Photo by Carrie Grant

Save-the-Redwoods League

Spring Bulletin 2003

New Strategic Plan Takes ShapeThe League has completed a periodic review of itsstrategic plan to align the League’s priorities foreffective action. League Directors, Councillors, staff,and members of the California Department of Parksand Recreation reflected carefully in a multi-dayprocess to evaluate accomplishments of the past andkey opportunities of a future with less than 4% of theancient redwood forest remaining. The new strategicplan stresses three areas for continued Leagueeffectiveness.

A Comprehensive Conservation StrategyThe plan endorses refinement and completion of ascientifically based conservation plan for the foreststhroughout the entire range of the redwoods forevaluation of acquisition, restoration and stewardshippriorities. Increasing pressures from population growthand logging intensify the risk of fragmentation of theancient forest and its ability to support the wildlife thatdepend on the ancient forest. Watershed protection andlinkages among protected areas will continue to play akey role in the League’s strategy.

Public Awareness and EducationRecognizing that broad public support now and in thefuture is pivotal to effective long-term preservation ofthe redwood forest, the League will continue to expandenvironmental education programs focusing onredwood ecology for students from kindergartenthrough high school. To inspire awe in the public atlarge through a deepened understanding of theredwood forest, the League will continue to exploredevelopment of an interpretive center and partnershipswith existing interpretive programs.

League EffectivenessThe League’s effectiveness is fundamentally rooted inthe deepening engagement of our current members andattracting new members to the League. Strongvolunteer leadership coupled with excellent staff willcontinue to be pivotal in future years.

Renewal of the League’s vision has been accompaniedby changes in the Board of Directors.

Thanks for a Job Well Done!Two long-term Directors, Cynthia Grubb and formerPresident and Chair Bruce Howard stepped down fromthe Board after many years of committed service. Theirwise counsel will be missed. After 7 years ofoutstanding leadership as President, Richard Otter waselected to replace Bruce as Chair of the Board.

New Board Members and Officers Retirement of two members and expansion of the sizeof the Board from seven to nine members created theopportunity for election of four new Directors whobring a wealth of expertise and experience to Boarddeliberations:• Jim Larson, Attorney at Law in Fort Bragg,

Mendocino County• Wally Mark, Professor of Forestry at California

Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo &Director of Cal Poly’s Swanton Pacific Ranch.

• Sarah Connick, senior project manager for SustainableConservation, completing a Ph.D. in EnvironmentalScience, Policy and Management at UC, Berkeley

• Pete Dangermond of the Dangermond Group,planning consultants for parks,recreation, wildlifeconservation, and open space preservation and Directorof California State Department of Parks and Recreationfrom 1980-1982.

As the League’s new President, together with the rest of the Board of Directors, I look forward to theopportunities to implement the strategic plan this yearand in the years ahead. This will be possible only withthe continued support of you, the League’s members inalI fifty states, for which we are deeply grateful. Thankyou for joining us in meeting the challenges of thecritical work of saving the redwoods.

Message from the President

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The Save-the-Redwoods League’s 84th year has been an eventful one! In

addition to completing the largest acquisition in the League’s history, we have

been working in earnest to develop a clear strategic direction for our future

and have undertaken some significant changes in the Board of Directors.

On Saturday, December 7th, Save-the-RedwoodsLeague and Redwood National and State Parks hostedmore than 120 special guests, League members and thegeneral public to celebrate the fish, forest and future ofMill Creek.

Although Mill Creek is not yet open to the generalpublic on a regular basis because of the State budgetcrisis, special permission was obtained for a one-timeevent to introduce thepublic to the 25,000acre forest for the firsttime since the Leaguecompleted its purchasein June of 2002.Visitors were escortedto the confluence ofthe West Branch andthe East Fork of MillCreek, where they were treated tocookies, hot chocolate and speeches byState Park Superintendent Rick Sermonand Save-the-Redwoods LeagueExecutive Director, Kate Anderton.

Mill Creek is a tributary of the SmithRiver and is prime spawning ground forchinook and coho salmon. Thecelebration was originally planned tohighlight the annual return of the fish atthe normal high point of their run.Unusually light rainfall in October andNovember kept water levels so low that

the return of most of the coho had not yet occurred.Although opportunities for viewing spawning salmonwere limited, the gorgeous day inspired a wonderfulcelebration. Ranger Rick Sermon and local fisheriesbiologists Paul Ahlbro, Chris Howard and JimWaldvogel led visitors on tours to the creek, up to the

Childs Hilloverlook, andinto one ofthe remainingstands of old-growthredwoodtrees.

League andRedwood National and State Parksstaff were very pleased with theturn out at the event and werehappy to join the individuals andgroups at the place where thebranches of Mill Creek cometogether to celebrate the success ofthe acquisition and the protectionof the land.

Over Christmas, the rains finallyarrived. Jim Waldvogel reportedseeing over 250 salmon spawningin the west branch: some weighingas much as 40 lbs!

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Celebration of the Fish, Forest and Future of Mill Creek

Photos by Stephen Corley

Member SpotlightDr. Jules Riskin, League member for over 30 years, recently sent this photo ofhimself in front of his wall of Honor Cards which commemorate trees that havebeen planted in honor of his wife and him by friends and family members. Dr.Riskin says he encourages his children and grandchildren to give contributions inhis honor for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, instead of buyingmore material things that he has “more than enough” of. Dr. Riskin said, “Severalvisitors to our home have noticed the ten identical photos of the trees and have liked the idea.” If you would like toplant a tree in honor or memory of someone special, please contact Hattie Washington at 415-362-2352 ex. 19.

estled on the rugged slopes of the Lost Coast in Mendocino

County, the 7,367-acre SinkyoneWilderness State Park occupies one ofthe wildest stretches of coastline in thecontinental United States. Steepmountain slopes drop precipitously intothe Pacific, cloaked with coast redwoodsthat thrive in the ocean mists. Sinkyoneis a land of forests, prairies, bluffs,beaches and tidepools: home to a widevariety of plants and animals. The parkhas a fascinating natural and culturalhistory and is a rewarding, if remote,place to visit.

Despite its name, the wilderness has seencountless people come and go over thecenturies: some by choice, and othersunder darker circumstances. Forthousands of years, the Sinkyone Indianslived on this coast. They suffered forcedremovals and massacres in the mid tolate 1800’s to make way for Europeansettlers, attracted by the coast redwood.The settlers built mills and developedBear Harbor to ship lumber to SanFrancisco. In little more than 100 yearsmuch of the ancient redwood forest wascut, leaving a network of roadscrisscrossing steep slopes and a youngregenerating forest.

A small state park was establishedinitially at Bear Harbor and expandedgradually over the years with thepersistent advocacy of local residents andthe critical support of Save-the-Redwoods League and otherconservation organizations. The Leaguehas spearheaded the purchase of over4,500-acres of forest land valued at over$16 million in Sinkyone WildernessState Park and the Upper Mattole regionincluding the Lost River Forest andDreamstream, 405-acres of ancientredwood and Douglas-fir forest, home tothe endangered northern spotted owl.

Wilderness Sinkyone Wilder

N

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“Who can see such trees and bThomas

The Upper MattoleRiver and ForestCooperative

The ecological benefits of theSinkyone are expandedthrough a unique public-private partnership that hasevolved in the upper Mattoleover the past decade. TheUpper Mattole River andForest Cooperative unitespublic and privatelandowners sharing acommon desire to protectand restore a fullyfunctioning forest and riversystem in the region. Thisgroup, which collectivelymanages 3,500-acres in theheadwaters of the Mattole,meets quarterly to coordinateresource management. TheSanctuary Forest, a locallandtrust that hasspearheaded the group, offersa series of guided summerwalks that explore the StatePark and neighboring publicand private lands notnormally open to the public.“What’s special about theregion is the mixture ofredwood, fir and other foreststhat grow on the steepslopes” notes Eric Goldsmith,Executive Director of theSanctuary Forest. “One ofour summer hikes is anannual pilgrimage to Big Red– we need at least 13-peopleor we’re unable to givethis ancient redwood ahug!” Led by localnaturalists, these walksoffer a unique insightinto the heart of theMattole. You cancontact SanctuaryForest at (707) 986-1087 to request asummer walk program.

Spotted Owl Photo by Carrie Grant

Reclaimedrness State Park

The largest remaining grove of ancientredwoods in the Sinkyone State Park,rescued from logging in the 1980s, wasnamed in honor of Sally Bell, aSinkyone Indian woman.

Inspired by the environmentalistmovement to protect and preserve NorthCoast forests, the InterTribal SinkyoneWilderness Council was established in1986, “to steward the cultural-naturalresources critical to local Indian peoples’traditional ways of life.” The consortiumof eleven tribes notes,“Our mainemphasis is to provide a natural setting

that encourages and increases traditionalcultural practices among local tribalmembers. The Council is using a holisticapproach to wilderness reclamation; ourgoal is to restore historic Indianstewardship to a wilderness area where somuch ecological integrity has been lost.”

In 1997 the Council purchased fromTrust for Public Land 3,845 acres for theInterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness.Although this land in the criticalwatershed upslope (east) from the StatePark requires restoration, it will enablethe Council to sustain traditional Indiancultural uses and protect culturalresources. The Council is working withState Parks and other entities to ensureconsistent wilderness management of allSinkyone lands and to remove manymiles of roads constructed during thelogging boom. With funding supportfrom the State Coastal Conservancy, theCouncil is preparing a plan for futuredevelopment of low-impact publiccampgrounds and hiking trails within theInterTribal Wilderness that will link tothe adjacent State Park’s Lost Coast Trail.

The next chapter in the history ofSinkyone Wilderness State Park is aboutto begin with the creation of a GeneralPlan to guide park management forcoming years. Thomas Merton,renowned Catholic theologian, soughtspiritual solitude on the Lost Coast inthe late 1960s. Deeply moved by theocean and the forest, he wrote, “Whocan see such trees and bear to be awayfrom them?” Those lucky enough totravel to the Lost Coast and theSinkyone often feel the same.

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Photo by Carrie Grant

bear to be away from them?”Merton

Visiting the ParkThe northern entrance to thePark is reached from theBriceland Road. Leavinghighway 101 at Redway, theroute crosses the Eel Riverand heads deep into ruralHumboldt County throughopen meadow and denseforest. The road turns southand runs parallel to theMattole River, climbing to itsheadwaters at the edge of thepark. Approaching the coast,redwoods tower over theMattole’s cold waters shadingcoho salmon spawning beds.

After cresting the final hill,the visitor drops steeply ontoa gravel road through a seriesof sharp turns. The ocean,often shrouded with mist,remains unseen below, untilarrival at a parking area onthe shore. A gentle coastlinetrail heads north throughseveral environmentalcampsites, easily accessiblefrom the road. Hiking onthe bluffs, dropping down tothe beaches, you may sightmajestic Roosevelt elk, partof a herd relocated to thePark. These magnificentanimals are best viewed froma safe distance; single youngmales in particular areunpredictable!

Hiking opportunities includean adventurous multi-daybackpack along the LostCoast trail linking Usal inthe south to the King RangeNational Conservation Areain the north. For moreinformation, visit the web atwww.parks.ca.gov or call thepark at (707) 986-7711 for arecorded message.

The Redwood Leadership Society is comprised of donors who have given a total of $1000 or more to League programs between January 1st and December 31st2002. The following information is accurate to the best of our knowledge, but errors occasionally occur. If you have any corrections, please let us know. If yourname does not appear on this list and should, please contact the League’s office at (888) 836-0005.

Redwood Leadership Society

CIRCLE OF THE ANCIENTFOREST ($50,000 and above)• Florence Welch Bruce*• Jerome H. Cherin & Sylvia

Cherin Trusts*• Emilie de Hellebranth*• Margaret Lichenheim*• Anonymous (19)

MONARCH CIRCLE ($20,000 - $49,000)• Carl and Margaret W.

Barks Trust*• Mrs. Eloise C. Goodhew Barnett• J. David & Marlene Buck• Gwendolyn Winifred DeCamp*• Weston Haven Trust*• Gertrude Hendricks*• Mrs. Natta Lee Jensen*• John Henry Samter*• Anonymous (7)

TITAN CIRCLE ($10,000 - $19,999)• Mr. and Mrs. Robert V. Brown• Reverend and Mrs. C. Frederick

Buechner• Lillian S. Cameron*• Ruth and Ben Hammett• Jim and Carmen Hickling• Eileen Adair Hughes*• David Husch• The Christine Lively Trust*• Janet L. Mills• Iain and Margery Nicolson• Oracle Corporation Giving

Program• Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan E. Parker• Prisanlee Trust*• Marjorie H. Salisbury Trust*• Ira James Winger*• Drs. Jan and Edith C. Wolff• Thomas S. Young• Anonymous (8)

CATHEDRAL CIRCLE ($5,000 - $9,999)• Mr. and Mrs. Guilford C.

Babcock• Chester F. Chapin Charitable

Lead Unitrust• Mary L. Daniels*• Aleen J. Fowler Trust*• Mrs. William Goodan• Richard Grand Foundation• Joanne and Peter Haas, Jr.

• Shirley Hicklin*• Clare and Gordon Johnson Trust• Frank J. McCormick*• Kenneth & Eileen Norris

Foundation• Mary Belle O’Brien and

Georgia A. Heid• Goldie Otter’s Trust*• Carole and Ira Pittelman• The Ryland Group, Inc.• Philip Saunders Associates• Richard B. Shoemaker*• Howard Sklar*• Elizabeth R. Thomas*• Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. West• Anonymous (12)

CROWN CIRCLE ($2,500 - $4,999)• Kate & Kit Anderton• Donald Miller Campbell• Frank A. Campini Foundation• Dr. Robert W. Carlson and

Ms. Stacey A. Starcher• Mrs. Paul M. Chesebrough• Mr. Paul Chrostowski and

Ms. Lorraine Pearsall• Ms. Mary M. Deavenport*• Nicholas and Mary Dodge• Diane Daiss Felton• Mack Fuhrer• Belicia Govine• The Walter C. Hayes

Taxable Trust*• Donald J. and Laura W.

Huisman• Thomas J. Nerger• Al and Mary Anne Sanborn• Linda Hervey Simpson• Helmuth and Sigrid Spieler• Anonymous (9)

CANOPY CIRCLE ($1,000 - $2,499)• Adrian W. and Jane G. Adams• Howard Wheatley Allen• Paul B. Althouse• Karen and Tucker Andersen• Jeanne Davis Atherton and

Larry Atherton• Bishop Pine Fund• Michael Bitsko• Raymond and June Boyer• George Bremser, Jr.• Mr. and Mrs. Allan Brown

• Maynard P. and Katherine Z.Buehler Foundation Fund

• Stephen J. Butler• Mr. and Mrs. John E. Cahill• Tobin and Tamara Campbell• Dr. Norman and Sally

Christensen• Jean Aubuchon Cinader• Ed and Marea Claassen• Robert and Frances Connick• LaVaughn A. Craig and

Theodore W. Craig• Patricia Anne Davis• Mr. and Mrs. Frank G. Delfino• Raj and Helen Desai• Estate of Kathryn H. Dodd*• Sandra D. Donnell and

Justin M. Faggioli• Mrs. Mortimer B. Downer• Mr. and Mrs. James C. Duncan• Ms. Hope W. Ebert*• Franklin Ehrhardt• Gregg A. Foote• Richard A. Gale• Ben Gerwick• Walter P. Gibble• John C. Goetz• Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund• Fred Goldman• Anthony E. Gromme• Cynthia M. Grubb• Walter and Elise Haas Fund• James W. Hand, Jr.• Susan and Gary Harbison• Jack and Deyea Harper• Joyce C. Harris• Mr. Michael L. Helms• Bob and Phyllis Henigson• Annette Boushey Holland• Charles and Christina Holloway• Jean and Paul Hull• Dave Hurd• Mr. and Mrs. Leroy A. Jebian• Dwight L. Johnson• Judith Joy• Janey and Kevin Kaster• Joanne and Dennis Keith• A.M.D. and Elizabeth G.

Lampen• Melvin and Joan Lane• James L. Larson• Robert E. Lee, Jr.• Nancy and Larry Liden• Charles and Dore Lindquist• Mr. and Mrs. Samuel M.

Livermore

• Robert E. Mellor• Lawrence and Katherine

Merriam• Mr. James Miklich• Mia Monroe• Gerry Murphy• Paul W. O’Meara• Richard C. Otter• Dr. JoAnne Overleese• Estate of Laird U. Park, Jr.*• Roderic B. Park• Fredrick W. and Maryl L.

Pement• Richard Redman• B. T. Rocca, Jr. Foundation• Mr. Robert C. Sargent• Karl F. and Gloria G. Schlaepfer• Warren G. and Katharine S.

Schlinger Foundation• Richard and Amy Schuh• John Morton Sherman• Catherine A. Smith, Ph.D.• Arletha Smrz• Norman F. Sprague• Ellsworth F. Stein• Stichting Nieuw Niftarlake• R. Edwin Streit• John D. Taylor• Ms. Barbara A. Teichert• The Foundation for Science

and Theology, Inc.• Ronald and Donna Thompson• Ellen C. Weaver• Mr. and Mrs. Frank W.

Wentworth• Bruce A. Westphal• Mr. and Mrs. Buron J. Wilson• Brad and Susie Mohrmann• Patricia M. Woolley• Mary and Kenneth Wright• Victor C. Wykoff, Jr.• Peter Paul Zimmermann• Anonymous (107)

* Indicates donors are deceased.

Bold type indicates donors arecurrent or former members of the Board of Directors or Board of Councillors.

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The Redwood Leadership Society is Save-the-Redwoods League’s premiere circle of donors, providing the financialfoundation for the League’s vital efforts to protect and preserve the remaining ancient redwood forest.

Save-the-Redwoods gratefully acknowledges these generous supporters who made 2002 one of the most successfulyears in the history of the League. Your dedication to preserving redwood forests is invaluable.

In September, Save-the-Redwoods League awardedthirteen education grantstotaling $50,000 to K-12educators, teachers andstudents in San Francisco,Marin, Mendocino,Humboldt, and Del NorteCounties. An awardceremony at Dr. GeorgeWashington CarverAcademic ElementarySchool for three SanFrancisco schoolsconcluded with studentsfrom each school plantinga redwood tree at a nearbycity park. Ron Vinson, Director ofthe Mayor’s Office of NeighborhoodServices, attended the event andnoted that “Save-the-RedwoodsLeague’s education grants add to therich mosaic of neighborhoods thatmakes San Francisco a distinct andtreasured city.”

The education grants program beganin 2001 to inspire integration ofredwood and forest stewardship

themes into the study of math,science, reading, and art both insideand outside of the classroom.Research shows environment-basededucation improves academicperformance. The League iscommitted to engaging the futurestewards of the redwoods through anearly introduction to the forest,recognizing that urban students inparticular, may never have theopportunity to visit the forest.

In the first school year of theeducation grants program, the Leagueawarded approximately $30,000 andreached nearly 12,000 students inNorthern California.

One San Francisco student whovisited Muir Woods wrote, “I likedclimbing into the hollow log andkissing the banana slug. The bananaslug was kind of slimy. I liked walkingon the hikes. I liked hugging the tree.We learned that when you are quietyou can hear the birds. It was coollooking at the very old trees.”

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Save-the-Redwoods League Awards $50,000 in Education Grants

500 Inner City Students AmongGrant Beneficiaries

Photo by Ruskin Hartley

Corridor from theRedwoods to theSea expansion

The League recently pur-chased 160 acres of forestland in the heart of thewildlife habitat area knownas the Corridor from theRedwoods to the Sea. Thisnewest acquisition includes aportion of Gilham Creek,tributary of the Mattole.

The Corridor from theRedwoods to the Seaprotects major steppingstones linking the ancientredwoods of HumboldtRedwoods State Parkthrough the ancient douglasfir forest of the MattoleRiver Valley to the KingRange NationalConservation Area, thelongest un-roaded coastalstretch in the lower 48states. Since 1999, theLeague has purchasedapproximately 5,300 acres inthe Corridor, adding parcelseach year to expandprotection and reinforcewildlife habitat linkages inthe Mattole River Valley.These lands are transferredto the US Bureau of LandManagement for permanentprotection. The terms of anoption agreement to addanother 940 acres to theCorridor are in the finalstages of negotiation.

Photo by Ruskin Hartley

To receive our bulletin via email, send your email address to bulletin@savetheredwoods.org

Save-the-Redwoods League 114 Sansome Street • Room 1200 • San Francisco • CA • 94104(415) 362-2352 voice • (415) 362-7017 fax • www.savetheredwoods.org

9 PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

Redwood trees can live for over twothousand years. With your legacy gift, youcan ensure that they can live for centuriesto come. By thinking of the future andincluding Save-the-Redwoods League inyour estate planning, you can ensure thatthe redwood forest will continue toflourish and inspire generations to come.Your planned gift will preserve andprotect these majestic giants so that yourlegacy will also be their legacy.

It is simple to add a gift to the League inyour existing will, trust or other estate plan,or as part of a new plan. Please contact usfor information that can help you withplanning questions. Or if you have alreadyprovided for the League, allow us towelcome you as a member of the RedwoodLegacy Circle. Please contact HollyGarrison at 415.362.2352 x20 or athgarrison@savetheredwoods.org.

Redwoods is available at nocharge from our websitewww.savetheredwoods.org or by calling the office (415) 362-2352.

Legacy Gifts

New K-12 RedwoodEducation MaterialsAvailable

Save-the-Redwoods League hasreleased a set of redwoodeducation materials for studentsin grades K-12. Titled Redwoods,fact sheets are available for graderanges: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12.The simple, engaging designsand easy to read format makethese materials especiallystudent friendly.

Redwoods includes informationon where redwood trees live,how tall they grow and theirsurrounding environment. Theyprovide activities for students toget involved in redwood andforest education. For studentsand teachers wanting to learnmore, additional resources arealso listed.

We are excited to be adding to our groveprogram. You can now select your ownhonorary grove from the new groves inJedediah Smith Redwoods State Park orHumboldt Redwoods State Park at thehead of the Avenue of the Giants, themost famous redwood forest in theworld. There will also be groves availablethis year at Mill Creek and Big River.

Daly Groves For the first time inyears, groves are available along theAvenue of the Giants. Set on the banksof the Eel River, these ancient monarchstower above a beautiful apple orchardand meadow.

Jedediah Smith Groves Nine mileseast of Crescent City on Highway 199,these groves are a perfect example of thepristine, lush, primeval redwood forest.Ground cover is dense and wildlife isabundant.

Big River Groves Big River is sonamed not for the size of the river but

the size of the trees that once carpetedits shores. At 8.3 miles, it is the longestundeveloped estuary in northernCalifornia. Big River Groves arespectacular for bird watching, with over130 species identified to date.

Mill Creek Groves This 25,000-acreproperty connects two prime areas ofancient forest, Jedediah Smith and DelNorte Coast Redwoods State Parks. Thisforest is home to some of the mostprolific coho salmon spawning groundsin California and is also valued habitatfor the rare, endangered marbledmurrelet and northern spotted owl.

Memorial and honor groves are athoughtful way to pass on to futuregenerations the beauty of the redwoods,while setting aside a special place in theforest where you and your family canenjoy the trees, rivers and wildlife thatsurround them. Contact Holly Garrisonat 415-362-2352 x20 for more information.

New Groves