JDSF Draft 2026 Forest Management Plan is Visionless
A mercurial and undated, seemingly complete Draft Forest Management Plan for Jackson Demonstration State Forest (JDSF) has been unveiled - a scant 33 pages plus introduction. Sadly, the new plan looks less like the “New Vision” promised by Cal Fire, and more like an old blind spot with a splash of greenwashing.
It is particularly unsettling to see an erroneous account of management history put forward in this document. While CalFire claims that the forest has always been managed in a “sustainable” fashion and that it was “cut over” when they acquired it, it is well-documented that nearly half of the forest (approximately 20,000 acres in the eastern portion) was clear-cut by the State after taking ownership.
Looking forward, among the many aspects of this plan that concern us are the Land Management Allocations (LMAs). LMAs are “treatment” zones within the forest created by Cal Fire and the Jackson Advisory Group (JAG). They are divided into areas such as “Old Growth” (left alone) and “Matrix” (anything goes). The LMAs were created in 2011. With climate change and loss of biodiversity bearing down on us, and with the update of the Forest Management Plan (FMP) underway, now would be the perfect time to make changes to the LMAs to better protect the older parts of the forest, fish, and other species, as many environmental and indigenous groups have called for. In a forest of 48,652 acres, the Land Management Allocations take a hands-off approach to only 1364 acres: 461 acres of remaining old growth redwoods and 903 acres of Pygmy/Cypress groups. That’s only 2.8% of the forest! The remaining acres are still actively managed for timber and are therefore NOT protected.
That industrial forest management practices compound rather than alleviate fire risk is also conveniently ignored in the “new” plan, posing risks not only to the forest itself but also to scores of neighboring properties that are likely unaware of the hazards Cal Fire is creating.
Earlier this year, when Cal Fire began updating the FMP for Jackson, the Mendocino Trail Stewards made a reasonable request: raise the percentage of the forest allocated for late seral development (LSD) from 22% to 50%. The parts of the forest that are zoned “late seral development” are supposedly “managed to accelerate the development of larger trees/other older forest structure with fewer future harvests”, while more logging still occurs. Unfortunately, Cal Fire apparently saw no need to increase the percentage of LSD zones in the new FMP. Land Management Allocations remain exactly the same as when they were created in 2011.
Another big concern is the conspicuous lack of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for this plan, which is typically conducted under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The last comprehensive EIR for JDSF was completed back in 2007, and since then, environmental conditions and regulatory requirements have changed significantly, and we have vastly more scientific insight and data about how redwood forests function. A new CEQA review is critical to ensure public transparency, updated analysis of environmental impacts, and proper mitigation measures, including those required under AB 52 for tribal cultural resources.
Cal Fire has received appeals from many, including State Senator Mike McGuire and Assemblymember Chris Rogers, to complete an EIR for their updated FMP; however, in this new plan Cal Fire excuses itself from completing an EIR. The rationale given is that exemptions are awarded for activities such as "basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource..." Well, the effort to exploit this loophole is quite a stretch given that an average 13 million board feet of timber are extracted from the forest each year, generating over $6 million in revenues.
If Cal Fire were to write an Environmental Impact Report, they would be required, under CEQA rules, to respond to written public comments regarding environmental issues. Since there is no EIR, don’t hold your breath for a response to your comments. Nonetheless, it is still helpful that stakeholders voice their concerns. To comment online, click this link: FMP Public Comment Form | CAL FIRE.
You can make a larger impact by writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper or contacting your state representatives. Let them know that this draft management plan is completely out of touch with California’s climate goals.
If you pre-register, you will be sent materials before the meeting date, so this is encouraged. There is an option to attend the meetings online, but be aware that you will not be able to comment if you participate online. We’ll send reminders and ideas for comments as this process develops. We hope to see you there!
