EcoNews Report

Have you ever seen the “Grand Canyon of the Eel River”? 

Few have, but that might change soon thanks to a major new conservation deal engineered by the Wildlands Conservancy. The former “Lone Pine Ranch,” owned by San Francisco financial mogul Dean Witter, is now the Eel River Canyon Reserve, one of three reserves managed by the Wildlands Conservancy along the Eel River. 

Listen to this week’s show to learn about when you can go camp along the Eel River and how the new lands will be incorporated into the Great Redwood Trail (and the risk that a coal train poses to this special spot).

REQUIRED READING:

• SOLD! Conservation Groups Close Escrow on Mogul’s Massive Ranch in the Eel River Canyon

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The Redwood Coalition for Climate and Environmental Responsibility — RCCER, pronounced “rocker” — is aiming to give a larger voice to environmental voters by holding elected officials accountable and by providing model legislation that local jurisdictions can adopt.

Listen to this week’s episode to learn who is behind this new organization and what they are looking to accomplish.

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Local environmental groups — Northcoast Environmental Center, Citizens for a Sustainable Humboldt and the Redwood Region Audubon Society — have filed their second lawsuit against Humboldt County concerning a controversial cannabis farm deep in the wild Eel River canyon. 

Larry Glass of the Northcoast Environmental Center and Mary Gaterud of Citizens for a Sustainable Humboldt join the show to talk about their lawsuit, why this farm is symptomatic of larger failings in the county’s regulation of cannabis, and the politics of cannabis on the Board of Supervisors.

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The Mad River isn’t one of the county’s largest, but it’s the source of water for two-thirds of the county’s population. One of its tributaries, Powers Creek, runs smack through Blue Lake and its industrial outskirts, and has been impacted by development over the years.

But recently, people have started to do something about that. In this episode, we’re joined by representatives of the Mad River Alliance and the Blue Lake Rancheria, who tell us about a recent restoration project aimed at bringing back the natural systems supported by the creek.

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On this week's EcoNews Report, Chairman Joe Davis and Mike Orcutt, Fisheries Department Director of the Hoopa Valley Tribe, join Gang Green to talk about the Hoopa Tribe's work to restore the Trinity River. Critical to this is wrestling back water diversions that go to the Westlands Water District back to the Trinity River. Tune in to learn more about the Hoopa Tribe's work and what is needed to have a sustainable fishery again in the Trinity River.

Required Reading:
Fresno County Judge Nixes Westlands Water District’s Federal Contract for Trinity River Water; Hoopa Valley Tribe Celebrates - Lost Coast Oupost

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Chairman Michael Hunter of the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians joins Gang Green to talk about his tribe's work to protect the Jackson Demonstration State Forest. Chairman Hunter has been on the front lines of the struggle to protect sacred cultural resources and protect the redwood forest that his people have called home since time immemorial. The Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians' efforts to protect Jackson Demonstration State Forest is part of a larger story about how can America move towards reconciliation and reparation for lands stolen from native peoples.

Required Reading (and Viewing):

• Tribal Chair Threatened in JDSF
• Pomo Perspective: Priscilla Hunter and Polly Girvin on Jackson Demonstration State Forest Logging
• Please join our journey to save the redwoods in the Jackson Demonstration State Forest 
• Protests in Jackson Demonstration State Forest Escalate in the Face of Unsafe Logging, Threats of Violence, and Harassment of Tribal leaders

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The destruction of the North Coast's redwood forests is well known to EcoNews listeners but did you know about the loss of our kelp forests? Gang Green sits down with James Ray, a scientist with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, who studies bull kelp populations along the North Coast. James talks about the marine heat wave in 2014 and the resulting 90% decline in bull kelp, in part due to an explosion in purple urchins, which have overgrazed some bull kelp beds into oblivion. The purple urchin used to be kept in check by sunflower sea stars, but bad news: in 2013, a wasting disease killed 90% of sunflower sea stars along the West Coast from Mexico to Alaska. Is there any hope for our coastal kelp forests? James and his colleagues have seen some slight increases in some kelp beds, giving a glimmer of hope that this foundational species to the marine ecosystem could eventually recover even in the absence of sunflower sea stars.

Required Reading: 

• New research to address kelp forest crisis in California - California Sea Grant
• Kelpwatch - an interactive kelp mapping tool that uses Landsat satellite data to display kelp canopy coverage throughout the state (2021 data coming soon)
• Kelp Forests Surge Back on Parts of the North Coast, with a Lesson About Environmental Stability - Bay Nature
• Iconic Sea Star Listed Critically Endangered After Study Finds Marine Epidemic Event Nearly Wiped Out Global Population - The Nature Conservancy
• Restoring Kelp in the Face of Climate Change - Humboldt Now

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For the past six months, forest defenders have protested ongoing logging at the state-owned Jackson Demonstration State Forest. Their concern: logging the mature redwood forests is bad for climate, water and wildlife. In recent weeks, loggers have threatened physical violence against forest defenders in a manner reminiscent of some of the worst times of the Timber Wars. 

On this week’s show, “Alder,” a forest defender at Jackson, and J.P. O’Brien, a climate scientist, share with Gang Green why they are concerned with ongoing logging operations and how the state of California is complacent in allowing threats of violence to occur.

REQUIRED READING:

• ”JDSF Update: Protestors Threatened,” EPIC, Oct. 19, 2021.
• ”How a California state forest became a battleground for logging redwoods on public land,” SFGate, Oct. 14, 2021.

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On this week's EcoNews Report, Gang Green breaks down redistricting efforts at the state and county. Could draft maps splitting Eureka apart be an attempt to draw Supervisor candidate Natalie Arroyo out of her district? Is the state serious about lumping Humboldt with Redding? Our politics will be shaped by mapping decisions for the next decade so you better to pay attention!

• ”Redistricting Surprise? The County’s Advisory Committee is Looking Seriously at a Plan That Would Move a Distant Quarter of Eureka Into Arcata’s Supervisorial District,” Lost Coast Outpost, Oct. 5.
• ”The County’s Draft Redistricting Maps Have Been Released, and a Couple of Them Are Real Doozies,” Lost Coast Outpost, Oct. 11.
• ”A WEDDING to REDDING? There Are Ideas to Join Us With Shasta County at the State and Federal Level, and the State Citizens’ Redistricting Commission Would Like Your Feedback,” Lost Coast Outpost, Oct. 14.

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Eureka's Broadway is one the most dangerous streets in California for pedestrians. In the last decade alone, at least 10 people have been killed and at least 14 people severely injured while walking or biking on Broadway. What is being done about it? Colin Fiske of the Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities joins Gang Green to talk about what fixes can and should be undertaken immediately to make the roadway safer for all road users. Want to take action? Sign the petition to Caltrans to demand immediate improvements here. Have you felt unsafe as a pedestrian? Mark the location to help drive improvements. 

Required Reading:

Eureka May Propose New Roads Through Wetlands to Improve Broadway Corridor; Opponents Say Plans Aren’t Feasible

Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities Holding Memorial on Friday for People Killed By Cars

Previously on EcoNews Report:

Building Cities for People, Not Cars

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