Arcata, California, and Humboldt State University consider creating 978-acre research forest on land currently owned by SPI; grants, private funding would be needed, says university official

Audrey Dixon

LOS ANGELES , January 3, 2013 (Industry Intelligence Inc.) – Arcata, California, and Humboldt State University (HSU) are considering creating a 978-acre research forest adjacent to Arcata’s Jacoby Creek Forest, The Arcata Eye reported Dec. 31.

The project was discussed at a meeting of the city’s Forest Management Committee on Dec. 13.

HSU would own most of the forest, while the town would own 40 acres. Arcata and HSU Forestry Dept. would jointly manage it.

The land is currently owned by Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI), through R.H. Emerson and Son, LLC, and Arcata is soliciting grants from the Wildlife Conservation Board to purchase it, The Arcata Eye reported.

HSU Marketing & Communications Associate Vice President Frank Whitlach said the project was still in the preliminary stages, and that both grants and private support would be necessary to bring the project to fruition.

A research forest could aid multiple parts of HSU’s curriculum, such as botany, fisheries, forestry, geography, soils studies and wildlife, Whitlach noted.

The primary source of this article is The Arcata Eye, Arcata, California, Dec. 31, 2012.

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