safealt.org

NEC Affiliate Members Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC)

www.wildcalifornia.org, epic@wildcalifornia.org 707-822-7711

Friends of Del Norte www.fodn.org

Mattole Restoration Council www.mattole.org, mrc@mattole.org (707) 629-3514

Zero Waste Humboldt

www.zerowastehumboldt.org contact@zerowastehumboldt.org

Adopt-a-Beach

Be a part of our growing team of site captains and volunteers! Visit our website for more information and a list of available sites.

www.yournec.org/marinedebris/adoptabeach

Thank You!

Here at the NEC, the past two months have been incredibly busy with Coastal Commission hearings, General Plan Update meetings, Coastal Cleanup Day, and the All Species Parade at the North Country Fair. We’ve seen success on all levels. In the following pages we will delve into more of the details. We could not have done any of this without the support and involvement of so many devoted community members. From all of us here at the NEC, thank you! We would like to recognize here the following individuals and businesses whose generous contributions so far this year support conservation efforts within our bioregion. Alan & Barbara Wilkinson Alan & Jean Jackman Alan Justice Alan Laurent Alexandra Stillman Alicia Adrian Andrew Araneo & Roz Keller Andy Lane Angel Franklin Anita & Tim Gilbride-Read Ann Anderson Ann Greenwater Anne Hubbard Anne Mason Anonymous Archie & Sue Mossman Arlene Broyles Arnold Whitridge Ashley Barnhart Audrey Miller Barbara J Kennedy Barbara Kelly Bernadette Webster & Jack Glick Bernie & Sandy Levy Beth & Clarke Moore Betsy Harrell Betty & Ellen Briggs Bettye Etter Beverly Bran & Dale Condon Bill & June Thompson Bill Birmingham Bob Hughes Bob Peck Bruce & Pam Kessler Byrd Lochtie Cafe Mokka & Finnish Country Sauna & Tubs Carol & CJ Ralph Carol Falkenthal & Dennis Rael Carol Scher Carol Whitehurst Cathy Taylor Chapala Cafe Charles Despres Charles Harvey Charles Minton Charlie Butterworth Chip Sharpe & Celestine Armenta Chris & Richard Beresford Christina Huff Christopher Matthews Chuck Dresel Clark A. Fenton Clifford Anderson Corinne Frugoni Craig Knox Cynthia Noel Damian Centanni Daniel & Cindy Torgersen Platter Daniel & Claire Grunbaum Daniel Wassenaar Darus Kayn Trutena Daryl & Phyllis Chinn David Baraconi & Joanne Parkhurst David Baxter David Beard David Humes David Kiel & Amey Miller David Ledger David She’om Rose David Thomas & Karyn Lee-Thomas Deborah Filipelli Dennis Rael Denny Dorsett Diana Jacobs and Rick Elefant Diane & Barry Welch

Diane Brown Diane Ryerson Dianne Rosser Dick Scheinman Don Allan Don and Trudi Walker Donald & Melinda Groom Donna Knight Dr. John G. Hewston Dwight Miller Edge Gerring & Melanie Kasek Ellen Taylor Emily Sinkhorn Erich Schimps Erin Kelly Eve & Ron Broughton Frances & Francis Ferguson Francis Taylor Fred & Marilyn Wadsworth Gary Falxa Gary Garcia Gary Hughes George & Margaret Strong Gerald & Barbara Meral Gil & Mediha Saliba Gilly & Jeff Black Gloria Purcell Gordon Pfeffer Greg & Kay Gibson Greg & Linda Rose Greg Chapman Greg Jensen Gregory & Rene Nesty Gregory T. Mellon, DDS Guy & Cindy Kuttner Gwen Baluss Hal & Wendy Harden Hanna Sturtz Harriet Hass Harry Lowther and Ursula Bredow Hart Welsh, Jr. Heinrich and Peggy Kaestle Helen Mulligan Hezekiah Allen Howard Freiman & Barbara Rich Howard Williams Humboldt State University Library Ida Schellhous Ilene Mandelbaum & Steve Barager Jaffa Dugan Wahlberg James & Joan Boulden James & Linda Sorter James Benson James Elliott James H. Diego & Shirley Reynolds James McIntosh James Stephenson Jan & Bob Mountjoy Jane & Richard Wilson Jane Bothwell Jane Riggan Jane Woodward Janet Dickey Janice Andersen Janice Murayama Janis Schleunes Janis Taylor Jay Bonestell Jean McCord Jeanne Pendergast Jeff & Tracy Boyer Jeff & Zina Hogue Jeff Russell Jeffrey Bue Jennifer Kalt Jennifer Waters

Jim & Dee Keyser Jim & Donna Clark Jim Tomich Joanne & Robert Fornes Joe Bob & Lily Hitchcock Joe James Joe, Linda & Bodie Yonts John & Darsty McAlinn John & Dona Blakely John & Marsha Maxwell John & Martha Westgate John Longshore John Mertes John McAllin John Nicklas John Porter & Eda Bachrach John & Nancy Bridenbaugh John Sacklin & Mary Hektner John Yoakley Jon & Cynthia Forsyth Joshua Asarian Jude Power Judith Hinman Julie & Lonnie Haynes Justin Smith Karen & David Hammer Karen & Gordon Schatz Karen E. Isa and Richard Kreis Karen Shepherd & BradleyThompson Karen Spencer Karin Engstrom Karolyn Merz Katherine A. & Michael G. Clark Kathleen Boivin Kathleen Carter Kathy Laforge Kathy Weber Katie & Jason Wheeler Kenneth Chilton Kent H. Pryor Kevin Cost Keytra Meyer Kim Wollter Kit Davenport Kurt Lauer Kurt Stegen Larry Glass Laura Ann Rains Lee & Chris House Leroy E. French Li Conley Libby Maynard Lilyan Haigh Linda Doerflinger Linda Woodward Linnea Mandell Lisa Buscho Lois Drobish Lorrie Bott Louis Blumberg & Ellen Friedman Louise & Anthony Andreoli Louise Hayes Lucille Kibbee Lucille Vinyard Lynn C. Berner Lynn Duggins Lynn Inouye & Mark Langner Lynn Ryan Manette & Philip Gerstle Marcia Miller Marcia Rautenstrauch Margaret & Mark Shaffer Margaret & Steve Cole Margaret Brown Margaret Nulsen & Chris Frolking Margaret Ramsey Marian L. Perry Marie Kelleher-Roy Marilyn Foote & John Christianson Mario & Marilyn Zelaya Mark & Melinda Bailey Mark & Valorie Lovelace Mark Andre Mark G Ellis Mark Northcross Marla Joy Martha Hirsch Martin R. Haase Martin Swett Mary & Evan Wilbur Mary Alice & Burton Hoyle Mary Brunette Mary C. Melvin Mary Ella Anderson Mary Flowers & Jonathan Weber Mary Jo Kenny Mary Jo Weisgerber & Roberta Welty Mary Schroeder Marybeth Howell

Maureen Davison & Marc R. Williams Melinda Wilson Merle Friel Merodie Mullis Michael Curran Michael M. Perensovich Jr. Michael Rizza Michele & Doug Kamprath Michele Olsen & Roland Lamberson Millie Brucker Milton Holloway Ms. Linda M. Barker Ms. Lydia Garvey Ms. Pam Mendelsohn Nancy Lewis Nancy Marie Neal & Maile Feuerman Norman & Jean Dyche P. NEC Greenberg Pam Kaufhold Pat Bitton Patricia Daniels Patricia-Anne & George WinterSun Paul & Margaret Abels Paul & Marjorie Coffman Paul D. Castro & Beverly G. Walser Perry & Barbara Taylor Peter Galvin Ralph & Nona Kraus Ralph & Tecla Pierotti Randy Carrico & Deborah Dukes Ray Solbau Raymond & Mary Rice Renay Radniecki & Bill Bowman Rex Frankel Richard & Catherine Christo Richard Ballew & Iris Ruiz Richard Duning & Nancy Correll Richard Hansis Richard Max Blair Rita Carole Robert & Laura Chapman Robert & Tomika Sollen Robert A. Rutemoeller Robert Ducate & Family Robert Gould Robert McLaughlin &Theresa Rumjahn Robert Steeck Robin Hamlin Roger Tuan Ron & Arleen Smith Ron & Melanie Kuhnel Ron Johnson Ronald & Donna Thompson Ryan Henson Sallie Grover Sandra J Hill Revocable Trust Sandy Bar Ranch Sarah Lauderdale & Curt Cooper Shawn Gould Sidney Dominitz Sorrel & Dorothy Klein Stacy Becker Stan & Patricia Larson Stanley Hino Stephanie Klein Steve & Suzanna Bowser Steve Gompertz Steve Hamilton Steven Evans Studebaker Hawk Sue Britting Susan & Bob Ornelas Susan Haase Suzanne & Neal Crothers Suzanne & Rusty Burke Tania Brunell Tara Root Ted & Jo Trichilo Teresa Kosmac Terry A. & Kimberley Schulz Terry Raymer Thomas & Roberta Preble Thomas Phillips & Melissa Martel Tina & Scott Stenborg-Davies Tom & Sue Leskiw Tom and Katy Allen Tom Cockle & Carol Lawrence Virginia Burns Virginia Plambeck Virginia Sloan W.G. & Cyanne McElhinney Ward Estelle III Warren & Gisela Rosengren Wesley & Barbara Root William & Benjamin & Elizabeth Etgen William Weiderman Wolfgang Oesterreich

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101 Corridor 29th Annual Coastal Cleanup Day Kin to the Earth: Susan Bower Firefighting in Klamath Canyons Rights of Nature Movement Frack if I Know... Community Bike Kitchen Planning for Sea Level Rise Eye on Washington Zero Waste at North Country Fair Humboldt Baykeeper Friends of the Eel River EPIC Mattole Restoration Council Sierra Club, North Group Redwood Region Audubon California Plant Native Society Eco-Mania Creature Feature: San Joaquin kit fox Kids’ Page: Spittlebugs

Many Thanks

to our 2013 Coastal Cleanup Day Sponsors: California Coastal Commission, Humboldt Waste Management Authority, PG&E, City of Eureka, Recology, Les Schwab Tire Center, North Coast Journal, Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center, Los Bagels, GHD, Humboldt Baykeeper, North Group Sierra Club, Friends of the Dunes, North Coast Co-op, Wildberries, Arcata Eye, Greenway Partners, City of Arcata, Danco, Lost Coast Communications, KHSU, Visual Concepts, Humboldt Sanitation, Arcata Garbage Company, Pierson Building Center, and the County of Humboldt.

Mailbox

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor: WANTED: Persistent Advocates for Water Carrying Capacity Studies Thanks to Scott Greacen and EcoNews for publishing an extremely rare glimpse into the broader problems of water diversion, depletion, and pollution in our impaired rivers, streams and aquifers. (EcoNews Aug/Sept 2013). Without regular reminders, most citizens are uninformed and unaware of the necessity and effectiveness of regulations that are applicable in Humboldt County, beyond today’s laser-focus on Marijuana. The centralization of wealth and power in every community has sustained the outdated Lockean notion of the unfettered right to appropriate and accumulate nature’s bounty made possible by money. This remains a deeply embedded theme in the U.S. despite the loss of prolific old growth, wetlands, salmon runs, water dependent bio-diversity, and now the water itself. Each loss, unimaginable less than one human lifetime ago, represents the cumulative impact of incremental, careless behavior and lost opportunities to adapt to nature’s limitations by codifying low-impact, low-tech solutions based upon science. Our water sources do not distinguish between phosphates, fertilizers, pesticides, petrochemicals, turbidity and depletion from marijuana, or from potato farms, subdivisions, roads, vineyards, trout farms, orchards, man-made ponds, Olympic pools, commercial gardens or free-range livestock. Fundamental water carrying-capacity studies are essential in avoiding the cumulative impacts of water extraction, pollution, and habitat loss that are becoming worldwide disasters. Independent, scientific analysis should be a prerequisite to permitting all future developments in our headwaters; however, this will require extensive and persistent public education that explains how water belongs to everyone, including posterity and all species. As population density increases, most citizens understand and adapt to necessary regulations. We cannot ride our horse and buggy downtown anymore, we abandoned burn barrels, dumping motor oil and shooting guns in the backyard, filling wetlands is largely prohibited, and we must acquire permits to take seaweed from the ocean or mushrooms from the forest, among many other things. Regulations remind most smokers and pet owners that their freedoms end where others’ begin, however, we have yet to convince local representatives, and their contributors, that our water, air, bay and infrastructure belong to everyone, not just those capable of drilling the deepest wells, emitting the most toxins, or creating the most sprawl, in effect, making rural and urban life more profitable and less livable. Sincerely, George Clark, Eureka, CA

NEC, Baykeeper Respond to 101 Corridor Decision

Dan Ehresman, Executive Director of the Northcoast Environmental Center Jessica Hall, Executive Director of Humboldt Baykeeper

On September 12, 2013, the California Coastal Commission voted 9-1 to conditionally approve Caltrans’ Eureka-Arcata 101 Corridor project that will include an interchange constructed at Indianola Cutoff, a half-signal at Airport Boulevard, and closure of the remaining medians along the corridor. At the hearing, representatives from Humboldt Baykeeper and the Northcoast Environmental Center argued that Caltrans did not adequately explore whether the interchange is indeed the safest, least damaging alternative, especially considering that the likely increase in speed as a result of the project has not been assessed. The Coastal Commission, along with the majority of the public who spoke at the hearing, disagreed with our opinion that Caltrans needed to look more thoroughly at possible alternatives. The Commission decided that enough analysis had been done and voted to approve the interchange as consistent with the Coastal Act. While we are disappointed that the Commission approved the project without a more thorough exploration of less expensive, less damaging alternatives, we are extremely pleased that several requirements were added that will address concerns that have been raised for many years. In the months leading up to the hearing, many people with disparate viewpoints all came to one point of agreement: the Bay Trail must be part of the project. Regardless of how the Corridor is made safer for vehicles, most agree that it is absolutely critical to provide a safe route for bicyclists and pedestrians between the region’s two largest cities. Thanks to the Coastal Commission, the Coastal Trail must be part of the project when Caltrans applies for Coastal Development Permits. Knowing that we are one huge step closer to seeing the Bay Trail built makes approval of the interchange far less objectionable from our perspective.

For years, the NEC, Baykeeper, Sierra Club, and others have also pressed for removal of billboards that have cluttered this scenic coastline. We are very pleased that the Coastal Commission agreed with our call for removal of all billboards along the 101 Corridor to mitigate for scenic impacts of a 25-foot high, ½-mile long interchange parallel to Humboldt Bay’s beautiful shoreline. We look forward to working with Caltrans to remove them once and for all. For more on billboards, see page 13. At our urging, the Commission also required that Caltrans further assess potential wetland mitigation sites to ascertain whether there may indeed be more appropriate sites to offset the roughly 10 acres of wetlands that will be filled. Last but not least, we applaud the Coastal Commission’s requirement that Caltrans address sea level rise in the design of the project. The interchange alone will cost over $25 million, and with the 101 Corridor already at risk from flooding and storm damage, it is critical that we plan projects that will not waste public investment while protecting what little wetlands remain. We know that there will be critics, but we feel the Commission’s decision is one that strikes a balance. Hopefully the respectful tone taken by people on all sides of this issue at the hearing will continue as we work toward a safer roadway, a Humboldt Bay Trail connecting Arcata and Eureka, the removal of billboards that block scenic views of Humboldt Bay, and corridor planning that takes into account sea level rise. On behalf of the NEC and Humboldt Baykeeper, we would like to thank the many people whose efforts led to what we feel is a reasonably balanced outcome: the many transportation and trail advocates, the various municipalities and County representatives, business owners, and other outspoken members of the public. A special thanks to Larry Glass, Ralph Faust, Coastal Commission staff, and others who took a principled stance in the face of opposition and helped to hold the line in order to reach a decision we can celebrate, at least in part, as a victory.

To everyone who helped make this Coastal Cleanup such a success, from all of us at the Northcoast Environmental Center, thanks you so much from the bottom of our hearts! Your commitment, many of you year after year, is truly inspiring. 2013 Site Captains: Kim Tays & Stan Binnie

George Ziminsky - Friends of Arcata Marsh Brenda Harper - North Coast Co-Op Dave Feral - Mad River Alliance Matt Porter - Kokatat John Sullivan Sid Dominitz Stacy Becker - HSU Day of Caring Geoff Praust - Trinidad Union School John St. Marie - Friends of the Dunes Carol Mone Michelle Leonard & Bryan Little - Redwood Tina & Scott Davies Josh & Glenda Nikolauson - Cub Scouts Pack 180 Montessori Dale Unea - Samoa Volunteer Fire Department Brooke Peters Georgianna Wood - Explore North Coast Terry & Kimberly Schulz Wade Kriletech - Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center Chris Goodwin - Humboldt Swim Club Billy Gartman – US Coast Guard Rachel Montgomery Jennifer Savage - Humboldt Surfrider Emily Davenport - GHD Annalise Von Borstel - Lost Coast Rotaract Ted Halstead Todd Rowe - Northcoast Environmental Center Stacey DeMarcos - Lambda Theta Alpha Sorority Lucia Boyer - Eureka High School Fawn Scheer - Greenway Partners

www.yournec.org

Gretchen Ziegler & Amanda Austin - Sequoia Park Zoo Don Wilkes - Eureka Public Marina Jessica Hall - Humboldt Baykeeper John Shelter - New Directions Heather Brown - East High School, Fortuna Katelyn Merrit David Haller - Freshwater Elementary School Mark Wheetley - Arcata City Council Bruce Slocum Dave Erickson - The Wildlands Conservancy Scott Greacen - Friends of the Eel River Lynn McCullough - Ferndale Elementary Audrey Miller Pam Halstead - Fortuna Union High School William Bell

Oct/Nov 2013

EcoNews

Hundreds Work to

of North Coast Volunteers

Make Trash Extinct

29th Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day On Saturday, September 21, Humboldt County residents turned out by the hundreds, despite the rain, to lend their hands in support of clean beaches and waterways for Coastal Cleanup Day. Over 600 volunteers scoured shorelines and inland locations, picking up trash at over 40 sites throughout the County, gathering over four tons of garbage during the morning’s three-hour event. This is the 34th year of the Northcoast Environmental Center’s coastal cleanup program and we are proud to be working as part of the California Coastal Commission’s 29th Annual Coastal Cleanup Day. The Coastal Commission’s preliminary results report that more than 51,500 volunteers collected over 47,000 pounds at over 850 sites throughout the state! California’s event is part of the International Coastal Cleanup organized by Ocean Conservancy—making our efforts part of one of the biggest days of caring celebrated worldwide. Coastal Cleanup Day is an inspirational day of action that brings our community together to celebrate and protect our rivers and coast. It is the hard work of so many amazing volunteers and the support from agencies, organizations, and businesses that really make this such a successful local event. We are immensely grateful for the devoted volunteers who regularly take part in Coastal Cleanup as well as those who perform cleanups throughout the year.

EcoNews

Oct/Nov 2013

This year’s cleanup saw volunteers of all ages—from hundreds of elementary and high school students, to volunteers who have been involved since the NEC’s first cleanup over three decades ago. People took to the beaches up and down Humboldt’s coastline, from Shelter Cove to Redwood Creek to inland reaches of the Eel and Mad Rivers. The NEC would like to extend our gratitude to ALL our cleanup volunteers, and site captains—some of whom come back to help year after year! See the list of our awesome 2013 site captains on the previous page, and our sponsors on page 2. We couldn’t do it without you! Thank you! Above, the Humboldt Baykeeper crew poses after cleaning near the Del Norte

Street pier in Eureka. Below left, students with the Fortuna Creeks Program, Data from past cleanups tell us that organized by Pam Halstead, clean trash from Rohner Creek in Fortuna. around 80 percent of the debris on our beaches and shorelines originates from land-based For those who were unable to make it sources, traveling through storm drains, creeks, or out for Coastal Cleanup Day or for those who rivers to the beaches and ocean. This year, however, cannot get enough beach cleanups, we have coastal volunteers were on the lookout for debris recently revamped our year-round Adoptfrom a new source: items that may have been washed A-Beach program. We provide bags, gloves, and other supplies–and you can participate into the Pacific due to the March 2011 tsunami in on your own time. After completing three Japan. Volunteers at many sites carried a data card, cleanups, you will be recognized by the NEC designed by the Coastal Commission with help as well as the California Coastal Commission. from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, to track Our next county-wide day of action will be potential tsunami debris. in April for the next Earth Day Cleanup. And we The NEC and other organizations throughout hope that everyone joins us next September California have been on the lookout for the 30th annual California Coastal Cleanup Day, and the 35th year of the NEC’s Coastal for any debris that may have come Cleanup campaign. from the tsunami, but at least to date, most of the debris on our beaches is For more information visit: still coming from the usual sources. In www.yournec.org/coastalcleanup the eight tsumani debris monitoring cleanups held in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, less than a dozen items A huge thank you to Sid Dominitz, founder considered “suspected” tsunami debris of the NEC’s 34 year-old coastal cleanup were found, demonstrating that, so far, campaign who joined us again this year as debris from the Japan tsunami is just site captain at College Cove – marking nearly a small drop in the bucket compared 3.5 decades of coastal cleanup action (Sid to all the trash and recycling we also held the post as long-time EcoNews clean up each year. editor and is currently a much-celebrated The NEC’s next tsunami debris contributor). Our many hats are off as well monitoring and beach cleanup events in to NEC staffer Brandon Drucker who was fundamental in helping to organize this Humboldt and Del Norte Counties will year’s County-wide cleanup efforts and be in November. If you are interested is the go-to person for those interested in volunteering, or would like more in volunteering at future cleanups. information, call our office at 707Thanks Brandon and Sid! 822-6918 or email coastalcleanup@ yournec.org to get involved!

www.yournec.org

A “Rights of Nature” Movement Is Advancing Worldwide Linda Sheehan, Earth Law Center Despite achieving some notable successes, our current environmental laws have been unable to prevent increasingly grave ecological challenges such as accelerating climate change, depleted waterways, disappearing species, and vanishing natural habitats. The reason for their limited effectiveness is that they inherently accept the premise that nature is simply fodder to feed the myth of infinite economic growth on a finite planet—a commodity that can be limitlessly manipulated to our ends. We cannot succeed on our current path viewing nature from such a misguided and disconnected perspective. In engaging with nature as our opponent, we and our flawed world-view of “nature as servant” are in fact our own opponents. We must evolve our awareness, character and actions to the fact of our shared citizenship with the natural world, rather than continue to fight it head-on in a doomed battle for dominance. Respecting our shared citizenship with nature means nothing less than acknowledging in our laws the inherent rights of ecosystems and species to exist, thrive and evolve. We assume that we have fundamental human rights, not because a government leader gave them to us, but because we were born and live on this planet. How can we not also recognize the same logic as it applies to nature? Our recognition of the rights of nature should be the foundation of our efforts to create community with the natural world. Without this clear grounding in nature’s rights, our efforts to improve the Earth’s condition will flounder. “Sustainable development” and “green economy” initiatives are popular, for example, but are problematic in that they are the

programmatic result of building off a “nature as servant” foundation. The nouns “development” and “economy” demonstrate the true focus of these initiatives—nature’s protection is merely tangential. Why not instead embrace a new focus, and claim a vision of “sustainable communities”— or better yet, “thriving communities,” where “communities” includes both humans and the natural world?

Respecting our shared citizenship with nature means nothing less than acknowledging in our laws the inherent rights of ecosystems and species to exist, thrive and evolve Around the world, people—from national governments to small towns—have begun to build this foundation of community with nature, by passing laws specifically recognizing the rights of nature to exist, thrive and evolve. Ecuador recognized these rights in its Constitution in 2008, stating that nature “has the right to exist, persist, maintain itself and regenerate.” Under the Constitution, “[a]ny person” may “demand the observance of the rights of the natural environment before public bodies,” including the rights of nature to be “completely restored.” Bolivia has passed two sets of laws on the “Rights of Mother Earth,” and hosted the World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth in April 2010. This conference, attended by over 35,000 people from 140 countries, resulted in the “Universal Declaration on the Rights of Mother Earth.” The Declaration states, among other things, that the Earth’s species and natural systems have a right to life and to exist. This document was presented to the United Nations and was been the subject of further UN discussion in April of this year. Other countries are increasingly taking up this model, including New Zealand, which recognized the legal rights of the Whanganui River and its tributaries a year ago. Here in the United States, roughly three dozen communities have taken up this particular cause, with more joining in.

Left, the Whanganui River, granted rights in New Zealand in 2012.Photo: Wikimedia Commons. Above, Got Rights display at a Rights of Nature Meeting, Philo, CA. Photo by James Lee.

Continued on page 19

www.yournec.org

Oct/Nov 2013

EcoNews

Explore the Historic Landscape of Humboldt County “I must now tell you that the land is so beautiful and the soil so rich that I was almost fascinated with the scene...In addition to the good qualities of the land, the waters produce clams in abundance as well as fish; and geese, ducks, snipe, plover, etc. are about as numerous as wild pigeons at Erie in the spring. The wood is not less productive than the water and droves of elk and deer, with a goodly number of bears are always to be found….” Captain Douglas Ottinger, on board the Laura Virginia, in Humboldt Bay, April 1850.

When the first Euro-American ships arrived off Humboldt Bay in the spring of 1850, those onboard witnessed a spectacle that we can only dream about. According to the National Park Service, cultural landscapes are documents, composed of natural and human made features and spaces that convey the land ethic and social values of a particular peoples, or groups of peoples, over time. Through the lens of their culture, these first Euro-American settlers saw the land before them as natural or untouched “wilderness” that could be transformed into a “productive” resource. They certainly did not understand that they were viewing a managed landscape and that the Wiyot people who resided here were the land managers. This month we begin a new series to explore the cultural landscapes of the Northcoast from a historical perspective in order to understand the long term impacts of how we occupy the land—and how the land has shaped our lives. Among the places we will re-visit over the next year are early logging operations, the post-WWII logging boom, reclamation projects on Humboldt Bay, early fisheries, the establishment of agriculture, and indigenous land management practices. Find the full introduction online at www.yournec.org/econews/historicland.

Frack if I Know...

Todd Rowe Despite losing support from most environmental groups, a controversial bill regulating hydraulic fracturing in California was signed into law by Governor Brown on September 20th. Hydraulic Fracturing, also called fracking, is the process by which water, sand, and hundreds of chemicals are injected deep into the ground at high pressures to fracture the rock and release the gas and oil trapped within. SB-4, sponsored by Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills), will require companies to obtain permits before acidization (the use of hydrofluoric acid and other chemicals to dissolve shale rock) and fracking. The bill also requires the notification of neighbors, public disclosure of some of the chemicals used, and groundwater and air quality monitoring. Until now, California had no rules governing fracking, despite the process being used more than 1,000 times in the last three years. The Associated Press recently reported that regulators have quietly approved offshore hydraulic fracturing at least 12 times since the late 1990s, a revelation that surprised the Coastal Commission and prompted an August announcement of its intention to investigate the practice. While Brown and Pavley celebrate the bill as a

Pumpjacks on Lost Hills Oil Field in California on Route 46 at sunset. Photo: Arne Hückelheim, Wikimedia Commons.

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momentous step in regulating hydraulic fracturing, environmental groups are concerned that not only is the bill too weak, but that it may actually pave the way for a vast expansion in fracking statewide. The stakes are high as companies eyeball the Monterey shale formation, which reportedly may hold more than 15 billion barrels of crude oil. In a statement, Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) president Catherine ReheisBoyd said, “we now have an environmental platform on which California can look toward the opportunity to responsibly develop the enormous potential energy resource contained in the Monterey Shale formation.” WSPA is currently the most powerful corporate lobbying group in California, and stopped actively lobbying against SB-4 in the closing weeks of negotiations, leading many to speculate about the deals cut over the inclusion of controversial last minute amendments that caused previously supportive environmental groups to abandon their support of the bill. “It was the governor’s office that was insisting that those amendments go in in the first place,” said Kathryn Phillips, director of Sierra Club California. “As environmental groups and others were negotiating to get those amendments changed…The governor’s office was refusing to change them.” Continued on page 19

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Kin to the Earth: Childhood camping trips helped launch Susan Bower’s lifelong love affair with nature. She early on decided to find a way to live in forested mountains year round, rather than work in urban offices most of the year to earn a few weeks in more natural places. In 1973, with her husband Joseph Bower, Susan moved to rugged land defined by wildlands later designated the Trinity Alps, Yolla Bolly and Chanchelulla Wildernesses, thanks in no small part to their efforts. There, Susan and Joseph built their homestead where they grew much of their plant-based diet, beverages, medicines and spots of flowered beauty. This and their shared concerns for the environment proved strong glues in their relationship. Susan’s activism began protesting the Vietnam war. The experience proved invaluable when citizens learned Agent Orange, left over from the war, was being used by forest land managers in Trinity County. Local residents successfully halted forest herbicide spraying by public land managers (but unfortunately not use on industrial timberland). Susan was instrumental in founding, and continues to help nurture, the organization that grew out of these efforts: Trinity County’s Safe Alternatives for our Forest Environment (SAFE). She also helped establish and lead the California Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (CCAP) which challenged the largest user of pesticides in the state: Caltrans. This campaign dramatically reduced the amount of herbicides applied to our roadsides. These efforts and successes helped convince Susan that working with integrity for the civic health and well being—even against Goliaths— is worthwhile. She found that education and relationship building can be powerful tools— even when one’s specific goals are not realized. Currently she is part of the self selecting Trinity Collaborative, wherein residents of varying viewpoints are meeting with public land managers seeking solutions to local forest problems.

Susan Bower

In all this, Susan looks for the presence of Spirit, and had long wondered why most of the faith groups did not seem to recognize the first job God gave humankind was to steward creation and its creatures. “If we profess love for God,” she says, “shouldn’t we at least respect what the Creator made and declared good?”

Ecology was formed. Susan joined its working board of directors, which helped educate and energize people across denominations on behalf of creation. This association led to Susan joining the Christian Environmental Council as the forest point person and helped lead the CEC’s efforts to have the Roadless Area Conservation Rule made law. She also worked with indigenous peoples, including local leader Chris Peters of the Seventh Generation Fund, on this and other issues. One job Susan especially enjoyed was working as faith liaison and educator for the Pacific Coast Forest Water Alliance (including over 30 national, state, and regional environmental groups), helping the leaders of these organizations understand creation care thinking and to create a directory of faith groups working on stewardship. Building gratifying relationships with many of the wild animals living on and around their homestead is a joy to Susan and Joseph. This closeness and sense of kinship with wildlife has contributed to Susan’s commitment to plant diet advocacy. She also advocates against genetic engineering in agriculture and helps lead “No to GMO” campaigns. Regardless of where on the spectrum of spiritual and religious affiliation one might be, Susan believes most all environmentalists acknowledge and in some manner follow the principles of the Golden Rule. “Doing good to others” Susan maintains, “includes not destroying—and even helping—protect the basic life support systems that we all depend upon.

Photo: Neil Harvey

A breakthrough for Susan came in the early 80’s when the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) warned leaders of the world’s major religions that the environment was in dire straits because people did not value the environment. As “values” are understood to be prominent focal points of religion, UNEP requested religious leadership engage in environmental stewardship. As a result, the North American Coalition for Christianity and

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Firefighting in Klamath Canyons is a Community Effort reduction projects throughout Live in this landscape long enough, and you figure the year aided by the Orleans the fire is eventually coming to your house. Somes Bar Fire Safe Council, the For the people of the Middle This was the year that it came to ours. Mid Klamath Watershed Council and Klamath, forest fires are largely Erica Terence

accepted as a fact of life in the steep mountain canyons. This fire season, residents routinely joked with firefighters from as far away as Florida that they were guaranteed multiple trips to the Klamath if they stayed in their line of work long enough. Some of them had already been to the Klamath area three or four times before on fire suppression efforts, while other younger firefighters were logging hours on their first of many forays into this rugged country. One division supervisor pointed out that because fire is such a regular visitor here, fire suppression forces arriving on the scene usually need only look for old bulldozer lines on ridges left over from the last time a fire swept through there and set to work re-opening them. Despite how accustomed our The Butler fire approaches the Terence residence, September 2013. Photo: Sue Terence. communities are to wildfires, these the Butler fire. Even in much of the Nordheimer were different than those we’d come to expect. Creek watershed upriver from our house, where In Orleans, up the mainstem Salmon River near logging slash left by Croman and other timber Butler, Forks of Salmon and Sawyers Bar, fires operators decades ago posed a major catastrophic started with a suspicious lack of lightning—the fire risk, high humidities kept the fire at relatively typical culprit for fires this late in the season. While low intensities overall. (Ironically, Croman, having those in command operated under a directive to profited off timber export from our watershed in put out arson fires as soon as possible, yellowshirts the 70’s and 80’s—making the areas vastly more on the ground took a refreshing approach to the hazardous during fires—now profited off fire fires in our neighborhood, allowing them to creep suppression by operating helicopters dipping in around, cleaning up the forest floor. the river near Butler during this year’s fire). Though it was not the time of year any of us But in our neighborhood, what made this fire would have chosen to do a prescribed burn, we experience most notably different than prior fires were as delighted as the firefighters to see the was our level of preparedness going in, thanks to fuel cool underburning happening in many places on

the Salmon River Restoration Council, such as mowing, chipping and piling in our “wildland-urban interface.” In addition, the impromptu citizen brigades that emerged to help friends and neighbors protect their homes in case of radical wind shifts were moving beyond words. People mobilized with gas cans, pumps, hoses, sprinklers, storage tanks and radios to defend river residences against the blazes. These volunteer citizens cannot be thanked enough. At our property, home to eight land partners, locals arrived and fit flawlessly into a system we designed on the fly to account for the locations of all 40+ volunteers on our flat at all times. We were able to give officials a head count whenever they asked for one. The announcement that we planned to have dozens of civilians on the ground as the fire approached had elicited skepticism from the firefighting agencies camped in our yard. But by the end of the week, fire officials too were checking in and out on the clipboard with our gatekeeper at the bottom of the driveway. Only then did it dawn on me that we had turned a corner in fire response. Someday, the fire may get here without the fire-industrial complex on the scene. This experience was trialby-fire training for that day. In the mean time, we’ll keep feeding the yellowshirts coffee, bread and lessons in why burning from the bottom of a slope is not a good idea. A little accountability with a lot of mutual respect goes a long way, it seems.

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Community Bike Kitchen Opens in Eureka Emily Sinkhorn Do you need more r e l i a b l e transportation? Do you have an old bike languishing in your garage? A new community space has opened in Eureka dedicated to sharing knowledge of how to repair and maintain bicycles and increasing transportation security for residents in Eureka and beyond. The Community Bike Kitchen provides community members access to tools, work space, knowledgeable mechanics, used bikes and bike parts—all through a small donation or by volunteering time in the bike kitchen. Since opening June 1 of this year, the Community Bike Kitchen has been a hub of learning and activity for all ages—youth to seniors. In addition, the Earn-a-Bike program has enabled dozens of youth and adults alike the opportunity to volunteer in the bike kitchen learning new skills while working towards a new set of wheels. The opportunity for a bike kitchen stemmed from the recognition of many transportation challenges in west Eureka and growing community interest in creating a safe, welcoming space to share bicycle knowledge and recycle used bikes back into the hands and feet of the community. A passionate group of community members and staff from Redwood Community Action Agency came together in early 2013 to explore opportunities for creating and sustaining

a bike kitchen. The group wanted to focus on education and sharing of community knowledge, and found a great partnership with the Westside Community Improvement Association which has been restoring the old Jefferson School into a new, bustling, community center. The Community Bike Kitchen is powered by volunteers and community support. A core steering committee, dedicated mechanics and shop managers keep the wheels spinning, though we are always looking for interested folks to join the team! The Humboldt State University police department, local bike shops and dozens of individuals and community groups have donated used bicycles, parts and tools to help launch and sustain the bike kitchen. This support has helped the bike kitchen to be fully equipped to assist with any bicycle repair and offer a range of wellfunctioning, used bicycles for the community. In addition to tremendous community support and donations, the Community Bike Kitchen recently was fortunate to receive a grant from the John Anderson Brown & Dorothy Eileen Brown Memorial Fund, and Julie Willows Memorial Fund— both funds of the Humboldt Area Foundation. This

grant will enable the bike kitchen to start monthly topic-specific workshops and to purchase bicycle work stands and tools to better meet members’ repair needs. Swing by the bike kitchen to learn new skills, find a bike for yourself, make some repairs, or just to check out the space. We are located at 1000 B Street in Eureka in the Jefferson Community Center, and open hours are Tuesday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information visit the bike kitchen on Facebook, Community Bike Kitchen at Jefferson School, or contact Emily at 707-269-2061.

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Planning for Sea Level Rise

October 11-13, 2013 Sustainable Living Institute Hopland, CA “In the leaking ship that we’ve made of our planet, the Transition movement is like a ﬂotilla of life rafts. And they’ve come not to pull us oﬀ the earth, but to help us patch it and make it right.” Bill McKibben, author and founder 350.org

Larry Goldberg, Transition Humboldt For the first time, the two complimentary movements of Permaculture and Transition Towns are merging conferences and uniting to offer a joint regional convergence: the Building Resilient Communities Conference. The conference brings together hundreds of visionary change-makers for an exciting two and a half days of education and inspiration. From climate change to resource depletion to urban decay and violence, the conference attendees will explore and experience solutions to some of the most critical issues of the 21st Century to catalyze grassroots community organizing efforts and propel the resilient community movement to the next level of public awareness. The conference features several world-renowned keynote speakers and extraordinary change-makers building resilience in diverse communities. There will also be more than 20 educational workshops. The event will present a rare opportunity for some of Northern California’s most exemplary community organizers to gather for social networking from a multitude of communities ranging from Santa Cruz to Humboldt. A bioregional meet-up will occur at the event to link regional groups together to share information and begin a dialog within each region. Permaculture and Transition Towns are some of the most promising approaches to sustainability. The Transition Movement is a key approach to putting permaculture into practice and is now in 500+ communities worldwide—including 35 US states, and 43 countries in 13 languages. More information and registration is available at:

www.transitiontopermaculture.org

Rose Kelly As sea level rise pushes both sea water and tidal habitats onto human spaces, climate change becomes less about science and more about how we choose to react. In the area surrounding Humboldt Bay, a wildlife refuge, transportation corridor, businesses, agricultural land, and several sewage treatment plants are all threatened by inundation. Nationally, there are still people who question if climate change is actually happening, but locally the question is “what are we going to do about it”? When planning for sea level rise, it is first important to understand the physical environment in question. Lidar is one tool that can be used to map elevation and create highly accurate, 3D models of land underwater topography. A fusion of laser and radar technologies, lidar sends a pulse of energy at the ground from aircraft or ships, and measures the returns— accurate within centimeters. Once this data is collected, models of sea level rise can be placed on the map to understand how differing scenarios interact with the landmass. In earthquake-prone areas such as the North Coast, models should also include seismic data. The Humboldt Bay area is subsiding at about the same rate as sea level is rising, resulting in sea level rise that is double the state average. And though this area is part of the Cascadia subduction zone, major earthquakes can also result in uplift in some areas, increasing the complexity of analysis. These models, while not necessarily exact predictions of the future, can dramatically illustrate and identify areas most at risk to effective sea level rise. Tidal wetlands serve as a buffer between the land and sea; protecting dry land and human settlements while providing important wildlife habitat. However,

these areas have already been impacted and altered by centuries of human development. A shoreline inventory of Humboldt Bay by Aldaron Laird revealed that 75% of the shoreline of Humboldt Bay is artificial. As salt marshes were diked off over time, the gradual transition from land to sea was turned into an abrupt edge of levees. The majority of this artificial shoreline has not been maintained due to cost and environmental impact, and is beginning to crumble and overtop in numerous places—presenting additional risk to adjacent land from rising waters. Landowners and the public must ponder the future of these lands—whether agricultural, urban, or wild. These lands represent significant value for local communities and to save them from the predicted rise in sea level will cost a great deal of money. If you want to help shape the future of the coast, attend public meetings to stay informed and voice your concerns, and comment on environmental assessment documents. Rose Kelly is a senior at HSU in Natural Resources. This article is part of her internship with the Northcoast Environmental Center. Rose has also volunteered on other NEC projects and is a member of the HSU crew team.

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Eye on

What Would Gifford Pinchot Do?

In 1905, Gifford Pinchot became the first chief of the US National Forest Service as we know it. He was not always beloved by preservationists, like John Muir, but he brought science to long-term management of our national forests and ended the shortsighted supply/demand practices that were destroying them. This year the US House of Representatives decided to return to shortsighted management by passing HR 1526, the oddly titled: “Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act.” The bill drastically increases the amount of logging (including clear-cutting) with amounts not determined by sustain-yield and scientific forest practices, but by political edict. Common fears are employed to encourage support, such as forest fires and insect damaged trees as a drivers. Worse, the bill limits public engagement in environmental review (“streamlining”). The “healthy community” portion of the bill’s title relates to the reauthorization of earmarking logging revenue to supplement funding of nearby rural schools. Funding schools is popular on all sides, but this bill reduces the legacy of Gifford Pinchot’s work by lining the pockets of local governments rather than providing for Pichot’s “greater good”. Rep. DeFazio, a Democrat who represents our neighbors just north over the Oregon border, admits the bill has lots of flaws. DeFazio, however, thinks the benefits to his constituency of saving some old growth forests, and adding some wilderness and wild river protections, outweigh those concerns. The Northcoast Environmental Center joined with 25 other conservation organizations in sending a letter to the House opposing this bill. The bill passed with only 17 Democrats following DeFazio’s lead. All CA Republicans voted in favor of the bill while all CA Democrats voted in opposition (including our own representative, Jared Huffman). Now it will be up to the US Senate to deal with the bill. We hope CA Senators Feinstein and Boxer will help stop this bad bill, but also carve out one that would extend economic supplement to schools near our national forests.

of offering nuanced answers. She politely refused, and reminded him that as a US Citizen, she paid his salary. This only made Rep. Johnson even more angry. Rep. Johnson then insinuated that her organization was not real, and asked about her husband’s green energy business in Nebraska. Ms. Kleeb pointed out that it was odd that none of the witnesses who support the pipeline were asked about their spouses’ work, and if there were questions for her husband, the committee should call her husband rather than badgering her. The line of questioning was obviously a planned scare tactic to keep pipeline opponents from testifying, but Ms. Kleeb refused to be bullied. After Rep. Johnson left the room following his line of “questioning”, a female Rep. from Upstate NY apologized and expressed outrage at the display of badgering. It would seem Ms. Kleeb was vindicated. There was no bill or vote related to the hearing, just complaining and an unexpected chance to highlight the courage and work of activist Jane Kleeb. You can check out Ms. Kleeb and Bold Nebraska at www.boldnebraska.org.

Washington The 5 Year Keystone Pipeline Kvetch Kvetch = verb \’kvech, ‘kfech\ : to complain often or constantly

The House of Representatives decided to throw a 5th “anniversary party” (disguised as a hearing) to complain about the delays surrounding a White House decision on whether to approve or deny the permit to construct the Keystone XL Tar Sands pipeline. The pipeline would bring the dirtiest, most toxic, and most polluting oil bitumen to Gulf Coast refineries—from which most of the refined oil will then be shipped to foreign markets—while endangering rivers, wetlands and groundwater along its approximately 3,800 mile long corridor. The hearing was wrong from the start. As the White House pointed out, the TransCanada Corp. had actually submitted this permit only one year ago—so this should have been a one year kvetch at most. The rest—”jobs” and “energy independence” arguments—are just the same old smokescreen talking points. (Studies say most jobs would be temporary or nonexistent for local communities along the pipeline route.) Talking points such as these are polished by oil industry lobbyists and fed to Congressional representatives. Rep. Johnson from Ohio (who, according to 350.org, had recently received a quarter of a million dollars in donations from the oil industry) provided one of the more lively—though embarrassing—moments in the current Congress. He decided it was not enough to stick to the same old kvetching talking points, instead choosing to personally attack a witness. His victim: Ms. Jane Kleeb, one of only two witnesses opposing the pipeline and creator and head of Bold Nebraska, a group of activists opposing the seizure of their lands and threats to clean water. He harassed her by insisting she could only answer “yes” or “no” to complex questions instead

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REGENERATIVE DEVELOPMENT

We Applaud the PLANT Act Congressman Huffman joined with neighboring congressman LaMalfa to try to bring some attention to the legitimate problems of illegal logging, road-building, sediment run-off and toxins that mark illegal pot grows on our public lands. Without getting into the pro/anti marijuana debate, the Act sends a message that engaging in these practices that destroy forests and wildlife habitat, and sap the water from our fisheries and aquatic ecosystems cannot be ignored or condoned. Environmental destruction of our public lands and toxic chemicals left behind from these illegal commercial activities cost all of us to clean up. We also hope congress will look at means to dissuade these illegal activities before they begin, but Congressman Huffman is shining an official light on an important topic. Dan Sealy is the NEC’s Legislative Analyst in D.C.

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andpiper

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2013

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. Bring your binocular(s) and have a great morning birding! Meet in the parking lot at the end of South I Street (Klopp Lake) in Arcata at 8:30 a.m. Trips end around 11 a.m. October leaders: 5th: Cindy Moyer; 12th: Chet Ogan; 19th: Ken Burton; 26th: Samantha Bacon.

Saturday, October 12: eBird Site Survey–Shay Park. 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 8:00 a.m. at the Shay Park parking lot that is located at the eastern end of Foster Avenue. Waterproof shoes are recommended as we typically walk through a grassy ﬁeld off-trail. Sunday, October 13: 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 9:00 a.m. Call Jude Power or David Fix (707-8223613) for more information. Sunday, October 20: 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 9:00 a.m., parking by the kiosk near the farmhouse at the main entrance. Sunday, October 20: Eureka Waterfront. Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the foot of W. Del Norte St., where we will scope birds off the public dock here until everyone assembles. We will then drive to the base of the Hikshari’ Trail at Truesdale Street and bird along the trail to the Elk River Wildlife Area. Leader: Ralph Bucher (707- 499-1247; thebook@reninet.com). Saturday, October 26: Arcata Bottoms. Meet leader Ken Burton (707-499-1146) at the Foster Ave. entrance to Shay Park at 8:30 a.m. We’ll spend an hour or so in the park, then head out farther into the Arcata Bottoms in search of early winter raptors and waterfowl, migrant sparrows and blackbirds, and other open-country species. This will be a half-day trip. Sunday, November 10: Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. See October 13. Sunday, November 17: Southern Humboldt Community Park. See October 20. Saturday, November 16: eBird Site Survey–Shay Park. See October 12.

RRAS

Volunteer Appreciation Event Oct

If you are among the 50-plus people who have volunteered for RRAS in the past 12 months, you should have received an e-mail invitation to our Third Annual Volunteer Appreciation Event. It will be held at the Humboldt Area Foundation on Indianola Cutoff from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Friday, October 25. Eligible volunteers include RRAS board members, ﬁeld trip leaders, Sandpiper contributors, and helpers at special events (e.g., Wildlife Camp, Godwit Days). Signiﬁcant others are welcome. Because the event is so near Halloween, we hope attendees will get in the spirit and dress up. Sue Leskiw will again bring her vast collection of fun hats and wigs, if you want to borrow a look for the evening. Invitees are reminded to RSVP to Sue at sueleskiw@suddenlink.net or 442-5444 by Monday, October 21, with their choice of beverage and number attending (even if zero), so we can plan the food and libations. Also let us know if you can arrive early to help set up.

Sunday, November 17: Eureka Waterfront. See October 20.

October Program

F r i d ay , O c t o b e r 1 1 T H Chasing the Devil

Local biologist Adam Brown has spent the past 3 years in the Caribbean looking for the Blackcapped Petrel. Known throughout the Caribbean as the Diablotin, the petrel is one of the rarest seabirds in the world. Until 2011, no nests of the species had ever been located. As part of an expedition led by Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC; www.epicislands.org) and partnering with conservation groups in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, Adam and his crew helped locate and describe the ﬁrst Black-capped Petrel colonies ever recorded. Come listen to Adam describe the conservation effort, hear about their recent successes, and learn more about this rare and elusive seabird.

FIELD TRIPS

Programs start at 7:30

November Program

F r i d ay , N o v e m b e r 8 T H Antarctic Adventure!

In September and October 2013, a small group of intrepid explorers embarked on a journey into the Antarctic wilderness and the unknown. United by a sense of adventure and a shared love of the far South, they undertook an odyssey to witness one of the most iconic Antarctic moments: Emperor Penguin families uniting after the long winter as sunlight returns to the pack ice. The team plans to land on the Antarctic Peninsula and to travel overland to reach the northernmost colony, at Snow Hill Island. Within weeks of his return (assuming he survives!), Ted Cheeseman of Cheeseman Ecology Safaris will share his adventures on this expedition with us, along with information about the fascinating life history of this, the largest penguin species.

p.m. at the Humboldt County Ofﬁce of Education

near the Burre Center at Myrtle and West in Eureka. Bring a mug to enjoy shade-grown coffee, and 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 Jill Demers ……………………………… 707-667-6163 Hal Genger ………………..............…….. 707-443-7147 Harriet Hill………………………………. 707-267-4055 Lew Norton.....................................……… 707-445-1791 Susan Penn..................................…......…. 707-443-9660 C.J. Ralph ............................................….. 707-822-2015 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 Finance: Syn-dee Noel ...............................707-442-8862 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 — Ken Burton ..........................707-499-1146 Publications — C.J. Ralph..................….. 707-822-2015 Publicity — Harriet Hill............................ 707-267-4055 Sandpiper (Editor):Jan Andersen …....… 707-616-3888 Sandpiper (Layout): Gary Bloomfield ......707-822-0210 Volunteer Coordinator — Susan Penn.…707-443-9660 Website Gatekeeper—SueLeskiw…….....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 – Bernadette Cheyne, Kris N. Haedrich, Susan Lashbrook, Pamela Mendelsohn, Lee E. Mitchell Brown, Beverly Prosser, William D. Thomas, Kerry S. Varkevisser, Gianpaolo Venturi, Tyler Whiteside BAYSIDE – Andrea Armin, Bryan Hawes, Susan Huntress CRESCENT CITY – Lawrence A. Davis, Suzanne Dyer, Timothy Nelson, Mary E. Rameika, Sharon Plack, Windy Rinn, Phyllis Wardlaw EUREKA – Terry Baker, James W. Cernohlavek, Renee Cloney, Elaine Crawford, Janet Foos, Arlene Ghera, Michael Giusti, Lee A. Gossard, Glenda Hesseltine, Shawna D. Heyer. Allan Katz, Gerald W. Loffelbein, Laurey Morris, Angus Stewart, N. A. Taylor, John Thomas, Tom Torma, Michael Tout, Anna Wooten, L. Wright FERNDALE – Susan Lacy FORTUNA – Linda M. Bell GARBERVILLE – Greg Gratzel KNEELAND – Kenneth Cook, Kevin Cost, Betsy Watson MCKINLEYVILLE – Sondra Mixon, Chris Sottak, Kaye L. Westcott PETROLIA – G. Hunt REDWAY – Taun Moondy, Rebecca Nelson RIO DELL – Muriel Spencer SMITH RIVER – Blanch Giblin TRINIDAD – Magdeline Pereira

We look forward to seeing you on field trips and at our monthly programs.

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN: Threats to Humboldt Bird Populations

By Jim Clark

I ended my last column with an emphasis on considering the International Ecotourism Society’s criteria for outbound birding, pointing out that all birding is local to someone. In this issue, let’s take a closer look at local and inbound birding habitat conservation, preservation, and enhancement. Our chapter territory owes its excellent birding habitat to its natural attributes for birds, lots of recreational and science/ research birders as a resident population, and inbound migrant birders. Many of our resident birders are known to migrate but usually return. Our excellent birding habitat, however, is being threatened in several ways in our chapter territory: • Cultivation of marijuana (Cannabis sativa) on an industrial scale is killing aquatic life by drying up streams, killing wildlife with pesticides, and causing erosion and deforestation. • Failure of the California Coastal Commission to work effectively with local jurisdictions has resulted in significant degradation of birding habitat due to illegal camping by what is known as “the homeless population.” • The proliferation of invasive non-native plants has not only taken over important native plant populations used by birds, many, such as ivy and pampas grass, provide breeding habitat for rats that prey on birds and are a potential public health nuisance. We know of these circumstances mostly through observation and investigation using the biological and earth sciences. The social, political, and economic sciences and education, however, are required to actually solve these problems.

The good news is that the Humboldt Institute for Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research (HIIMR) at Humboldt State University has been formed. An example of bad news is a recent forum that was sponsored by a local businessman to address an alleged “takeover by the homeless” by choosing which programs designed to help them should be eliminated—a divisive and counterproductive approach rather than one based on evidence. Such biased methods tend to polarize people on important issues rather than solve problems. There is a clear need to take a scientific approach to this problem. A better approach might be to form an “Institute for Interdisciplinary Homeless Research” to provide real facts for real solutions. The invasive non-native plant problem is being addressed to some extent by the County Department of Agriculture and Bureau of Land Management, but some of these plants continue to be sold for landscaping purposes. Some success has been achieved on public lands with volunteer removal campaigns of Scotch broom, the various ivies, pampas grass, and Cotoneaster, but information on good native landscaping alternatives to these weeds is not widespread. More education is needed here. The trinity of the Audubon way is to use science, education, and law to achieve our goals. While this approach includes the types of methods required, it is essential that we use as much of each method that we can. Limiting science to ornithology, education to classrooms, or law to promoting legislation is not enough. As in nature, we must embrace diversity in our actions to be an effective force for a better environment and birding habitat.

CONSERVATION NOTES : Some Favorable Closures By Chet Ogan I attended the September 12, 2013, California Coastal Commission (CCC) meeting held in Eureka ad have some favorable results to report. Early on the agenda, a PowerPoint presentation by Aldaron Laird on his Humboldt Bay Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Project showed that the railroad prism and Highway 101 corridor are vulnerable to flooding, which could cause major disruption of our infrastructure. The CCC took note of this finding. Expect to hear more about this as an Audubon conservation issue in the future as the CCC will be adapting its policies to account for Mother Nature. In Del Norte County, the Federal Aviation Agency has required McNamara Field airport to expand runway length, which will require adding or improving 1,500 feet of runway, resulting in a wetland and dune take of 16.9 acres. Mitigation will consist of buying more taxdefaulted lots and decommissioning roads in Pacific Shores, and making improvements in Tolowa Dunes State Park. RRAS, Friends of Del Norte, and the northwest

California chapters of the California Native Plant Society and Sierra Club supported this. The CCC voted to approve this proposal. For more details see http://documents. coastal.ca.gov/reports/2013/9/Th9b-9-2013.pdf I have spent 8 years attending meetings of the Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCOAG) Citizen Action Committee concerning the Highway 101 Eurekato-Arcata Safety Corridor as an at-large representative for the conservation community. I drove this corridor almost daily for 30 years between home in Eureka and work in Arcata, so I was interested in this issue. We met with business owners along this corridor who would be most impacted by any highway changes. As with many highway issues, Audubon has viewed similar projects first with public safety in mind and second with concern for the environmental effects of the project and its proper mitigation. Representing RRAS, I have also attended meetings and met with public officials concerning a bay trail along the Highway 101 corridor. Although the final decision to close 4 intersections will affect several businesses, the overpass at Indianola Road will be safer than the existing “highway scramble.” Highway and bicycle/pedestrian paths will be provided with sea-level rise considerations.

Christmas Bird Counts

Redwood Region Audubon Society (RRAS) is sponsoring 5 local Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs) between December 14, 2013, and January 5, 2014. The counts are part of the 114th count that involves over 50,000 observers–most of them amateurs– throughout the U.S. and the world. Mark your calendar for one or more of these CBCs:

Arcata–Saturday, Dec. 14, Daryl Coldren (916-3848089; QuiAvisPetit@aol.com). The count circle is centered on Arcata, stretching north to McKinleyville south of Murray Road, west to Samoa and Manila, east to Bayside up to the Baywood Golf Course, and south including Freshwater and to Eureka along the waterfront to Bayshore Mall. Del Norte–Sunday, Dec. 15, Alan Barron (707-4658904; ﬂockﬁnder@yahoo.com) or Gary Lester (707839-3373; garys.lester@gmail.com). The count circle includes Crescent City, Smith River, Fort Dick, Lake Earl, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park/Redwood National Park, and the western portion of the Smith River National Recreation Area. Willow Creek–Saturday, (possibly Dec. 21), Gary Lester (see above). The count circle, centered on Willow Creek, includes Horse Mountain, portions of the South Fork & Main Stem of the Trinity River, the small community of Salyer, and the southern Hoopa Valley. If you plan to do this county, check with Gary about the date. Centerville–Sunday, Dec. 29, Gary Lester (see above). The count circle is centered on Loleta, divided into geographic sectors of (1) Fields Landing, King Salmon, College of the Redwoods; (2) Table Bluff; (3) Loleta; (4) Fortuna; (5) Ferndale; (6) Centerville Road; (7) Port Kenyon Road; (8) Grizzly Bluff Road; (9) South Spit; (10) Centerville Beach; (11) Elk River Valley; (12) Humboldt Hill; and (13) Salt River. Tall Trees–Date still to be determined, Ken Burton (707-499-1146; shrikethree@gmail.com). The third year for this count circle between Big Lagoon and Orick.See the next issue of The Sandpiper for further details on how to participate. RRAS will sponsor a potluck dinner on December 13 to “kick off” the CBC season.

Get Involved!

RRAS is continually in need of volunteers, either for sporadic one-time tasks such as a mailing party or volunteering at the Godwit Days spring festival or for monthly needs such as a Hospitality person to be in charge of providing brewed coffee and other goodies to the once-a-month member meetings. In all cases, training will be provided as well as, when appropriate, a budget for supplies. To become a volunteer for RRAS, please contact Susan Penn (707-443-9660).

Coming in December:

Never the Same Autumn Twice “You cannot step twice into the same river, for other waters are continually flowing in.” --Heraclitus, Greek philosopher, 500 B.C. The Chinese Zodiac designates each year as sign of an animal, such as Tiger or Monkey. We birders sometimes employ a similar naming scheme, with the main difference being that the year—or season—can be named only after it has passed. For example, Palm Warblers are considered an expected fall migrant in Humboldt County. However, they’ve never been as numerous as they were during the fabled fall and winter of 1993-94, when nearly 100 individuals were tallied. For those of us who birded Humboldt that autumn, the memory is an indelible one. During a drive southward to Petrolia, it seemed as though every fence line, mini-orchard, or ranch house yard boasted one or more birds. Underscoring the ubiquity of Palm Warblers that autumn, Rob Hewitt recorded a first record for vagrant warbler-impoverished Trinity County. Many of these birds lingered to be recorded on local CBCs, with 46 and 27 recorded on the Centerville and Arcata counts, respectively. Factors that lead to designations such as “Year of the Palm Warbler” are many and varied. A species’ production—or lack thereof—on its breeding grounds, predation, weather, migration mortality, and intensity of observer coverage during the migration all affect the final tally. Weather generally is regarded as the most crucial variable. Did fog or storms concentrate migrants at patches of vegetation, or did north winds and clear nights conspire to swiftly usher birds southward, beyond our grasp? Such vagaries that may or may not occur during “migration windows” nearly guarantee that each season will be unique, that we’ll never step twice into the same river of migrants.

Fall 1998 was Year of the Blackpoll Warbler, with 24 noted in Humboldt vs. only 2 this fall as of September 21. My vote for fall 2012 was easy: Year of the Philadelphia Vireo, because 8 birds were spotted. Prior to last fall, there were only 29 records for Humboldt and Del Norte, with records stretching back to 1967. The spring migration pulse also carries the potential for a memorable event. May 1998 certainly was deserving of its status as Bristlethighed Curlew Month. Alan Barron reported one on May 14 at the Battery Point lighthouse in Crescent City. This bird—the ﬁrst ever conﬁrmed sighting in California—was considered by experts to be one of 15 to 25 that made it to the West Coast that spring. Unless something amazing happens in the next several weeks, quantity-wise, it seems appropriate to dub fall 2013 as Season of the Northern Waterthrush, as 9 have been seen in Humboldt as of September 21. Of course, quality can trump quantity, modifying how we choose to remember fall 2013. There’s still plenty of fall migration ahead of us. Finding even a single Blue-footed Booby, Golden-winged Warbler—or a chaseable Broad-winged Hawk—would likely have enough heft to tip the naming scales. Dr. Stan Harris has kept meticulous records of bird observations in northwestern California for more than four decades. This column wouldn’t have been possible without his making these records available to me. Many thanks, Doc! Tom Leskiw

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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

July 15 to August 31, 2013 Field Notes is a compilation of bird-sighting reports for Del Norte, Humboldt, Trinity, and western Siskiyou counties. Sources include the RRAS Bird Box (707-822LOON), the online northwestern California birding and information exchange (nwcalbird@yahoogroups.com), eBird (http://ebird.org/content/klamathsiskiyou), 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. FOS = first of season; HBNWR = Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge; HSU Pelagic = Humboldt State University pelagic trip to Eel River Canyon; MOb = many observers. Humboldt County Hooded Merganser: 1-2, Arcata Marsh, 10-25 Aug (IG, EW, TL, BE) • Murphy’s Petrel: 1, Repositioning Cruise, 10 Jul (PL) • “Dark-rumped” Petrel: 1, Repositioning Cruise, 10 Jul (PLe); 2, Repositioning Cruise, 18 Jul (PL) • Black-footed Albatross: ~60, HSU Pelagic, 31 Aug (RF, SM, MC, MOb) • Hawaiian Petrel: 4: Repositioning Cruise, 18 Jul (PL) • Fleshfooted Shearwater: 1, HSU Pelagic, 31 Aug (RF, SM, MC, MOb) • Buller’s Shearwater: 50 (FOS), Offshore Humboldt, 31 Aug (SM) • Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel: 1-2; HSU Pelagic, 31 Aug (RF, SM, MC, MOb) • Northern Goshawk: 1-3, Horse/Grouse Mountain, 2025 Jul (MC, MD, KO, BE); South Fork Mountain, 18 Aug (MM) • Pacific Golden-Plover: 1, Ocean Ranch, 16-18 Jul (BE, MD, ML); 1, Centerville (Russ Ranch) Wetlands, 17 Aug (BE); 1, Mad River Slough—Lanphere

Long-eared Owl, 5 Sep, Airport Patch, n. spit HUM, © B Elvert

Rd., 23 Aug (ML, DH) • Golden-Plover sp: 1, Ocean Ranch, 21 Jul (RF) • Ruddy Turnstone: 30, Ocean Ranch, 21 Jul (RF) • Red Knot: 2-5, Jacoby Creek Mouth, 28 Jul-29 Aug (DF, BE); 8, Arcata Marsh, 28 Jul (SB); 4, Ocean Ranch, 30 Aug (BE) • Sanderling: 1 (rare in N Humboldt bay), Jacoby Creek mouth, 31 Jul (DF) • Baird’s Sandpiper: 1 (FOS), Clam Beach, 2 Aug (GL, LL) • Buff-breasted Sandpiper: 1, Arcata Bottoms-V St. Loop, 22-28 Aug (KI, RF, TK, MOb) • Semipalmated Sandpiper: 1 adult, Ocean Ranch, 1324 Jul (DC, TK, KB, MOb); 1 ad., Mad River Estuary, 17 Jul (RF); 1 juv., Jacoby Creek Mouth, 30 Jul (DF); 1-3 juv., Arcata Bottoms-V St. Loop, 23-27 Aug (KB, RF, MOb); 1, Arcata Marsh-Klopp Lake, 24 Aug (RF, KB, MOb) • Pectoral Sandpiper: 1 ad. (FOS), Ocean Ranch, 18 Jul (ML) • Dunlin: 1 ad. (FOS, exceedingly early), Arcata Marsh, 6 Jul (KB); 1 ad., Ocean Ranch, 15-17 Jul (KO, CR, MD) • Wilson’s Phalarope: 16

Bell’s Sparrow, 1 Aug 2013, © K Ongman

and early) dark male, Arcata Marsh, 4 Aug (DF); 1 ad. fem., McKinleyville residence, 17 Aug (RF) • Lark Sparrow: 1, Arcata Marsh, 25 Aug (BE) • Bell’s Sparrow (recently split from Sage Sparrow): 1, Horse/ Grouse Mountain Rd, 31 Jul-8 Aug (RF, KO, DC, MOb) • Indigo Bunting: 1, Arcata Marsh, 1 Aug (GZ). DEL NORTE COUNTY

Tennessee Warbler, © Brad Elvert

(seasonal high count), Ocean Ranch, 16 Jul (KB); 1-2, Arcata Oxidation Ponds, 27-31 Jul (BE, RF); 3, Ocean Ranch, 4 Aug (TK, TL); 1, Arcata Bottoms-V St. Loop, 27 Aug (PC) • Ancient Murrelet: 1 HSU Pelagic, 31 Aug (fide RF, MOb) • Tufted Puffin: 1, HSU Pelagic, 31 Aug (fide RF, MOb) • Scripps’s Murrelet: 1, Repositioning Cruise-50 km W of Punta Gorda, 30 Jul (PL, BC) • South Polar Skua: 1, Repositioning Cruise, 30 Jul (PL, BC); 3, HSU Pelagic, 31 Aug (RF, MOb) •Long-tailed Jaeger: ~60, HSU Pelagic, 31 Aug (fide RF, MOb) • Yellow-billed Cuckoo: 1-2, Ferndale Bottoms-Salt River, 8-18 Jul (SS, BL, SM, MOb) • Flammulated Owl: 1-2, Groves Prairie, 25-26 Aug (MD) • Bank Swallow (new colony): ~45 birds, s. bank of Eel River opposite Cock Robin Island, 13 Jul (TL) • Canyon Wren: 1, Low-Water Bridge, S. Fork of Trinity River (Humboldt/Trinity counties line), 11 Jul (RF) • Yellow-headed Blackbird: 1, Beech CreekPatrick’s Point, 18 Jul (JE) • Great-tailed Grackle: 1 juv., Arcata Bottoms-Moxon Dairy, 19 Jul (DC) • Hooded Oriole: 2-4/family group, Arcata-Shay Park, 18-27 Jul (RF, MOb) • Merlin (columbarius): 1 (FOS

Long-tailed Duck: 1 fem., Crescent City Harbor, 5-6 Aug (AB, DV, CD) • Murphy's Petrel: 4, Repositioning Cruise, 18 Jul (PL) • “Dark-rumped” Petrel: 1, Repositioning Cruise, 18 Jul (PL) • Cook’s Petrel: 1, Repositioning Cruise, 18 Jul (PL) • Wilson’s Phalarope: 3 juv., Alexandre Dairy, 26 Jul (LB) • South Polar Skua: 1, Repositioning Cruise, Jul 30 (PL, BC) • Tufted Puffin: 10, Castle Rock, 28 Jul (AB) • Eastern Phoebe: 1, Pacific Shores, 23 Jul (CR) • Mountain Bluebird: 2 ad., 2 juv., Chimney Rock area, 8-15 Jul (LB); 3-6, Doctor Rock Trail, 26 Jul-12 Aug (LB) • Buff-breasted Sandpiper: 1, Alexandre Dairy, 19-25 Aug (LB) • Semipalmated Sandpiper: 2, Alexandre Dairy, 6 Aug (TK, DS); 2, Alexandre Dairy, 22 Jul (LB).

Cited Observers: Samantha Bacon, Alan Barron, Lucas Brug, Ken Burton, Barbara Carlson, Daryl Coldren, Mark Colwell, Phil Chaon, Mathew Delgado, Colin Dillingham, Jim Edwards, Brad Elvert, David Fix, Rob Fowler, Ian Gledhill, Derek Harvey, Ken Irwin, Tony Kurz, Matt Lau, Paul Lehman, Tom Leskiw, Gary Lester, Lauren Lester, Jim Lomax, Brett Lovelace, Mark Magneson, Sean McAllister, Kurt Ongman, Casey Ryan, Sam Scott, Keith Slauson, Dave Spangenburg, Robert Sutherland, Dennis Vroman, Matt Wachs, Erika Wilson, George Ziminsky. Thanks to all who have submitted reports. Remember to call the Bird Box as fall heats up.

ZWH Helps the North Country Fair Reduce Waste

If the North Country Fair’s Samba Parade and All Species Parade were combined—cartoon by Terry Torgerson, 2013.

Margaret Gainer The Zero Waste Humboldt (ZWH) crew enjoyed the two-day 2013 North Country Fair, but we were there on a serious mission. In the 40 years since the Fair began, the introduction of many plastics and single-use food and beverage containers has resulted in more wasteful events. ZWH wants to demonstrate how large outdoor events can be held without contributing to environmental damage. In Arcata, this is an issue of community pride. Sharing our conviction, the North Country Fair invited us to take responsibility for waste management and reduction at this year’s Fair. Two important lessons have become evident. First, 100% participation of the vendors, by serving food and beverages in reusable/washable, or paper and compostable plastic containers, is necessary to effectively and efficiently reduce waste. Only two vendors at this years’ Fair did not participate, but their non-compostible plastic containers found comtaminating the recycling and compost bins throughout the weekend, requiring sorting and removal by hand. Second, no amount of signs, flags, or special containers can replace the value of a trained crew to serve as public educators and diligent container monitors. Our crew of 50 volunteers and 4 staff were trained to identify the different material types and to be able to spot the bad copycat versions of compostable and recyclable materials. Our training session emphasized positive communications with the public. Feedback from Fair attendees was overwhelmingly positive. With bright vests and flags, volunteers received many words of appreciation and encouragement. We had a family of 3 generations volunteer together. Housemates, friends, and a large team of co-workers from Servas International volunteered. Students from Arcata High School, Northcoast Preparatory Academy, and HSU students volunteered. Our waste management operaters set up all the stations, and kept discarded materials moving from vendors’ compost containers and the discard stations on the Plaza to the designated dumpsters. We discouraged the use of single-use water bottles at the Fair by serving a tap water alternative

Many thanks to all the generous folks who of chilled local drinking water from water coolers lent us various materials and tools needed for the at our ZWH booth, where people could refill their weekend, and those who gave their time. Also a own cup or bottle, or borrow one of our stainless heartfelt thank you to the Same Old People and steel or durable/reusable plastic cups. The Retired Fair staff for involving Zero Waste Humboldt and Senior Volunteer Program booth also served free their commitment to zero waste. water in compostable paper cups. For more information and photos, and a When more water coolers and hydration complete Thank You list, visit this article online: stations are conveniently available at the Fair, there www.yournec.org/econews/zwh/octnov13. will be no need for water in plastic, single use bottles. While waste prevention strategies are more difficult to measure, when fullyimplemented, these systemic changes are the most effective at reducing waste. For an authentic Zero Waste event, careful monitoring and tracking weights of waste generated is essential to set realistic annual goals for incrementally reducing waste over time. The goal is not just to divert waste from the landfill, but to generate less waste in the first place. New systems, new Fair Board policies, and new habits will help the North Country Fair progress each year toward its Zero goal. This year, 17% of the Fair’s waste was recycled, 41% went to a large composting facility, and 42% went to a landfill. Not bad, but lots of room for improvement. We are preparing a report and short instructional Cheery volunteers in bright yellow vests helped Fair attendees sort their waste at one of the many waste stations around the Plaza. video based on our work this year.

Humboldt’s Advocate for Transportation Choices

www.green-wheels.org EcoNews

Oct/Nov 2013

www.yournec.org

Friends of the Eel River

Coastal Commission to Caltrans:

If Interchange Goes Up, the Billboards Must Come Down

downed billboard may require permits to be rebuilt. Caltrans has the option at that juncture whether or not to issue an ODA permit for that new billboard. • As ODA permits expire, we need to ensure that they are not renewed. Watchdogging the status of permits is an important task. Caltrans maintains an inventory online, at www.dot.ca.gov/ oda/updates.htm. Scroll to the bottom of the page for “ODA Inventory”. And while it is tempting—and frequently joked—that unnamed rogues should sneak out at night with chainsaws to do the job quick and cheap, please don’t engage in illegal and potentially risky behavior. That is, unless you work for one of the public agencies that actually has the right to remove billboards that they don’t consent to from their property—in which case, have at it! We’ll be cheering from the peanut gallery.

Jessica Hall One of the big gains at the Sept. 12 Coastal Commission hearing in Eureka was the requirement that Caltrans will remove billboards on Highway 101 between Arcata and Eureka (see “NEC, Baykeeper Respond to 101 Corridor Decision” on page 3). This visual blight mars our appreciation of the Bay’s scenic beauty, and the Commissioners agreed that this is a fair mitigation for the visual impact of a 25-foot high, half-mile long interchange at Indianola Cutoff. Many of these billboards will also need to be removed to make way for the Coastal Trail, which was also added as a condition of the Caltrans project. Billboards were an issue I was introduced to on my first day at Humboldt Baykeeper – we were part of a group researching the ownership and permit status of billboards. Many of the billboards date back to the 1960s, predating the Coastal Act. This meant that although they would likely not be allowed under current regulations, they were “grandfathered” in. Most of these billboards are owned by different entities than the land they stand on. (Billboards advertising the business whose land they are on are called “on-site” billboards, and are regulated differently than these “off-

site” billboards.) Billboards along highways are regulated through the Outdoor Advertising Act (ODA), which Caltrans administers. A billboard owner obtains—and maintains—a permit with Caltrans, and pays both the landowner and Caltrans fees in exchange for the right to advertise along the highway. Along Humboldt Bay, many of the billboards are on public lands, including land managed by the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, City of Arcata, North Coast Rail Authority, and the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation, and Conservation District. Several are on Caltrans property. Most public agencies have refused payment as a way of asserting that they do not give permission for billboards to be on their property. Caltrans has continued to renew Outdoor Advertising Act permits, despite landowners’ objections. With the Coastal Commission caveat that billboard removal will be “as feasible,” we will need to support—and possibly push— Caltrans in their effort to remove billboards. Here are a couple of ways we can all help: • When a billboard blows down in severe weather, document and report it to Humboldt Baykeeper and to the local jurisdiction (City of Arcata, Humboldt County, City of Eureka). A

After two good falls, a disastrous summer for fish.

www.yournec.org

Billboard locations around the northern portion of Humboldt Bay.

Join us for

Coastal Currents every Wednesday at noon on KHUM, 104.3 and 104.7

Oct/Nov 2013

EcoNews

Friends

of the Eel River

The Long Road to Marijuana Regulation Scott Greacen Since the height of the timber wars in the 1990’s, no environmental issue in this part of the world has caused such concern, or such support for measures to reduce the impacts of an industry as the Green Rush. Since the 1996 passage of Proposition 215 gave marijuana growers a shield against prosecution, the dramatic expansion of marijuana cultivation across Northwestern California, including much of the 3700 square mile Eel River watershed, has entailed significant impacts to our landscapes and fisheries. Water diversions, sediment from roads and clearings, and use of poisons have grown from appalling examples of a few jerks’ monumental disregard for nature to systemic problems that seem to be popping up everywhere we look. While these impacts are almost impossible to pin down with hard numbers, they add up to real trouble for watersheds that as recently as the last couple of falls saw really heartening salmon runs. Far from theoretical, the reality is that they are driving species like coho salmon in the South Fork Eel River, already listed as a threatened species under both the state and federal Endangered Species Acts, closer to the brink of extinction. There’s certainly no realistic possibility of the marijuana industry going away, even if the County wanted it to. No government will ever be able to shut down a set of practices so pervasive, with such a history of thriving in these rugged mountains under decades of intense law enforcement pressure. And California has realized that. Not only have citizens passed Prop 215; the state has substantially defunded in recent years its part of what used to be the Campaign Against Marijuana Production. But in the gray area between Prop 215 and federal criminalization, marijuana cultivation has a huge economic and environmental footprint, where health and safety standards, fair labor practices, and environmental sideboards that every other business is bound to respect seemingly can’t be made to apply. So we are left with the need to regulate the marijuana industry. As a society, we need regulation to protect our public trust resources—clean water, flowing streams, and the healthy fisheries that depend on both. As a community, we need regulation to ensure we respect the rights of people who meet reasonable standards and don’t anger

EcoNews

Oct/Nov 2013

their neighbors. Consumers and patients need regulation to know the product they’re buying isn’t tainted with pesticides or stained with reprehensible g r o w i n g practices. To our knowledge, there’s no practicable way to do that without a chain of custody and the transparency that requires. We need A failing road at a grow site, right above one of the best areas of fish habitat in the Mattole regulation to watershed, poised to dump sediment and its associated nutrient load into the waterway, thereby provide clear, clogging the creek and impeding fish passage. Photo: Leonard B Job, BLM. bright-line its Democratic majority refused to pass a bill measures by which law enforcement can readily providing a robust framework for at least medical size up whether a given operation is or is not marijuana regulation only a few weeks after US playing by the rules. We need regulation to make Attorney General Eric Holder announced new sure the marijuana industry pays its own way, with Department of Justice policy on marijuana. Under fees and fines proportional to potential harms the latest so-called Cole memo, US Attorneys are and adequate to the need for vastly increased directed to avoid marijuana prosecutions where enforcement actions to keep black market there is a regulatory system in place that will keep producers from continuing to wreck destruction pot away from kids, out of interstate commerce, on sensitive environments. and out of the hands of criminal organizations, The questions raised by the impacts of among other specific measures. Of course, marijuana cultivation are in some ways even more California does not yet have such a system; it will complicated than fights over timber regulation be at least another year before the legislature is were. We don’t, for example, have a federal ban likely to be able to act to create one. on logging to complicate state and local efforts Until then, both the burden of action and the to define workable ways of regulating logging opportunity to define the parameters of a functional practices. And while the timber industry certainly system of marijuana regulation rest squarely in the resisted every effort to reduce its impacts on water laps of the counties where the impacts are being quality and habitat by tightening regulations, there felt the most. If Humboldt County steps up to the was never any real dispute about the legitimacy plate with a system that sets reasonable limits on of the industry or the necessity of regulation by grow sizes, requires growers to store water and the government to protect public trust values like forgo the use of harmful or untested substances watersheds and wildlife. like pesticides, and ensures consent to reasonable For marijuana cultivation, in the world of inspections, that program would be likely to be legislation at least, we are still some distance from taken up by the assembly and plugged into a bill that kind of clarity. It bears highlighting that while that reinforces dispensary regulations to meet the Washington and Colorado have moved to legalize new federal standards. the non-medical possession and use of marijuana, The time is long past to debate the validity both states did so via ballot initiatives, not of environmental concerns regarding marijuana through the legislatures. cultivation, or to continue passing the buck. It is telling that the California Assembly and www.yournec.org

The Environmental Protection Information Center

wildcalifornia.org

Wildlands Civics as an Expression of the EPIC Mission

Gary Graham Hughes

A recurring theme in all of the work that the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC) develops to advance protections for the web of life in Northwest California, is the concept of environmental democracy. Whether it be advocating for an increased inclusion of stewardship land ethics in natural resource based economic sectors in our bioregion, challenging state agencies to do adequate review of the major infrastructure projects that are proposed in sensitive landscapes, or leveraging the online activism of our supporters to secure conservation oriented management regimes on our public lands, EPIC strives to be a conduit for meaningful public participation by our community on the issues that can have an impact on our rural lives. Environmental democracy is one way to describe the involvement of the citizenry in these crucial processes around natural resource exploitation on the North Coast—our team at EPIC also refers to our authentic grassroots activism as an expression of “Wildlands Civics.” The idea of Wildlands Civics is captured in the mission statement of EPIC. Ancient forests, watersheds, native species; these elements of the biosphere are all included in our mission. EPIC has a far-reaching objective to protect natural and human communities on the North Coast of California. To understand how the concept of Wildlands Civics influences the development of EPIC advocacy strategies it can help to look further at the mission of EPIC: EPIC uses an integrated, science-based approach, combining public education, citizen advocacy, and strategic litigation. Breaking these elements down further illuminates how the active participation of EPIC and our base of supporters in a multitude of public decision-making processes is, in its purest form, a practice of civics with the overarching intent of protecting the wildlands that provide habitat for wildlife and essential environmental services for human kind—hence, Wildlands Civics. Public Education Any effort to mobilize and galvanize the public to engage on a particular issue requires a concentrated effort at Public Education. As an example, the Public Lands Program at EPIC has a long-term conservation advocacy vision of Returning a Natural Cycle of Fire to Our Landscapes. Clearly, the best contemporary science shows that

The Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC) works to protect and restore ancient forests, watersheds, coastal estuaries, and native species in Northern California. EPIC uses an integrated, science-based approach, combining public education, citizen advocacy, and strategic litigation. fire plays an essential role in the maintenance of a healthy forested landscape, yet there are major impediments to achieving a reestablishment of natural patterns of wild fire disturbance regimes across Northwest California. As our organization engaged with land managers and stakeholders on this issue, we knew immediately that informing California residents about the benefits of wildfire would take some degree of Public Education to ensure that our goals regarding fire would be understood, and to get people involved in a proactive manner with the issue. The evolution in the policy discourse around wildfire is resulting in an increased understanding by the public that fire is as natural, though less frequent, than rain in our diverse North Coast forests. This is an encouraging sign that our public education efforts at EPIC are contributing in a positive way to a broad movement of diverse stakeholders that aspires to change the way our society perceives our relationship to the land and the natural processes that provide for ecological resilience and the maintenance of biodiversity. Citizen Advocacy EPIC was formed in 1977, and technology has changed a great deal since the founding of the organization. This change in technology has spurned an increase in the ability of public interest advocacy organizations like EPIC to provide a means to gain standing in a public process, and to provide comments to address shortcomings and inadequacies in project design and environmental review. A substantial amount of EPIC’s practice of Wildlands Civics is built around proven methodologies of forest watch and agency monitoring, in which systematic attention is paid to the process by which projects are announced and how documentation concerning economic activities is presented to the public. Wildlands Civics is in this way predicated on the tactics of an environmental watchdog group, and the mobilization of a concerned constituency of local, state, and national residents who stand behind our organization’s policy positions provides EPIC the leverage to be an effective guardian of your wild backyard. www.yournec.org

Another important aspect of Citizen Advocacy is that some of the most severe threats to landscape integrity in our bioregion, such as egregious cannabis agriculture operations, are still outside of the purview of regulating agencies. By getting the public involved on complex and unorthodox issues we can create a vocabulary that describes the standards of sustainability that our landscapes require of us, and through Citizen Advocacy EPIC can participate in the community drive to find workable solutions to complex challenges. Strategic Litigation Even as global alarm bells are ringing with an increasing urgency, many environmentally harmful projects and economically unsustainable natural resource exploitation schemes are approved by government agencies across our region. In some instances, well thought out and strategic litigation is necessary to protect public trust resources and the rights of the citizenry to have influence over how our tax dollars are spent. A citizens organization only has the right to litigate after having established standing through early participation in a decision making process. Public interest litigation is an action of last recourse, when the concerns of the public have been disregarded after a long process, and is enshrined in our laws as a justified exercise of our democratic rights. EPIC has a well-earned reputation for cutting edge and strategic litigation that can shape the content of public policy for decades to come. Our organizations successful actions before the courts in order to protect our communities and rare environments is an authentic expression of EPIC’s effective mission and expertise in Wildlands Civics. UPDATES! Caltrans Hwy 197/199 Project: Federal lawsuit ﬁled, Sept. 23, 2013, to protect theWild and Scenic Smith River. Richardson Grove State Park: New comment period open until October 21, 2013 on Caltrans “supplement” to the Final Environmental Assessment. Federal Injunction remains in affect.

Oct/Nov 2013

EcoNews

10 Years of Riparian Ecosystem Restoration in the Mattole

more recent site-specific treatments, a lot has been accomplished in the last decade. A few accomplishments include: planting 300,000 trees Riparian areas provide vital habitat for plant, and 30,000 shrubs and grasses on 40 Mattole animal, and insect communities and act as a tributaries and along the mainstem Mattole natural filter that enhances many aspects of aquatic River; distributing over 400 lbs. habitat. For the past 10 years of riparian seed on 15 acres the MRC’s Riparian Ecosystem of riparian slides; installing Restoration Program (RER) has 1800 ft. of willow fence on four made a strong effort to assess tributaries; and thinning six and treat impaired riparian acres of overstocked riparian areas along Mattole tributaries forest to promote old growth forest and the mainstem Mattole River. We have conditions. This work could not have been systematically assessed and treated over completed without our devoted crews 50% of the tributaries to the Mattole, from that include tree planters, landowners, the headwaters of the Mattole to the ocean. volunteers, and interns. As the checklist of completed tributaries After many years of work along Mattole fills, we take a step back and briefly examine tributaries and the upper and middle what we have accomplished, what our Mattole, we now focus on the lower river that current priorities are, and the future of local is in severe need of riparian and instream riparian restoration. restoration. Treatment of these sites is not The RER program has come a long as easy as carrying a loaded tree bag and way over the past 10 years. My first day of hoedad out to a creek. Many of these sites planting in the Mattole consisted of loading are riparian deserts with little to no soil or up a bag of 2-year-old Douglas fir bare roots organic material to work with. Planting and lunch for the day, walking up the creek plugs and container plants on many of these to look for places to plant, and nestling trees sites would most likely be a waste of time. in the ground under the brisk winter rains. So how do we begin to restore riparian Anyone who has planted trees knows that floodplains along the lower river? although these days are long, exhausting A collaborative effort between Mattole and wet, they are some of the most beautiful Salmon Group, MRC, BLM, and other and memorable moments of one’s life. agencies will begin this long process. This For years the most common technique team is working together to identify and for riparian revegetation in the Mattole treat floodplain restoration sites along the was exactly that: opportunistically planting lower five miles of the Mattole. Willow redwood and Douglas fir trees the mainstep and cottonwood baffle installation using an of the Mattole and its tributaries. This type excavator, in coordination with large wood of treatment was very effective in getting installation projects in the lower river, will trees established in some tributaries, but allow for un-vegetated gravel bars to begin it did not always address the problems building soil and organic material. This will on sites that had small bank failures or assist natural regeneration, which combined sites where planting different species of with riparian planting will contribute to trees, shrubs, and grasses would have improved riparian conditions in the future. been more appropriate. As enjoyable as it is to sit along a Over the past six years, we have creek and feel the sun pouring down, we improved our technique and developed RER crew installing a willow fence on Granny Creek’. Photo credit: Hugh McGee look forward to a day when we can gaze site-specific prescriptions that include skyward from Mattole tributaries in the refreshing multiple riparian treatments. Sites are prioritized targeted sites is a more effective treatment for deep shade of healthy riparian forests and with based on a number of ecological criteria. We most tributaries we are now working in. We abundant, cool, clear waters burbling underfoot apply multiple revegetation treatments such as also now grow almost all of our plant material in the heat of summertime. broadcast seeding of 10 species, plug and large at the MRC Native Plant Nursery from seed container planting of 20 species (grown in our collected from sites with similar characteristics as To learn more about our projects, own native plant nursery), and erosion control and our restoration sites. or to make a donation to support us, bank stabilization treatments using willow fences Whether it was opportunistic planting and fascines. Some slides and bank stabilization please visit www.mattole.org. completed during the program’s earlier years or Hugh McGee, RER Program Director

sites are mulched with native grass straw after project completion. Although we are not currently planting the large quantities of trees we did in the 2000’s, planting fewer trees on more specifically

Anyone who has planted trees knows that although these days are long, exhausting and wet, they are some of the most beautiful and memorable moments of one’s life.

EcoNews

Oct/Nov 2013

www.yournec.org

NORTH GROUP REDWOOD CHAPTER Election Time This month Sierra Club members from Del Norte and Humboldt Counties begin the process of electing three new members to join those already serving on the North Group’s Executive Committee. The Executive Committee not only organizes meetings, outings and other events, it is also responsible for determining North Group positions on environmental issues. When an issue only impacts Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, the North Group Executive Committee is free to determine positions on its own. However, if an issue impacts the entire Redwood Chapter (which includes the North Group and five other groups), and other chapters and states, the North Group must jointly determine issue positions with other affected chapters and with National Sierra Club. National Sierra Club makes the final decision on issues of broad scope but usually consensus is achieved. National Sierra Club is overseen by a board of directors elected by all Sierra Club members. The Sierra Club is the only major US environmental organization run democratically from top to bottom. While other national environmental groups have boards of directors and may have members, the members do not elect the boards of directors; instead, the boards themselves select individuals to fill vacancies. Because the Sierra Club operates democratically, it is possible for the members to change Club policy from the bottom up. Some years ago, for example, a group of members wanted to change Sierra Club policy on national forest logging. Organizing as the John Muir Sierrans, rank and file members organized and elected candidates to the National Sierra Club Board of Directors. That led to the Sierra Club National Board voting to oppose all commercial logging on the People’s forests. Opposition to commercial logging on national forests remains the Sierra Club’s position to this day. Sierra Club members living in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties who may want to serve on the North Group Executive Committee are encouraged to contact Diane Beck, chairperson of the nominating committee, at dfbeck@ northcoast.com or 707-445-2690. An “Ex Com” member serves a two-year term, beginning in January. Diane can explain in more detail what is involved in serving on the North Group’s Executive Committee. If you are not a member but live in Humboldt or Del Norte County you can join the North Group and National Sierra Club at the same time by visiting the North Group web page at www.redwood.sierraclub.org/north/.

Klamath Refuges Need a Champion in Congress

Camper Essays This summer, due to the generosity of our members, the North Group’s Environmental Education Fund was able to support three local children to attend overnight camps operated by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry at the Wolf Creek Environmental Center in Redwood National and State Parks. Campers were required to submit an essay about their experiences. Here are excerpts from those essays: • “I learned that banana slugs moved all over and they produce slime and poop out dirt like worms do”. • “We dissected a squid and I found out they have no backbone, breathe from their gills, and can grow up to 46 feet long”. • “My favorite gory game was ‘Venomous Frogs’ in which the frogs stick out their tongue at you and you die - dramatically”. • “We caught salamanders in nets but couldn’t pull them out of the creek or touch them, because the oil on our skin would burn them”. • “Some people licked the venom on the underside of a banana slug.”

Banana slug crawling over leaves. Photo: bgreenlee, Flickr CC.

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Located in the Upper Klamath River Basin just south of the Oregon border, Lower Klamath and Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuges are part of a complex of eight refuges which provide habitat for major populations (433 species) of resident and migratory wildlife. In addition, each year the Klamath Refuges “serve as a migratory stopover for about three-quarters of the Pacific Flyway waterfowl, with peak fall concentrations of over 1 million birds” (source: Wikipedia). Large flocks of wintering ducks and geese are the primary food source for up to a thousand wintering Bald Eagles. For decades, however, the federal government has allowed even the permanent marshes located on Lower Klamath Refuges to be drained when demand for Klamath River water has exceeded supply. In a drought year like this one, most marshes on Lower Klamath and nearby refuges are bone dry. Miles of cracked mud lie surrounded by green agricultural fields, creating a surreal contrast. Crowded onto the few remaining marshes, waterfowl and other birds are dying in large numbers from avian botulism—and not for the first time. While it is typical for a small number of weaker birds to succumb to the disease each year, under these over-crowded conditions the situation quickly becomes an epidemic. The North Group is currently discussing the need for a congressional champion to look out for the welfare of these marshes and the welfare of the entire Pacific Flyway of which they are an integral part. This refuge champion would most appropriately be a member of California’s congressional delegation. Senator Boxer and Senator Feinstein are candidate champions; so is the Northcoast’s congressman, Jared Huffman, who recently published a guest opinion on Klamath Water issues in the Times-Standard. Any citizen is free to call on their Members of Congress to champion the Klamath Refuges, and the North Group encourages you to do so. For information on contacting your representatives, visit www. contactingthecongress.org.

Oct/Nov 2013

EcoNews

NORTHCOAST CHAPTER Beginners and experts, non-members and members are all welcome at our programs and on our outings. Almost all of our events are free. All of our events are made possible by volunteer effort.

Evening Programs Second Wednesday evening, September through May. Refreshments at 7 p.m.; program at 7:30 p.m. at the Six Rivers Masonic Lodge, 251 Bayside Road, near 7th and Union, Arcata. Botanical FAQ’s: At 7:15 p.m. Pete Haggard (or another presenter) shares a brief, hands-on demonstration and discussion of a botanical topic. October 9. Wednesday. 7:30 p.m. “Conifers of the Pacific Slope.” Join local author, educator, and explorer Michael Kauffmann on a photographic journey along the Pacific Slope—from Baja California to British Columbia. Michael’s newest book, Conifers of the Pacific Slope, will be available for purchase. November 13, Wednesday. 7:30 p.m. “Glacier’s Last Stand: a Flora of a Trinity Alps Sky Island” Join local ecologists Justin Garwood, Michael van

Hattem, and Ken Lindke on their annual journey to map a glacier’s blue ice and document its plant diversity. With taxonomic guidance from local botanists Tony LaBanca and Gordon Leppig, they strive to compare it to past work to update what is known about the botanical treasures from the last vestiges of a much colder time in the Klamath Mountains. December 11, Wednesday. 7:30 p.m. Native Plant Show and Tell. An informal evening for anyone to share photos, artifacts, readings, or food relating to native plants and their habitats. Call 407-7686 to reserve a spot in the queue.

Field Trips and Plant Walks Note: Unless stated otherwise, for further information and to let the leader know if you might or will attend, please call Carol Ralph 707-822-2015. October 13, Sunday. Gold Bluff Beach Wetlands Day Hike. In Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, we will tramp around in this habitat finding marsh plants, dune plants, and coastal prairie plants, probably covering about 2 miles. We might have time to go up Fern Canyon as well. Dress for the

weather; bring lunch and water. Meet at 9 a.m. at Pacific Union School (3001 Janes Rd., Arcata) or arrange another place. Return about 5 p.m. Please tell Carol you are coming, in case plans change (8222015; theralphs@humboldt1.com). November 2, Saturday. Russ Park Day Hike. With Michael Kauffmann’s book, Conifer Country, in hand we will explore Hike #2 in the beautiful, mature, coastal forest behind Ferndale. We should find 5 species of native conifers plus lingering or evergreen favorites of the lush understory. The trail is hilly, about 3 miles. Bring lunch and water; dress for the weather. Meet at 9 a.m. at Pacific Union School (3001 Janes Rd., Arcata), 9:30 a.m. at Kohl’s end of Bayshore Mall parking lot, or 10:00 a.m. at the parking area on Bluff St. in Ferndale. (Turn left off Main onto Ocean, go 1/2 mile.) Return by dark. It’s good to tell Carol you are coming, 822-2015. For more details and later additions, visit:

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ARALIA CALIFORNICA - ELK CLOVER Donna Wildearth This plant of shaded riparian habitats is intriguing in all its stages—foliage, flower, and fruit. It has bold, outsized compound leaves that give it an almost tropical appearance. In flower its familial relationship to Ivy is apparent, as both plants display spherical clusters of small white flowers. The fruit is a small round dark purple berry, which contrasts nicely with the fading green leaves and the pink-tinged remains of the flowering stalks. Though it grows from 3’ to 9’ tall it is not a woody plant; it dies back to the ground each winter. The plant has several common names: western aralia, California spikenard, and elk clover. (Do elk actually eat it? Perhaps it’s just called that because it’s so big?) Elk clover is a picturesque name but, like some other common plant names, it is misleading—the plant is not a clover or in the clover family. It belongs to the Araliaceae family, which includes plants with medicinal qualities such as ginseng and sarsaparilla and plants that are grown

EcoNews

Oct/Nov 2013

as ornamentals such as ivy (Hedera) and Fatsia (evergreen Asian shrubs). In our area I’ve spotted Aralia californica in the mountains near Willow Creek, including East Fork Campground off Hwy. 299, and in several places along Avenue of the Giants. It has been documented in almost every California county except in the far northeastern corner and in the San Joaquin Valley and eastern Sierras. Researching the UC Jepson Consortium of California Herbaria, I was surprised to find records in San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego Counties. This is one of those plants that deserve to be better known and grown in gardens with a suitable environment. Some other natives that would make appropriate companions: goat’s beard (Aruncus dioicus), umbrella plant (Darmera peltata), and a number of ferns. If you have a moist, shaded spot, it would be rewarding to observe this unique riparian plant in your own yard. Donna Wildearth is a teacher and the owner of Garden Visions Landscape Design in Eureka. She is passionate about native plants. Photo: Donna Wildearth.

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Rights of Nature

Fracking

Threatened by unwanted, destructive activities such as mining and hydrofracking, these communities have passed local laws recognizing the rights of local natural systems to exist and thrive, and rejecting the rights of corporations who would conduct unwanted, harmful activities over the voice of the local community. Other U.S. communities are moving proactively to protect their current well-being. For example, in April of this year, Santa Monica became the first California municipality to recognize the rights of nature in law. Their Sustainability Rights Ordinance states that “natural communities and ecosystems possess fundamental and inalienable rights to exist and flourish,” and provides citizens with enforcement authority to protect these rights. The new law adds that “corporate entities . . . do not enjoy special privileges or powers under the law that subordinate the community’s rights to their private interests.” Across the country, towns in Vermont began a growing movement this winter to pass resolutions calling for a state Constitutional amendment to recognize the rights of nature. One way to spread such a movement in California and address an area of critical need is to advance the rights of waterways to flow, and fish to swim. While people have rights to divert water, waterways and fish hold no legal, enforceable rights to the water they need. Recognizing these rights in state law, with priority for waterways’ water rights, will protect the well-being of the larger community, both human and nature, which depends for its survival on clean, flowing water.

These amendments included a clause that gives the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) authority to approve a fracking project if it believes the potential impacts have already been investigated by a statewide environmental review, in lieu of an individual environmental impact report. Governor Brown also raised eyebrows with a signing statement, hinting that thoroughness may be sacrificed in the interest of expediting the permitting process: “I am also directing the Department of Conservation when implementing the bill to develop an efficient permitting program for well stimulation activities that groups permits together based on factors such as known geologic conditions and environmental impacts, while providing for more particularized review in other situations where necessary.” David Pettit, senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council, worries that the bill fundamentally threatens the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), that it “allows a government bureaucrat to waive CEQA with unfettered discretion,” adding, “it’s a free pass from CEQA for every fracking project in California forever.” Among the groups opposed to SB-4 were the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Environmental Working Group, the California League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club California, Clean Water Action, Food and Water Watch, Center for Biological Diversity, Physicians for Social Responsibility, CREDO, and MoveOn.org. A University of Southern California/Los Angeles Times poll in June found that 58 percent of California voters favor a moratorium on fracking.

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Support the EcoNews Archive Project! Since the Northcoast Environmental Center was founded in April 1971, we have published EcoNews, our bioregional environmental newsletter featuring articles on environmental news throughout Northern California and Southwest Oregon. EcoNews is also a significant source for important national and international environmental news and legislation. Unfortunately, only issues from recent years are available digitally, and for many of the older paper issues we only have one copy. In order to preserve the rich and unique history recorded in these pages over the last 42 years, the NEC has begun the EcoNews Archive Project. This project will provide an accessible archive for the general public as well as for office staff. No such comprehensive archive exists for environmental issues on the North Coast. The first step, currently underway, involves cataloging articles into a spreadsheet that will eventually lead to a searchable database. It has already proved to be a valuable resource for us to perform research on historical and ongoing issues and programs. The next step will be to scan and digitize our complete catalog of issues for an online archive. We are asking for support from our readers and members in order to complete this substantial undertaking. Volunteers are needed as well as monetary contributions for equipment and staff. Call or write the NEC at 707-822-6918, or write dan@yournec.org for more information!

Oct/Nov 2013

EcoNews

Eco-Mania

BETTER THAN CORN: “Energy cane” is among a new generation of crops that could yield up to five times more ethanol per acre than corn. The new, high-fiber variety of sugarcane now being grown in California’s Imperial Valley provides raw material for biobased fuels, but also has potential for supplying inexpensive and abundant raw materials in hundreds of everyday products, ranging from smartphones and televisions to clothing, carpeting and batteries. Plus, they can substitute for oil and natural gas.

A merry melange: salient or silly.

OIL LEAKS (WHAT’S NEW?): Out-of-control oil leaks have already spurted thousands of barrels of toxic hydrocarbons into western Canada’s environment since May, the result of a tar sand project that was certified safe by government regulators. The spill may fuel opposition to the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry oil from this and similar sites. RAPTOR REHAB: A hospital in Abu Dhabi is devoted entirely to falcons, with more than 7,000 feathered patients a year. It has an X-ray unit, two endoscopy rooms, a small surgery and 11 intensivecare units.

GOODBYE TO FISHERIES: The plant’s owner finally admitted that radioactive water is still leaking, and possibly can’t be stopped, more than two years after the tsunami that devastated the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan. Japan’s Nuclear Regulatory Authority says plans to stop the leak are unlikely to work as groundwater is entering the damaged reactor, picking up radioactive elements like cesium, and seeping out to sea. Japan has set strict limits on cesium in seafood and will extend the ban on selling locally caught fish. EDEN, RESTORED: Amid bombings on the streets of Baghdad, the “Garden of Eden” has been saved by Iraq’s Council of Ministers, who created the country’s first national park. The park aims to restore the Mesopotamian marshes which Saddam Hussein ordered drained and diverted. This cut off the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and obliterated the largest wetland ecosystem in the Middle East. But the dikes were broken and water was returned to the marshes, and every species survived, including all 278 kinds of birds, thus showing how resilient Mother Nature can be.

EcoNews

Oct/Nov 2013

BIRD INNOCENT: Turkish authorities detained a bird on suspicion it was spying for Israel, but freed it after X-rays showed it was not embedded with surveillance equipment. The kestrel aroused suspicion because of a metal ring on its foot carrying what was thought to be Hebrew words, but an X-ray showed no microchips or bugging devices.

A DIFFERENT TOOTH FAIRY: A team of scientists in China has grown teeth using stem cells from human urine. The cells from the urine were collected and implanted in mice. After three weeks, the bundle of cells “contained dental pulp, dentin, enamel space and enamel organ,” researchers said.

PACHYDERM PACT: The Masai people of Kenya, through a deal with the International Fund for Animal Welfare, have granted a safe travel zone for elephants. Along with the safe pathway for elephants traveling to Tanzania, the Kenyan government has stepped up severe fines for poachers, who have killed close to an elephant a day this year. FLOWER OF ROTTING FLESH: With a name like corpse flower, you know the Amorphophallus titanum isn’t going to be smelling like a rose. But visitors to the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C., flocked to catch a whiff of its signature stink. While the odor is overwhelming to humans, to dung beetles and flies it smells like somewhere to lay their eggs. www.yournec.org

BOUNTIES ON DRONES: The Colorado town of Deer Trail is considering a tongue-in-cheek ordinance that would allow residents to purchase a $25 hunting license to shoot down “unmanned aerial vehicles.” The one-square-mile town of 600 would pay $100 to anyone who can produce the fuselage and tail of a downed drone. Hunters could legally shoot down a drone flying under 1,000 feet with a 12-gauge or smaller shotgun. If the town trustees don’t vote to adopt the ordinance, it will go before voters in a special election. The campaign slogan: “If you don’t want your drone to go down, don’t fly it in town.” FRACK YOU: Want to understand what fracking is all about? Go to Liverpool’s “Fracking Futures,” an art installation that gives visitors a chance to think about this controversial gas-extraction technique. The method of taking gas from deep shale deposits by fracturing them—using a high-pressure mix of water, sand and chemicals—is simulated: a pounding rhythmic bass, a drill rotating down through rubble and methane flares that hit you with a dry wall of heat.

San Joaquin Kit Fox Juaquin Vulpes macrotis mutica Brandon Drucker Them ears! The endangered San Joaquin kit fox boasts some impressive auditory equipment—ears relatively large compared to the rest of their body, set close together prominently atop a yellow-grey head and long pointed face with a charismatic grin. Fur color varies by individual and by season, but is generally a buff yellow-gray in summer and silvery-gray in winter. Male foxes average

about 32 inches in length, 12 inches at the shoulder, and five pounds in weight. Female foxes are just a bit slighter. The species is the smallest canid native to North America. Besides its magnificent ears, the kit fox stands out for its relatively long legs, slim body, and bushy black-tipped tail.

40th Anniverary of the Endangered Species Act Series - Featuring Endangered Species of California

Above, a San Joaquin kit fox mother touches noses with one of her young. Top right, a family of kit foxes. Photos : USFWS.

Sexual maturity is reached around 1 year of age, and pups are born from February to March. They remain with their parents until 4-5 months after learning to hunt on their own. Wild kit foxes typically do not live beyond 7 years of age. Foxes are mainly nocturnal, preferring to hunt when the weather is coolest, and seeking shelter in their dens during daytime highs. A single individual’s territory may range from 1-12 square miles. Standard prey for the fox includes rabbits, kangaroo rats, mice, squirrels, birds, lizards, and insects. The Central Valley’s native grassland is the fox’s preferred habitat, known as “California Prairie.” Loose soil is an extremely important component of this area, and is essential to building quality den sites used for shelter and in rearing young. Unfortunately, similar to many other endangered species, much of the fox’s former habitat has been lost

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and fragmented due to human encroachment. California’s Central Valley is the ideal home for kit foxes, but also ideal for agriculture, which has led to the development of vast farmlands, vineyards, orchards, cities, roads, and sprawl. The San Joaquin kit fox was first listed as an endangered species in 1967 under the Endangered Species Preservation Act, the precursor to the current Endangered Species Act. The fox is listed also under the California Endangered Species Act. In 1998, the kit fox was further protected as part of a recovery plan developed by US Fish & Wildlife service, however the species still faces many serious threats to this day. In addition to habitat loss, rodenticides have been identified as a major concern. Kit foxes are both directly poisoned by rodenticide, and indirectly killed after repeated ingestion of poisoned animals. In recent times, the prolific red fox and coyote have moved into the range of the kit fox, posing yet another threat, as they often overpower and kill their smaller cousin. Moving forward, the San Joaquin kit fox will need to overcome a range of obstacles. We can help protect these endEARing creatures by banning toxics, protecting their habitat, and raising awareness about their plight. Mediterranean food truck and catering service.

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Oct/Nov 2013

EcoNews

? t i p S s g u the Kids’ Page: Do B Did you know

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that the “spit” you sometimes see on plants is made by an insect, appropriately named the spittlebug? The young spittlebug, called a nymph, makes the spittle. It has glands that make a special fluid, that when mixed with water and air from their abdomen, forms a frothy spit-like substance. The frothy mixture surrounds the young nymph and protects it from predators and harsh temperatures. The adult spittlebug lays eggs on plants in the fall. The eggs remain on the plant until the following spring/summer when they then hatch. The young greenyellow nymphs use their piercing mouthparts to suck juices and sap from the plant on which they’re born. This is when they surround themselves in the spittle. After the nymph becomes an adult, they no longer produce the frothy protection. Their dull color acts like camouflage to help protect them from predators. They can also fly and jump very far—that’s why they are also called frogjumper bugs. Adult spittlebugs can jump up to 100 times their length. That would be like an adult jumping to the top of a 55-60-story building! Not bad for an insect that’s only a quarter of an inch long! There are over 850 species of spittlebug in the world, and about 20 species live in the United States. The most common species we would see are the meadow spittlebug, and the western pine spittlebug. Next time you see some spittle on a plant, gently wipe it away to see the little nymph. G J P Z I F H T Z N E H V D B

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by Sarah Marnick

Above right, a meadow spittlebug rests on a leaf. Photo: wolfpix, Flickr CC. Below, a spittlebug nymph surrounded by bubbles. Photo: Goshzilla - Dann, Flickr CC.

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Oct/Nov 2013

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So says a Bolivian Indian, Carmelo Flores Laura, who at 123 years is believed to be the oldest person who ever lived. The man resides at 13,000 feet near Lake Titicaca in a dirt floor hut, doesn’t need a cane or glasses, takes long walks every day and avoids sugar and pasta. “We only ate what we found in the wild,” he says. Here at the NEC, no one has come close to age 123 yet, probably because they do eat pasta and don’t eat skunk meat. So they have to hurry to get things done before their demise--such as preventing water thefts for agribusiness down south, halting offshore fracking or tearing down four dams. The staff and volunteers have been striving to do the right thing for the North Coast bioregion for more than 40 years. While not 125, it is still pretty long. But they need the help of the reading public—that’s YOU—who are implored in this spot every issue to give their time or money (or both). As you contribute, give a thought to Carmelo Flores Laura, who still lives two miles from the nearest road and says “I’ve never been lazy.”

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The secret to extremely long life is eating skunk and fox meat and a wild grain rich in protein and amino acids called cananhua.

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Each show features interviews with experts on a variety of important environmental topics! EcoNews Report hosts include representatives from the NEC, Humboldt Baykeeper, Friends of the Eel River, EPIC, and more. Past shows are also archived on our website for listening online anytime!