April 28, 2004
The InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council completed critical work this past year in its continued efforts to protect, preserve, and restore the cultural-natural resources of the Sinkyone wilderness area. The Council implemented several projects designed to reestablish traditional cultural stewardship within the Council's 3,845-acre InterTribal Wilderness property and the adjacent Sinkyone Wilderness State Park.
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The Council worked with State Parks this summer to install improved stream crossings and outslope the Hotel Gulch route demarcating the property boundary between the Council and State Parks in the southernmost part of Sinkyone. Where possible, culverts were removed and replaced with armored swale and stream crossings. Hotel Gulch, a spur of the Lost Coast Trail, is a popular hiking trail, and is used by the Council and State Parks for access for firefighting, maintenance, and restoration project work. The project will result in significantly reduced sediment deliveries to southern Sinkyone coastal streams including Hotel Gulch, Usal, Dark Gulch, and Anderson. If you have the chance to hike the Hotel Gulch route, you will notice the dramatic difference between the foliage on the Council's (east) side of the road and State Parks' (west) side of the road. Except in a few unavoidable locations, the Council did not allow removal of trees or other vegetation past the edge of the roadbed on its side of the route.
This past summer at Wolf (Jackass) Creek, the Council made repairs and improvements to seven sites containing previously constructed in-stream salmonid habitat structures. The Council is continuing and expanding the exemplary stream restoration work initiated by Richard Gienger as part of the effort to help with Sinkyone's healing. Wolf Creek sustained large populations of Coho salmon until the 1950s when logging destroyed much of their habitat. The stream contains growing numbers of steelhead and resident trout, and has resumed many characteristics required for Coho. The Council moves forward in its Wolf Creek work with the knowledge that the Coho will one day return.
The Sinkyone Wilderness State Park's General Plan process was initiated this past year. The Council met with neighboring landowners to discuss mutual goals for preservation and recreation within the Park. The Council continues to advocate strongly for maximum protection of the Park's incomparable resources and values. It is the Council's and, we believe, the local community's hope that State Parks will develop a General Plan that provides the lasting protection for Sinkyone that is owed to current and future generations of Park visitors.
Acquisition of the 160-acre Four Corners property continues to be one of the Council's most important goals. The Council is anxious to resume local Indian stewardship of this land. By invitation of the property's owner, Save-the-Redwoods League and the Council met twice during the past year to present its proposal to acquire, preserve, and restore Four Corners. The League currently is considering the Council's proposal. Sanctuary Forest and other organizations support Council's plan to return Four Corners to Indian hands and thereby expand the Sinkyone wilderness area.
InterTribal Work, Summer-Fall 2004.
The Council will continue its work in Wolf Creek this summer with funding support from the State Coastal Conservancy. Logs will be installed to create scour pools and refugia at seven sites along the lower reaches of the creek. The Council will complete its Limited Public Access Plan, (also funded by the Coastal Conservancy) which identifies three public trail routes that will traverse the width of the Council's property between Usal Road and the Lost Coast Trail. Two of the trails will contain, adjacent to the Usal Road, low-impact trailhead facilities such as limited parking, campsites, outhouse toilets, and signage. Construction is expected to begin in 2005.With funding from the State Water Board, the Council is offering two training positions each summer-fall season of 2004 and 2005 for tribal members who will operate heavy equipment within the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park Watershed Rehabilitation Project. Trainees must have at least 500 hours prior experience operating either an excavator or a bulldozer. The Council continues to monitor and insist on cultural resource protection for timber harvest plans filed by local industrial timberland owners.
The Council applauds all the Trees affiliates for their years of hard work to make the world a better place, and appreciates the affiliates' and Trees Foundation's continued support of the Council's work. We look forward to working with Trees affiliates on future projects of mutual concern. At a recent meeting of its board of directors, the Council identified the need to protect and preserve the 55,000-acre "Usal Tract" currently owned by Hawthorne Timber Company. The property is adjacent to the Council's, sharing a 12?-mile border with the InterTribal Wilderness.
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InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council
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TOC for Forest & River News, Spring 2004