The King Range, rugged and majestic coastal mountains that rise from the ocean off
Humboldt and Mendocino counties, celebrated its 25th anniversary Oct. 21 as the first
national conservation area. More than 200 local, state, and federal officials and other supporters gathered at the community of Shelter Cove for a barbecue and unveiling of a commemorative print by artist John Wesa.
The 60,000-acre national conservation area, largely unpopulated and wild, was created by Congress in the 1970 King Range Act, initiated in the 1960s by Rep. Clem Miller and carried to passage by Rep. Don Clausen after Miller's death.
"Clem Miller possessed great foresight and vision in recognizing the great conservation values of these magnificent mountains," said Ed Hastey, state director of the BLM. "The qualities that resulted in creation of the King Range National Conservation Area still serve as a model for preserving other landscapes of unique beauty and biodiversity."
Congress directed the Interior secretary to conserve and manage the lands and resources for public benefit, reforest and revegetate, reduce erosion, improve forage and timber capacity, and acquire lands within the area through purchase or exchange.
Gov. Pete Wilson said in a letter of tribute that the King Range is "a region of unparalleled scenic wonders, blessed with a diverse array of wildlife, and it has long thrilled both naturalist and sportsman alike."
Clausen and Marion Miller, daughter of the late congressman, attended the anniversary celebration. Officials included Hastey, Assistant Interior Secretary Bob Armstrong, Rep. Frank Riggs, Assemblyman Dan Hauser, Humboldt County Supervisor Stan Dixon, Lynda Roush, area manager for the BLM's Arcata Resource Area, William Beat, district superintendent for the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and Robert Hight, executive officer of the State Lands Commission, which administers tidal lands in the King Range.""It was a special day that marked a quarter-century of conservation for these mountains and secluded beaches, and acknowledged the role of those who helped to create, promote, and preserve the King Range for people and wildlife," Roush said.
During the festivities, Hastey, Beat, and Hight, dedicated the 54-mile Lost Coast Trail as a new addition to the National Trail System. The trail extends from the mouth of the Mattole River south to Usal Camp in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, and runs through two wilderness study areas totalling more than 25,000 acres that Riggs hopes to have designated as wilderness.
The BLM's wildlife program planted 200 acres of riparian vegetation, built a 40-acre elk enclosure, modified more than 100 salmon and steelhead migration obstructions in Bear Creek and Nooning Creek, reclaimed and closed 20 miles of abandoned streamside roads, and constructed more than 50 instream structures for fish-rearing.
To improve forest health in the King Range, the BLM has planted nearly 2.3 million douglas fir, sugar pine, and ponderosa seedlings on cut and burned areas, reduced fuel hazards, and harvested salvage timber from the Finley Creek fire.