June 2023
Campsites are now open at JDSF.
RECREATION: JDSF Enters Camping Season

Seasonal camping at JDSF is one of the most popular activities at the forest, often filling the 23 campgrounds available, with each campground ranging in size from 1-17 campsites. Usually open between Memorial Day and Labor Day, each campsite is available by a first-come, first-served basis and can accommodate a maximum of 8 people through self-registering and submitting a camping fee. Campsites take you back to nature, as many are primitive and have no potable water, but many offer a picnic table, campfire ring and access to an outhouse. And we always welcome well-behaved pets on a leash no longer than 6 feet.

Click below to see camping info and seasonal campsite and road closures at JDSF. We hope to see you this summer!
RESEARCH: Dryad Ultra Early Wildfire Detection Sensors Come to JDSF

Last month JDSF staff assisted the installation of DRYAD Silvanet sensors in a test plot area of the forest. The Silvanet Wildfire Sensor is designed to detect forest fires within minutes, often during their early smoldering phase, greatly reducing the risk of spreading or becoming larger or more catastrophic. These sensors also monitor the forest’s microclimate, measuring temperature, humidity, and air pressure. The sensor combines ultra-low-power air quality sensing with a precise gas sensing mode. JDSF was selected as a test site because of its dense canopy, steep terrain, and important role as a research forest. With the test data collected at JDSF, Dryad hopes that this early detection system can be deployed nationally and around the world, providing firefighting agencies another tool in fire protection.

Watch the video to learn more.
A reforestation crew works on a precommercial thin of the regenerating understory. A precommercial thin is a common practice in even-aged management, intended to reduce competition pressure on planted seedlings and improve spacing for the development of the future overstory trees.
RESEARCH: The Multi-Aged Silviculture Experiment at JDSF and Understory Management 10 years After Conifer Harvest

As a research and demonstration forest, JDSF plays a critical role in learning from long-term forest management projects--and activities that can be monitored and re-measured over a period of years or even decades. One such experiment is the Multi-Aged Silviculture Experiment (MSE), implemented in partnership with Professor Pascal Berrill of Cal Poly Humboldt. This study was conceived in response to strong interest in multi-aged management as a silvicultural and restoration tool in redwood forests of California. For multi-aged silviculture to be successful, land managers must have a clear idea of how multi-aged harvest will affect future forest stand conditions, particularly over multiple harvest entries. In the Spring of 2023, the plots associated with this experiment were remeasured and the regenerating understory was pre-commercially thinned, 10 years after the prior harvest.
The North Fork and South Fork tributary watersheds of Caspar Creek serve as research sites for evaluating the effects of timber management on streamflow, erosion and sedimentation. Established in 1961 as a cooperative effort between CAL FIRE and the Pacific Southwest Research Station (PSW), the Caspar Creek study has evolved from a simple paired watershed study into one of the most comprehensive and detailed investigations of its kind.
How an Internship at JDSF Paved a way for a Career in Earth Sciences

After a challenging job search, Ayla Martinelli took an internship with Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS) as a hydrologic research technician at the Caspar Creek Experimental Watershed Study in JDSF. There she monitored sensors, collected data, and provided analysis. It was a valuable experience as she prepares to start a new salaried position in New York. Learn more about Ayla’s journey at JDSF and opportunities with MANRRS below.
NEWS & EVENTS
First-of-its-Kind Fund Provides Support and Protection for Prescribed Fire and Cultural Burning - Reducing Wildfire Risk in California

California is launching a groundbreaking approach to tackle catastrophic wildfires. Introducing the "Prescribed Fire Liability Claims Fund" to safeguard prescribed fire and cultural burning practitioners. Developed by a collaborative group of fire practitioners, the Fund will provide up to $2M in individual coverage for prescribed fire projects led by a qualified burn boss or cultural fire practitioner. The Fund is meant to demonstrate that prescribed fire, when carefully planned, resourced, and implemented, is a low-risk land management tool that mitigates the larger, more damaging risks of high-severity wildfires. This fund is part of a larger vision for restoring beneficial fire across California’s fire-adapted ecosystems.