Walking in Usal Redwood Forest

In June 2007, the non-profit Redwood Forest Foundation Inc. (RFFI) bought a depleted but recovering redwood / douglas fir forest - the Usal Redwood Forest - from the Hawthorne Timber Company. A "green loan" from Bank of America for $65 million made this possible.

View of the Pacific Ocean through the trees

The approximately 50,000 acres in Mendocino County, California, stretch from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Eel River along Highway 101 in the east.

Eel River at Wayside Park #5

The property includes most of the Usal Creek watershed as well as many creeks that flow into the Eel River.

Alders near the mouth of Usal Creek

Alders near the mouth of Usal Creek provide shade for guests in summer. This site borders the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, where California's Lost Coast hiking trail begins.

Trees of Mystery

Usal's "Enchanted Forest" is filled with Trees of Mystery. Legend has it that nine woodsmen disappeared here and bizzarely shaped redwoods captured their souls.

Ceanothus

Iris purdyi

Thistle (cirsium occidentale)

In early summer the forest puts on quite a display.

Bear wallow

Evidence of animal life is everywhere, like this churned up wallow where bears come to cool off.

Bear claw marks on dead tanoak

These distinctive claw marks remind us again that this is black bear country.

Redwood and douglas fir

In this working forest, redwood and douglas fir are the main tree species harvested.

Redwood groves along road

Signs of logging practices are everywhere. This grove has grown up around the huge stump of its parent.

Redwood growing out of cut stump

It is usual for young redwoods to grow out of the root stock of their cut parents.

Piercy Creek clearcut

Past clearcutting, however, allowed the faster growing tanoak trees, which are not valued for their lumber, to thrive and shade out the slower growing redwoods and douglas fir.

Tanoak crowding redwood and fir

Currently there is an over-abundance of tanoak trees on the Usal property. They account for about 45% of the total volume.
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R. Ballard explaining to group

On tours of the land, foresters discuss their strategies for managing the stands.

Redwood seedling growing in brush clearcut

In the past, herbicides have been used to keep down unwanted plants and allow seedlings to grow.

R. Ballard pointing

One type of herbicide application that uses only a limited amount is called 'hack & squirt.'

'hack & squirt'

The bark is hacked and a small amount of toxic chemicals squirted into the tree, which kills it over time.

Young redwood growing among dead tanoak

When the tanoak canopy is gone, redwoods and douglas fir get sunlight and have the chance to grow.

'hack & squirt' versus none

On the left side of this picture, you can see the dead trees that have been treated with 'hack and squirt.' On the right, there is an abundance of tanoak (lighter green foliage). RFFI is re-examining this method of eliminating tanoak and other unwanted trees.

Piercy Creek old growth redwood

This old growth redwood tree (center of photo) was left standing during past logging. It provides ideal nesting habitat for osprey.

Golden chinquapin

The magnificent golden chinquapin is another species that is native to Usal Redwood Forest.

Humboldt milk-vetch (listed species)

On the disturbed surface of a landing, we found a patch of Humboldt milk-vetch, a listed endangered species.

Rattlesnake Creek

In late summer, Rattlesnake Creek still had water.

RFFI now owns a well-stocked forest that it will manage sustainably for biological diversity and the future of the residents of Mendocino county.

For more information about the Usal area

• Sinkyone: Lost and Found
  The inside story of the decade-long battle for the future of a Lost Coast wilderness, told candidly and personally, by Neal Fishman; in California Coast & Ocean magazine (Autumn 1996).
  
  
• Usal 1942 - 1985
  Historical photographs and family story of a long-time resident.

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