YWI Art Show Reception and Presentation | Sunday, January 29, 2017

YWI Art Reception and Presentation

January 29th, 2017 – 2:00PM to 6:00PM

Live music by Quantum KreilKamp and James Ellsten – 2:00pm to 3:00pm

Artists will be available to comment on their work inspired by the Yuba River Watershed.

Refreshments will be served.

The Small Scale Forester in the Large Scale Forest

The Yuba Watershed Institute will be presenting a talk Sunday, Jan. 29 at the North Columbia Schoolhouse Cultural Center on the subject of Small Scale Forestry for the Private Landowner. This talk will follow the opening reception for the “Synergy and Confluence” Yuba River Watershed inspired art show.

Forestry goals in California have been changing dramatically in the last few decades, and even faster in the last ten years. Historically, California Forests were looked at as a timber resource first, and everything else second. This goal was apparently tenable due to the tremendous productivity of the fire dependent western slope Sierran forests. As time went on, with fire suppression and second growth single age stand forests, the durability of Sierran Forests has diminished. Now, with increased tree density and milder winters, with their decreased beetle winter mortality, combined with summer time drought stress, the forests of the Sierra Nevada are in an “unprecedented” condition that can and will lead to permanent forest loss in some regions.

The real value of the Forest is now becoming known to California. That value is the water management function. A healthy forest has the ability to absorb a tremendous amount of water and slowly release it downslope.  In the past, the great snowpack helped to mitigate surface flows, and disguise this critical function, but now that winter storms are warmer, with greater potential for peak flow storm events to cause havoc, it is imperative to allow the forest to do its work and slow down the surface discharge. A grass land won’t do this, only trees can.

Through slides and the latest research, the YWI will present tools and ideas that are relevant to the small scale private landowner to protect and enhance the forest.  Luckily, what benefits all of California is also what benefits the small landowner. Through stewardship and the creation of forest mosaics and heterogeneity (fancy word for “mixed”!), the private landowner can be part of a beneficial legacy to heirs and the state itself.

Please attend and bring your thoughts, worries, and questions about what to do. The YWI will do its best to help you find answers and ideas! Please go to www.yubawatershedinstitute.org for more information on the YWI.