January 2024
JDSF offers hundreds of miles of trail and fire road to explore by horse. Camp 1 and Camp 20 are popular starting points for day loops and camping is also available at the Horse Camp.
RECREATION: A Quick Guide to Horse Riding at JDSF

The equestrian public enjoys access to thousands of acres of managed forest on the miles and miles of logging roads found at JDSF. For the last 20 years, several competitive endurance and trail riding clubs have utilized these roads to hold high mileage group ride events with challenging terrain. Having JDSF nearby is an unparalleled opportunity for locals who want to ride, hike or bike. In addition to these trails, JDSF has one main horse camp open to the public from late May to early October.
 
Check out the linked article below for a quick guide to some of the amazing horse riding routes on offer at the forest. 
This lily, with its otherworldly appearance and commonly referred to as a slink pod, is frequently encountered in damp, shaded redwood forests. Photo credit: SLT_DigiGuide-WildflowersFINAL.pdf (sonomalandtrust.org)
RESEARCH: Flora in the Forest – Get to know the Slink Pod
 
Slink Pod (Scolipus bigelovii) is one of the first redwood forest wildflowers of spring! Part of the lily family, the flowers emerge before the leaves and the seeds are stored in the pod that ‘slinks’ along the ground and is dispersed by ants. The flowers do not smell very nice because they are pollinated by a fungus – which is found in the winter when there are a lot of mushrooms in the forest.

Learn more about California native plants found at JDSF on the California Native Plant Society Website linked below
NEWS:
Mendocino Public Broadcasting at the JDSF Camp One Salmon Tour

Earlier this month KZYX Mendocino Public broadcasting joined the UC Cooperative Extension, CAL FIRE, several other partner agencies, and the public for a tour of the South Fork of the Noyo River salmon spawning grounds. Visitors learned about the lifecycle stages of the Coho salmon while also exploring the restoration work underway in the forest.
Read and listen to the KZYX radio story via the link below.
The award-winning phot taken at JDSF. Credit: Kyle Farmer.
JDSF Photograph Wins at 2023 Association for Fire Ecology Awards

At the 10th International Fire Ecology and Management Congress, this photo, taken by JDSF Newsletter contributor Kyle Farmer won the category of Fire in Motion. Held in Monterey, California, in early December, with more than 850 attendees, the congress is dedicated to improving the knowledge and use of fire in land management through science and education. JDSF is the perfect living laboratory for the study and demonstration of prescribed fire techniques and effects on the redwood landscape. Learn more about the proposed JDSF pyro-silvicultural project HERE or follow the link below to learn more about the Association for Fire Ecology. 
Winter Tree Care from CAL FIRE’s Urban and Community Forestry Program

With cooling winter temperatures, winter frost poses a threat to trees and shrubs beyond the usual mountainous areas. Record-low temps in central valley and coastal areas can harm buds, fruit, leaves, and twigs. Protect your trees and shrubs with these tips from CAL FIRE's Urban and Community Forestry Program to ensure a healthy winter! Click the link below to learn more.
CAL FIRE Now Hiring Environmental Scientists

Ignite your passion of environmental protection with CAL FIRE and join our Resource Management team as an Environmental Scientist! Visit http://www.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/natural-resource-management and learn more about the various programs that assist CAL FIRE in protecting and restoring California wildlands.