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(Updated October 2005)Background Mendocino Redwood Company was created in July 1998 with a long-term investment by the Fisher family of San Francisco and their investment partners. MRC consists of approximately 350 square miles (228,800 acres) of forestland spanning across over 75 Northern California coastal watersheds with 1500 miles of year-round streams. The forestlands are located about two hours north of the Golden Gate Bridge in Mendocino and Sonoma counties. These lands have been heavily harvested dating back to the early 1850's by a variety of owners. Historical harvesting was conducted in a shortsighted manner, with a heavy reliance on clearcutting and burning. As a result, the redwood and Douglas-fir trees on the land were substantially reduced and the tanoak component grew out of balance. Today, tanoak has crowded out or inhibited the regeneration of redwood and Douglas-fir trees on nearly 50% of the property. The abundance and diversity of forestland and aquatic species has also been reduced especially the currently fragile populations of coho salmon, and marbled murrelets. From the beginning, MRC has operated with a publicly declared purpose to demonstrate that it is possible to restore industrial forestlands as part of a viable business plan. The company's long-term goal is to restore its property to a redwood and Douglas-fir dominated selectively-harvested forest. Specific stewardship objectives include measurable improvements in aquatic and upslope habitat, old growth protection, clean water, and community well being in addition to producing long-term sustainable timber supplies. MRC seeks to be a model for forest restoration that creates a positive, economically successful example of how private forest management can protect and restore the ecological attributes of an industrial landscape. MRC has a policy of open and honest communications, and is willing to take interested members of the public anywhere in its forest. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certification  In 2000, MRC was evaluated by and received certificates from FSC's two accredited certifiers located in the U.S.: Scientific Certification Systems of Oakland, California, and the Richmond, Vermont-based SmartWood Program of the Rainforest Alliance. The Forest Stewardship Council is an international, independent, non-profit organization that promotes responsible forestry. FSC Certification is awarded when an independent evaluation of a forest company's practices meets the highest standards for environmentally and socially responsible forestry. The FSC has the backing of the world's leading environmental groups, including the World Wildlife Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, The Wilderness Society and Greenpeace. MRC's Actions On Key Issues Since Start-Up HARVEST REDUCTION: MRC initially reduced the harvest level to 40 MMbf per year, a 30% reduction over the long term harvest plans of the prior owner (60 MMbf). In 2001, the harvest rate was further reduced to 31.5 MMbf. Our current harvest rate represents less than 1/3 of the growth rate on MRC forestlands for the year or 1.5% of the total inventory of "commercial-sized" conifer trees. MRC expects the inventory of trees on its lands will double in less than 50 years. Annual harvest rates on MRC forestlands are available from the California Department of Forestry (CDF) at their Sacramento office. LONG-TERM HARVEST PLANNING: During 2001, MRC completed a three year ground-based review of the tree inventories, wildlife attribute features, and other landscape data, and this information is now geographically referenced and mapped across the property. This review allows for more accurate harvest planning related to impacts on water quality, upslope species habitats, prioritization for road abandonment restoration work and calculation of forest growth. The approach also provides more predictability of operations and better visibility to the public of planned harvest areas. As part of this process, MRC has been building a backlog of timber harvest plans and many of the plans being filed with the CDF will be harvested over the next 2 or 3 years rather than just in the current year. TRADITIONAL CLEARCUTTING ELIMINATED: MRC made the decision in the fall of 1998 to eliminate traditional clearcutting from its lands. A modified form of even-age management utilizing a partial cut silviculture, known as "Variable Retention." is used on tanoak dominated stands to convert the stands back to redwood and Douglas fir. Variable retention harvesting retains between 10% and 50% of the original stand in pockets of untouched trees. Uneven-age silviculture such as "Selection," is used on stocked conifer stands and retains 50% to 90% of the pre-harvest stocking. Over the last 4 years, MRC has utilized "Selection" and other uneven-aged kinds of harvesting on more than half of its harvested acres. OLD GROWTH PROTECTION: MRC has identified and protected from harvest the approximately 105 acres in 6 distinct "never-harvested" old growth stands as well as the old growth trees present previously harvested forest spread across the property (MRC is still in the process of identifying and delineating these stands). In addition, the approximately 12,000 scattered residual old growth trees with ecologically identifiable characteristics of old growth are also protected from harvest. As far as we know, MRC is the only large industrial forestland owner to have a comprehensive and ecologically driven old growth protection policy. HERBICIDE USE REDUCTION: MRC has reduced its use of GARLON by over 90% since 1999, and its use of total herbicides by over 35% since 1999. In the future, our annual herbicide use may vary depending on the level of harvest and which stands are chosen for restoration. Without a doubt, the trend for herbicide use is downward as MRC gradually brings forest stands back to the preferred balance of conifers and hardwood. Moreover, in keeping with Forest Stewardship Council principles, MRC is committed to phasing out the use of chemical herbicides as a routine management tool and transitioning to silvicultural regimes which require little or no herbicides to ensure conifer survival and growth. MRC foresters closely evaluate each forest stand before and after harvesting to determine if and where herbicides are required. WATERSHED ANALYSIS & STREAM RESTORATION: Watershed Analysis, currently completed on 70% of MRC lands, collects baseline stream conditions, develops a comprehensive road inventory to prioritize restoration work, limits harvest activities, and monitors long-term trends important to fish. Collaborative partners include Trout Unlimited, Mendocino Fisheries Program, California Dept. of Fish & Game, The Environmental Center, Mendocino County Resource Conservation District, and others. Streams that have been the focus of this work include portions of the Navarro, Big River, South Fork Eel, Willow Creek/Freezeout, Noyo, Garcia, Gualala, and Albion River systems. CONSERVATION EASEMENTS: |
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