Adaptive Management Experiment Field Meeting
About the Event
Mendocino County, CA – The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) will host a public meeting at Jackson Demonstration State Forest (JDSF) in Mendocino County about the Adaptive Management Experiment Timber Harvesting Plan, commonly referred to as the AMEX THP.
Public Tour Meeting Schedule:
Saturday, July 11, 2026 — 09:00 AM–11:00 AM
Location: Camp 20 (mile marker 17, Highway 20) (map below)
Call (707) 964-5674 or email JDSF@fire.ca.gov to RSVP
RSVP encouraged, but not required
The field-based meeting will provide an opportunity for members of the public to learn more about AMEX, ask questions, and hear directly from CAL FIRE staff about the purpose of the project, the planned forest treatments, what visitors may see during operations, and how the project will be monitored over time. Participants should be prepared for field conditions, including uneven ground and variable weather. Sturdy footwear, water, and weather-appropriate clothing are recommended.
AMEX is a long-term climate-change forest experiment that compares different forest management approaches under real forest conditions. At JDSF, the project is in mixed second-growth forest conditions within the coast redwood range. Researchers will compare several treatment types, including resilience, resistance, transition, and untreated control areas.
The AMEX THP is the implementation step that allows the initial research treatments to occur on the ground. These treatments are designed to help researchers and forest managers evaluate how different second-growth stands respond to management over time, including changes in forest structure, species composition, regeneration, wildfire risk, wildlife habitat, tree cover, and long-term forest resilience.
“Testing, not guessing” reflects the basic purpose of AMEX: comparing different management approaches, tracking forest response over time, and using that information to help inform future redwood forest management.
