Updates + News
Contrasting Federal Legislation Shows How (and How Not) to Deal with Fire
September 22, 2020
California federal legislators have offered dueling bills to respond to the recent large fires that have gripped the West. In one corner stands Senator Dianne Feinstein and her bill S. 4431; in the other are Sen. Kalama Harris and the Northcoast’s own Rep. Huffman, who have brought forward S. 2882 and its House companion, H.R. 5091. To be clear who we are rooting for: EPIC has joined our friends at Earthjustice, Center for Biological Diversity, Natural Resources Defense Council, National Parks Conservation Association, Sierra Club, The League of Conservation Voters, The Wilderness Society, and Western Environmental Law Center in opposing Senate Bill 4431. read more >>
Fire Facts and Fictions
September 22, 2020
There have been plenty of frustrating headlines that attribute one thing for this year’s fire behavior. Predictably, the main culprit changes by the story. In some, fuel accumulation from a lack of logging is to blame. In others, the history of colonization that has removed traditional cultural burning is at fault. The truth is that there are many, many variables that influence fire behavior. We humans have better control over some (like whether homes are to be constructed out of fire-resistant materials than others (like the weather). Be careful of oversimplification!read more >>
Forging Fire Strategies
September 22, 2020
The time to adapt and live with wildfire is here. There are many communities across the west working toward that goal. The climate crisis is thrusting change upon urban and rural towns alike. As the flames and smoke become more familiar, our relationship with fire must progress. Here in the Pacific Northwest corner of California, strategic fire planning is underway. read more >>
Stop the Salvage Logging of Post-Fire Forests
September 21, 2020
Post-fire logging is sold as a way to recover at least some of the economic value of timber the trees can be made into. But, while private timber companies do profit from the cheap raw materials logging provides, the costs to the public and to our forests are immense. Not only is it an economic ripoff, post-fire logging is also an ecologically disastrous practice that does not protect us or forests. As we face the effects of a changing climate, including more intense wildfire across the west, it is essential that we invest our limited resources into programs that will both increase wildfire resilience and protect habitat.read more >>
Save The Date! The 43rd Annual EPIC ‘Virtual’ Fall Celebration: Bringing The Wild To You
September 8, 2020
As some may have figured, this year’s Fall Celebration will be looking a little different. On behalf of the staff and board of EPIC, you are cordially invited to the The 43rd Annual EPIC ‘Virtual’ Fall Celebration starting at 6pm on Friday, November 6th, 2020 on Zoom. Despite not getting to see your lovely faces in person, we are certainly looking forward to this event! We will be featuring a wonderful schedule, complete with break-out happy hour groups, live music, catered meals, and a great silent auction. Please join us this November 6th! read more >>
Victory! Old-Growth Redwood Saved from Caltrans Project
September 8, 2020
The original plans for the Hely Creek bridge would have negatively altered a half-acre of the forest, a six-foot-wide old-growth redwood, other large trees along with their root systems, as well as pruning sacred old-growth redwoods. We are pleased to announce that the liaison between Caltrans and EPIC informed us that they will now be cutting their previous eight-foot shoulder down to a four-foot shoulder on the new bridge to preserve the lives of several large trees including a magnificent six-foot-wide old-growth redwood.read more >>
BREAKING: Humboldt Martens Receive Long-Awaited Endangered Species Act Protection
September 1, 2020
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that the Humboldt marten will receive protection as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The decision comes after EPIC and the Center of Biological Diversity sued the Trump administration for its long delay in finalizing protections for this rare species.read more >>
Action Alert: Tell Warren Buffett to Move Forward With Klamath Dam Removal Agreement
August 22, 2020
Billionaire Warren Buffet's company Berkshire Hathoway and its subsidiary PacifiCorp has the opportunity to move forward with dam removal, and has collected hundreds of millions of dollars from shareholders and tax payers to protect its customers and shareholders for the purpose of dam removal, but now the company is threatening to back out of the dam removal agreement. read more >>
Win For Conservation Groups: Illegal "Crawford" Old-Growth Timber Sale Withdrawn
August 11, 2020
In the face of litigation brought by EPIC and other conservation organizations, the Klamath National Forest has withdrawn its approval of a timber sale that threatened old-growth forests in the cold water tributaries of the Klamath River. The "Crawford" timber sale would have removed large-diameter thick-barked old-growth trees that are resilient to fire, provide crucial wildlife habitat, and regulate streamflow and temperature of mountain streams that are critical to the health of the Klamath River.read more >>
Wolf Update: California’s Lassen Pack Grows
August 10, 2020
The Lassen Pack has had a fourth consecutive litter of pups. California’s only known gray wolf family welcomes a minimum of eight new pups this year. Genetic testing revealed there were at least four males and two females. The pack now consists of a minimum of six adults and yearlings, which brings the pack to at least fourteen wolves. Not including this year, the past three litters combined totaled thirteen pups, though not all survived. While it could be assumed that at least some of these animals may be dispersing throughout the state, there is no known documentation as to their whereabouts.read more >>
