north coast regional land trust newsletter, spring 2008

8/9/2019 North Coast Regional Land Trust Newsletter, Spring 2008

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Valley View Ranch Forever Protected In This Issue

Coastal Barn Revisited (Pastel on canvas)

From the Executive Director 2

North Coast Dialogues Update 3

Forward on Freshwater Farms

Reserve 3

Valley View Ranch Forever

Protected 4

Education & Outreach 6

Artist Profile 8

Valley View Ranch in Humboldt County, Caliornia is now orever preserved, sae-guarding open space, productive working orest and grazing lands, wildlie habitatand, a very important rural way o lie.

Here is a pastoral scene: slopes and gullies are lled with Douglas-r trees; densecottonwood and willow thickets embrace the North Fork Mattole; and, on the nutri-ent-rich foodplains, sheep, cattle, and wildlie share perennial pastures, unbroken andsmooth except by several parallel watercourses shaded by woody vegetation.

Valley View Ranch is visible along a our-mile stretch when traveling on thecountys North Fork Road and orms a visual, scenic backdrop to the town o Petroliain southern Humboldt County. Several deep orested ravines drain water rom high onthe property (one-thousand eet above sea level)

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Northcoast regioNal laNd trust

spriNg 2008

Victoria Ryan


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s with the changing o the seasons, theNorthcoast Regional Land Trust hasexperienced some attrition as well as

renewal over the past ew months. TheBoard, sta, and other colleagues weresaddened to see Erik Wilson take leave to pursuea position with the Jeerson Land Trust and becloser to amily in Washington State. Eriks outgo-ing personality and ability to build partnerships will be sorely missed at NRLT. He hasentrusted successul projects such as the upcoming Freshwater Farms restoration towell-trained sta that worked closely with him in his remaining months.

In February we also said goodbye to Mary Claire Kier, a critically important personwho held down the oce and kept things running smoothly over the past 18 months.Although we were all disappointed to see her leave, we were also very excited or hernew career opportunity with the Department o Fish and Game. Mary Claire, known orher healthy cynicism and wit, provided the backbone o NRLT operations and made theoce a un place or all. She will be missed.

Also, Maya Conrad, whose involvement with NRLT dates back to 2003 as the Execu-tive Director, has transitioned her role rom the Interim ED to a member o NRLT Boardo Directors.

With the passing o all and winter, we transition into spring, a time o renewal hereon the North Coast as well as at NRLT. Joining our veteran sta are now three new acesin the oce, Ryan Wells, Projects Manager; Lindsay Magnuson, Education and OutreachCoordinator; and mysel, as the new Executive Director.

Ryan, previously an NRLT intern or our months, is now our Project Manager. Heis tasked with managing our Freshwater Farms Reserve Estuary Restoration Project,regional conservation planning, and conservation easement support. Overseeing theFreshwater project alone involves the coordination o seven dierent unding sourcesand multiple permit requirements. With Ryans background and expertise and withassistance rom the Redwood Community Action Agency, Freshwater Farms is in goodhands.

Lindsay Magnuson recently joined NRLT sta as our Education and Outreach Co-ordinator. Lindsay, a native o Fieldbrook, comes to us rom a diverse background thatincludes working in Arica on wildlie conservation eorts to most recently teachingbiology at College o the Redwoods. She is now very excited to be back home workingon local land conservation projects with NRLT. Lindsays main projects include K-12education program development centered at Freshwater Farms, coordinating our NorthCoast Dialogues eort with Shayne Green, and leading outreach events such as Canoethe Slough and interpretive walks.

As or my own role here at NRLT, oneo my main goals in the coming year is todevelop more regional eorts throughout ourorganizations tri-county ocus area. Livingin Del Norte County or the past ve years,ater my eleven years in Humboldt County,

Ive witnessed a wide array o conservationeorts and the dierent challenges that aceour communities. Likewise, Trinity Countyhas its own unique set o conservation chal-lenges. My hope is that through regionalcoordination and dialogue, our eorts on theNorth Coast can be greater than the sum oits parts.

From theExecutive Director

Board of Directors

President, Blake Alexandre, Business Owner,Alexandre Family EcoDairy Farms

1st Vice President, Mark Andre, Directoro Environmental Services, City o Arcata

2nd Vice President, Ann King Smith,Cultural Resource Specialist

Secretary, Yvonne Everett, Associate

Proessor, Natural Resources Planning,Humboldt State UniversityWes Anderson, Appraiser and RancherBill Bragg, Attorney at Law, Bragg,

Perlmen, Russ, Stenich, Rudolph & EadsMaya Conrad, Conservation Land Agent,

Coldwell Banker RealtyJack Limmer, Business Owner, Coldwell

Banker RealtyLeland Mora, Business Owner, HumboldtAuction Yard & Humboldt Grassed Bee

Fred Neighbor, Attorney at Law, privatepractice

Dennis Rael, Business Owner, Los Bagels

Company, Inc.George Yandell, North Coast ProjectDirector, The Nature Conservancy

David McMurray, Board Emeritus, Secre-tary, Caliornia Council o Land Trusts

Board of Advisors

James AbleDave AlbeeJim AndersonKim BrowningTom Brundage

Nancy DiamondJe DunkZuretti ZueyGoosbySteve HackettAnnette HollandSandra Jerabeck

Laura KadlecikLiz MurguiaColleen OSullivanJim PetruzziChuck Powell

Tom RoweRondal SnodgrassBill ThompsonPaul J. WarnerArnold WhitridgeKatherine Ziemer

Staff

Kevin McKernan, Executive Director

Shayne Green, Projects DirectorLindsay Magnuson, Education &

Outreach CoordinatorBen Morehead, Project ManagerLinda Serrano, Development DirectorRyan Wells, Project Manager

VolunteersLeslie Scopes Anderson, newsletter layoutClara Arndt, oce assistance

Contact NRLT:P.O. Box 398, Bayside, CA 95524Ph: 707.822.2242; Fax: 707.822.5210

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N O R T H C O A S T R E G I O N A L L A N D T R U S T S P R I N G 2 0 0 8

A glimpse o the Pacifc Ocean rom ValleyView Ranch. Photo by Erik Kingsher


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Late last year NRLT launched an ambitiousnew multi-year initiative to engage diversestakeholders in creating a 100 year visionor the North Coasts landscapes, commu-nities, and economies. The primary goalo the rst phase o the project is to helpour community determine the best wayto maintain productive working lands inHumboldt County. The Steering Com-mittee has planned a series o ocused

conversations that will take place thisspring. Individuals representing agricul-ture, timber, environmental, recreation,

religious, business, and Native Americaninterests (among others) have been invitedto be part o a group o thirty people whowill participate in this unique orum. Weintend or the project to ultimately engagethe broader community and to inormother planning and decision-makingprocesses aecting our region.For more inormation on the project,

please contact Lindsay Magnuson orShayne Green at the NRLT oce,707-822-2242.

Nort Coast DialoguesSteering Committee

Blake AlexandreAlexandre Ecodairy Farms andNorthcoast Regional Land Trust

Richard DornDorn Land Company and HumboldtAssociation o Realtors

Steve HornerBarnum Timber Company

Mark LovelaceHealthy Humboldt Coalition andHumboldt Watershed Council

Michael W. MilesPacic Lumber Company

Leland MoraHumboldt Auction Yard andHumboldt Grassed Bee

Kathy MoxonHumboldt Area Foundation/RedwoodRural Action Council

Gary RynearsonGreen Diamond Resource Company

Jennifer RiceRedwood Community Action Agency/Natural Resources Division

Martha SpencerHumboldt County CommunityDevelopment Services Department/Planning Division

Nort Coast Dialogues Update

NRLTs new sta members: (let to right) Ryan Wells, Lindsay Magnuson and Kevin McKernan.Photo by L. Serrano

n 2005, NRLT purchased a 54-acreparcel in Freshwater, named theFreshwater Farms Reserve (FWFR),or the purposes o estuary/wetlandrestoration and sustainable agricul-

tural use. During the past three years,

NRLT sta and local specialists have beendeveloping a project design, using thebest available science, which will providehabitat or salmon, waterowl, and manyother wetland-specic plants and animals.In addition, we have designated a 19-acreportion o the property to be leased to alocal rancher or sustainable grazing. Inthis, we are promoting a harmoniousrelationship where habitat restoration andagriculture can exist side by side. We ex-pect that this project will serve as a modelor similar opportunities in the region.

The FWFR restoration project hasundergone numerous changes over theyears and our current design, scheduledto be implemented this August, containsmultiple elements that will lead to ahealthy, sel-sustaining wetland. Removal

o a 100-year-old tidegate, construction oa slough channel system, revegetation oa series o tidal hummocks (shallow hillslocated within the wetland) with nativewetland plant species, and installationo in-stream sh habitat structures, willcreate a complex and inviting brackishmarsh habitat or Humboldt Bays nativefora and auna. In addition to holdingeducational activities at FWFR, we haveplans to create an interpretive trail aroundthe wetland by the end o 2009.

Forward Movement on Freshwater Farms Reserve

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3N O R T H C O A S T R E G I O N A L L A N D T R U S T S P R I N G 2 0 0 8

Wood Creek at Freshwater Farms Reserve.Photo by Erik Kingsher


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Wat is a Conservation

Easement?

conservation easement is a legalagreement between a landownerand an entity such as a landtrust that permanently protectsspecial eatures o a property

such as arming, ranching and orestproduction, open space, scenic vistas andwildlie habitat. Each conservation ease-ment is tailored to the specic needs anddesires o the landowner and the uniquequalities o the property.

Conservation easements become parto the property title. The land trust en-sures that the terms o the easements arehonored by present and uture landown-ers. The property remains in private own-ership and can be sold, leased, or passedon to heirs. A conservation easement does

not grant public access unless desired bythe landowner. Conservation easementscan provide the ollowing benets: In-come taxes may be reduced by deductingthe value o the conservation easementas a charitable git; estate taxes may bereduced by lowering the appraised valueo taxable land assets; property taxes maybe reduced. In some cases conservationeasements are purchased by land trustsand public agencies to ensure long-termpublic benets and unds needed by land-owners or their economic stabilizationand security.

Please visit http://www.ncrlt.org/conserve/easements/guide or call the NRLT oce707/822.2242 or more inormation onconservation easements.

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(Continued from cover)

into the North Fork o the Mattole Riverand protect the headwaters o tributariesthat eed Mill Creek.

The ranchs idyllic location, treasuredopen space, scenic vistas, and warm,sunny weather in the summer and early

all months made it especially appealingor conversion to vacation homeson small, dense tracts, or boutiqueindustries such as vineyards. With aconservation easement now in place,Valley View Ranch is protected romsubdivision and development.

Landowners Francis and LoranaSweet decided to protect their landthrough a conservation easement.Assisted by the Northcoast RegionalLand Trust, the transaction was nalizedin early April, 2008. The conservationeasement preserves Valley Views

economic, cultural, natural, ecological,and open space values while maintainingpure aesthetic enjoyment or all. Thepropertys orest (704 acres) and grazinglands (828 acres) are also important orthe countys tax base and local economyby producing goods or use in the NorthCoast region.

Valley View Ranch boasts a plethorao wildlie, and their habitats are nowpermanently protected. The North ForkMattole River and Mill Creek harbornative salmonid species, including Coho,steelhead and cutthroat trout, and winter

Chinook, which spawn and rear in thesewatersheds.Other state or ederally listedspecies also live here, including northernspotted owls, golden eagles, red andyellow-legged rogs, and red tree voles.Mountain lion, black bear, coyote, andblacktail deer also inhabit the property.

Completion o the Valley View Ranchproject is another step orward in theconservation o contiguous private landslocated in the productive belt o workingagricultural and orest lands betweenthe Six Rivers National Forest andthe Pacic Ocean an area under

imminent threat o development.Aptly named the Six Rivers to theSea Program, this large-scale landconservation initiative acilitatesthe development o conservationeasements to protect and preservethe scenic and natural resources oHumboldt, Trinity and Del Nortecounties while maintaining theregions culture and tradition oworking, sustainable lands.

Recognizing the importanceo these ranches to sh, wildlie,and productive resources, the

Northcoast Regional Land Trust isworking with state, ederal, and locagencies, non-prot organizations, individuals to work with landownea voluntary basis to establish perpeprotections on numerous North Coproperties. Partners in the Valley ViRanch project included the Caliorn

Wildlie Conservation Board, the StCoastal Conservancy, the ederal FoLegacy Program and U.S. Fish & WService. These entities purchased thconservation easement on the entirproperty in perpetuity, including thsubdivision and development rightsand the monetary tradeo o imposstronger timber harvesting restrictioto protect river and wildlie habitat

Support was also provided bythe County o Humboldt and thelandowners representatives, SteveHackett and Greg Hendrickson o

Agland Engineering, Inc.Finally, and more importantly, Land Francis Sweet have voluntarilyand graciously relinquished theirrights to gain nancial benet throusubdivision o their property, and ardonating a signicant portion o theappraised conservation easement vaThe Sweets have also contributed astewardship endowment so that theNorthcoast Regional Land Trust canconduct long-term monitoring o thproperty, ensuring adherence to theeasements terms.

The Six Rivers to the Sea Initiatihas now permanently protected mothan 11,000 acres on our ranches:Howe Creek in 2002; Iaqua Ranch Price Creek Ranches in 2006; and nin 2008, Valley View Ranch. NRLT partners seek to conserve approxim30,000 acres through Six Rivers to Sea by 2010 (see map). We invite evreader to become an active participthis ambitious endeavor!

Valley View raNc4

Valley View Ranch photos by Erik Kingsher


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ForeVer protected 5

Valley View RanchLandownersLoranaand Francis Sweet

As Francis puts it, Ranching and the landhas been my way o lie, its what I believein. I have been ranching on a small scalemy whole lie, and I actually worked onthis property as a young man when it wasrented to the Connick Livestock Com-pany. At that time [Valley View Ranch]belonged to my aunt, Bertha Russ, whoestablished the Bertha Russ Lytel Founda-tion and conserved all that good timber-land along the Wildcat and down to Fern-dale. Then the property became availableto me and I jumped at the opportunitybecause it was what I wanted all my lie.I eel like I have an obligation to this landand to her (Aunt Bertha) or giving methe chance. The main reason or doing aconservation easement is to keep the landintact as a working ranch and orest andto ensure my amily unit.

I Lorana could live or work on aranch anywhere in the world, she wouldchoose Valley View. Living in the Petroliaarea was always a dream. Francis workedhere when he was 17 years old. The ranchwas let to him by his Great Aunt. Hereally wants it to stay intact to respect

what her wishes would have been too.Lorana and Francis Sweets amilyhas been on the Valley View Ranch since1940. Beore that the Russ Family, owhom Francis is related through mar-riage, owned the land since 1888.

Despite nancial hardships over theyears, the couple is committed to the con-servation and preservation o their landand have diligently avoided subdividingor changing the historic (agricultural andorestry) uses o the property.


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he Northcoast Regional LandTrusts Land Use and Environ-ment Seminar is well underway.This education and outreachprogram includes interpretive

activities or the public as well as ahands-on science program or high school

students at our Freshwater FarmsReserve. NRLT has partnered withShannon Morago at Six Rivers CharterSchool to oer a eld-based educationalprogram to 10th grade biology students.Our goal is to provide students with anopportunity to actively participate in arestoration project in their own back-yard. Students will participate in actualdata collection regarding the fora, auna,hydrology and soils o Freshwater FarmsReserve. Data collected by students thisMay will provide an exciting comparisonto data collected next year by the same

students when they are enrolled in chem-istry.

Students will be involved over multipleyears and will have the unique experi-ence o observing the naturalization o theFreshwater Farms site ater the restora-tion plan has been implemented in late2008. We hope to expand our educationalprogram in 2009 to include other schools,a broader age range o students andadditional programs such as water qualitytesting and salmonid monitoring in Fresh-water and Wood Creek.

The Northcoast Regional Land Trust iscommitted to providing the public withopportunities to experience our uniqueand threatened tidal wetlands. These eco-systems are among the most productiveand biologically diverse on the planet andare disappearing at an alarming rate. Weoer interpretive walks andCanoe-the-Slough kayaking trips on

Freshwater Slough and Humboldt Bay.Our rst event this year was a moonlightpaddle on March 21st through Eurekaand Freshwater Sloughs. We are planningother events this spring. I youd like toget out and enjoy our tidal wetlands whilelearning about the natural history o thebay, please join us on an interpretive walkor canoe trip. Hope to see you there!

For questions about education and out-reach activities, please contact LindsayMagnuson at [email protected].

Please considerbecoming a businesspartner wit teNortcoast RegionalLand Trust.

As an NRLT business partner, youjoin select a group o businessesworking or healthy and sustainablelandscapes and communities on theNorth Coast.

Special thanks to the following,current business partners:

Agland Engineering, Inc.Alexandre Family EcoDairy FarmsBrooks Appraisal Service

Thomas Brundage, RegisteredGeologistChange MediationColdwell Banker Sellers / Cutten

RealtyCharlie Tripodi & Maya ConradJack & Rita LimmerMock WahlundCurleys GrillCypress Grove Chevre, Inc.Dorn & CompanyEel Canyon FarmsEmerald City Laundry CompanyFirst American Title Company

HumBoats Kayak AdventuresHumboldt Creamery AssociationHumboldt Grassed BeeHumboldt Land Title Company

Sue BoschSusan Galliani

Hunt Company Real EstateKier AssociatesLaw Oce o Catherine M. KoshkinLos BagelsMcClelland ConsultingNorth Coast Cleaning Services Inc.North Coast CooperativeOscar Larson & Associates

Pacic Gas & ElectricRedwood Capital BankRedwood Roots FarmResponsive SotwareRiverbar FarmRobert Goodman WinesStokes, Steeves, Rowe & HamerSun Valley GroupSurbear OutttersTou Shop Specialty FoodsWhite Tree DesignWildberries Market Place

Education & Outreac

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The mixed pasture and orest land o Valley View Ranch. Photo by Erik Kingsher

Paddling Humboldt Bay. Photo by Hawk Martin



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Agencies and FoundationsAnonymous (2)Andrus Family FundCA Coastal Conservancy

CA Department o Fish & GameCal FireCA Wildlie Conservation BoardClarence E. Heller FoundationColumbia FoundationCounty o HumboldtHumboldt Area FoundationMel & Grace McLean FoundationNational Fish & Wildlie FederationNatural Resources Conservation ServiceNOAA FisheriesNorcross Wildlie Foundation, Inc.The Nature ConservancyU.S. Fish & Wildlie Service

U.S. Forest ServiceWill J. Reid Foundation

Redwood ($1,000 +)Blake & Stephanie AlexandreWes & Sue AndersonBarbara BarrattFrancis & Carole CarringtonDoug & Ann King SmithRonald & Donna ThompsonGeorge Yandell

Big Leaf Maple

($500-$999)Anonymous (1)Joan BermanMaya Conrad & Charlie TripodiRenee CrowleyAnnette & Greg HollandDavid & Madeline McMurrayLee & Eileen MoraFred & Joyce NeighborMargaret Nulsen & Chris FrolkingDennis Rael & Carol Falkenthal

Blac Oa ($250-$499)Anonymous (3)

Dave AlbeeHarry Blumenthal & Scott MitchellBill Bragg & Lee Roscoe-BraggKim & Shirley Browning

Tom Lisle & Lori DenglerShayne GreenDanny HagansDick Hackett

Judith HinmanTom Rowe & Emily Stokes RoweJe & Edith Schwartz

Madrone ($100-$249)Anonymous (2)Glenn BerryThomas Brundage & Diane DeFordGail CoonenJoan EarlyMichele FellSusan FrancesJulie Fulkerson & Lynn EvansDon & Sylvia Garlick

Fred HummelJack & Peggy IrvineJack & Rita LimmerSam & Kathleen ManaktalaRobert & Mavis McKelveyKevin McKernanKit Mann & Rebecca ZettlerLisa Miller & Bryan GaynorBen & Ananda MoreheadArchie MossmanFelicia OldatherJanice Parakilas & Roy BakerClaire & Gene PerricelliMark Andre & Nancy Rehg

Gordon & Lynn SkaggsMartha Ann SpencerFrancis & Lorana SweetTed & Josephine TrichiloMarlena & Moises Vega

Manzanita (Up to $99)Anonymous (6)Thomas & Catherine AllenIllijana Asara & Jim VandegriMary-Jane AshtonTempra BoardSally and Richard BotzlerLucinda Bradshaw

Peter BurgessJohn CalkinsRuss ConradSarah Eeles

Elias EliasDavid & Patricia Platt EpsteinGary & Janis FriedrichsenBruce & Billie Gordon

Dan & Donna HauserSandra HealyDavid HitchcockDave ImperClaudia IsraelRon & Melanie KuhnelJerome & Nancy LengyelByrd LochtieJudy & John LongshoreLois MellertThomas & Doris MontgomerySusan MoskalyGwen NeuJennier Rice

Bob Sizoo & Sue TurnerIrith ShalmonyRondal SnodgrassMark & Sandi SommerRichard & Phyllis StanewickRoger SternbergScott SwayRobie Tenorio & Gil GregoriVicky Turner & Rudy RampDon & Andrea TuttleAnne & Roger WeissEllen Weiss & David CoppleKristi Wrigley

To make your valued donation to theNorthcoast Regional Land Trust, pleaseuse the enclosed remittance envelope.

The Northcoast Regional Land Trustis a tax-exempt, nonproft, 501(c)(3)organization listed with the Inter-nal Revenue Service under EIN#68-0456290. All donations are taxdeductible.

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ThANk yOU NRLT Members and Supporters!NRLT thanks all of its supporters from September 1, 2007 through April 1, 2008.



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Cover Art Victoria Ryan

A native Caliornian, Victoria Ryan has called Humboldt Countyher home since 2002. A proessional ne artist or 25 years,Victoria works primarily in sot pastel to create vivid, dreamlikelandscapes o the local terrain and rom her travels. Layers orich pigmented color are applied to various substrates tocreate eloquent and vibrant perspectives. Her work can be oundin private, corporate and public collections world wide and canbe viewed at www.victoriaryan.com. A series o new originalpastel landscapes will be on view at Humboldt Baykeeper, 217

E St., Eureka, CA, during the months o April and May, 2008.The cover painting, Coastal Barn Revisited, an original pastel,is inspired rom Southport Landing, a previously busy port onHumboldt Bay in the Tableblu area near Loleta. It now housesan historic bed and breakast inn.

If you own land that you would like to protect, learnmore about the options available to you.

Do you want certain natural eatures o your property tobe protected into the uture yet keep private ownershipo your land?

Would you like to protect your property rom beingconverted to non-traditional uses?

Are estate taxes a threat to keeping your arm, orest,

or ranch in the amily when you pass on?

Could you benet rom signicant income and estate taxdeductions?

Do you want to protect the natural or ecological benetsyour land provides?

Do you want the scenic and historic values o your landto remain intact or uture generations to enjoy?

I you answered yes to any or all o these questions, a con-servation easement may be right or you. Please give us acall 707.822.2242 and we can provide more inormationand guidance; you can also browse our website at

www.ncrlt.org

THANKS TO:

NRLT Mission:The Northcoast Regional Land Trust is dedicated to theprotection and enhancement o arms, orests, range-lands, and wild areas in perpetuity. Our vision or theuture includes vibrant communities, sustainable econo-mies and healthy landscapes.

Let NRLT Wor for you!

Northcoast regioNal laNd trust

P.O. Box 398Bayside, CA 95524

north coast regional land trust newsletter, spring 2008

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