BLM Hosts 12th Annual Nature Writing Workshop at Headwaters Forest Reserve

ARCATA, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management invites the public to the 12th annual Nature Writing Workshop on Saturday, Aug. 15, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Headwaters Education Center located in the Headwaters Forest Reserve in Humboldt County. The free event is open to all ages, and no registration is required.

Participants will meet at the Elk River Trailhead at 2 p.m. and walk one-half mile along the paved Elk River Trail to the Headwaters Education Center.

North Coast poet and writer Jerry Martien, along with poet, engineer, and Elk River Restoration Manager Katy Gurin, will lead participants in an afternoon of poetry, reflection, and nature writing inspired by the old-growth redwood forest. BLM Arcata Field Office Park Ranger Anna Arsic will provide additional background on the BLM's stewardship of the Reserve, including ongoing restoration efforts, habitat conservation, and partnership with the Wiyot Tribe.

Along the walk, participants will stop to hear poems and stories celebrating the many stewards of the forest, from newts to rangers to local supporters, including the Elk River residents and activists whose efforts helped lead to the creation of the Headwaters Forest Reserve by Congress. Participants will have opportunities to write, share their work, and add their own voices to the ongoing story of the forest.

Directions:
From the north: take 101 South to Herrick Avenue. Exit and continue left on Herrick Ave over the freeway. Turn right onto Elk River Road, drive 1.6 miles, and take another right to stay on Elk River Road. Continue 4.2 miles to the signed parking area and trailhead. 
From the south: take 101 North to the Elk River Road. Exit and turn right onto Herrick Avenue. Take your first right onto Elk River Road and follow the directions above.

The 7,472-acre Headwaters Forest Reserve contains some of the world’s last intact, old-growth redwood forest ecosystems. It supports threatened species, including coho salmon, the northern spotted owl and the marbled murrelet.

The BLM Arcata Field Office manages the Reserve in consultation with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to actively enhance and restore old-growth redwood groves, other forest stands, creeks, and wildlife. For more information, contact the Arcata Field Office at 707-825-2300.