The Headwaters Forest Reserve encompasses more than 7,400 acres of BLM-managed public land 6 miles southeast of Eureka, California. The reserve is set aside to protect the ecological and wildlife values in the area, particularly stands of old-growth redwood that provide habitat for the threatened marbled murrelet, and the stream systems that provide habitat for threatened coho salmon.
Limited habitat information exists for the 110 miles of streams in these areas, although these streams support three species of listed Pacific salmon and trout. The BLM's Arcata, California, Field Office recently inventoried and monitored fish habitat conditions in a number of streams on the Reserve, providing critical information used in designing recovery and conservation efforts for declining fish species. Monitoring information also is essential to managers in making resource decisions related to streams and their watersheds.
An example of a project to benefit fish is the restoration project on Salmon Creek, shown at right. The creek was previously buried under a logging road that was blocking fish passage. The crossing was excavated in 2005 to reduce sedimentation and allow fish passage. In the photo, you can see healthy riparian vegetation (alder trees) recovering along the recontoured stream banks.
The Reserve is a unit of the BLM's National Landscape Conservation System.
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