headwaters

Until 11 years ago, Headwaters Forest was allegedly the largest remaining stand of privately owned old-growth redwood forest. It was being cut rapidly, and the area had become a flashpoint between treesitters and environmental NGOs, and the Pacific Lumber Company. As part of a controversial HCP deal, the over 7,000-acre site (about half old growth) was purchased and is now managed by BLM.

Yesterday I visited the fringes of the site, one of the access trails that parallels the Elk River. I didn't have time to get very far into the site, although I'll try to change that soon. Still, it was interesting to see regenerating forest in the river corridor. A lot of work is apparently going into management, including removal of old logging roads, planting of redwood seedlings, and local thinning of over-dense second growth Douglas fir.

I was never out of sight of the trail. Although the site is six miles from anywhere, there were plenty of people out on a mild but rainy day. it's a considerable hike to the old growth, five miles each way, but apparently lots of folks think it's worthwhile to make that walk.