Sanctuary Forest

05/07/2026

This hike is already filling up fast – RSVP now!

Please join Sanctuary Forest on Sunday, May 24 for the Edible and Medicinal Plants Hike in the Mattole River headwaters. Local herbalist and naturalist Michele Palazzo will lead hikers along the Mattole River and up and over the ridge, stopping to point out and discuss the edible and medicinal properties of a variety of plants. By hike’s end, participants will have picked and eaten various local herbs and learned the names and characteristics of many more. Bring a paper and pen to take notes, or simply come and enjoy a slow-moving walk through the temperate rainforest of the Whitethorn valley. This hike is considered Moderate to Difficult depending on your ability level, covers over three miles round trip of an old road with some steep stretches, and includes a stop for lunch at a beautiful waterfall on the Mattole River. No dogs.

RSVPs are suggested for all hikes as details are subject to change. Please meet at 10 a.m. at the Restoration Forestry gate (the first right after Whitethorn Elementary School). Bring a lunch and water, wear sturdy shoes, and dress in layers. The hike is free of charge, though donations are gladly accepted and help us to offer this program year after year. For questions or to RSVP, visit www.sanctuaryforest.org, email [email protected] or call 707-986-1087 ext. 9 #. Hope to see you there!

Support from volunteers and local businesses have made this program possible! Local businesses and individuals that have made generous contributions are: 101 Netlink, Blue Star Gas, Charlotte’s Perennial Gardens, Chautauqua Natural Foods, Fern & Find – Local Online Marketplace, Grandma LaVerne, Gyppo Ale Mill, Humboldt Redwood Company, J Cafe, Lost Coast Tree & Habitat, Madrone Realty, MerMaid Coastal Cleaning, Ned Harwood Construction, Randall Sand & Gravel, Redwood Properties, Ridgeline Farms, Seascape Property Maintenance, TOP Properties NorCal, Whitethorn Construction, Whitethorn Winery, Wyckoff’s Plumbing.

05/06/2026

It’s been a busy month, and we haven’t updated our social media on rain or streamflow lately!

Suffice it to say that were happy to receive some rain in April, which gave our headwaters tributaries some additional time out of forbearance, but they quickly had to re-enter forbearance again. Ravasoni #1 & 2, Green and Harris Creeks are all in forbearance as is the Whitethorn Construction campus.

Additionally, we are anticipating beginning assigned pumping days for Mainstem Mattole headwaters participants on May 18 which is earlier than usual. The assigned pumping days period covers the span of time from when the river reaches a flow of 10 cubic feet per second at our measuring site to 0.7 cubic feet per second, which is when forbearance begins for mainstem folks. When the flow reaches 10 cfs, we assign specific days of the week to specific participants, and that day/days is when they are allowed to top off their tanks each week, thereby spreading out the impact of pumps in the Upper Mattole watershed, while also allowing them to begin the forbearance period with full tanks. Since the forbearance period will last until sufficient rain arrives in the fall, usually November, it is good to be able to start that period with full tanks. We do not yet have a projected date for the beginning of forbearance.

Our rainfall total is less than we like to see. We received a total of just 6.32” in April, and just 0.04” in May so far. Our 2025-2026 Water Year total, which began October 1, 2025 and will end September 30, 2026, is 79.84”.

Our measuring site here in the headwaters, located just upstream of the bridge by Whitethorn Construction, is estimated* to be flowing at a rate of 17.71 cubic feet per second, or 7,949 gallons per minute. This flow is considered Adequate in the context of Mainstem headwaters use.

Graphics 3, 4 and 5 illustrate rainfall totals by month and by water year.

*Estimates based on data correlations between the USGS gauges in Petrolia & Ettersburg and our historical site measurement data are used when the flows are too high yet to measure manually.

05/05/2026

🦜We had a great time at Fool’s Farm in Salmon Creek on Sunday! A foggy morning warmed up to a very pleasant afternoon as we explored Kyle & Dana’s amazing homestead and talked about native plants, oak woodland and grassland restoration, native flower superblooms and of course, the stars of the show, neotropical birds! These birds, including Western Tanagers, Warbling Vireos and many more, visit the Salmon Creek and larger Lost Coast area during their annual migration, filling the air with their tropical chatter. Thank you so much to Kyle and Dana and our partners at Friends of the Lost Coast, and our wonderful hikers!

Our next hike is Edible & Medicinal Plants with Michele Palazzo on May 24! Find out more at sanctuaryforest.org! 🌱

04/30/2026

Tonight at 7pm on KMUD - Redwood Community Radio, Inc. 🎤🎧

Please tune in Thursday, April 30, for the Sanctuary Forest Radio Hour! Host Anna Rogers will be joined by Executive Director April Newlander as well as Ali Freedlund and Damien Roomets from Mattole Restoration Council and Tim Metz from Restoration Forestry! We’ll be talking about forest thinning, fuels reduction and grassland restoration in the Mattole River watershed as well as workforce development! Tune in from 7-8pm for this conversation, along with a rainfall update, current conditions in the Mattole River and upcoming Sanctuary Forest events.

Listen live or via the archive at www.kmud.org. Listeners can call in during the final segment of the show.

04/30/2026

Please tune in Thursday, April 30, for the Sanctuary Forest Radio Hour! Host Anna Rogers will be joined by Executive Director April Newlander as well as Ali Freedlund and Damien Roomets from Mattole Restoration Council and Tim Metz from Restoration Forestry! We’ll be talking about forest thinning, fuels reduction and grassland restoration in the Mattole River watershed as well as workforce development! Tune in from 7-8pm for this conversation, along with a rainfall update, current conditions in the Mattole River and upcoming Sanctuary Forest events.

Listen live or via the archive at www.kmud.org. Listeners can call in during the final segment of the show.

04/29/2026

🦜This Sunday! We have a few spots available! Please email us to RSVP! 🦜

Local naturalist and restoration ecologist, Kyle Keegan, will lead a Neotropical Bird Hike at the Fool’s Farm in the Salmon Creek watershed THIS SUNDAY, May 3 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Focus will be on the ecology, identification and life history of neotropical birds. Land stewardship practices that can enhance local biodiversity will also be discussed. Participants are encouraged to bring sturdy shoes, binoculars, lunch, water, and sun protection. The hike will be easy to moderate, with a few inclines. Space is limited and advance registration is required. This hike is a co-presentation of Sanctuary Forest & Friends of the Lost Coast. RSVP to [email protected] or [email protected].

Support from volunteers and local businesses have made this program possible! Local businesses and individuals that have made generous contributions are: 101 Netlink, Blue Star Gas, Charlotte’s Perennial Gardens, Chautauqua Natural Foods, Fern & Find – Local Online Marketplace, Grandma LaVerne, Gyppo Ale Mill, Humboldt Redwood Company, J Cafe, Lost Coast Tree & Habitat, Madrone Realty, MerMaid Coastal Cleaning, Ned Harwood Construction, Randall Sand & Gravel, Redwood Properties, Ridgeline Farms, Seascape Property Maintenance, TOP Properties NorCal, Whitethorn Construction, Whitethorn Winery, Wyckoff’s Plumbing.

04/24/2026

The Broom Bash scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday April 25, in the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park has been canceled by State Parks.

Please join us for our next invasive species removal event on Sunday, July 26! We will be meeting at the Needle Rock Visitor’s Center in the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park at 10am, and working on removing Tansy ragwort and other invasives until 2pm! Please join Sanctuary Forest, Friends of the Lost Coast and CA State Parks for this volunteer opportunity! If you would like to camp, you can camp for free as a volunteer—contact [email protected]! Please bring a lunch and water. Tools and gloves are provided. You can RSVP to [email protected] or [email protected].

04/09/2026

Please join our friends at the Watershed Stewards Program and Humboldt Redwood State Parks on Saturday, April 18 from 10am-2pm for Heal the Eel: Restoration in the Redwoods! Help restore salmon habitat by removing invasive plants! Gloves, tools, extra water, snacks and pizza provided!! 🍕🌱🐟🌊💪 See the flyer for details and RSVP with the QR code!