EcoNews Vol. 47, No. 1 - Feb/Mar 2017

Over 45 Years of Environmental News

Arcata, California

Vol. 47, No. 1

Feb/Mar 2017

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

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Meeting Challenging Times with Nationwide Protests, Resistance and Action CA Celebrates Protections | Open House Success | 350 Humboldt | State of the State Sea Level Rise | Barbara Boxer | EPIC 40th | March for Science | California Wolf Plan

News From the Center The NEC and Humboldt Baykeeper are settling into our new space nicely. We had a successful Open House in January with over 100 people stopping by. It was good to see our long time supporters as well as new faces and lively conversation was heard throughout the room. If you weren’t able to stop by during the Open House we hope you’ll visit another time. Our new location at 415 I Street in Arcata makes it easy for people to stop by and pick up brochures, peruse our library, chat about issues and learn about our current programs.

Speaking of programs, the NEC was awarded a grant from Arcata Main Street, Oyster Festival Aquaculture Support Fund, a fund of the Humboldt Area Foundation, for our Adopt-A-Block program. Staff is excited about expanding this program and will be recruiting volunteers through presentations at civic groups and businesses. If your group or business is interested in scheduling a presentation, please contact the office.

In collaboration with Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and Arcata Main Street, the NEC will also be holding a volunteer appreciation and informational party on Friday,

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415 I Street, Arcata, CA 95521 PO Box 4259, Arcata, CA 95518 707- 822-6918 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.

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

February 10th from 5-6 p.m. at Arcata Main Street, 761 8th St, #C. Please join us on the south side of the Plaza for a quick cleanup, information on the program and pizza before Arts!Arcata.

Now that the relocation dust has settled, staff are busy with other gathering opportunities. Mark your calendars for the NEC’s next Pints for Non-Profits night at Mad River Brewery on Wednesday, April 5 and our spring auction and dinner fundraiser on Saturday, April 15 at the Bayside Grange. If you have any art, books, activities, services, etc. that you’d like to donate for the auction please contact the office. We hope to see you at one of these events to help us continue our important work during these challenging times.

To try to make some sense of it all, we look to our NEC board member in the nation’s capitol, Dan Sealy, to give us a firsthand report as he sees it:

“What is it like in Washington, D.C. now?”

Trump: An Environmental Calamity

The new United States President lost the popular vote by a wide margin. Now that the Party of Trump controls both the House, Senate and soon the courts, their mission is clear: roll back all environmental regulations. All eyes in the environmental movement are focused on Washington, D.C.

Friends in the west have frequently asked this question since the November elections.

I am happy to be returning home to Humboldt County and to the Northcoast Environmental Center, but I would not trade my conservation work from coast to coast for anything.

I worked for the Department of the Interior under the Presidents from Nixon (when I was still a student at Humboldt State University) to Obama. I am proud to have met Presidents Carter, Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama. I have lived in Oklahoma, California, Massachusetts, Virginia and Maryland and have lived in Washington, D.C. suburbs since 1992.

Editor/Layout: Morgan Corviday morgan@yournec.org

NEC Board Of Directors

Advertising: ads@yournec.org Proofreaders: Karen Schatz, Midge Brown, Kris Diamond, Rebekah Staub, Joanne McGarry.

Authors: Larry Glass, Dan Sealy, Jennifer Kalt, Delia Bense-Kang, Felice Pace, Gregg Gold, Margaret Gainer, Bella Waters, Emma Held, Tom Wheeler, Morgan Corviday, Rebekah Staub, Ryan Hansen, Tim Scully, Karlee Jewel, Catherine Gurin, Deirdre Fulton.

Cover Photo: Anne Maher waves the Earth flag at Eureka’s Women’s March on Washington, January 21, 2017. Photo: Madison Peters.

NEC Staff

Executive Director: Larry Glass, larry@yournec.org Administrative & Development Director: Bella Waters, bella@yournec.org EcoNews Editor, Web Director: Morgan Corviday, morgan@yournec.org MPA Outreach Coordinator: Delia Bense-Kang, delia@yournec.org Coastal Cleanup Coordinator: Madison Peters, madison@yournec.org Office Associate: Anne Maher, anne@yournec.org

President - Larry Glass, Safe Alternatives for our Forest Environment, larry@yournec.org Vice-President - Dan Sealy, At-Large, dan.sealy@yournec.org Secretary - Jennifer Kalt, Humboldt Baykeeper, jkalt@humboldtbaykeeper.org Treasurer - Chris Jenican Beresford, AtLarge, thegang7@pacbell.net Gary Falxa, Calfornia Native Plant Society, gfalxa@suddenlink.net CJ Ralph, Redwood Region Audubon Society, cjralph@humboldt1.com Richard Kreis, Sierra Club, North Group. rgkreis@gmail.com Alicia Hamann, Friends of the Eel River, alicia@eelriver.org Tom Wheeler, Environmental Protection Information Center, tom@wildcalifornia.org Bob Morris, Trinity County Representative, At-Large, bob.morris@wildblue.net

Humboldt Baykeeper

Fiscally sponsored by the NEC Director: Jennifer Kalt, jkalt@humboldtbaykeeper.org Bay Tours Coordinator: Jasmin Segura, jasmin@humboldtbaykeeper.org

Although some have compared this change in Presidential administration to the 1980s Reagan Administration— James Watt as Secretary of the Interior and Ann Gorsuch Burford as Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—this feels very different. The normal expectations of ethics, honesty and a moral foundation seem to have shifted significantly. Representatives of conservation organizations who have offices here are still...

NEC Member Groups Humboldt Baykeeper

www.humboldtbaykeeper.org

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

Friends of the Eel River www.eelriver.org

Safe Alternatives for our Forest Environment (SAFE) www.safealt.org

Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC) www.wildcalifornia.org

NEC Affiliate Members Friends of Del Norte www.fodn.org

Zero Waste Humboldt

www.zerowastehumboldt.org

Californians for Alternatives to Toxics www.alt2tox.org

Get your NEC Gear Tshirts, bags and hoodies!

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Letters to the Editor

Call us at 707-822-6918 for more information!

To the editor, In the December/January edition Richard Engel and the Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) continued to push biomass energy generation claiming that it is renewable and a “clean energy source”. Neither claim is true.

Securing biomass fuel is only economical when drawn from within 50 miles of the power plant where it is burned. As noted in the article, Humboldt County already has three biomass plants. It is not clear how long those plants can be fueled with “mill waste” and “small trees.” Already Humboldt’s biomass market has caused industrial landowners to kill all hardwoods on logging units with toxic herbicides. How long will it be until large trees are poisoned and then chipped up to keep the biomass plants supplied?

Biomass plants produce a lot of air pollution of the most damaging type: small particles that cause serious health problems and deaths. Small cities like Klamath Falls Oregon that depend on biomass electricity generation regularly have unhealthy air during the winter. In Klamath Falls that has caused regulators to ban the use of wood stoves when the air is unhealthy so that biomass plants can continue to generate electricity.

Is that the future we want for Humboldt County?

There are plenty of truly clean and renewable energy sources, including wave energy. The RCEA should develop them and stop pushing dirty and unhealthy biomass.

Felice Pace Klamath, CA

Write a Letter to the Editor!

Letters should be 300 words or less and include the writer’s address and phone number. Letters may be edited and shortened for space. The NEC reserves the right to reject submitted material for any reason (e.g., size, content, writing style, etc.).

Send letters to editor@yournec.org.

News from the Center Continued from prior page

...trying to find where that shifting ground will take them.

Members of congressional staff on both sides of the aisle were immediately in a slump. The real sense of gloom in many sectors of D.C.—from local neighborhoods to federal servants to international diplomats—was palpable and concerning. I have never felt anything like it.

However, conservationists, environmentalists and their representatives have a legacy of standing up against attacks on the environment. As the dust settles, there is a strong sense of commitment to be even more organized and united in standing up for hard-fought laws—laws that are the building blocks for living in a clean environment and protecting public lands and resources.

We must continue our work to protect our environment but must work even more closely with underrepresented communities to assure environmental justice is not lost in decisions addressing mercury in our water, disease in our fish or location of radioactive wastes.

Bella Waters, Larry Glass and Dan Sealy

Interested in our regional environmental history?

DONATE to our EcoNews Archive project!

Visit www.yournec.org/donate, specify the Archive!

Catch the NEC’s EcoNews Report

Every Thursday, 1:30pm on KHSU - 90.5FM Tune in for a half hour of environmental interviews and discussion on a variety of topics on the EcoNews Report!

Featuring rotating cast of NEC and Member Group representatives.

Past shows are archived on our website for download or streaming

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Record Breaking Women’s March Open House Success CA Celebrates Protections March for Science 350 Humboldt: Climate Action California Wolf Plan Student Focus / State of the State Home Habitat / English Ivy Kin to the Earth: Barbara Boxer Klamath Dam Removal Eye on Washington Zero Waste Humboldt Humboldt Baykeeper EPIC: Farewell Natalynn DeLapp Sierra Club, North Group California Native Plant Society Creature Feature: Lancetfish Kids’ Page: Dungeness Crab

Our heartfelt thanks and well wishes to Natalynne DeLapp, Executive Director at EPIC, who will be stepping down at the end of February. Her colleagues will always remember her grace, warmth, and collaborative spirit. She will be missed in the office! See you around town, Natalynne!

Thank you to Chris and Richard Beresford for donating area rugs, Oona Smith and HCAOG for a bar fridge and mirror, Lauren McClure for a toaster oven, Shohei Morita for a microwave and an anonymous donor for a floor lamp. Also huge thank you to Brian McClure for hanging our big salmon and office signs, Barbara Reisman for helping hang pictures and Rainbow Marjanovich for restocking our bookshelves!

A bouquet in memory of Ralph Kraus.

Ralph was a long-time supporter of the NEC. A Celebration of Life will be held February 25. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Ralph’s name to Food For People, the Northcoast Environmental Center, or Planned Parenthood.

www.yournec.org/econews-report EcoNews Feb/Mar 2017

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Women’s March Breaks Records Locally and Nationally

On January 21, 2017, the day after the inauguration, millions marched across the country and around the world to stand for women’s rights, social and economic justice and protection of the environment. The NEC was invited to participate in Eureka’s Women’s March to represent local environmental interests. An estimated 8,000 people marched in Eureka, the largest protest in our county’s history. Nationally, the Women’s March was the largest single-day protest in U.S. history, with between 3-4 million people participating.

Left: NEC staff Anne Maher, Bella Waters, Madison Peters and Morgan Corviday represent the NEC with the Earth flag in the march. Photo: Jensen Green.

Below: A march partipant holds a sign for environmental rights.

Photo: Jen Kalt.

Bottom: NEC Executive Director Larry Glass holds his granddaughter above the crowd while marching. Photo: Jen Kalt.

Rhea Suh, President of the Natural Resources Defence Council, was one of the featured speakers at the primary March in Washington, D.C. Excerpted here is part of her public statement and speech.

I was honored to stand for climate action and the protection of our rights to clean air, safe water, and healthy communities at the Women’s March on January 21, 2017.

The following is my speech for the event. Women are not only on the front lines of environmental and health crises—we are essential to the solutions. *** Hello, my sisters and friends!

It is inspiring to see so many people standing here in solidarity.

Each one of you is an individual who made a powerful decision: a choice to be here today. You took time out of your lives and came to stand outside with thousands of strangers this January morning because you believe in the fundamental idea that we matter.

Women matter.

And we are NOT going to be shy about standing up for what matters to us.

A world where a healthy environment is a basic right for all of us—regardless of where we live, how we vote, or what we look like.

A world where the rights of communities and sovereign nations come first and polluting interests come after.

A world where young people rise up to tackle the single greatest threat to their generation: climate change. That’s the world we’re marching for today.

Because right now, we’re facing a government that is putting polluters first and the rest of us at risk.

Because that’s what anti-government, anti-science, anti-regulation, pro-polluter rhetoric boils down to: real families, real children suffering real damage.

Now it may seem like there’s not much that we as individuals can do in the face of this threat to our health, our country, and our planet.

But we are not helpless.

We are still a democracy. We should never forget our country was created by ordinary individuals who stood up for what they believed in. Our progress has depended on average citizens creating the future we want.

That’s what happened nearly 50 years ago. When our rivers were catching fire and our cities were drenched in smog, Americans poured out into the streets. We demanded that our government ensure we have clean air, clean water, and healthy communities.

Those Earth Day marches led to a generation’s worth of environmental laws that improved and saved the lives of millions.

And it’s proof that people engaging in our democracy can lead to real change.

One woman turns into one march, and one march turns into an entire movement.

So let’s prove that our natural world belongs to no single individual.

That clean water has no political party. That no corporation owns clean air.

And let’s never forget that one person, one rally, one march, and one movement can make all the difference in the world.

Thank you all so much.

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Feb/Mar 2017

EcoNews

NEC’s Open House a Success!

Many thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate the new year and our new office with us! Over 100 people stopped by and enjoyed lively discussion with fellow NEC supporters and staff.

Clockwise below: Standing room only crowd! Long-time supporters discuss a petition to stop the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines. NEC Board member Bob Morris pours wine and beverages.

Morgan Corviday, EcoNews editor, and Larry Glass, NEC Executive Director. Photos: Bob Doran.

Invest in the Future

Become a Member, Donate, Volunteer, or join our Monthly Giving Program

Adopt-a-Beach

Be a part of our growing team of site captains and volunteers helping to keep our coast clean!

Visit our website for more information and a list of available sites.

www.yournec.org/adoptabeach 707-822-6918 EcoNews Feb/Mar 2017

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For more information, call the NEC at 707-822-6918 or email nec@yournec.org www.yournec.org/donate 4

Californians Celebrate New protections Dan Sealy Despite the concerning results of the national election, residents of Northern California have good reason to celebrate! Actions taken in early January by the Obama administration will protect important natural resources in the region as well as public health and jobs.

greatly enhanced public education but also offers protection of fisheries and recreation, a local economic driver.

“Trinidad Head is a sacred and spiritual spot for the Yurok people and most of our members are of Yurok descent,” Trinidad Rancheria representative Shirley Laos said. “It’s part of the spiritual landscape of our people.”

Speaking in support of the addition of Waluplh, Wiyot Tribal Chief, Ted Hernandez said, “The Wiyots will always stay true to protecting what the Creator and our ancestors left us. This is not just for us, but for all our neighbors and friends who call this area home.”

California Coastal National Monument President Obama used the Antiquities Act to expand the California Coastal Monument just before he left office. Senator Barbara Boxer and Representatives Lois Capps (D-24-CA), Anna Eshoo (D-18-CA) and JaredHuffman (D-2-CA) had introduced legislation to protect these areas. Communities all along the coast engaged in a variety of discussions about the legislation and gave feedback at a public meeting in 2016. But in a continuing refrain, Congress did not follow our legislators’ lead. Secretary Jewell and President Obama decided to act before it was too late.

Some people have wondered why this is necessary since the lands are, for the most part, already managed by the federal government. Incorporation of these lands into the National Monument will allow them to be managed with a focus on protection and public access for future generations while taking local citizen concerns into account. This designation makes commercial and resource exploitation of the lands unlikely. The Bureau of Land Management will coordinate with state, local, and tribal governments as part of the planning process using the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as a tool for civic engagement.

In the fall, the Northcoast Environmental Center had written to Congressman Huffman, Senator Boxer, and President Obama to request support of this legislation. Julie Fulkerson, former mayor of the City of Trinidad, supported the action and said, “Our children and future generations depend on us to have the wisdom to plan ahead and provide protections for our fragile environment and coastal habitat.”

“These public lands are certainly breathtaking, and preserving their beauty for all to enjoy continues California’s legacy of coastal access and recreation for everyone,” Surfrider Foundation’s California Policy Manager and local resident Jennifer Savage said. “At a time when California’s coast is being developed as never before and adaptation to climate change grows ever more imperative, the natural character of these coastal lands means they’re likely to be more resilient.”

New on-shore additions make this National Monument more accessible to the public and add ecological richness to the offshore sea stacks and ledges that protect important marine life. Protection of these areas not only increases opportunities for

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overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Approximately 5,800 acres, it encompasses ancient archaeological sites, riparian and wetland habitats, coastal prairie grasslands, and woodlands that include stands of coast redwood.

• Piedras Blancas in San Luis Obispo County provides visitors the opportunity to tour a historic lighthouse overlooking the site’s namesake white coastal rocks, and observe a colony of massive northern elephant seals loafing in the sun.

• Orange County Rocks and Islands, just off the coast of Orange County, treat visitors to dramatic crashing waves, unique geology, and an abundance of marine-dependent wildlife including pelicans and seals.

Smith River Headwaters Protections

Here are the areas from north to south which will be added to the spectacular California Coast National Monument:

• Trinidad Head, a promontory jutting off the coast of Humboldt County. A historic lighthouse sits atop sheer cliffs overlooking crashing waves and rugged sea stacks.

• Waluplh-Lighthouse Ranch, near Loleta, has spectacular panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, Eel River Delta, and the south spit of Humboldt Bay. • Thirteen miles south, the Lost Coast Headlands include rolling hills and dramatically eroding bluffs, punctuated by freshwater creeks, ponds, and pockets of forest.

• Cotoni-Coast Dairies in Santa Cruz County extends from the steep slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains to marine terraces

Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) secured a twenty-year ban on new mining projects in an ecologically and economically critical region in Southwest Oregon.

The areas protected include the watershed of the National Wild and Scenic North Fork Smith River in Oregon, the watershed of Rough and Ready Creek (an eligible Wild and Scenic River and tributary to the National Wild and Scenic Illinois and Rogue rivers), as well as 17 miles of the National Wild and Scenic Chetco River.

These rivers are known for their wild salmon Continued on next page and steelhead...

Trinidad Head (in the distance, upper right) and sea stacks. Photo: Martin Swett.

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Feb/Mar 2017

EcoNews

War on Facts Sparks Momentum for Scientists’ March on Washington ‘An American government that ignores science to pursue ideological agendas endangers the world’ Dierdre Fulton, CommonDreams.org Originally published online at CommonDreams.org under a Creative Commons 3.0 license.

Above, the Smith River. Photo: Smith River Alliance. Below, Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. Photo: BLM, Bob Wick.

Continued from previous page

Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

...populations, and provide vital economic, recreational and natural resources to the area. Recreationists seeking to explore the Kalmiopsis region bring in hundreds of millions of dollars to Curry and Josephine counties in Oregon.

Also protected from mining would be the headwaters of Hunter Creek and the Pistol River—two prized native salmon and steelhead rivers that flow directly into the Pacific Ocean along the spectacular Wild Rivers Coast of Southern Oregon and Northern California.

“The people of Del Norte County, the Elk Valley and Tolowa Dee-ni’ tribes, and thousands of other Californians and Oregonians who cherish the Smith River have united in working to secure two decades of protection for this spectacular landscape and its wildlife for future generations,” said Rep. Jared Huffman, D-CA. “I applaud the Obama Administration for taking this action today and thank my colleagues for their hard work and support.”

The NEC and local conservation organizations have fought repeated battles to stop nickel mining in the area for over 40 years. In recent years, foreign mining companies have sought to strip mine for nickel in the area, putting at risk the fishing, recreation and clean water supply for area residents and communities.

Now citizens have an opportuntiy to pass permanent protections for the area which is directly adjacent to the botanically important Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area in southern Oregon.

EcoNews Feb/Mar 2017

Northern California joined Southern Oregon in celebration when Senator Boxer (D-CA) and Congressman Huffman (D-CA) announced jointly with Senators Wyden, Merkley (D-OR) and Congressman DeFazio (D-OR) that 48,000 acres of biologically rich lands had been added to the existing Cascades—Siskiyou National Monument.

The addition of these lands will assure protection of perhaps the most biologically rich environments in the west, if not the nation. The place where the Cascade, Siskiyou and Klamath mountain ranges come together has long been studied and celebrated as the origin of many vegetation and wildlife communities that need protection. Scientists and local leaders, including the City Councils of Ashland and Talent in Oregon, strongly supported protection for additional lands.

The original monument was set aside in 2000 to protect the region’s distinctive flora and fauna, old growth forests and the native redband trout Continued on page 20 population in Jenny Creek.

The Trump-Pence administration’s war on facts may have galvanized the next major demonstration in the nation’s capital—the Scientists’ March on Washington, which is as yet unscheduled but is garnering significant enthusiasm online.

Spurred by the new administration’s stance on climate change, muzzling of scientists, and slashing of environmental regulations, the idea grew out of a Reddit thread started in the wake of the inspirational Women’s March on Washington and global solidarity events on January 21.

As the Washington Post reports: “[S]omeone wrote, ‘There needs to be a Scientists’ March on Washington.’ ‘100%,’ someone replied.

Dozens of others agreed. In short order, the march had a Facebook page, a Twitter handle, a website, two co-chairs, Berman and science writer and public health researcher Caroline Weinberg, and a Google form through which interested researchers could sign up to help.”

Indeed, the Facebook group had swelled to nearly 300,000 members as of January 25, and @ScienceMarchDC had more than 50,000 followers.

Organizers said they would “soon be releasing our formal vision” (as well as a date for the march), but for now they summarized their mission thusly: Although this will start with a march, we hope to use this as a starting point to take a stand for science in politics. Slashing funding and restricting scientists from communicating their findings (from tax-funded research!) with the public is absurd and cannot be allowed to stand as policy. This is a non-partisan issue that reaches far beyond people in the STEM fields and should concern anyone who values empirical research Continued on page 8 and science.

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Locals Bring International Climate Movement to Humboldt Catherine Gurin A new local chapter of the internationally prominent 350.org movement is taking root in Humboldt. 350.org is a global, grassroots climate movement dedicated to holding our leaders accountable to the realities of science and the principles of justice.

The number “350” refers to the safe concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. To avoid catastrophic climate change, the amount of atmospheric CO2 must be below 350 parts per million (ppm). Since September 2016, however, the world average has remained consistently above 400 ppm. This numerical target is the core of 350.org’s message: to achieve carbon reduction by uniting ordinary citizens to work toward a just, prosperous, and equitable low-carbon world.

To achieve these goals, 350.org uses three primary tactics: 1. Keep carbon in the ground; 2. Help build a new, more equitable low-carbon economy; and 3. Pressure governments into limiting emissions.

350.org’s work is guided by the following principles: 1. Climate justice, which means listening to the communities who are receiving the worst impacts of climate change, and following their leadership; 2. Collaboration, including the forging of alliances between environmentalists, student, business owners, faith groups, labor unions, universities, etc.; and 3. A belief in the power of mass mobilizations, which demonstrate our power as a movement and force our governments to make the right decisions.

Creativity and creative use of technology are key to 350’s work. While an understanding of science is important, stories are what make the movement powerful.

About 25 people came to 350 Humboldt’s first formal meeting in early January. Clean energy and climate education were chosen as two initial focus topics, and sub-groups will meet to discuss ways to take action on these issues.

Get Involved 350 Humboldt needs your help to get off the ground! There are many ways to get involved—help shape the direction of climate action in Humboldt.

Join the conversation at 350 Humboldt’s next general meeting, February 7 at 5 p.m. Contact 350Humboldt@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook for updates!

www.facebook.com/350humboldt

What is a 350 Local Group?

Local affiliate groups are not financially or legally tied to 350.org, but are all committed to building a global climate movement that embodies the basic principles in the 350 organizing manifesto.

According to the manifesto, 350 affiliate groups should behave as global citizens. Local groups must try to think and act as global citizens by transforming our local communities in ways that align with global efforts.

350 groups must be committed to inclusivity, empowerment, and non-violence.

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Participants in the January meeting of 350 Humboldt at the Eureka Labor Temple pose for a group photo. Photo: Morgan Corviday.

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New Zero Waste Action Plan in Arcata Margaret Gainer A final draft of the City of Arcata’s first ever Zero Waste Action Plan (ZWAPlan) was presented in a study session with city council, staff and members of the public on January 30. Prepared by city staff and Zero Waste Humboldt consultants Maureen Hart and Maggie Gainer, the ZWAPlan is both pragmatic and ambitious. It identifies ten major implementation goals for reducing waste in Arcata over the next ten years.

While the ZWAPlan is not mandated, it is consistent with a growing trend among cities committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the toxicity in our waste, with a greater emphasis on natural resource conservation and waste prevention.

Zero Waste methodology is part of a growing trend toward sustainable materials management rather than landfill diversion.

Progress in achieving the ZWAPlan goals will rely on a team of business, school, community groups and HSU leaders working cooperatively with the City. For details, contact Zero Waste Humboldt or check for updates on the City’s website at www. cityofarcata.org/275/Zero-Waste.

Celebrate Underwater Parks Delia Bense-Kang Underwater Parks Day is a celebration created with the purpose of educating people about the importance of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). It is celebrated on different days throughout January up and down the California coast.

So what are MPAs and why celebrate them? In 2012, California became an international leader in ocean conservation by completing the first statewide network of MPAs in the United States. The network of 124 MPAs protects 16 percent of California’s waters, provides a series of refuges for ocean creatures to recover and thrive, and gives residents and tourists places to dive, surf and enjoy the benefits of a healthy coastal community.

The network was completed with the addition of the North Coast region. This region was established by a unified proposal, meaning all stakeholder groups came to consensus to decide where to locate MPAs and what associated regulations would be. In our North Coast region we have 20 MPAs and seven special closures from the Oregon border to the Sonoma county border, protecting approximately 137 square miles and 13 percent of northern California’s Continued on page 19 state waters.

Feb/Mar 2017

EcoNews

March for Science

Continued from page 6 There are certain things that we accept as facts with no alternatives. The Earth is becoming warmer due to human action. The diversity of life arose by evolution. Politicians who devalue expertise risk making decisions that do not reflect reality and must be held accountable. An American government that ignores science to pursue ideological agendas endangers the world.

Indeed, Union of Concerned Scientists president Ken Kimmell said in response to the latest crackdown on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in particular: “Demands to shut down informational websites and prevent the release of scientific findings are straight out of Orwell. We don’t live in a world of ‘alternative facts’—you can’t delete climate change and you can’t overrule the laws of physics by preventing scientists from talking about them.”

“President Trump and his representatives in the EPA and other agencies are accountable to the public interest,” Kimmell said, “and the scientific community will continue to expose and resist abuses like these.”

“This is not a partisan issue,” the March for Science team told Mashable by email. “Scientific research moves us forward.”

On other pro-science fronts, the climate movement is planning a redux of the People’s Climate March for April 29. As 350.org noted in its call to action for the April 29 march, “Now more than ever, it will take everyone to change everything.”

Editor’s note: A Science March is also being planned for Humboldt County! Stay tuned for more information in the next issue of EcoNews and online.

A sign from the Women’s March on Washington.

Photo: @LDMay/Twitter.

California Wolf Plan Sets Road Map for Conserving Small Population Two Breeding Pairs for two Straight Years Could Trigger REduced Protections Press Release: Amaroq Weiss, Kimoko Martinez, Kimberly Baker The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has released its final plan to guide conservation and management of a small population of gray wolves well into the future. One of the strengths of the plan, which was released December 7, is its emphasis on nonlethal methods to deter conflicts with livestock.

But it would also seek to reduce wolves’ federal protection status from “endangered” to “threatened” when the population reaches a threshold of only two breeding pairs for two consecutive years— far fewer than what independent scientists say is needed for a OR-25, a collared wolf that is part of the Imnaha Pack in Oregon. Photo courtesy of secure population. the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

In response to public also proposes to initiate aggressive management comments on the proposed wolf plan, the agency actions, which could include killing wolves, for the stepped back from plans to initiate delisting of decline of ungulate populations “presumed to be wolves once their population reached only 50 to influenced by wolf predation” without a scientific 75 wolves. The agency also included in the final assessment to determine if wolves, in fact, are plan additional, current, best available scientific the cause of such declines. literature on key issues such as the vital ecological “Because California is only in the early stages of role of wolves. wolf recovery, we need to give these animals a chance But conservation groups say the final plan to become established in sustainable numbers should have included specific protections to shield rather than prematurely rushing to end protections wolves from clearly identifiable threats such as that are vital to their survival,” said Amaroq being mistaken for coyotes during coyote-killing Weiss, West Coast wolf organizer at the Center contests. And the plan failed to identify key wolf for Biological Diversity. “But we support the plan’s habitat conservation priorities like connectivity initial emphasis on restoring wolves to the Golden corridors crucial to building healthy, sustainable State and reliance on nonlethal methods to reduce populations—a feature that would benefit not only loss of livestock.” wolves but other California wildlife as well. The plan Continued on page 19

Presents

2017 CLASSES & EVENTS with Jane Bothwell 10-Month Herbal Studies: Feb.-Nov. 2017 3rd Annual Medicinal Cannabis Conference: April 29 & 30, 2017 Beginning with Herbs: Sept. 13-Nov. 1, 2017 707-442-8157 • www.dandelionherb.com

EcoNews Feb/Mar 2017

www.yournec.org

8

State of the State: CA vs. Trump Morgan Corviday

HSU: NAtural Resources Club The second in a series featuring student groups and clubs that work toward a better environment.

Tim Scully The Natural Resources Club has been a staple community service organization at Humboldt State University for years. The Natural Resources Club gives HSU students an opportunity to participate in local ecological restoration and other beneficial volunteer work with the City of Arcata and local non-profits such as Humboldt Fish Action Council, Friends of the Dunes, and the Smith River Alliance.

The club participates in these volunteer events almost every Saturday morning (when HSU is in session). The content of these events can range from invasive species removal, native species plantings, and trash clean-ups. For example, the club has worked extensively with the Humboldt Fish Action Council and the City of Arcata on restoring Janes Creek by removing invasive English ivy and Himalayan blackberry.

The Natural Resources Club is a great way for students to meet other students interested in environmental work and make connections with members of community organizations. I joined the Natural Resources Club when I was a freshman at HSU and met some of my best friends while volunteering over the past few years.

Although primarily focused on natural resources management, members are not required to be in a natural resources related major. The Natural Resources Club is dedicated to creating a community that welcomes individuals from all backgrounds and educational interests that strive to restore local ecosystems and keep our environment free from trash and other disturbances.

The club is also a great way for new students to explore the Arcata area and Humboldt County.

Natural Resources Club volunteer events are located all over the local area. Speaking from experience, volunteering in these areas fosters a deeper connection with local ecosystems than just simply visiting them.

The club is a great way for students to become more connected with the local community as an extension of the campus community.

We send a weekly email out about the upcoming week’s event. To join our mailing list, or if you have any questions, just email us at natrescl@gmail.com.

We hope to see you out there!

9

Governor Jerry Brown didn’t mince words in his State of the State address on January 24.

Taking a forceful, defiant stance against the Trump administration, he called for preparation for “the battle ahead.”

He stated that California views the future as “uncertain” and warned of “dangers ahead.”

Committing to using the state’s protective measures for undocumented immigrants, he said “We may be called upon to defend those laws and…we will defend everybody—every man, woman and child—who has come here for a better life and has contributed to the well-being of our state.” He also promised to protect the five million Californians insured under the Affordable Care Act. “We have heard the blatant attacks on science,” he said. “Familiar signposts of our democracy— truth, civility, working together—have been obscured or swept aside.”

Brown vowed to forge ahead on climate change initiatives, whether alone or with other states and other nations, and to protect and defend what are already the most proactive policies in the country. That includes a legislatively mandated target of reducing carbon emissions in California to

40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.

The Governor mocked the Trump administration’s ‘alternative facts.’ “Whatever they do in Washington,” he insisted, “they can’t change the facts.”

It won’t be easy, however. Trump and the Republicancontrolled Congress could undercut California’s climate policies by reducing funds for the state’s research community, or stop enforcement of the Clean Air Act and emissions laws—which would put CA businesses at a disadvantage if it becomes less restrictive to operate elsewhere.

And even as the most populous state in the nation, California cannot tackle climate change alone. “Will that be enough, soon enough?” asks Dan Jacobson, the state director of Environment California. “Not without the partnership of other cities, states, and nations.”

California has a long history of leading the way on a variety of social and environmental issues, from worker’s rights to LGBTQ rights to coastal protection and carbon reduction. We hope Gov. Brown will be true to his word so California can continue to take the lead.

“This is a time which calls out for courage and for perseverance,” said Brown. “California is not turning back. Not now, not ever.”

“This is a time which calls out for courage and perseverance. California is not turning back. not now, not ever.”

Third Annual

Tim McKay Birdathon!

May 6 - 14, 2017 • Register as a team or as an individual • Collect pledges (donations) for the number of bird species seen in 24 hours • Participate from anywhere in the world!

• Prizes awarded for the top three persons or teams with the most donations!

For more information or to register, visit

www.yournec.org/events/birdathon or call the NEC at 707-822-6918

Sponsored by the Northcoast Environmental Center and the Redwood Region Audubon Society www.yournec.org

Feb/Mar 2017

EcoNews

Home is Habitat for Wild Neighbors Our backyards are the pit stops and grocery stores for wildlife.

Karlee Jewel Imagine that it’s a Tuesday, you’re done with work, and on your way home you stop at your local market to pick up dinner for you and your family. It’s not until you walk inside that you realize something is unusual. On sale in the meat department is poisonous salamander. This surprises you, and a quick look at the next option proves to increase your confusion: why on earth are toxic frog legs for sale?

My family can’t eat that.

Flustered, you leave the meat department and head to the produce section; you saw some lush greens on your way in, so you decide to make a salad this evening. You walk up to those same greens and read the sign above them: Poison Hemlock and Oak Salad Mix. WHAT? You take a step back. With salt and pesticide-laden grass blades in the chip aisle and canned, inedible sand dollar shells in the canned goods aisle, you realize the entire grocery store is filled with inedible items. And there’s nothing to drink for sale at all! How can this be?

With growing hunger and frustration you leave and make your way down the block to another market. To your dismay, this store offers nearly all of the same options as the previous one. Hungry, tired, and confused you check the stores across town and in the next town only to realize there is no food around that you and your family can eat.

This is the grim reality that many native bird, insect, and mammal species are faced with when they migrate through suburban America. Our yards offer little in the way of nutrition for migrating or parenting animals.

Due to lack of adequate water sources, few places to hide, and our rampant planting of non-native ornamental plants, wildlife are often left without habitat to survive. These non-native plants, usually

from Asia, are advertised as “pest-free” when they should actually be called “butterfly-free.” Our native butterflies did not evolve with these ornamentals.

In the majority of cases, they do not lay eggs on them because their baby caterpillars cannot munch on the leaves. Many bird parents feed caterpillars and other insects to their nestlings, so those “pest-free” plants could also just as aptly be called “bird-free” plants.

Our backyards are the pit stops and grocery stores for wildlife. When yards fail to provide adequate food and water, our birds and butterfies find themselves in strange surroundings—like the imaginary grocery store described above.

The good news is that we have the opportunity to change the situation in our yards. America’s oldest and largest conservation organization, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), has created a tool that provides actions we can take to create Certified Wildlife Habitats (CWHs). In order to be certified you just need the four habitat requirements in your outdoor space: food, water, cover and places for wildlife to raise their young.

This is often easier than you think. A native plant can sometimes provide three of the four habitat components all on its own: food, cover and places to raise young. Nectar, pollen, seeds and berries are examples of food that native plants can provide.

Water sources include birdbaths, natural features, or a shallow dish.

By creating CWHs, we can learn from and connect with the natural world we live in and care about the wildlife we share space with.

Thanks to multiple community members and groups including the City of Arcata, the California Native Plant Society, and Friends of the Arcata Continued on page 19 Marsh (FOAM)...

English Ivy: An (Ob)noxious Weed Tom Wheeler English ivy (Hedera helix), a non-native vining plant, is one of the most troublesome invasive species to California’s North Coast. Ivy was originally brought

by European settlers as an ornamental garden plant, but it has since escaped and runs rampant on both private and public land. Although ivy spread rather slowly in the beginning, it is now spreading at an exponential rate and little is being done to control it.

Due to our favorable climate, English ivy is spreading into vast areas including forests all over Humboldt County and other coastal counties.

Together with other well-known pests, like Scotch broom, pampas grass and Himalayan blackberry, ivy is displacing California’s native plant communities and wreaking havoc on local ecosystems.

Ivy can tolerate low-light forests, crawling along the understory until it comes in contact with a tree trunk, where it will climb high into the canopy looking for light. Here, ivy will flower and fruit.

Hungry birds eating the ivy berries help spread ivy far and wide. This climbing, vining mass carries a lot of weight. Together with the added surface area which catches the wind, ivy-infested trees can topple over in a high wind. Ivy vines grow quickly, as much as 10 feet per year, and can continue growing many feet, year after year, from the same vine.

But Help is on the way!

A small group of dedicated volunteers, the Humboldt No Ivy League, has been hard at work for the past eight years to remove invasive plant species, particularly English ivy, from Trinidad State Beach and Patrick’s Point State Park. The No Ivy League meets for several hours on Friday mornings in various work locations decided upon by its members.

Since 2013, the No Ivy League and North Coast Redwoods District of California State Parks have collaborated to treat and restore more acres of cherished parkland, expanding the volunteer invasive plant species...

Continued on page 20 Continued on page XX

EcoNews Feb/Mar 2017

www.yournec.org

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Kin to the Earth: Ryan Henson Retiring U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer leaves an inspiring conservation legacy.

During her service in the Senate from 1993 to 2017, Ms. Boxer introduced and was the primary author of an estimated 144 pieces of legislation on conservation and environmental issues, including pollution reduction, preserving clean water, protecting the oceans, and preserving wild lands and streams on federal public lands. Despite having President George H.W. Bush in the White House and a Republican majority in Congress for much of her time in the Senate, Ms. Boxer was able to not only introduce conservation bills, but get them passed and signed into law as well.

One of the best examples of her tenacious advocacy is the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act. The bill was introduced in 2002 in the House of Representatives

by Congressman Mike Thompson and in the Senate by Ms. Boxer. The bill proposed protection of 305,000 acres (over 476 square-miles) of wild country in Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties as “wilderness”— the highest-level of protection available for land under federal law.

New proposed wilderness areas included the King Range—the longest stretch of unroaded coast in the U.S. outside of Alaska, California’s “Lost Coast”—along with Sinkyone Wilderness State Park to the south, and the less well known Cache Creek, Cedar Roughs, Elkhorn Ridge, Sanhedrin, South Fork Eel, Mount Lassic and Yuki regions, as well as additions to the existing Trinity Alps, Siskiyou, Snow Mountain and Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel wilderness areas. The bill also proposed to protect 21 miles of the Black Butte River in Mendocino County (a tributary of the Middle Fork Eel River) as a “wild and scenic river” where dam construction and riverside logging or development would be prohibited.

Many of the areas included in the legislation had faced logging, mining, road construction or other development threats for decades, and the Bush-era US Forest Service fought Senator Boxer and Representative Thompson over the bill for four long years. In fact, it is fair to say that the strongest opponent of the legislation was the leadership of the Six Rivers National Forest in Humboldt County, where agency staff made no secret of their desire

11

Barbara Boxer Preserving Oak Woodlands Highlights include:

Through Partnership and Policy • The first bill to protect what is now the Headwaters Forest Reserve;

• Legislation to protect what later became the Giant Sequoia National Monument; • The Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Wild Heritage Act that protected 468,854 acres as wilderness in Mono, Inyo and Los Angeles counties; • The California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act that protected 190,000 acres of new wilderness in Riverside County; • The Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park Wilderness Act that protected nearly 85,000 acres of the park as wilderness; • Two bills to expand the California Coastal National Monument; • Legislation to establish what is now the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in Los Angeles County; • A bill to establish what is now the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in Napa, Lake, Colusa, Glenn, Yolo and Mendocino counties; and • The expansion of Pinnacles National Park.

By the time she left the Senate, Ms. Boxer succeeded in protecting over 1,031,000 acres (over 1,610 square-miles) of federal land as wilderness, over 100 miles of undeveloped streams as wild and scenic rivers, and her work resulted in the establishment of over Senator Barbara Boxer, official congressional photo 2011. Source: Wikimedia.

673,000 acres of land in new and expanded national monuments. to log, rather than preserve, many of the proposed Along the way, Senator Boxer worked to wilderness areas. strengthen the conservation movement by teaching Senator Boxer and her staff were relentless in dozens of our leaders how to become more effective pushing back hard against the Forest Service and advocates.

For example, her staff took the time in in trying to advance the bill through the Senate and 2001 and 2002 to hold a series of “boot camps” to House despite Republican opposition. She fought teach wilderness advocates from across the state how to keep every acre of proposed wilderness, called in to build political support for legislation both at the political favors, and because of her constant pressure, local level and in Washington, D.C. The lessons from the measure went from appearing dead in 2004, to Senator Boxer’s activist boot camps are now being being signed into law on October 17, 2006. passed down to a new generation of conservationists.

This exhausting process of introducing It stings a bit to wonder what Senator Boxer could legislation and battling for years was repeated have accomplished for environmental protection and dozens of times by Senator Boxer, who never failed a host of other important issues if Congress during to live up to her pugilistic name when advocating her time had not been dominated by opponents of for conservation and the environment. For example, progress.

Still, she accomplished a great deal, and at a time when Republicans were often trying to helped build and strengthen our movement. That open public lands to development, she weaved and is no mean feat, and it is a legacy that we hope jabbed with a flurry of bill introductions, including will be continued by newly elected U.S. Senator ten wilderness bills and 23 other public land Kamala Harris. protection measures. www.yournec.org

Feb/Mar 2017

EcoNews

S

The

andpiper

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2017

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. February 4: Alexa DeJoannis; February 11: Gary Friedrichsen; February 18: Ken Burton; February 25: Christine Keil.

For some of our more far-reaching trips we would like to suggest donating gas money to drivers on field trips.

A good rule of thumb is $5 per ½ hour drive time to field trip destination.

Saturday, February 11: Wildlife Tracking. Join Redwood Region Audubon Society and professional wildlife tracker Phil Johnston for a wildlife tracking field trip at 9 a.m. This will be a unique chance to get hands-on experience identifying and interpreting wildlife tracks and sign. This introductory wildlife tracking class is perfect for naturalists of all ages and skill levels, and will focus on the basics of understanding the morphology, behavior and ecology of our local wildlife. The class will go rain-or-shine, so be prepared to spend 4-6 hours in the field in a variety of conditions. The class is limited to 20 participants, and interested parties must reserve a spot by emailing pj147@humboldt.edu.

FIELD TRIPS

Sunday, February 12: Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. This is a wonderful 2- to 3-hour trip for people wanting to learn the birds of the Humboldt Bay area. It takes a leisurely pace with emphasis on enjoying the birds!

Beginners are more than welcome. Meet at the Refuge Visitor Center at 9 a.m. Call Jude Power (707-822-3613) for more information.

Saturday, February 18: Willow Creek Birdwalk. Meet at Studio 299 (75 The Terrace, Willow Creek) starting at 9 a.m. We will depart promptly at 9:30 for our destination; carpooling available. Walks generally run 2-3 hours. All ages, abilities and interest levels welcome! For more information, please contact Melissa Dougherty at 530859-1874 or email willowcreekbirdwalks@gmail.com.

Sunday, February 19: Eureka Waterfront. Meet at 9 a.m. at the foot of W. Del Norte St., where we will scope for birds off the public dock 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 Sanctuary. Leader: Ralph Bucher (707-499-1247; thebook@reninet.com).

Sunday, March 5: North Jetty. This short trip will focus on rocky shorebirds and seabirds to be found off the jetty.

We will hope to see Rock Sandpiper, Wandering Tattler

Professional wildlife-tracker Phil Johnston will cover the basics of tracking, from its roots in early human evolution on the African savanna to its modern applications for science and education.

The talk will separate fact from �iction, dispelling common myths and highlighting a practical approach to wildlife trackingFebruary and nature connecSaturday, tion. Phil will also share personal anecdotes from his experience tracking in northern California and elsewhere in the world. The talk will be followed up on Saturday, Feb. 11, by a local �ield trip for hands-on experience identifying and interpreting wildlife tracks and sign in the �ield (see Field Trips).

Annual Banquet

28 TH

photo by Derek Harvey

The program starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Six Rivers Masonic Lodge, 251 Bayside Rd., Arcata.

Bring a mug to enjoy shade-grown coffee, and please come fragrance-free.

Green Hermit (Phaetornis guy), Credit: Matt Betts

the past, present, and future of an ancient art

Sunday, March 12: Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. See February 12.

Saturday, March 18: Willow Creek Birdwalk. See February 18.

Sunday, March 19: Eureka Waterfront. See February 19.

Loleta/Ferndale Winter Raptor Survey Route. This will be the 10th consecutive winter of raptor surveys in the Loleta/Ferndale area. Tentative survey date is February 4, weather permitting. If you have not participated before and would like more information, please contact Ken Burton at shrikethree@gmail.com.

ANNUAL BANQUET: SAT, MARCH 4

FEBRUARY PROGRAM, FRIDAY, FEB 10 WILDLIFE TRACKING:

and the other common rocky shorebirds, and will scope for seabirds off the tip of the jetty. Marbled Murrelets are often seen right off of the jetty and some years, Blacklegged Kittiwakes and various tubenoses can be seen off of the tip. Meet at 9 a.m. at the jetty parking lot at the south end of the North Spit. Alexa DeJoannis (202-2885174) and Rob Fowler (707-839-3493) will lead. Trip will go until sometime around noon.

13

Hummingbird Hig h ways: Why Landscape Connections Matter To Pol lination In T he Tropics

As tropical forests become increasingly broken up by roads, farm fields, pastures, and other developments, corridors of trees provide vital pathways for pollinators and contribute to a rich diversity of plant species.

Speaker Matthew Betts, Associate Professor. of Landscape Ecology, IWFL Professor of Forest Biodiversity Research, Oregon State University..

Place: Arcata D Street Neighborhood Center, 13th and D Sts. Time: Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m. Meat and veggie options will be offered by Brett Shuler Catering.

Cost: Ticket price is a sliding scale between $35 and $75.

Send check made out to RRAS to P.O. Box 1054, Eureka, CA 95502, email redwoodpost@suddenlink.net with Banquet in the subject line, or phone (707) 442-8862. The last day to make reservations is February 28.

CHAPTER LEADERS

OFFICERS President— Hal Genger …………........... 707-499-0887 Vice President— Jim Clark …………….. 707-445-8311 Secretary Pro Tem — Ken Burton...... 707-499-1146 Treasurer—Syn-dee Noel........................ 707-442-8862 DIRECTORS AT LARGE Ralph Bucher …........................................ 707-443-6944 Jill Demers …………………........…………… 707-667-6163 Harriet Hill…………………………….......…. 707-267-4055 Chet Ogan …..............................................… 707-442-9353 Susan Penn..................................….......…. 707-443-9660 C.J. Ralph ..............................................….. 707-822-2015 Denise Seeger .......................................... 707-444-2399 OTHER CHAPTER LEADERS Conservation — Jim Clark .............…... 707-445-8311 Eductn/Schlrshps — Denise Seeger ..707-444-2399 eBird Liaison — Rob Fowler ………..... 707-839-3493 Facebook — Cindy Moyer…………..…… 707-822-1886 — Rob Fowler ……………..…. 707-839-3493 Field Notes ................................................ HELP NEEDED Field Trips— Rob Fowler ………......….. 707-839-3493 Finance— Syn-dee Noel .........................707-442-8862 Historian — John Hewston .................. 707-822-5288 Membership — Susan Penn.…..............707-443-9660 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 (Ed.)—Alexa DeJoannis..… 202-288-5174 Sandpiper (Layout)- Gary Bloomfield ..707-362-1226 Volunteer Coordinator- Susan Penn.....707-443-9660 Website — Susan Penn............................707-443-9660 Lake Earl Branch — Sue Calla............... 707-465-6191 RRAS Web Page...........................…....…..... www.rras.org Arcata Bird Alert ......................................707-822-5666 The Sandpiper is published six times each year by Redwood Region Audubon Society P.O. Box 1054, Eureka, CA 95502.

Thinking of Joining the National Audubon Society?

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

Chapter Membership Application

Yes, I’d like to join.

Please enroll me as a member of the National Audubon Society and of my local chapter. Please send AUDUBON magazine and my membership card to the address below.

My check for $20 is enclosed. (Introductory offer)

NAME_______________________________________________ ADDRESS___________________________________________ CITY _____________________________________________ STATE_________ZIP_________________________________ email _____________________________________________ Local Chapter Code: C24 Please make checks to the National Audubon Society.

Send this application and your check to:

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

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

By Hal Genger

President’s Column

Welcome to a new year! Listed below are the major goals for this year.

1. We will continue with our regular monthly field trips interspersed with trips to different areas and habitats.

Let us know if there is an area you would like to visit.

2. We will continue to seek out significant bird habitat and do on-ground restoration. Projects include: • •

•

•

Baylands Project — We will be working with Arcata Rotary to improve public access to this parcel as soon as the permits are in place.

Parcel 4 behind the Bayshore Mall — We are actively working with the City of Eureka and other groups. This area has been cleaned up, had concrete structures removed, and now has a paved bike and pedestrian trail traveling through it. Jim Clark has researched and written a proposal for funding to replace alien species with native ones to make it a nicer place for birds and people.

Mad River cottonwoods — We are also looking to maintain and preserve in some fashion the cottonwoods along Mad River. Cottonwoods are important migration and breeding habitats for birds and other wildlife.

Bird-friendly yards — Urban areas, schools, yards, etc. can be viable bird habitats. RRAS is

gathering information to share with the public on how to make their yards more amenable to bird life.

• 3. RRAS is building its education program. We are helping to maintain the bird collection at Eureka High School.

Using grant monies we have done some cabinet repair, replaced lighting, and put UV filters over the skylights.

We are digitizing our curriculum, working on digitizing the collection data, and updating the bird names.

4. Our local chapter is continually striving to increase its membership. We would like to get more young people interested in birds. The education committee works with K-12 students. We give an award at the Humboldt County Science Fair and cosponsor student bird art and nature writing contests. We would like to have younger people attend our activities. Please contact the board if you have any other ideas.

5. We are busy planning another Birdathon this year as a fundraiser for both NEC and RRAS (see article below).

Start forming your groups, thinking about where to bird, and asking people to donate for each bird you find!

6. We will be involved with Godwit Days (April 19-25, 2017), again running the Godwit Café. Come in and see us!

Get Ready for the Third Annual Tim McKay Birdathon!

By Gary Friedrichsen Though our winter winds are still blowing and rain is pelting down, we can take heart because Spring is just around the corner, and with it comes another opportunity to get out for a great day of bird-watching while you help support two wonderful local organizations. In May, individuals and teams will once again sally forth to amass a list of birds seen during a 24hour period. With every different species tallied, the cash register “ka-chings,” and pledged donations go to the Northcoast Environmental Center (NEC) and the Redwood Region Audubon Society (RRAS). Birdathons have been taking place throughout America for over 30 years now and they have proven to be a funfilled activity that can make a huge difference to the volunteer organizations they support.

This year the Birdathon will begin May 6 and last until May 14, giving participants nine days to pick a period of time in which they can maximize their efforts. It’s not too early to begin putting your team together and planning your route for your “Big Day.” As we have done for the last two years, we will award prizes to those teams (or individuals) that garner the most sponsors and donations. We know that some people have difficulty asking anyone for money, but remember that you are appealing on behalf of two organizations that operate on shoestring budgets, and yet provide our community amazing benefits with regard to our environment. We are likely sailing into troubled waters these next four years, and groups

like the RRAS and the NEC will be at the forefront of the fight, helping to guard our resources and vulnerable ecosystems.

Tim McKay worked his entire adult life as Executive Director of the NEC and waged battle after battle on our behalf against those who would overuse our resources for short-sighted and immediate profit. He began the local Birdathons back in the 80s, and we trust that his motto, “Endless pressure, endlessly applied” will direct the continuing work we must all help accomplish.

Register your team at www.yournec.org/birdathon and watch that site for pledge sheets, prizes, and other information.

New Members

RRAS welcomes the following new members and subscribers: Albany, OR - Cathy Vicory Arcata - Tony Gonsalves, Jim Roberts, Christine R Rousselot, Debby Harrison, Jennie Domareki, Jennifer Mason Bayside - Karen Orsolics, Susan Cashman, Jim McIntosh Burnt Ranch - Tom Weisend Crescent City - Mari Sample, Beverly Hopkins Cutten - Linda Anne Cummings

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

Children’s Nature Writing Contest Deadline March 24

By Sue Leskiw Redwood Region Audubon Society is sponsoring its 12th annual children’s nature writing contest. Up to six cash prizes will be awarded for the best essay(s) or poem(s) on “What Nature Means to Me” by Humboldt or Del Norte County students in grades 4 through 12.

Winners will be published on the RRAS website, www. rras.org, with awards presented at the 22nd Annual Godwit Days Festival in Arcata on Saturday, April 22.

Sunrise at the Refuge

By Denise Seeger You are invited to Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge for “Sunrise at the Refuge, a.k.a Aleutian Cackling Goose Fly-Off & Family Fun Weekend,” on Saturday and Sunday, March 4 and 5, rain or shine. Meet at the Richard J. Guadagno Headquarters and Visitor Center, 1020 Ranch Road in Loleta. The gate will open at 6 a.m.

View the habitats of southern Humboldt Bay at sunrise. Watch thousands of Aleutian cackling geese �ly off their night time roosts. The �ly-off usually occurs within 15 minutes before or after sunrise. Sunrise will occur around 6:45 a.m.

Entries should be no more than 450 words in length; one entry per person. Topics suitable for exploration include, but are not limited to, bird feeding, duck hunting, animal rescue, and observations of the natural world. Entries must include the student’s name, home address, phone number, and e-mail, plus teacher name, grade, school, phone, and e-mail.

Deadline for receipt is Friday, March 24, 2017.

Send submissions as text within the body of an e-mail (no Google docs or attachments) to tomleskiw@gmail. com or mail a printout to Tom Leskiw, 155 Kara Lane, McKinleyville CA 95519.

Family fun activities inside the Visitor Center will include bird silhouette painting and other arts and crafts from 7 a.m to 11 a.m. Bring a mug for coffee, tea, or cocoa.

This is a popular event. We encourage everyone to please carpool to ease parking congestion on the refuge. For more information or special accommodation please call (707) 733-5406 or visit www.fws.gov/refuge/humboldtbay/.

Tufted Duck, Arcata Marsh, HUM Co., © Elias Elias

Get Up-To-The-Minute Bird News!

By Elias Elias

Ever wonder how to get up-to-the-minute bird news?

Or how to share some interesting sighting? Call it in!!

The RRAS-sponsored Northwestern California Birders’ Voicemail is again using the original number, (707) 822-LOON (822-5666). When reporting a rare or unusual bird, please list all the species �irst, then follow with your name and details on the bird’s location, giving time and date of the sighting. Last year the computer operating the “bird box” failed. To replace the service we opted for a “cloud”-based solution. Following instructions on the service you can have the message streamed to your smart phone inbox. To �ind out what all your bird news options are, navigate to this webpage: www.rras.org/ebird_and_other_reporting_systems.aspx.

Pileated Woodpecker

by Deja Coleman

Common Loon

by Calvin Gans

March 24 Deadline for Student Bird Art Contest

By Sue Leskiw For the 14th year, RRAS and Friends of the Arcata Marsh are co-sponsoring a Student Bird Art Contest in conjunction with Godwit Days. At least $550 in prizes will be awarded to Humboldt County students from kindergarten through high school who submit a drawing of one of 40 suggested species or another common local bird. Prize(s) also will be awarded for the best rendition of a bird in its natural habitat.

Entries will be judged by local wildlife artists and educators. Awards will be presented at the 22nd Godwit Days Spring Migration Bird Festival on Saturday, April 22. All entries will be displayed at the Arcata Community Center during the Festival and copies of winning artwork will be shown at the Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center during May and June. A downloadable booklet of winning artwork and photos from the awards ceremony will be posted at www.rras.org.

A �lyer with complete rules and a list of suggested birds is posted on the RRAS website (link in right column) or can be picked up at the Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center, 569 South G Street, Arcata. Flyers have been mailed to all schools in Humboldt County.

Artwork may be dropped off at the Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center or mailed to Sue Leskiw, 155 Kara Lane, McKinleyville CA 95519. Entries must be received by Friday, March 24, to be considered. Questions should be e-mailed to sueleskiw1@gmail.com.

Bald Eagle by Aleta Stubble�ield

The editor realizes that many readers appreciate the Field Notes regular feature that often appears here.

However, the article is time-consuming to prepare and edit, and the information is available elsewhere: RRAS Bird Box (707-822-LOON), the online northwestern

California birding and information exchange (nwcalbird@yahoogroups.com), and eBird (ebird.org).

We will be offering somewhat different kinds of articles here that we hope will be of equal or greater interest to our readers. Feedback is always appreciated.

Notable Humboldt Bird Sightings January 2016-January 2017: What a Year!

By Chet Ogan; additional research by Elias Elias, and Sean McAllister.

This year we have seen a remarkable number of rare (also called “accidental”) birds show up in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties. “Accidental” in California is defined as having fewer than 5-10 records.

Among the rarest of local bird finds last year was a Common Pochard found by Jeff Allen on Freshwater Lagoon on December 20, among a large flock of Redheads and Canvasbacks. It was still being seen in mid-January, but may have disappeared (last sighted 1/13/17 on eBird. org). For about a week the duck was easy to distinguish in a group of Ring-necked Ducks in the Redwood Creek oxbow east of Redwood National Park’s Kuchel Visitors Center. Common Pochard is considered accidental in North America. According to Rare Birds of California (Hamilton et al., eds. 2007), this duck breeds in Eurasia, from Iceland eastward to central Russia and southern Siberia. The species winters in western Europe, northern and central Africa, the Middle East, and across southern Asia to Japan. This is the fourth record for California, and the first Common Pochard to hang around long enough to be easily seen in a publicly accessible place.

The sighting has brought many birders from throughout North America to our county, where many spend a night and almost all have at least two meals. This year our Tall Trees Christmas Bird Count (CBC) became the first in the lower 48 states to tally a Common Pochard. From now on, birders will be looking more closely through Redhead and Canvasback flocks.

Common Pochard, Freshwater Lagoon, Humboldt Co. 01/05/17 © Lizzie Feucht

An equally rare find was an immature male Eurasian Kestrel found by Tony Kurz and Casey Ryan on January 6, 2017, at Fields Landing. The first and only accepted record in California was at Marin Headlands, where a juvenile female was banded in the fall of 2007 at the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory. This bird was seen and photographed by many observers on only one day.

A purported Eurasian Kestrel captured aboard a ship inbound from Japan and kept in captivity at Humboldt State University in 1978 has not been accepted by the California Bird Record Committee due to inconsistent

documentation (see Western Birds 39, pages 184-187).

According to Rare Birds of California, the easternmost Falco tinnunculus interstictus subspecies breeds as close to North America as northern Japan and winters as far north as southern Japan. This species occurs casually (not seen annually but reasonably expected to occur) in Alaska and accidentally in British Columbia and western Washington.

Eurasian Kestrel, Fields Landing, Humboldt Co. 01/06/2017, © Gary Bloomfield

A Great Gray Owl was seen by many people from January to February at Prairie Creek State Park. Another (or maybe the same) Great Gray Owl was photographed months later by a resident along Aldergrove Road just before Christmas in the northeast Arcata area; it is still being reported as of this writing. Great Gray Owls have been known to breed as near as the mountains around Medford, Oregon, and have been reported in Siskiyou and Modoc Counties in California. A year-round population also occurs near Yosemite National Park.

On January 18, 2017, Tony Kurz found a pair of Trumpeter Swans along north Coffee Creek Road among over 60 Tundra Swans. The same pair may have seen on the first of the year during the Centerville CBC, but were too distant to be confirmed. Trumpeter Swans are considered accidental in coastal northwestern California. They have been reported to eBird four times in the past four years, generally in the Centerville area of Humboldt County and the Lake Earl area of Del Norte County. They are casual in the Central Valley and northeastern California.

Casey Ryan found a Little Stint at Tolowa Dunes on August 1; another Little Stint was reported on Centerville Beach on August 31 by Todd Easterla. In midAugust, Rob Fowler found a Red-necked Stint at Jacoby Creek Mouth. On September 1 (the day after he found the Little Stint!), Todd Easterla photographed a juvenile Red-necked Stint at Cock Robin Island. Both species are considered accidental in northwestern California.

As of this writing, a bright red, adult male Vermilion Flycatcher is still being found near the wastewater treatment plant in Crescent City. A Black-throated

Sparrow was spotted by Gary Fredrichson and others on a field trip of the Western Field Ornithologists’ (WFO) meeting at the BLM campground at the mouth of Mattole River between September 29 and October 9.

This sparrow is considered accidental in our region. A Rusty Blackbird is being seen in a blackbird flock at a pig farm west of Mosely Road in Del Norte, probably the same bird found by Lucas Brug north of the Smith River in November. According to the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, no reason is known why Rusty Blackbirds have declined by nearly 90% throughout North America.

Trained hawk-eyes found a Broad-winged Hawk soaring near Capetown along the Lost Coast during a during a field trip of the WFO meeting on October 1, led

by Jon Dunn. Casey Ryan photographed and carefully described a Broad-winged Hawk at Benbow Lake on September 23. He wrote:

“First impressions were of a compact Buteo with ... trailing edge perpendicular to body, pointed wing tips, short broad tail. I could easily make out a broad, dark edge to the tail contrasting with a broad, white tail-band.

The trailing edge of the wings were also distinct and dark, contrasting strongly with the primaries and secondaries.

The underside of the bird was overall very light, with a dark outline. The plumage was overall brown with a little more of a rusty tone to the breast.”

Casey noted that it reminded him of an Accipiter as it stooped and had the appearance of a Red-shouldered Hawk while it perched briefly. This hawk breeds in western Canada and is regularly sighted during migration by observers at the Golden Gate Observatory.

It is likely present more often than observed during migrations along our region. Casey also spotted a Zone-Tailed Hawk at Benbow in May with similar documentation, which is a pretty good bird for northern California.

Keith Slauson spotted a light-morph Swainson’s Hawk on October 30 in the vicinity of Hammond’s Bridge in McKinleyville. While Swainson’s Hawk is regularly seen in California, it is mostly reported in the Central Valley where it uses arid habitats.

In early December, “Doc” and Mike Harris saw an unusual dark female scaup-like duck that was later identified by Keith Slauson as a female Tufted Duck at the Arcata Marsh. Bob Brown recorded the duck for the Arcata CBC. Officially, this species is listed in our area as casual. This bird is being seen in East Pond but was often seen in Gearheart Marsh with other scaup.

This winter, a big influx of Bohemian Waxwings pushed into Washington and Oregon from western Canada. None has been confirmed yet west of the Coast Range in California, but recently Lucas Brug reported a possible Bohemian in a flock of Cedar Waxwings. Keep checking those Cedar Waxwing flocks closely for a rather larger waxwing with cinnamon-brown undertail coverts.

Other sightings of casual birds in 2016 included a Snowy Owl (South Spit), a Hudsonian Godwit (Clam Beach), a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Big Lagoon County Park), an American Tree Sparrow (Arcata Marsh), a female Costa’s Hummingbird (Cock Robin Island), a Gray Catbird (Blue Lake), two Summer Tanagers (McKinleyville and Terwer Creek near Klamath), a Lesser Black-backed Gull along Eureka’s waterfront, and a Lawrence’s Goldfinch near Blue Lake.

The

EcoNews Report Report

Every Thursday at 1:30 p.m., KHSU (90.5 FM, khsu.org) airs the NEC’s weekly half-hour EcoNews Report radio show.

Each show features a rotating roster of hosts interviewing guests and experts on a variety of environmental topics.

Past shows are archived on our website for listening anytime. The last five years of EcoNews Reports are available on our website (four shows per month, 12 months per year— that’s nearly 250 shows online!).

Here’s a selection of some recent EcoNews Reports: January 19, 2017—Ken Burton interviews Chris West, senior wildlife biologist for the Yurok Tribe, about the Tribe’s work to reintroduce condors to the Redwood National Park region.

January 12, 2017—Tom Wheeler of EPIC talks with Stassia Samuels, Plant Ecologist with Redwood National and State Parks, about the problems the parks are having with English ivy and efforts to remove ivy. He also talks with Kim Tays and Stan Binney of the Humboldt No Ivy League about the work the League is doing to remove ivy and home ivy removal suggestions.

January 5, 2017—Scott Greacen, Director of Friends of the Eel River, interviews Craig Tucker, Natural Resource Policy Advocate for the Karuk Tribe, about the Klamath Dam removal process and dam removal in the west.

December 29, 2016—Pete Nichols of Waterkeeper Alliance interviews Dan Estrin, General Counsel and Legal Director of Waterkeeper Alliance, on Standing Rock and Environmental Policy in a Trump Administration.

December 15, 2016—Humboldt Baykeeper Director Jennifer Kalt interviews Humboldt Bay Harbor Commissioner Mike Wilson about the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation, and Conservation District’s efforts to protect the bay and promote sustainable economic development over the past 10 years, as he gets ready to step into his newly-elected position as Humboldt County Supervisor.

yournec.org/econews-report

EcoNews Feb/Mar 2017

Optimism for Klamath Dam Removal Through FERC Process Excerpted from the January 5, 2017 episode of the NEC’s EcoNews Report. Listen to the whole show online at www.yournec.org/econews-report.

Over the course of the last century or so, the American West has gone from being a scene of a veritable frenzy of dam building, to actually beginning to dismantle and remove some of those dams. Some have done great harm to fisheries, river ecosystems and human and natural communities that depend on them. Yet these questions remain no less contentious today than they were 50 years ago.

In some ways it appears our political leaders want to go back to building big dams. They’ve just passed a bill designed to allow and fund two new dams here in California. But at the same time, the impacts of dams on the Snake, Klamath and Eel Rivers, has never been clearer. The fight is really on to get destructive dams out of some of our most important Western rivers.

Craig Tucker, the Natural Resources Policy Advocate for the Karuk Tribe and a long-time participant in the Klamath Dam removal process, joined host Scott Greacen in the KHSU studios recently to discuss updates on the Klamath Dam removal process.

Tucker states, “In a lot of ways things are, I have to say, on track. For years we’ve been trying to find a path forward on dam removal. We had negotiated a complicated agreement that involved dam owner PacifiCorps, irrigators in the upper basin, tribes on the river, conservation groups, et cetera, only to have Congress leave us standing at the altar.”

Without Congressional authorization, the deals couldn’t move forward, but PacifiCorps remained interested in dam removal. “So we restructured the dam removal agreement to simply go back through… the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC. We’ve created a non-profit entity called the Klamath River Renewal Corporation and…PacifiCorps will transfer the lower four dams to this non-profit. The proposal to transfer the dams and decommission them has been sent to FERC for consideration.

“So things are really on track to remove the dams; the removal date continues to be 2020. In a lot of ways, a lot of the hard work that a lot of folks

www.yournec.org

have done together over the years is starting to bear fruit,” Tucker stated, adding, “Although now we have to contend with a new problem, and that may be the Trump administration whose views on this issue are really unknown to us.”

The recent state Water Board hearings garnered input from the public that will be considered when writing the permit for dam removal.

Tucker: “As with any kind of project that affects water quality, you have to demonstrate compliance with the federal Clean Water Act and get a permit— a 401 permit—[401 is the name of ] the section of the Clean Water Act where it’s described.”

Greacen inquired, “So I’m assuming then that the Karuk Tribe and proponents of Klamath dam removal are supporting the issuance of this permit and a finding that taking the dams out is going to promote and protect water quality?”

To which Tucker replied, “Absolutely, I mean, we accept and realize that these dams hold back a significant amount of sediment. We think that the release of sediment when the dams are removed will have a short-term negative impact on the river but because of the long-term extraordinary benefits it’ll be worth it.”

“We have, now, a few examples of successful dam removal projects,” Greacen commented. “The Condit Dam that was removed from the White Salmon River in Washington, and of course the Elwah dams that were removed in Olympic National Park. What do we know from those experiments about how that sediment flow happens?”

Tucker: “Well, it’s remarkable and I would say two things. Modelers are able to pretty accurately —based on particle size and volume of sediment in the flow of a river—predict the behavior of sediment being released. So we feel confident that we know what’s going to happen.”

He continued, “And the other thing I would say is the response of the fish and of the river ecosystem is exceeding expectations. I mean, the year after they removed those dams you’ve got fish spawning above the dams. And that’s way ahead of schedule. So we have very big expectations.”

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Eye on

Washington Dan Sealy, NEC Legislative Analyst

Workforce Enforcing environmental regulations and managing public lands requires staff. As former President Ronald Reagan found, appointing naysayers as agency heads and cutting agency staff effectively tied the hands of conservation agencies.

The new Congress and President have indicated they may freeze hiring, preventing agencies from filling of positions that enforce our laws. To add to that concern, Rep. Griffith (R-VA) unearthed a 100-year-old regulation which would allow President Trump and the GOP to target federal employees implementing policies they oppose such as climate change science, endangered species protection, and other environmental protections by reducing their pay to one dollar. A questionnaire sent to government scientists seeking to determine their professional stance on climate change, left scientists feeling targeted and uncertain.

Science Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) has renewed his push for the “Secret Science Reform Act.” The Act would require the EPA use only “transparent or reproducible” science when drafting regulations and that the scientific data would be posted online for scrutiny. Although supporters of the Act suggest it would lead to better transparency, many science organizations say the Act would have a crippling effect on large-scale research. “This bill, it’s not designed to promote good science; it’s really just crafted to prevent the use of independent science in developing public health and safety protections.

If a version like this were to get into other areas of the federal government, it could bring the entire regulatory process to a grinding halt,” said Yogin Kothari of the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Appointees “Henhouse for Rent—Only Foxes Need Apply” stated Michael E. Mann, Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science at Pennsylvania State University and Director of the Penn State Earth System Science Center, regarding the line-up of new appointees under President Trump.

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Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Scott Pruitt Attorney General, State of Oklahoma

Pruitt is expected to benefit from support from Climate Change “Denier-in-Chief ” Senator Inhofe (R-OK). Sen. Inhofe is a member of two powerful Senate science committees, and said in endorsing Pruitt, “Pruitt has seen first-hand the abuses of power at the hands of this agency and has fought back to ensure environmental quality without sacrificing jobs.”

Attorney Pruitt is already fighting ethics accusations resulting from taking almost half a million dollars from groups tied to oil. The Sierra Club stated, “The fact that Scott Pruitt intends to take big cash from the very same big polluters he is supposed to be monitoring as EPA administrator is unprecedented and a clear danger to the health of our families.”

Interior: Ryan Zinke, U.S. Congressman (R-MT)

Rep. Zinke supports the Keystone XL pipeline and has expressed concerns about the Interior Department’s regulations to control dangerous wastes from oil and gas wells. He distinctly lacks a focus on climate change. In what might become a common refrain for many of Trump’s nominees, Zinke may also have some ethics problems. Rep. Zinke (R-MT) took hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign donations from companies that drill for oil and gas on the vast public lands that he would oversee as Interior Secretary.

The League of Conservation Voters (which gave Zinke a minimal three percent lifetime score) and the Center for Biological Diversity say his voting record shows he may be in the pocket of the energy industry.

On a note of hope, outgoing Interior Sec. Jewell mentioned at a speech at Columbia University Zinke’s support of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and opposition to a Republican Party platform that included alarming disposal of public lands.

“I think those are good,” she said. “They are indicative of someone that does come from a state

that understands the value of federal public lands, the benefits the state gets from those public lands and the importance of thoughtful, long-term management.”

Commerce: Wilbur Ross, Billionaire banker and investor “Vulture’ or ‘Phoenix’?...” read the headline in the New York Times on Nov 25, 2016 regarding Ross.

Though he has been applauded for saving some industrial jobs, Ross is also known for the Sago Mine disaster in West Virginia, where 12 miners were killed. His company had bought the mine a few weeks earlier.

His many ties to many oil and gas companies— where he has invested millions of dollars—has resulted in concerns of a conflict of interest.

State: Rex Tillerson, former chairman and chief executive officer of ExxonMobil Congressional hearings have highlighted concerns about Tillerson’s lobbying against U.S. sanctions and possible illegal dealings with Iran, Syria, Sudan and Russia. His ties with Russia in particular are related to his determination to drill for oil in the Arctic. Almost lost in those hearings, however, is the fact he also funded Manhattan Group which lobbied against climate change mitigation work.

Good News There is some good news for the Northern California/Southern Oregon region. Before leaving office, President Obama added lands to the California Coastal National Monument and the CascadeSiskiyou National Monument, and protected the Smith River headwaters from mining. For more information, see pages 5-6.

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Invest in the Future Join our Monthly Giving Program For more information, call the NEC at 707-822-6918 www.yournec.org

Feb/Mar 2017

EcoNews

Zero Waste Humboldt Aids County with Plastic Bag Ban What are the benefits of the new reusable bag law?

Emma Held For starters, eliminating plastic bags from In November, California passed the first ever California’s waste stream will help keep our coastline statewide ban on single-use carry out bags. Single-use beautiful and our marine wildlife safe. It will also plastics bring nothing good to the table. Unfortunately, reduce costs to local governments by keeping storm plastics are the most popular packaging and drains and machinery clear. Who won’t benefit? transportation material for consumers.

Out-of-state corporations that manufacture singleWhy? Because it has been marketed as use plastic bags. “easy”. This so-called cultural convenience causes astounding negative impacts to our environment. There The average use of a disposable bag is 12 minutes, are also hidden costs but they persist as pollution in environment for associated with clogged storm drains and waste decades. - World Economic Forum processing machinery. The Plastics Better Alternatives Now (BAN) list—put Who has to comply? together by 5 Gyres, Clean Production Action, There are more than 80 stores in Humboldt Surfrider Foundation and Upstream—identifies County’s unincorporated areas that are required to plastic bags as highly environmentally persistent comply with the single-use carry out bag ban. Many with a high toxic accumulation potential. Plastic stores have prepared in advance—such as Murphy’s bags make up a whopping 11.8 percent of pollution Markets, Ray’s Food Place, Safeway, CVS, the North in the environment.

Coast Co-op and Wildberries—by eliminating plastic For those who argue that plastics can be bags from their checkout areas, replacing them with recycled, unfortunately that is not true. Nationwide, paper bags and offering reusables for sale. Zero only 3 percent of plastic bags are actually recycled, Waste Humboldt applauds the many individuals that according to The Plastics BAN List. have taken it upon themselves to bring their own Banning the bag is a great achievement for our state! bags to the grocery store.

Why is there a 10 cent charge?

Single-use plastic bags were never really free.

Stores added cost of bags into price of groceries, which means that people who bring reusable bags were actually paying for other people’s wasteful bags. The 10 cent charge for paper bags will offset the cost to the grocers or retailers for purchasing paper or reusable bags. It will ensure that consumers who bring their own bags are not paying for others to waste. Lastly, it encourages California to move towards more sustainable materials.

What is Zero Waste Humboldt doing in terms of implementation?

Our goal as an organization is to offer assistance and education to grocers, retailers and individuals.

ZWH is preparing a multimedia public education platform with the help of students and professors from Humboldt State University. ZWH is also working with a cadre of local individuals to act as “Secret Shoppers”. These “Secret Shoppers” will visit stores in Humboldt County and track who is in compliance and who is not. In March 2017, Zero Waste Humboldt will publish a list of grocers and retailers that are in compliance with the new law, allowing individuals to make educated decisions about where to shop.

A Gift Membership to the NEC includes a full year of EcoNews — delivered right to your friend or family member’s mailbox!

Now more than ever, we need to stay informed and take action to protect our natural places!

EcoNews has been the North Coast’s source of environmental news since 1971!

Fill out the form on the back cover of this issue, visit us online at yournec.org/donate, call 822-6918, or stop by the office at 415 I St., Arcata!

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EcoNews Feb/Mar 2017

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14

Preparing for Sea Level Rise in the Humboldt Bay Area Jennifer Kalt, Director

Reducing emissions to slow the rate of climate change is more critical then ever, but we must plan for inevitable sea level rise—which is already happening and will continue for decades. It’s not a matter of if—but when—the highest tides of the year will cause more than nuisance flooding, especially during major storms.

The Coastal Commission’s 2015 Sea Level Rise Guidance is based on the best available science, and forecasts sea level rise of 0.5m (1.6’) by 2050 and 1.5m (4.9’) by 2100. Across California, coastal communities are considering ways to prepare for sea level rise. The three basic strategies are: • Protection with higher levees, dikes, or seawalls; • Adaptation by elevating structures, increasing setbacks along streams and floodplains, and restoring coastal wetlands to absorb wave energy; and • Relocation of buildings and infrastructure, while prohibiting new development in areas at risk.

Some combination of strategies will need to be employed, since protecting everything is not feasible. Local governments must use the best available science to plan for the most effective use of these strategies to protect life, property, and coastal ecosystems. Planning for the projected levels of sea level rise will be less costly and more protective than hoping the models are wrong.

The Humboldt Bay area is experiencing sea level rise at twice the rate of the rest of the state. This is because as the water level rises, the ground beneath us is also sinking due to tectonic subsidence. Eureka, Arcata, and Humboldt County have all received state funding to develop plans to prepare for sea level rise. In the coming year, these plans will be incorporated into coastal planning frameworks called Local Coastal Programs (LCPs), which govern development in the Coastal Zone.

The first step in adaptation planning is a vulnerability assessment of critical public infrastructure, such as highways, wastewater treatment plants, water and gas pipelines, and electrical transmission lines. Public funding for major infrastructure should consider future conditions for the lifespan of the project, which can be as much as 75 to 100 years.

15

Environmental planner Aldaron Laird recently completed Eureka’s Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment, which found that by 2050, sewer lift stations, sewer lines, and the Murray Field airport will be the most at-risk public assets. By 2100, the Chevron Fuel Terminal, bulk cargo docks, drinking water and stormwater systems, and contaminated sites will be most vulnerable.

In mid-December, the City of Eureka’s staff unveiled draft sea level rise policies that recommend planning for only six inches of sea level rise by 2050— in defiance of Coastal Commission guidance.

Map showing the high projection sea level rise in Eureka. Humboldt Bay Sea Level Rise Hydrodynamic Modeling and Inundation Vulnerability Mapping by Northern Hydrology & Engineering, 2015.

This approach is at odds with common-sense strategies to plan for the future This is an opportunity to learn about which areas and could result in costly damage by putting new of the city are most at risk and various approaches to development in areas vulnerable to flooding. The adapt to future changes to our shoreline as the sea policies were labeled “draft” and deferred to the LCP rises. We need Humboldt residents to urge a path Update process in 2017-18, which will be the public’s forward that protects our communities by using the first opportunity to provide input. best available science on sea level rise. We cannot That same week, the Arcata City Council held a afford to develop with a best-case scenario in mind, three-hour study session focused entirely on sea level particularly as we are more vulnerable than other rise: what’s at risk and what can be done to prepare. places to sea level rise.

The City Council gave staff direction to develop Humboldt Area sea level rise projection maps a robust public process, including neighborhood developed by Jeff Anderson of Hydrology Associates meetings to inform residents and to elicit public are available for use in Google Earth or ArcGIS at the input. The City Council also raised questions about Coastal Ecosystem Institute of Northern California’s the plan for a $40 million upgrade to the Wastewater website at www.coastalecosystemsinstitute.org.

Treatment Facility, asking staff to study options and estimate costs for moving the facility to higher ground. A second study session is scheduled for Arcata City Council Study Session Monday, February 6 at 5:30 p.m. at the Arcata City on Sea Level Rise Planning Council Chambers. This session will further discuss Monday, February 6 at 5:30 pm adaptation strategies for low-lying areas, including the City’s wastewater treatment facility, and how Arcata City Hall best to engage the public. www.yournec.org

Feb/Mar 2017

EcoNews

The Environmental Protection Information Center

ep c

Big Changes for EPIC’s 40th Year!

EPIC things are in store for us in 2017. (Pun intended.) This year EPIC celebrates its 40th anniversary, and as with any mark of a new era, big changes are to come! All year long we will be celebrating our work to protect and restore North Coast forests and waters, and connect more people with nature by highlighting our successes and how they inspire us as we plan for the future.

In 2017, we will say goodbye to Natalynne Delapp, EPIC’s Executive Director since 2014. We are pleased to introduce a new face, Briana Villalobos as the Director of Communications and Development, and welcome current Program Director Tom Wheeler as EPIC’s Executive Director.

Though Natalynne will be leaving us this year, her impact on the community and all things EPIC will stay with us. During her time as the Executive Director, Natalynne built upon EPIC’s strong brand as California’s North Coast forest protection organization, while centralizing EPIC’s strengths as an operationally and strategically focused powerhouse. Her unconventional, quirky, and bold strategies have introduced a collaborative and principled standard of communication that sought to build bridges and work within the community to find pragmatic yet idealistic solutions.

Natalynne worked her way up from the bottom, starting as a volunteer, then moving to Development Director, and finally to Executive Director.

Throughout her career at EPIC, Natalynne’s work held true to EPIC’s vision: maintaining healthy, connected forest ecosystems with sustainable and regenerative forest management practices.

Among the work Natalynne will be remembered for, Natalynne built bridges with unconventional partners and long-time “adversaries,” recognizing that we can go further together. She worked with

EcoNews Feb/Mar 2017

cannabis advocacy groups, other environmental organizations, community leaders and elected officials in the growing industry throughout the development of the Humboldt Medical Marijuana Land Use Ordinance. After Humboldt’s ordinance passed, Natalynne developed and organized the 2016 Cannabis Farmer’s Compliance Workshop series and Compliance Handbook.

EPIC thanks to Natalynne DeLapp! Photo: Courtesy of EPIC.

From everyone on the staff and Board of Directors, we wish Natalynne happy trails.

To take Natalynne’s place, Tom Wheeler is moving up to Executive Director. Since Tom joined EPIC in 2014, he has brought a keen legal eye to EPIC’s work. Tom graduated from the University of Washington School of Law with a concentration in Environmental Law. Tom was President of the Environmental Law Society, served as Articles Editor of the WA Journal of Environmental Law & Policy, and defended old-growth and endangered species at the WA Forest Law Center. Tom was drawn to EPIC for its predominant “history of fighting and www.yournec.org

winning the fights no one thought possible.” Tom is excited to continue to bring his legal skills to work on protecting our wild places.

Briana Villalobos is officially joining the EPIC staff this January as the Director of Communications and Development. So if you see a new face around, let Briana know you are excited about her joining the team! Briana is responsible for energizing and engaging with the EPIC community. Her role is to work collaboratively with members and volunteers to organize events and provide resources and materials for membership development and enhancement.

Briana attended Humboldt State University where she earned her degree in sociology with an emphasis on human ecology. Her passion for environmental and social justice is exemplified by her time and research dedicated throughout her undergrad career, and as an intern for EPIC. She is fresh out of academia and is excited to further ignite her burning love for social activism and the environment.

We are pleased to enter this celebratory year with new faces and exciting changes!

However, as we move forward we must first acknowledge the tall tasks ahead of us. From climate change to the Trump administration, our North Coast ecosystems have never needed a vigorous advocate more than now. This year we will be on high alert, and continue to advocate for the sustainable management of public forests. The faces at EPIC are changing, but our heart remains the same. We have an exceptional staff of experts and support from a community of people who dare to think the world can be a better place. Together, we are powerful and together we will ensure California remains wild.

For more info visit www.wildcalifornia.org

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NORTH GROUP REDWOOD CHAPTER A Message from North Group Chairman Gregg Gold:

We Shall Never Surrender

Due to the Trump administration, it is expected that we will face unprecedented challenges to our fundamental freedoms and rights both as a nation and as individuals. This both angers and saddens me deeply.

Equally disturbing is the clear and present danger this administration and Congress pose to the air we breath, the water we drink, the land we love, and the planet we all share. At a similar dark moment—June 4, 1940—Great Britain was surrounded by enemies and all hope seemed lost, when Sir Winston Churchill said, “…when we see the originality of malice, the ingenuity of aggression, which our enemy displays, we may certainly prepare ourselves for every kind of novel stratagem and every kind of brutal and treacherous maneuver…we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender…”

Against seemingly impossible odds, the British won that fight and so shall we win ours. That was then, this is now. The Sierra Club has been winning environmental battles since 1892, the North Group Sierra Club since 1964. The Sierra Club never has and never will back down when it comes to the environment. Neither should you, and we want your help.

Some of our plans for 2017:

1. We are fortunate that we have an outstanding Congressional representative and environmental champion in Jared Huffman. We intend to work closely with him and his staff to protect the environment.

2. We will work closely with your North

Coast Environmental Center and the many outstanding environmental groups here in Humboldt to leverage our strength.

3. We will initiate regular letter writing gettogethers. Personal handwritten letters are the most effective way to influence lawmakers. This will provide you with a simple and effective way to make a difference (everything matters!), and meet like minded others.

4. We will increase our presence on social media to make it easier for you to stay current with what we are up to.

5. We plan to increase greatly the number of regular presentations by experts so that you can learn more to do more. Besides, learning is fun!

6. You will be seeing a lot more of us at local events like Godwit Days and the North Country Fair.

The time is now and the moment is upon us. I look forward to meeting you!

Elk River Defense Residents of Lower Elk River have been struggling for decades to get the North Coast Water Board to curtail logging on the basin’s steep upper slopes. Past logging filled the channel with sediment, resulting in flooding that continues to make roads impassible and damages homes and orchards. Last year Water Board staff finally proposed Waste Discharge Requirements for Humboldt Redwood Company (HRC) that would have curtailed wet weather logging and increased protection for riparian areas and unstable slopes.

Under pressure from HRC and Green Diamond Resources (another Upper Elk River timber company), the governor-appointed board first delayed a decision and finally, on November 30, gutted the extra protection staff had proposed. Board member Gregg Giusti acted as the timber industry’s top machete

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www.yournec.org

Events

One need not be a Sierra Club member to participate in these outings. Please join us!

Sunday, February 12—North Group Ma-le’l Dunes Hike. Get away from it all, close to the town of Manila on Humboldt Bay. Expansive sand dunes, lush coastal forest, tidelands, the beach. No dogs. Bring water and lunch. Carpools by prior arrangement, or BLM trailhead off SR 255 and Young Lane at 9 a.m. Heavy rain cancels.

Easy hike, 5 miles, less than 1,000 feet elevation change.

Leader Ned, 707-825-3652, nedforsyth48@gmail.com.

Wednesday, February 22—North Group, Former Coastal Drive Hike, Redwood National Park. Walk old roadway closed to vehicles since 2011, hugging bluffs overlooking rugged coast. Maintained road resumes in 3 miles, near High Bluffs Overlook. Optional side trip north to disguised WWII radar station. Return same route. Dress for coastal exposure. Bring lunch, water. No dogs. Class M-6-A. Meet 9 a.m. Rays Valley West, 10:30 a.m. Trailhead (Coastal Drive south closure gate). Leader Melinda 707668-4275, mgroomster@gmail.com.

Sunday, March 5—North Group Trinidad State Beach Hike. Let’s explore Trinidad’s coastline, from Elk Head to Trinidad Head and Indian Beach. Beaches, woods, cliffs, pounding surf. Visitor services. Bring water and lunch, or plan to get a meal in town. No dogs. Easy hike, 4 miles, less than 1,000 feet elevation change. Heavy rain cancels.

Carpools: Meet 9 a.m. Valley West (Ray’s) Shopping Center.

Leader Ned, nedforsyth48@gmail.com, 707-825-3652.

Saturday, March 18—North Group, Skunk Cabbage Trail, Redwood National Park. A favorite spring hike!

The trail follows Skunk Cabbage Creek, passing stands of freshly-blooming namesake plant and a dainty sprinkle of others, to a high coastal overlook, then winds northward and descends gradually to the beach. Bring water, lunch. Wear layers, hiking footwear. No dogs. Class M-8-A. Meet 9 a.m. Ray’s Valley West, 10 a.m. Trailhead.

Leader Melinda 707-668-4275, mgroomster@gmail.com.

man, slashing riparian protection and restrictions on wet weather logging.

The North Group has steadfastly supported pleas of Elk River residents for protection from logging sediment. That’s why we’ve joined EPIC in appealing to the State Water Board to overturn the decision. Elk River residents are also appealing.

Water Board members are supposed to protect us and our water; they have no business acting as agents for timber corporations. Please let the governorappointed members of the North Coast Water Board know what you think of their Elk River decision. Send an email to shin-roei.lee@waterboards.ca.gov and ask that your message be forwarded to all board members.

Or write to Board Members John W. Corbett, David Noren, Hector Bedolla, Geoffrey Hales, Kelli Gant, Gregory Giusti and Valerie Minton directly: North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, 5550 Skylane Blvd., Ste. A, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.

Feb/Mar 2017

EcoNews

NORTHCOAST CHAPTER

Spring Flowers, Early and Petite

Carol Ralph The calendar doesn’t say February is spring, but some of our native plants do. In our coastal dunes a sunny day can warm the sand surface, encouraging plant growth there. Some small, annual species live entirely within a few inches of that surface. Here are three of these tiny species that were blooming in February, 2016, at Lanphere Dunes.

Little Spring Beauty (Claytonia exigua), related to Miner’s Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata), can selfpollinate if no insect is out and about to do the job. It is in a hurry to produce seeds before sand moisture is gone. Its glaucous, gray foliage is distinctive.

Evening Programs

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 are held at the Six Rivers Masonic Lodge, 251 Bayside Rd., near 7th and Union, Arcata.

Refreshments at 7:00 p.m.; program at 7:30 p.m.

February 8, Wednesday—Places and Plants of the Middle Klamath River. Bringing familiar majesty to those who have been there, and enticing previews to those who haven’t, Tanya Chapple of the Mid-Klamath Watershed Council (MKWC) in Orleans will lead a virtual, botanical exploration into the Klamath-Siskiyou region. Since 2001 the MKWC has been working to restore the threatened Klamath River in California and the upslope habitats upon which the river depends. In their work to restore a watershed, they visit beautiful places and special plants. The evening will be a photographic tour of the wonderful places and plants of the Klamath-Siskiyou region.

March 8, Wednesday—Tall Tree Physiology: Downsides to Being Tall and How Trees Compensate with Dr. Lucy Kerhoulas of the Forestry Department at Humboldt State University. North Coast residents are well aware that trees can grow to be really tall. They might be less aware of the complications involved with being a tall tree. Lucy will explain some basics of tall tree physiology and explore some of the adaptations local trees use to take advantage of water sources in their crowns. A number of tree species in the redwood forest produce aboveground roots and support a variety of epiphytes (plants growing on other plants without extracting nutrients from them). Examples include Bigleaf Maple, Vine Maple, Red Alder, Black Cottonwood, Sitka Spruce, and Redwood. As epiphyte mats are one potential local water source in tall tree crowns, this

talk will introduce you to the rich community of liverworts, mosses, lichens, and ferns that live on tree branches high above the forest floor.

Field Trips February 25, Saturday—Freshwater Lagoon Day Hike.

Freshwater Lagoon flanks Highway 101 on one side of a dramatic, straight stretch with the ocean on the other. The Old State Highway still traverses the slope east (inland) of the lagoon for roughly 3 miles, accessing a few weekend houses.

We will do a car shuttle and walk this very lightly traveled road, through Red Alder forest, watching for Red-flowering Currant blooming, and hoping for the red-flowered trillium that likes this habitat, Giant Purple Wakerobin (Trillium kurabayashii).

We might have time to walk along the lagoon, looking at wetland plants, or the beach, looking at sand plants. Meet at 9:00 a.m. at Pacific Union School (3001 Janes Rd., Arcata) or arrange another place. Dress for the weather; bring lunch and water. Return late afternoon. It helps to know you are coming: Carol 707-822-2015.

March 26, Sunday—Redwood Creek Day Hike. Masses of Giant Purple Wakerobin (Trillium kurabayashii) should be waiting for us about `1.5 miles up the Redwood Creek Trail in Redwood National Park. (Trailhead at the bottom of Bald Hills Rd. just north of Orick.) The yellow variant of this deep red trillium occurs here, providing fodder for speculation on trillium taxonomy. The riparian and forest edge vegetation will provide early spring fun: Hazelnut in full bloom, several gooseberries, Skunk Cabbage, and possibly early clues of the rare Seaside Bittercress (Cardamine angulata). Meet at 8:30 a.m. at Pacific Union School (3001 Janes Rd., Arcata) or arrange another place. Dress for the weather; bring lunch and water. Return late afternoon. It helps to know you are coming: Carol 707-822-2015.

Spring Wildflower Show & Plant Sale

May 5-7 New location!

Red-stemmed Miner’s Lettuce (Claytonia rubra) can grow along with the Little Spring Beauty. Plants with leaf shape and color intermediate between these two are easily found. Familiar Miner’s Lettuce, with individuals tiny to large depending on the soil fertility or moisture, grows in the dunes too. I enjoy these ephemeral, cute plants even though they shake my taxonomic confidence every spring.

EcoNews Feb/Mar 2017

Red Maids (Calandrinia menziesii) is a widespread, common species which grows much larger in other soils. We learned this plant as Calandrinia ciliata, but a conscientious botanist has used genetic tools to discover that “our” Red Maids in western North America is actually distinct from the one in Central and South America, which kept the name C. ciliata.

Gratefully, we still call it Red Maids. Annuals such as the Claytonia and Red Maids have nutritious seeds that the Native Americans gathered and ate. www.yournec.org

Jefferson Community Center 1000 B St, Eureka The show features hundreds of fresh, wild flowers from our area for viewing, smelling, and study, while the sale offers hundreds of native plant species, most local, in pots for purchase.

We are excited about developing our event in its new home. Join us! If you want to help put on the wildflower show, contact Carol Ralph (707-822-2015; theralphs@humboldt1.com). If you want to help with the plant sale, contact Chris Beresford (707-826-0259; thegang7@pacbell.net).

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Wolves

Habitat

Continued from page 8 This month marks the five-year anniversary of the arrival in California of wolf OR-7, the first known wild wolf in the state in 87 years. His arrival launched the development of a state wolf plan with input from a stakeholder group representing conservation, ranching and sports-hunting interests. OR-7 eventually returned to Oregon, where he found a mate and has since sired three sets of pups. In August 2015 state wildlife officials confirmed the establishment of California’s first wolf family in nearly a century: the Shasta pack in Northern California’s Siskiyou County. And just last month, a pair of wolves was confirmed in western Lassen County. DNA-testing of scat collected from the pair shows that the male is a young adult from one of OR-7’s litters, while the female is of unknown origin.

“The ongoing arrival of wolves in California is cause for celebration and makes the state wolf plan’s provisions all the more important,” stated Kimberly Baker, public land advocate for the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC). “Wolf recovery will bring the essence of wild back to California and reiterates the need for landscape connectivity.”

The plan proposes a phased management approach, in which establishment of four wolf packs for two consecutive years will trigger consideration of more aggressive management of conflicts.

After establishment of eight wolf packs for two consecutive years, management actions will become even less protective of wolves. Conservation groups

Continued from page 10 say the reduced protections come too quickly under the plan, and call for an ongoing emphasis on timeproven, research-based nonlethal measures to minimize conflicts with livestock.

“It’s exciting that nonlethal methods of reducing wolf-livestock conflicts are such a foundational element of this plan, because we know they work,” said Damon Nagami, a senior attorney in the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Land and Wildlife Program. “We want to give these magnificent animals every possible chance to survive and thrive here in California. So we look forward to working with the Department to ensure that happens.”

The agency received significant public input last year when it released a draft plan for public comment. Changes requested included the need to acknowledge the best available current science on managing conflicts, social tolerance, the importance of protecting wolves from illegal killings, and wolves’ critical ecological role. During the comment period, 19 conservation organizations submitted a joint comment letter on behalf of 2.9 million California residents highlighting 27 key issues of concern in the draft plan. The vast majority of Californians wants wolves protected and also fully supports the joint efforts of the state, conservation groups, ranchers and hunters to implement nonlethal conflict-prevention measures.

Press Release from the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC), the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Sierra Club California.

...Arcata has begun the process of becoming a certified Community Wildlife Habitat. The process includes certifying outdoor spaces as CWHs through NWF. It also involves leading educational and outreach events to get people excited to live in a city that promotes co-existence between wildlife and humans.

We are community members, sisters, parents, and nature nuts and we will continue to engage others, speak with our actions, and raise awareness for the betterment of all our community members—furry, fuzzy, and feathery alike—and we need your help.

For more info check us out on Facebook: www. facebook.com/ArcataCommunityWildlifeHabitat/.

MPAs

Continued from page 7 Following implementation of the MPA network, the California Ocean Protection Council allocated $4 million to fund baseline monitoring inside and outside of MPAs in the region. This research is the first step in MPA monitoring, as it establishes a benchmark of ecological and socioeconomic conditions in order to document any changes in the region in the first few years following MPA implementation. On the North Coast, MPA baseline research is currently being wrapped up, and results will be presented to the public in 2017/18.

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Feb/Mar 2017

EcoNews

Ivy

Monuments

Continued from page 10 ...removal effort from an annual Earth Day event to a monthly event that alternates between both parks. Last year, with help from the No Ivy League, California State Parks secured grant funding from the California State Parks Foundation that allowed us to hire the California Conservation Corps (CCC) for four days this past November to remove ivy from the trees and ground at Trinidad State Beach.

In appreciation of our group’s volunteer efforts, the CCC also generously donated one day of work to our cause. (Thank you, CCC!) The No Ivy League’s work has demonstrated that where solid patches of ivy have been removed, native plants seem to repopulate the area fairly quickly, typically within a few months. Indeed, native plants come back so fast, it is not necessary to plant native plants to effectively restore an area.

The No Ivy League is also the genesis of a proposed regulatory change that would ban the sale of ivy in California. Because of their concern over ivy, the No Ivy League went on tour, bringing a presentation to local environmental organizations on ivy. Soon, a petition to the California Department of Food and Agriculture to prohibit the sale of ivy was drafted and organizations, including EPIC, the Northcoast Environmental Center, Humboldt Baykeeper, North Group of the Redwood Chapter of the Sierra Club, and the North Coast Chapter of the California Native Plant Society signed on.

The momentum continued to build and other groups, including Humboldt Redwood Co., Green Diamond Resource Code, the BLM Arcata Field Office, Redwoods National and State Parks, and Save the Redwoods League, were also on board.

Here are a few ways public members can help stop the spread of English ivy and restore our native plant communities in Humboldt County:

EcoNews Feb/Mar 2017

Continued from page 6 1—Remove ivy on your own property and cut ivy stems around your trees to keep ivy plants from producing seeds that birds eat and disperse; 2—Join the Humboldt No Ivy League for our Friday morning ivy pulls. For more information, email Kim Tays at kimkat067@gmail.com; 3—Participate in the monthly ivy pulls held from 9 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday of each month at either Trinidad State Beach or Patrick’s Point State Park. For more information, contact Michelle Forys at Michelle.Forys@parks.ca.gov or by phone at 707677-3109. Michelle can provide you with the 2017 schedule of monthly ivy pulls or you can check the Times-Standard, Mad River Union and North Coast Journal for notices about upcoming monthly work days; and 4—Contact Senator Mike McGuire and tell him that our state leaders need to do more to protect our California State Parks and other wild lands from the spread of English ivy. His contact information is: 1036 5th St., Suite D, Eureka, CA 95501; Phone: 707445-6508; Email: senator.mcguire@senate.ca.gov.

www.yournec.org

These lands have suffered some of the worst of our western legacy of intensive logging. Most of the lands lie within the checkerboard of what are referred to as the “O&C Lands”—lands where a hundred years ago railroad interests were given a checkerboard of public land mixed with federal lands managed mostly by the U.S. Forest Service. Driving by the lands to the east of Interstate 5 or flying over them north of Iron Gate Reservoir in California reveal the checkerboard pattern clearly, with small thickets of trees and shrub that compete among hot, eroded lands of prior repeated clear-cuts. In contrast, many of the public U.S. Forest Service lands appear in somewhat better shape due to public oversight, better management practices, harbor shaded waterways and green trees.

Though the private lands located within the National Monument will continue to be private, this layer of National Monument protection will allow the public and scientific community to have more robust involvement in future planning.

Conservation organizations and commercial timber companies have argued for very different outcomes, but this action in the last days of President Obama’s administration assures progress in local conservation efforts as well as protecting and expanding recreation opportunities.

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THE LANCE

ISH

Alep

TF

isaurus ferox

Rebekah Staub Although the spiny-tailed, two-fanged, longnose lancetfish, or Alepisaurus ferox, looks like a strange deep-sea creature, these fish inhabit deep waters worldwide (down to 6,000 feet). The lancetfish is a species rarely seen on coasts and is usually found in polar bodies of water as by-catch for tuna. In addition to their nocturnal lifestyle and unique characteristics, the lancetfish is a mysterious yet defying species to both biologists and the public.

The specific name is derived from ferox, meaning feral or ferocious. Lancetfish have a large mouth with large fangs indicating it is predatory, but its watery muscles suggest it might not be suitable for a fast or long-term hunt. Past stomach content studies have found squid, shellfish, and fish. Other instances revealed evidence that its own species had been consumed, which predicated them to sometimes be called cannibal fish.

Lancetfish are the largest species in the family

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Above: A longnose lancetfish washed ashore in Crescent City on January 16, 2017. Photo: Rob Fowler.

NCCS

Doomed to Extinction Due to CLimate Change?

Rebekah Staub It’s official: The polar bear population will likely go extinct unless we take drastic and long-term actions against climate change.

In January, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) released their Conservation Management Plan for the polar bear, singling out climate changedriven sea ice loss as the “primary threat” to the survival of the species. The plan calls for a number of solutions to save the species including reducing human-bear conflicts, protecting denning habitat, and minimizing the risk of contamination from oil spills. “Short of action that effectively addresses the primary cause of diminishing sea ice, it is unlikely that polar bears will be recovered,” the plan states.

In 2008, the polar bear was the first species to be added to the Endangered Species Act due to climate change. The current global polar bear population is estimated to be 26,000.

Alepisauridae, growing up to four feet long on average, with the largest recorded at seven feet. They are also considered one of the largest fish in the deep sea. They have a distinct, sail-like dorsal fin that gives it the nickname “handsaw fish.” The swim bladder is absent though scientists do not know why.

Furthering the mystery of these fish is their reproductive system. Adolescent longnose lancetfish are hermaphrodites, meaning they possess both testes and ovaries, but they also have external sperm ducts and there are distinct, external openings for both sperm and oviducts. Fertilization takes place externally, though it is unknown if self-fertilization occurs or if it is even possible. It is also unknown if this hermaphroditic state happens in adult lancetfish.

Lancetfish are not endangered. Those who have eaten lancetfish meat claim it is more gelatinous than other fish but remains tasty.

In May 2014 a live lancetfish washed ashore in North Carolina, where media headlines read “Scary fanged cannibal fish washes ashore alive” and “Terrifying, fanged cannibal fish discovered on American beach.” Beach-goers were warned to watch out for their toes due to a vampire-esque creature lurking in the water.

Locally, one turned up on a Crescent City beach on January 16, 2017. Humboldt resident Rob Fowler captured the photo to the left, and unsuccessfully tried to pull it back into the surf. When he returned hours later, the mysterious fish was gone.

Inc.

Polar bear and cubs. Photo: Wikimedia.

The area of the Arctic covered by sea ice in October and November 2016 was the lowest on record for those months since recordkeeping began in 1979, according to FWS. “The plan said the outlook is grim for bears only if international governments do absolutely nothing to address climate change,” David Douglas, a U.S. Geological Survey researcher, said in a recent interview with the Washington Post. “But if they limit some greenhouse gases, even if Trump withdraws the United States from the Paris climate agreement, polar bears will have a slightly better chance of survival.” www.yournec.org

North Coast Cleaning Services The Green Cleaning Specialists Commercial office cleaning, window cleaning, and carpet cleaning services. www.northcoastcleaning.com 707-269-0180 PO Box 177, Eureka, CA 95502 Feb/Mar 2017

EcoNews

THE KIDS PAGE

Dungeness Crab Did you know Dungeness crabs walk sideways? They have 10 legs, and their front pair of legs are claws.

Dungeness crabs use their claws to chew their food. They are bottom-feeders, meaning they find food on the ocean floor to eat, but their diet also includes clams and small fish. Even though their claws are used for defense against predators like fish, otters,

octopus, and even humans, they won’t try to pinch you unless they feel they have to defend themselves. If they do feel threatened, sometimes they bury themselves in sand.

Dungeness crabs live on the west coast, and can be found living in eelgrass. They are a light brown and red color on their shell, but sometimes they are purple, too!

by Rebekah Staub

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE! do Dungeness crabs 1 Where live? a. East coast b. Arctic sea c. West coast many legs do 2 How Dungeness crabs have? a. 1 b. 10 c. 8

A close-up look at a Dungeness crab’s face! Photo: Kevin Cole, CC. Dungeness crabs feel 3 When How do crabs chew their threatened, what do they 4 food? do? a. Bury in the sand b. Cry c. Swim away

a. Their mouth b. Their stomach c. Their claws

ANSWERS: 1. b 2. c 3. a 4. a

EcoNews Feb/Mar 2017

www.yournec.org

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at t h e

PINTS FOR NONPROFITS Wednesday, April 5

$1 of all MRB Beer sold go to the NEC, 11:30am-9pm!

Family Friendly! Live Music! Bake Sale! If you would like to help with the Bake Sale, Call us 707-822-6918

NEC Spaghetti Dinner and Auction Saturday, April 15 5-9pm, at the Bayside Grange

Join the NEC for our Spring fundraiser with dinner, live music and silent auction. More details in the next EcoNews! If you have items to donate for our auction, please contact the NEC office at 707-822-6918 or email bella@yournec.org.