JAG Meeting Update – March 18, 2025
- Melodie Meyer
- Mar 25
- 4 min read
The latest Jackson Advisory Group (JAG) meeting took place on Tuesday, March 18, at the Fort Bragg Lions Club. The JAG, formed under the 2007 Jackson Demonstration State Forest (JDSF) Management Plan, is an advisory body composed of diverse representatives from forest-related sectors. Members are appointed at the discretion of the Cal Fire Director and represent interests such as:
Licensed Timber Operators (LTOs)
Registered Professional Foresters
Biologists
Forest Products Industry
Botanists and Ecologists
Physical Scientists (e.g., hydrologists, geologists)
Small and Industrial Forestland Owners
Forestry Researchers
Forest Conservation Organizations
Recreation Organizations
Local Community Members
Local Tribal Representatives
JAG Membership and JDSF Personnel Changes
Joanna Nelson (Forest Conservation, Director of Science and Conservation Planning for Save the Redwoods League) and Al Lawrence (Licensed Timber Operator) announced they will not be renewing their JAG memberships this year, leaving two positions open. Marc Jensen, Trail Boss for Mendocino Coast Cyclists, has joined the group as the new Recreation representative. In addition, Chris Vallerga, Jr. was introduced as the new Forest Manager.
Tribal Advisory Council & Forest Management Plan
The Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) is nearing completion of its input on the draft Forest Management Plan and is exploring tribal grant funding to support stewardship efforts. Cal Fire maintains that the TAC has the authority to review JDSF projects before they reach the JAG or enter the environmental review process—an approach that would be a positive step forward.
2025 JAG Work Plan
The JAG reviewed its 2025 Work Plan, which includes the following priorities:
Supporting Cal Fire’s relationship-building efforts with local Native American tribes
Reviewing and providing feedback on the draft Forest Management Plan
Assisting in the development of new forest projects
Facilitating public tours and community outreach
While the Work Plan is developed according to the JAG Charter and submitted to the Director of Cal Fire, it is not subject to formal approval by the Board of Forestry.
Forest Management Plan Update
Estelle Clifton of Clifton Environmental, LLC provided an update on the upcoming draft Forest Management Plan. Once released later this year, it will undergo a “CEQA-style” formal public comment and response period. Cal Fire has still failed to provide rationale as to why the Forest Management Plan is not going to undergo CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) review. When asked by EPIC whether changes in the new plan would be reconciled with the existing Environmental Impact Report (EIR), Clifton responded that the new plan is expected to have less environmental impacts than the old Management Plan.
One of the key goals of the new plan is to reduce its length and complexity compared to the current 400+ page version. JAG member John Anderson (Industrial Forestland Owner, Registered Professional Forester) asked whether the plan was going to be reviewed by science experts such as wildlife biologists or geologists. Clifton responded that the plan is being developed with the help of Registered Professional Forester Heather Morris, who is consulting with various scientific experts. EPIC will continue to monitor the Forest Management Plan draft and hold Cal Fire accountable for thorough environmental review.
Roads, Recreation, and Access Updates
Cal Fire shared several road and recreation updates, which included the following:
Road 720 will be upgraded to prepare for the decommissioning of Road 700, which runs too close to sensitive watercourses.
Alternative biking and walking routes are being explored due to safety concerns with fast-moving traffic on Road 720.
Efforts are underway to secure staffing and funding for ADA-compliant outhouses.
Timber Harvest Plans & Vegetation Treatment
Forestry staff reported that:
The AMEX Timber Harvest Plan (THP) is nearly ready to enter the THP process.
The Pyrosilviculture THP, now renamed the Fireberry THP, may require a Vegetation Treatment Plan (VTP) in addition to a THP, causing a slow down to the project. Since this project involves prescribed burning before harvesting, it likely falls under the California VTP Program, which is governed by a Programmatic EIR approved in 2020 to better address California’s wildfire crisis.
Field Tours & Research Highlights
For the field portion of the JAG meeting the group visited the new Ca Sil Xile Da trailhead, located near the Caspar 500 THP. JAG members discussed the long process of installing the trail marker and emphasized the value of working collaboratively with local Tribes.
Cal Fire also exhibited a small portion of the Fire and Fuel Mitigation Study Area, approximately 230 acres in total, that was burned during the past fall and winter. The site features a mix of treatments—lop and scatter, mastication, controlled burns, and combinations thereof—to study how wildlife and fire behavior respond to different approaches.
Wildlife Monitoring Technology
The tour concluded with a demonstration of new wildlife monitoring tools, including game cameras and Automated Recording Units (ARUs). These ARUs are being used to capture bat sonar and bird vocalizations, potentially offering more accurate and cost-effective wildlife surveys. JDSF Biologists will also be using the ARUs to monitor how projects like the Fire and Fuel Mitigations studies impact wildlife. An ongoing study out of the University of Wisconsin being completed with Sierra Pacific Industries is investigating an ARU survey protocol as an alternative to traditional visual/audio surveys for marbled murrelet. EPIC plans to monitor the use and regulation of these technologies to ensure they support enhanced wildlife protection, rather than enabling intensive logging.
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