Jackson Demonstration State Forest advisory group straddles old rules, new ideas

FORT BRAGG, CA., 4/6/26  — On March 30, a crisp Monday morning, the Jackson Demonstration State Forest Advisory Group gathered in Fort Bragg at Lion’s Hall. The mood quickly became bittersweet once Amy Wynn, chair of the civilian advisory board, announced she would step down after more than a decade of service for personal family reasons.

“This has been extremely rewarding for me to be on the JAG,” Wynn said, her voice tinged with emotion. “My goal was to stay through the completion of the forest management plan, but I won’t be able to meet that goal. The June meeting will be my last.”

Longtime member John Anderson, who served for 14 years, also announced his resignation and said, “It’s time for fresh blood.” Together, their departures mark the end of an era for the JAG that advises on the management of Jackson Demonstration State Forest, California’s largest demonstration forest, a 50,000-acre expanse that has become both a living forest laboratory and a battleground for the future of public forestlands.

The morning session was packed with updates. Cal Fire staff outlined recent work, from timber harvest plans and research projects to educational initiatives and partnerships with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife), the Mendocino Fire Safe Council, and Jughandle Creek Nature Center.

Program highlights include timber harvest, salmon recovery, and troubles with trash

A bid by Mendocino Forest Products LLC for the AMEX Timber Sale in the eastern section of JDSF was awarded, and the two-year bid package for $223,400 was forwarded to Sacramento for final approval. The harvest is governed by a Timber Harvest Plan (THP), a state-required document outlining logging procedures. The AMEX Timber plan is under THP 1‑25‑00044‑MEN and can be viewed by logging into CalTREES (California Timber Regulation and Environmental Evaluation System). 

In December, CDFW, Trout Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, and JDSF hosted a salmon spawning tour at Camp One near the Noyo River. The Noyo holds one of the longest salmon recovery datasets in the state that continues to guide management decisions in Mendocino County. JDSF also has contracted with North Coast Biology for northern spotted owl and marbled murrelet surveys in 2026.

The Fire Fuels Mitigation study will continue with UC Cooperative Extension and Cal graduate student Alejandro Anasal as part of ongoing research at JDSF on methods to reduce wildfire risk..

Erik Wahl, Cal Fire recreation manager, reported that the 2026 recreational survey exceeded their targeted number of responses, and a draft report is expected to be completed in April. He said the closing of Road 500 is still in effect. “There is bad behavior with quite a bit of trash dumping,” he said. There was also some vandalism at Camp 1 and some off-road vehicles riding irresponsibly, damaging trails and tossing beer cans.

Clashing with outdated rules

Several Cal Fire staff members emphasized their ongoing efforts to incorporate ecological restoration, community input and tribal knowledge into management practices.

However, under state forest rules, fire is generally treated as a tool for clearing logging debris known as “slash.” Jeremiah Steuterman, a Cal Fire forester, said. “Current rules treat fire primarily as a way to burn slash, not as a restoration tool. Cal Fire is trying to integrate prescribed and cultural burning into harvest practices, but the regulatory system doesn’t accommodate these restoration burns, which often occur without slash.” He added that a one-time, limited-term exemption will be pursued to allow restoration-focused burns.

Wynn described cultural burning as not a new idea, but pushes against forest rules developed in the last century. She said, “There is now an exchange of knowledge to change the models.”

Voices from the public

About 20 members of the public attended, and several raised questions and concerns about Cal Fire’s potential impacts on wildlife. Others asked about details of timber harvest plans, questioning whether harvesting every 20–30 years could sustain large, old trees. Concerns were raised about soil health and the integrity of ecosystems that support biodiversity and long-term forest resilience. Several attendees said outdated state Forest Practice Rules restrict JDSF, failing to account for the forest’s ecological needs, recreational use and the forest’s role in regulating climate. One participant asked how public input is considered in the planning process.

Several Cal Fire staff and JAG members emphasized JAG tours and conversations serve as both a feedback loop and a planning tool, helping to balance ecological, cultural and community priorities at Jackson.

Steuterman said, “I know these are hard conversations. Public comments to the JAG get incorporated at the individual project level as well as written comments on THPs.”

As for the updating of the JDSF Forest Management Plan (FMP) Steuterman said that all public comments will be incorporated into the final draft  before it goes to the Board of Forestry. The public comment period for the JDSF Draft 2026 FMP closed on Dec. 12, 2025. Additional opportunities to submit comments to the Board of Forestry will be shared when the JDSF Final Draft 2026 FMP is released.

Kevin Conway, Cal Fire’s state forest program manager, said, “We have more larger trees than we had years ago. “Larger trees create biomass not just for carbon storage but for habitat, ecology and wildlife value.” Then he added, “You will never have the historical old growth.”

Steuterman said, “We share a goal of more large trees in the landscape. The 1970s forestry done in JDSF was not working.”

Amy Wynn emphasized the importance of communication, saying, “We want the community to be more involved. It’s important for all of us to show up. The management of the forest—and the interplay between its ecology and human hands—is complex. Thinking outside the box is important, and we have the capacity to affect change.”

Looking ahead

Conway announced a move to a new role, with Justin Britton set to take over as Cal Fire’s state forest program manager, later this year.

Seven JAG members attended the meeting. Wynn said recruiting volunteers has been difficult, leaving four of the group’s 13 seats vacant, and noted members serve without compensation. She said improving gender balance will require more proactive outreach rather than waiting for applicants.

Meanwhile, legislative efforts could reshape the forest’s future. Assembly Bill 2494, proposed by Assemblymember Chris Rogers and Senator Mike McGuire, seeks to shift California’s state forest management policy from timber production to ecological restoration, wildfire resilience, recreation and tribal co-management, while allowing timber harvesting when consistent with these goals.

Wynn said, “The public can keep track of AB-2494 as it moves forward through the legislative process.” The bill will move next to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, where it must clear a cost review and then to the full Assembly until it encounters the same system in the state Senate before it gets to the governor’s desk.

Wynn said the proposed changes in AB 2494 reflect pressure from the community.

Tribal engagement

Unit Chief Brandon Gunn emphasized building trust with the Tribal Advisory Council to protect tribal cultural access and resources.

JDSF has no formal tribal co-management agreement, though California policy encourages agencies like Cal Fire to pursue co-management of ancestral lands. Tribal representatives have taken part in discussions on revising the forest’s management plans and the draft revised management plan prioritizes tribal-protected access.

After a short break for lunch, the group reconvened for a field tour in the forest, near the intersection of Road 500 and Road 408. Stops included a roadside fuel reduction project aimed at reducing wildfire risk, pre-commercial thinning in the Caspar Creek Experimental Watershed, and areas affected by illegal dumping. 

The next JAG meeting is scheduled for June 10, with the location to be determined. Agendas and supporting documents will be posted at least 10 days prior on the Jackson Demonstration State Forest public page. The public can attend JAG meetings and provide written comments prior to and oral comments at the meetings. There is a separate process for written input that is accepted for each timber harvest plan.

The JDSF Recreation Task Force will hold a public meeting to discuss recreation planning and access issues in Jackson Demonstration State Forest, including trail use, visitor safety, road conditions, signage and potential improvements for public enjoyment of the forest. The meeting will take place at the Caspar Scales on Saturday, April 11, located on JDSF Road 500/600, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Members of the public are encouraged to attend and participate during designated public comment periods.

For in-person assistance, permits or more information, visit the Jackson Demonstration State Forest office at 802 N. Main St., Fort Bragg, or call (707) 964-5674.