Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
manage the land as a working forest using “ecological principles” with a portion of the
net revenue derived from timber harvests to be used for parkland and open-space ac-
quisition. Much of the city's park and open-space system was purchased under a park
bond funded by timber harvest revenues. Because of its leadership, the Arcata Com-
munity Forest was the first municipal forest in the United States to receive sustainabil-
ity certification under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
The city council approved a forest management plan with the following goals:
1. Maintain the health of the forest system, specifically, maintain the integrity of
the watershed, wildlife, fisheries, and plant resources; their relationships; and
the process through which they interact with their environment
2. Produce marketable forest products and income to the city in perpetuity, bal-
ancing timber harvest and growth
3. Provide forest recreational opportunities for the community
4. Serve as a model of a managed redwood forests for demonstration purposes
The goals were refined into a mission statement that was adopted following a public
visioning process:
The Community Forest is managed whereby:
• Biological and physical elements of the forests, specifically wildlife,
aquatic and plant species; plant and animal communities; and water-
shed processes are maintained
• Forest stewardship, including timber harvest, maintains forest integrity
while generating public benefits
• Forest stewardship is fully supported by the community
• Community and visitors enjoy the forest setting and recreate in a re-
spectful manner
• Public land ownership extends to include watersheds and headwater
areas as well as corridors to neighboring communities
• Forests serve as outdoor laboratories for local schools and the university;
research and other academic studies are fostered
Arcata has adopted the definition of community-based forestry as developed by the As-
pen Institute in its report on community-based forestry (Wycoff 2005):
Community-based forestry (CBF) is a participatory approach to forest man-
agement that strengthens communities' capacity to build vibrant local econo-
mies—while protecting and enhancing their local forest ecosystems. By inte-
grating ecological, social, and economic components into cohesive approaches
to forestry issues, community-based approaches give local residents both the op-
portunity and the responsibility to manage their natural resources effectively
and to enjoy the benefits of that responsibility.
Management and Restoration Approach
Management priorities include watershed functioning, wildlife habitat, recreation,
carbon sequestration, and timber harvest revenue. The desire for large trees and late-
Search WWH ::




Custom Search