Humboldt Redwood Company to log amongst 12 acres of old growth forests east of Fortuna, CA by BLM Headwaters Forest Reserve.

Photo of BLM Headwaters Forest Reserve by BLM

THP 1-20-043 HUM (Fuerte THP) Humboldt Redwood Company, 274.10 acres; 85% group selection, 8% selection, 5% no-harvest, 2% special logging. Strongs Creek (HUM: T2N R1E Sec 5, 6; T3N R1E Sec 28, 31, 32, 33).  Winter operations, moderate erosion hazard, steep slopes up to 60%, landslide terrain, road failure sites, 50 road drainage work sites, impaired 303.d watershed, BLM Headwaters Forest, coho watershed, spotted owl, merchantable trees up to 40” dbh.  Estimated public comment deadline: 04/28/20. SUBMIT COMMENTS, VIEW THP,  THP PLAN

This THP is a few miles east of Fortuna, CA near the western edge of the BLM Headwaters Forest Reserve (unit 3 is adjacent) at an elevation of 200 to 1,550 feet.  Humboldt Redwood Company is planning a group selection and individual tree selection tractor and cable logging operation on steep and unstable slopes in Redwood, grand fir and Douglas fir forests. There is a Marbled Murrelet Conservation Area MMCA (adjacent to unit 3), and 12 acres of scattered residual old growth trees in units 2 and 3. The THP area flows into the Eel River which is listed as an impaired watershed for sediment and temperature.  20 road related failure sites exist in the THP area including multiple fill failures, cut bank failures and bank instability areas, and 39 landslide terrain sites (multiple debris slides, debris slide slopes, earth flows, disrupted ground) in the THP area including; 18 unstable areas in unit 1, 10 unstable areas in unit 2, and 11 unstable areas in unit 3.  Humboldt Redwood Company is planning to use ground based equipment in areas designated for cable logging, and use ground based equipment on unstable areas in unit 1.  They also are planning to use ground based equipment on slopes between 50% and 65% with a moderate erosion hazard in units 1 and 3, and use 2 existing skid trails and 1 existing landing inside a class II (mid sized) watercourse area in unit 3.  Fifty road drainage sites are planned for work including rocking, dip construction, ditch cleaning, culvert repair/replacement and restoration of washed out crossings.  There are over a dozen spotted owl nesting territories within 1.3 miles of the THP area.
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