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Biochar Workshop, March 13, 2020, Miranda, CA

with T. Gray Shaw and Susan Nolan

On Friday March 13, 2020 Gray Shaw and Susan Nolan of the Institute for Sustainable Forestry presented an afternoon workshop on making and using biochar from forest waste resulting from fuel reduction. The site was Lonnie Whitlow’s Workhorse Welding shop in Miranda. Lonnie built a 4’x4′ biochar kiln last year for ISF and offers to make more on request.

Susan built a top-lit fire in her mini-kiln while Gray explained the process and answered questions.

Gray’s farmer/neighbor Ingrid Leon explained biochar inoculation and the results from adding 5% biochar to the soil in 2019: 25% less water use, healthier plants, and double productivity. Gray demonstrated his homemade charcoal grinder, which makes 1/4″ biochar from forest waste. This hand-powered grinder processed all the char for 10,000 square feet of garden.

For the full story leading to this workshop, see www.blackripple.com.

Biochar Workshop, 3/13/2020
Biochar Workshop, 3/13/2020
Biochar Workshop, 3/13/2020
Biochar Workshop, 3/13/2020
Biochar Workshop, 3/13/2020
Biochar Workshop, 3/13/2020
Biochar Workshop, 3/13/2020
Biochar Workshop, 3/13/2020
Biochar Workshop, 3/13/2020
Biochar Workshop, 3/13/2020
Biochar Workshop, 3/13/2020
Biochar Workshop, 3/13/2020
Biochar Workshop, 3/13/2020
Biochar Workshop, 3/13/2020
Biochar Workshop, 3/13/2020
Biochar Workshop, 3/13/2020
Biochar Workshop, 3/13/2020
Biochar Workshop, 3/13/2020

 

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Reading A Creek
Geomorphologist Mary Ann Madej guided participants along Prairie Creek, Lost Man Creek, and Redwood Creek in Redwood State and National Parks, talking about how creeks function, how they change in a changing environment, and the history of restoration in the parks.

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Red Mountain, BLM, northern Mendocino County, September 13-15, 2019

Red Mountain 2019, slide 1
A typical view of plant life on Red Mountain: native bunch grass, incense cedar, Jeffrey pine, manzanita. The mountain is surrounded by the usual Douglas fir and hardwood forest of the north coast interior.

 

Rattlesnake
Wildlife is scarce on Red Mountain, as the plant life doesn’t support many species.

 

Red Mountain 2019, slide 3
View toward Usal on the coast from the rolling summit plateau.

 

Red Mountain 2019, slide 4
Early morning fog spilling over from the East Branch of the South Fork into the mainstem Eel drainage.

 

Red Mountain 2019, slide 5
Not volcanic, instead brought up from the deep ocean: serpentinite rock, which creates the unusual vegetation of Red Mountain.

 

Red Mountain 2019, slide 6
The group hiked cross country to Cedar Creek to investigate why this watershed contributes so much water to the East Branch of the South Fork, probably related to the unusual geology. Here Bryan McFadin from the State Water Boards takes measurements of depth and velocity to determine streamflow.

 

Red Mountain 2019, slide 7
The route in was a little more rigorous than they anticipated. They hope to return for further investigation.

 

 

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Canoe Fire Transect, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, October 13, 2018
We began at the Chapman Ranch, where owner Mark Chapman discussed how his family integrates cattle and timber management, improving grazing and the condition of the forest while making a living off the land, and how the 2003 Canoe Fire affected his stands. From there we walked into Humboldt Redwoods State Park, where the fire had been allowed to burn freely.
Canoe Fire
The Canoe Fire was a rare example of a severe fire in old growth.
Grasshopper Peak
Final climb to the top of Grasshopper Peak.

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Cahto, August 5, 2018

Our trip to the Bureau of Land Managment’s Cahto holding began with a climb to Cahto Peak for sweeping views along the coast and all over northern Mendocino County. From there we walked to Stoten Opening, a peculiar long narrow grassy meadow.

Acorn grinding rock
Acorn grinding rock.
Festuca californica
Huge native bunchgrass, California fescue, Festuca californica.
Stoten Opening
The group botanizing and exploring in Stoten Opening.
Lunch break on Cahto hike
Lunch break with much interesting discussion.

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Lassics, June 23, 2018

The distinctive humps of the Lassics peaks can be seen from some distance around Southern Humboldt. They are good representatives of the confused geology of northwest California, where many types of rock have been jumbled together by tectonic forces. Conical Black Lassic is often mistaken for a volcano, but is actually marine sedimentary rock; Mount Lassic was formed from a different mix of sedimetary rock; Red Lassic has material from a deep ocean trench. We looked at a possible glacial basin from the last ice age, and a recent wildfire.

Geologist Tim Bailey discussing serpentinite rock.
Geologist Tim Bailey discussing serpentinite rock.
The Lassics lupine, Lupins constancei
The Lassics lupine, Lupins constancei, known only from the Lassics, a rare plant adapted to difficult soils.
Mount Lassic
On top of Mount Lassic, looking west toward Salmon Creek and the King Range. The monument was built by an early survey team based there.

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Red Mountain, June 9, 2018
Red Mountain is a Bureau of Land Management property in northern Mendocino County, and a favorite with ISF for its interesting geology and botany.
This sparse forest has never been logged, though it looks like it. Difficult soils containing toxic minerals limit vegetation. Only a few species can survive.
One of the specialized rare plants that lives on Red Mountain is Red Mountain buckwheat, Eriogonum kelloggii.
Participants relaxing amid old mining gear. This remote area was the site of industrial activity which fortunately never became profitable.

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Dear Friends,

After ISF and Garberville Rotary hosted a biochar demonstration, All Fired Up, on Dec 8, 2018, many people asked for an event with broader considerations of carbon, community preparedness, more biochar, prescribed burn information and other fire issues.

Now with the Governor’s proclaiming a Wildfire State of Emergency, hundreds of millions of state fund dollars dedicated to prepare for future fire ignitions, ISF decided to sponsor a second event, Embracing Fire 2019, Saturday, May 11th, 9 am to 4 pm at the Mateel Community Center in Redway.

ISF is creating a festive, family oriented, and community gathering to promote confident preparation for fire safely. Our goal is to enhance community and agency co-operation for our civil defense and biospheric preservation. We are bringing local, state and Federal agencies together to meet with the pubic. Presentations will include accounts of the recent years massive fires and how we can prepare and prevent them in our region. We will also present information from speakers, literature, vendors and agency exhibits  [including work and career info], and an exploration of funding sources for personal, homestead and community projects as well as having fuel reduction practitioners and contractors. 

It’s the day before Mother’s Day and Moms and their kids will not be left out.  Smokie the Bear will even be there. Kids will be welcome to the kids corner, and even to explore a fire engine. There will be stories, playing, art supplies, a biochar fire pit and music.

Conversations before, between, and after presentations and around exhibits may be the most informative and influential element of the event. I hope you can attend and invite your world. ISF is pleased to offer Embracing Fire 2019. We would like the public to attend and speak out. 

We will have continental style breakfast at 9 am, low cost lunch after the morning session, and towards the end beer, beverages, and cross pollinating discussions. We offer a first drink free to all fire personnel who are wearing their fire affiliation. Please feel free to offer to buy them another. Look for detailed schedules of presenters as that agenda is finalized in the next weeks. Hope to see you there: Embracing Fire 2019, at the Mateel, May, 11, 2019

Chip Tittmann, President, ISF, 707-599-2549 

Greg Condon, ISF Director,  585 820-8741