July 6, 2015
Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection
Resource Management
Attn. Jeff Calvert
P.O Box 944246
Sacramento, CA 94244
RE: Support for North Coast Regional Land Trust application
Dear Mr. Calvert,
Friends of the Eel River strongly supports the Northcoast Regional Land Trust’s 2015 application for a $2,900,000 grant from the Forest Legacy Program.
These funds are needed for the purchase of a conservation easement to insure long term protection and sustainable forestry production over 2,690 acres of forestlands in the Indian Creek watershed, a tributary to the South Fork Eel River that shelters one of the last viable populations of coho salmon capable of supporting the species’ recovery in this region.
If the easement is not purchased, the timberland owner may sell parcels, fragmenting the now-available block of forestland. Funds from the easement would allow the properties to be managed in perpetuity as sustainable working forestlands and add protections for water quality, and habitat for fish and wildlife.
Sincerely,
Robert Scott Greacen
Executive Director
Friends of the Eel River