It's a rainy afternoon along California’s north coast, and I find myself traversing a rocky ridgeline in The Conservation Fund’s Garcia River Forest after a day of collecting data for one of our carbon inventories. The steep slope feels almost vertical, and I climb with my hands and knees to gain traction on the rain coated ground. Dirt fills my fingernails, and sweat and mist saturate my face. I finally reach the crest and find myself in a vast, grassy opening gazing across the landscape as fog and clouds gently meander through the topography.

A rainy day in Mendocino County. Photo by Danny Hofstadter.

These are the lands, the moments, and the beauty that The Conservation Fund’s Working Forest Fund conserves, and that I get to appreciate as part of my job as a forest technician. These are the lands that have been protected from forest fragmentation, and restored from decades of aggressive timber harvesting. These are the lands that facilitate the intersection of environmental sustainability and economic vitality. To survey these working forests means closely interacting with the landscape, and navigating the astounding range of species, habitats, weather conditions, slopes, and views. Conservation is not isolated and withdrawn; it is interactive and productive.

Stopping to take a look at the hairy rhizomatous perennial herb Campanula californica, or swamp harebell, on our Annual Field Operations Review on Salmon Creek. Photo by Olivia Fiori.

The Conservation Fund’s Working Forest Fund (WFF) and North Coast Forest Conservation Initiative actively plan with our partners and study our natural ecosystems to develop and implement sustainable forest management plans and place conservation safeguards on forestland owned and managed by the Fund. Since 2004, we have conserved more than 70,000 acres in the Buckeye, Garcia River, Big River, Salmon Creek and Gualala River forests of California. In addition to restoring the forests’ watersheds and supporting local economies, these efforts fight climate change via greenhouse gas reduction.

The Salmon Creek Forest near a Northern Spotted Owl Activity Center. Photo by Danny Hofstadter.

My typical day in the woods varies by project, weather, and topography—and requires different tools, clothing, and materials. When working in the field to measure the carbon stored in the forest, my gear list might include rain gear (depending on the weather), map, compass, clinometer (for measuring tree heights and slope), laser (for tree heights and distances), paint (to number the trees surveyed), two diameter tapes, clipboard, tablet for GPS navigation and data recording, and a chainsaw.

Recently I had the opportunity to assist a crew that went out and planted 10,000 redwood and 5,000 douglas fir seedlings.  A crew of 9 men and I planted 5,000 baby trees per day for three days. Each of us stuffed about 100 seedlings per trip into our carrying bags and trudged through the brush with a shovel to plant each tiny tree in the moist earth after a heavy rain—repeating this until completion.

For Northern Spotted Owl surveys—day or night—I always bring an ATV, bear mace, a compass, notebook, wildlife speaker (that plays a 10-minute sequence of prerecorded owl calls), headlamp, flashlight, and live mice. Most of the owls are banded, and we use live mice to lure the owls in to get a band reading and figure out a monogamous pair’s reproductive status. Working alone in the forest at night was incredibly challenging at first, but overtime the realization of my own internal and physical strength, coupled with being able to work with these graceful creatures, brought ease and absolute peace of mind.

A Northern Spotted Owl from our MEN393 Territory on Salmon Creek. Photo by Danny Hofstadter.

Carrying out timber and carbon inventories and surveying wildlife species has nourished my love for land conservation. Working in the forests has expanded my self-awareness, ecological awareness, and most importantly, my hope for a better future. As I watch the surrounding landscape transform into a healthier ecosystem, I feel proud that my specific contributions are helping make it happen.

I consistently find myself learning more about the redwood ecosystem each and every day. There are so many lenses through which the forest can be viewed and analyzed, but to truly understand and conserve these incredible forests requires interaction. The North Coast program is able to do the work that we do, and the WFF is able to be as effective as it is, because of collaborative efforts that bring together communities, knowledge, and nature. And as a result, I can truly say that these programs are redefining conservation.

A break in the rain, followed by sun rays pouring through the trees before a day of work on Gualala River Forest. Photo by Olivia Fiori.

Upon my three year anniversary with The Fund, I feel particularly grateful for these breathtaking redwood forests and can’t help but celebrate the natural ecosystems that the WFF and North Coast programs manage and protect for our local communities. I feel grateful for the benefits that our organization has had on the redwoods, and the immeasurable growth that these forests have brought into my life. In the spirit of Arbor Day and Earth Day, I encourage each of you to get outside, immerse yourself in your favorite outdoor space, and learn as much as you can from your natural surroundings.

A beautiful sunset on our Garcia River Forest before a night of Northern Spotted Owl calling. Photo by Danny Hofstadter.