Huffman’s public land proposal offers benefits

April 04, 2018

Trinity County. I expect the “wilderness ad hoc committee” established by the Board of Supervisors March 6 will find as much.

Included in this public lands proposal is direction to the USFS and other federal agencies to consult with collaborative groups to prioritize specific conservation and restoration projects on existing federal public lands within the South Fork of the Trinity and Mad River watersheds, which include federal lands within a 700,000-acre area. Stewardship contracts will be used to implement projects whenever possible, with revenues from those contracts used only on the restoration area. Projects such as shaded fuel breaks around communities and along roads would be of benefit for local communities due to increased fire protection and a potential new log supply to our local mill. Grazing permitted prior to passage of this Act will continue.

Another key provision of this proposal, coordination of fire management across national forests for specific areas, like the Trinity Alps, also includes mandated coordination with local communities.

Additionally, Congressman Huffman, who has been a longtime advocate of removing trash, hazardous chemicals, and equipment from trespass marijuana grows on public lands, has included authorization for establishing a remediation fund that can assist in rehabilitating these grow sites.

Provisions benefiting recreation are also included. A study will be conducted to improve motorized and non-motorized recreational trail opportunities. This could be a boost for the proposed trail around Trinity Lake. A feasibility study will be initiated for a 360-mile “Bigfoot National Recreation Trail,” which is anticipated to wind through some of the most biodiverse conifer stands on the planet in Trinity, Siskiyou, and Del Norte counties. This trail could be a significant marketing plus for many of our communities, such as Hayfork and Junction City, which are on the path of this proposed trail. Authority is also included to establish a visitor center in Weaverville to assist in fulfilling the purposes of the Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area.

Additional wilderness and wild and scenic river designations would safeguard some of our county’s greatest treasures. Parts of Canyon Creek, which is one of the jewels of the Trinity Alps, would be protected, as would proposed wilderness areas like the Pattison roadless area, where Bar 717 has been taking its campers for generations, and the Chinquapin roadless area in the upper South Fork Trinity River basin, which hosts the largest unprotected stand of old growth Douglas fir in Northern California.

Some of the components in the proposed Act have been inspired by the work of the Trinity Collaborative. Some are thanks to the input of local mountain bikers and hikers. And some of them are based on the hard work already being done to clean up trespass marijuana grows. In my opinion, all of them will be beneficial to our county.

I encourage the Board of Supervisors to rename their wilderness ad hoc committee the “Public Lands Proposal Review Committee” and for board members and the public to do just that. Review this draft proposal and give Congressman Huffman your feedback. He is an advocate for Trinity County and wants to be sure that our public lands and agencies are working on our behalf.


Source: by Kenneth Baldwin