The 2001-2002 Docent Training Course recently graduated eight docents who completed a seven-month course, preparing them to be guides for our Summer Hike Program. Docents learn orienteering skills, plant and animal identification, backcountry safety, and the history of Mattole River conservation through a series of fourteen class and field sessions. Beginning in May, these guides will join expert leaders to introduce Northcoast residents and visitors to the beauty of the headwaters through our popular Summer Hike Program. The Program begins on May 12 with the Mother?s Day Wildflower Hike and continues throughout the summer, with topics ranging from native herbs to birding to water ecology. Call us for a complete calendar of hikes or to sign-up for next Fall?s Docent Training Course.
The Sanctuary Forest Reserve within the Mattole headwaters continues to expand through acquisitions and conservation easements. This 3,500-acre river and forest refuge is rich in old growth redwood, Douglas fir, and threatened and endangered species such as Coho and Chinook salmon and northern spotted owl. With the support of the Wildlife Conservation Board, we celebrate the addition of a 40-acre parcel of majestic old growth and mature redwoods known as the Whitethorn Grove. Passage of the Proposition 40 Park Bond by California voters in March, gives us the opportunity to add additional environmentally significant lands to the Reserve that benefit the forests and all Californians.
A watershed assessment of the Upper Mattole River was completed with the support of the Department of Fish & Game and the participation of the Upper Mattole River and Forest Cooperative, the Redwoods Monastery, Arcanum Ranch Pottery, and Pacific Watershed Associates. This assessment identified 306 sites in need of repair to prevent continued and accelerated erosion of salmon killing sediment into the Mattole. This summer, with additional support from Fish & Game, we will begin the process of repairing these sites and restoring the river.
We look forward to a summer of fun and educational hikes, productive restoration work, and your support in our efforts to protect and restore the vibrant health of our rainforest home.
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