A model for community-based forestry: Integrating wildlife conservation into local land use decisions on the California Hoopa Valley Reservation and other important fisher habitat
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Project Description
This project has been working for policy change and improvement of the Hoopa Tribe’s Forest Management Plan and to host a field-based workshop that will enable Tribal and CA biologists and foresters to more effectively identify critical elements of forest structure for fisher across the over 12.9 million acres of fisher habitat in the Pacific states.
Project Map
County: Humboldt County, CA
Project Size:
- 294104.5 acres
Project Sites
- Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation
Goals and Targets
Primary Motivations:
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Conservation Mission
Primary Goals:
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Conserving a viable population of fisher and fisher habitat on the Hoopa Valley Reservation and throughout the Pacific range of fisher
Progress: Taking the data collected over an ongoing research project we are working with the Hoopa Tribe to make changes to their forest management plan to better conserve critical habitat elements and we will conduct a field-based workshop with foresters and biologists from the Hoopa Tribe and CA Departments of Fish and Game and Forestry to assist them in identifying possible fisher rest and den structures for their conservation during timber management activities.
Consistent With Plans:
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Local Land Use Plan
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Forest Plan
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Species Recovery Plan
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Conservation Plan
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State Wildlife Action Plan
Targeted Habitats:
- Forests and Woodlands
- Mixed Hardwoods and Conifer
Targeted Species:
- Fisher - West Coast Distinct Population Segment Martes pennanti pop. 1
Conservation Actions
| Action | Status | Start Year | End Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avoid crop or timber harvest in sensitive habitats | Ongoing Management | 2009 | 2024 |
| Develop a wildlife management plan | Proposed | 2009 | 2011 |
| Stewardship agreement | Proposed | 2009 | 2011 |
| Vertebrate monitoring | In Progress | 2004 | 2011 |
| Research | In Progress | 2004 | 2011 |
| Education | Proposed | 2009 | 2011 |
Outcomes
Is the success of this project's actions being monitored? YesMonitoring Activities
We intend to monitor the fisher population in Hoopa long-term to determine the impacts of our forest management recommendations on fisher survival and fecundity. We will also measure success by the number of forest managers we are able to extend our recommendations to through our workshop, reports, scientific publications, and presentations at professional societies.
Lessons Learned and/or Suggestions for Similar Activities
Monitoring the survival and fecundity of long-lived wildlife populations provide the greatest insights into the impacts of large scale habitat change. However, garnering consistent support and the reliable financial resources required is extremely challenging.