Improving Soquel Demonstration State Forest Access

Improving Soquel Demonstration State Forest Access

* CAL FIRE’s Soquel Demonstration State Forest (SDSF) has the potentialto become a regional leader in forestry education, research and watershedprotection if improved public access is developed. Years of relying solelyon Highland Way for its main entrance has greatly limited SDSF’s ability tobring in the public on tours to view demonstration projects and researchareas.

* SDSF is financially self-sustaining through its timber managementprogram and can assist in the development of these proposed new accesslocations.

* Developing this new access for Soquel Demonstration State Forest isconsistent with the Santa Cruz County General Plan which includes goalsfor promoting recreation and improving access to SDSF.

* Two exciting opportunities for greater public access exist that wouldgreatly assist SDSF in meeting its goals of forestry education, watershedprotection and recreation.

1. The proposed new entrance along Soquel-San Jose Road wouldprovide a much needed gateway for the residents of Santa CruzCounty and present an opportunity to develop an additional site forthe County’s Outdoor Science School (now at Koinonia).

2. The proposed Highland Way/Adams Road Trail Access can beachieved through property donations by two willing landowners. Ifland donations were not possible due to County zoning restrictions, aconservation easement facilitated by Santa Cruz County and possiblythe Land Trust of Santa Cruz County would be a second option.

Soquel Demonstration State Forest

Santa Cruz County

I �

\ Redwood

Lodge ,.

\

\

\ New

Access

' .

i �-I?. / "

,'111 I �

1' I

� '§'1 -ii,

\� 'll / ./ I(

J,, .,. 'l // �

1�

,: ,. �o, Soquel ""'

New, e;;gt/t'on � State,Beach

\ '"1!•� .,_'....---:;;;A-a,.....,·-....,_papl_t�la

.,

"''¾,/ _.'Id

f L New

{ � Access.·· ·• ...

_/"

,

Tlie Forest of Nise!J� "!(arks

Statef>ark

Soquel De11wnstration State Forest

Overview \\'lap Showing Proposed New Access

The F.orest of NiseneWlarks

State'ea1k

.. V

---�,

I

\

�\ 1!

Day Valley

I

Frequently Asked Questions – Meridian Field Trip

1. What is Soquel Demonstration State Forest? Soquel Demonstration State Forest (SDSF) is a 2,681

acre forest established in 1990 as part of the Demonstration State Forest (DSF) system. It is managed by

the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection (CAL FIRE, formally CDF) to demonstrate

sustained-yield timber management, education, research, and recreation. SDSF is a mix of redwood,

Douglas-fir and hardwood stands. For more information, see webpage or follow us on Facebook.

http://www.fire.ca.gov/resource_mgt/resource_mgt_stateforests_soquel.php

2. What are Demonstration State Forests? DSFs are parcels of timberlands acquired by the State of

California and administered by CAL FIRE. There are five actively managed State Forests (Jackson, Mt.

Home, Boggs, LaTour, and Soquel) and three additional research forests. The DSFs represent a variety of

timber regions throughout California. These forests offer multiple benefits and are managed to conserve

water quality, soil, and aesthetic values, and to protect fishery, wildlife, and cultural resources.

3. So, is this a park? Parks (National, State, city, etc)

are managed primarily for preservation where the

main activities include recreation and education with

limited forest management. They are often chosen

for unique aesthetic, historical or cultural

characteristics. State Forests offer similar

recreational and educational opportunities but focus

on conservation and demonstration of sustainable

timber management. Our southerly neighbor is The

Forest of Nisene Marks State Park managed by the

California Department of Parks and Recreation.

4. Are you guys Rangers? What is a Forester? No, we are not Park Rangers. Park Rangers provide law

enforcement and interpretive services for parks and open space. SDSF is staffed by two Registered

Professional Foresters (RPF) and two apprenticing foresters working towards their RPF license. An RPF is

a person licensed by the State to perform services requiring the technical application of forestry science.

RPFs use their well-rounded background and education to maintain the productivity of forest resources

like timber, forage, wildlife, water, and outdoor recreation to meet the needs of the people while

protecting the ecology and quality of the forest environment.

5. How are the DSFs funded? No funding from the California State General Fund goes toward the costs

for managing State Forests. Revenues earned from timber harvesting are put into the Forest Resource

Improvement Fund (FRIF), and not into the General Fund. FRIF pays for state forest staff, operating

costs, projects, research, maintenance and improvements.

6. What is the timber harvesting history in this area prior to

the State Forest?

In the 1880’s, Frederick A. Hihn of the Valencia-Hihn Company

selectively logged old-growth redwood to produce shingles,

posts and rails. In 1924 the land was sold to the Monterey Bay

Redwood Company who then owned the property for 37 years

and extensively clear-cut it in the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s. It was

then sold to the Glenco Forest Products Company (later the

CHY Company) in 1961. In 1979, CHY sold the Forest property

to the Pelican Timber Company. Some very limited selective-

logging harvests were done on the property under the CHY

and Pelican Timber companies.

7. What about old growth trees? All old growth trees at SDSF

are excluded from all future timber harvesting and are flagged

for protection during active harvesting activities. Certain

characteristics are used to determine if a tree is an old growth

tree including age of 175 or greater, large old fire scars,

burned bark and goose pens. Other traits include large

branches, rounded or flat tops, deep bark furrows and slow

growth. Approximately 250 old-growth trees have been identified and inventoried at SDSF.

8. What is meant by sustainable timber harvesting or sustained yield?

Sustained yield production is achieved by balancing the growth of the forest and harvest volume over

time and maintaining a timber inventory capable of sustaining a level of long term production. The

volume of the forest is estimated at 112 million board feet with approximately 2.25 million board feet of

growth per year.

The harvest

volume is less

than 1 million

board feet per

year which

allows for the

overall forest

volume to

increase. The

harvest level of

the forest is

projected to

increase as the

inventory

increases.

Longridge THP #1-94-307 SCRAmaya Creek THP #1-98-027 SCRFern Gulch THP #1-09-096 SCR

Rim THP #1-09-107 SCRComstock Mill THP #1-13-027 SCRMeridian THP #1-15-139 SCR¬

0 3,000 6,0001,500 Feet Timber Harvest Plans

Summary of SDSF Timber Harvesting Plans

1994 Long Ridge THP

1997 Amaya THP 2011 Rim THP

2012 Fern Gulch THP

2014 Comstock Mill

THP

2016 Meridian THP

Acres 50 148 158 201 228 220

Location in SDSF

Western area of SDSF, west of Longridge Road

Western area of SDSF, between Longridge Rd & Amaya Creek Rd

Central area of SDSF, around Tractor Trail

Along east side of Longridge Road and north of East Branch of Soquel Creek

Two units along western boundary of SDSF

Sawpit Trail to Tractor Road, west of the Rim THP boundary

Silvicultural Methods

Single Tree Selection and for 3 groups of hardwoods

Single Tree Selection and for 6 groups of hardwoods

Single Tree Selection

Single Tree Selection, with 4 group selection areas

Single Tree Selection, with 5 hardwood areas

Single Tree Selection

Yarding Methods

Tractor (43 acres) and horse (7 acres)

Tractor (52 acres), standing skyline (86 acres), and horse (10 acres)

Tractor Tractor, SYYS yarder and horse

Tractor and SYYS yarder

Tractor and cable

Stand Description

60-80 year old redwood stand naturally regenerated after a 1930-eraclear-cut

60-80 year old redwood stand naturally regenerated after a 1930-eraclear-cut

70-90 year old redwood stand naturally regenerated after a 1940-eraclear-cut

80-90 year old redwood forestwith Douglas-fir, hardwoods intermixed

80-90 year old redwood forestwith Douglas-fir, hardwoods intermixed

80-90 year old redwood forestwith Douglas-fir, hardwoods intermixed

Volume Removed

550,000 board feet of redwood & Douglas-fir

1.5 million board feet of redwood & Douglas-fir

1.6 million board feet of redwood & Douglas-fir

2.2 million board feet of redwood & Douglas-fir

2.1 million board feet of redwood & Douglas-fir

Estimate – 1.6 million board feet of redwood and Douglas-fir

Purchaser Big Creek Lumber

Redwood Empire Sawmills

Sierra Pacific Industries

Big Creek Lumber

Big Creek Lumber

Redwood Empire Sawmills

Milling Location Davenport Cloverdale Sonora, Chinese Camp and Davenport

Davenport Davenport Cloverdale, Chinese Camp and Sonora

Net Receipts $90,500 $311,000 $475,000 $758,220 $922,800 Estimate - $990,000

Year of Harvest 1995 1998 2011 & 2012 with firewood 2013, 2014 & 2015

2012 2014 & 2015 2017