The purpose of the McKinleyville Community Forest Committee (MCFC) is to make recommendations to the McKinleyville Community Services District (MCSD) Board of Directors regarding plans, policies, programs, and projects relating to McKinleyville Community Forest.

The MCFC is comprised of forest and natural resource professionals, District staff, local tribe representatives as well as members of the McKinleyville public in service to the planning, development, and management of the Community Forest. 

The McKinleyville Community Forest (MCF) will be managed for multiple purposes including public recreation, timber production, fish and wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, education and research and soil and watershed conservation.  The development and management of the MCF will rely heavily on input and support from the community.  MCSD will be holding several public input processes as we move forward to ensure that the MCF is stewarded in a socially beneficial, environmentally appropriate, economically viable and sustainable manner.

Number of Members

Two (2) MCSD Board Representatives (Non-voting members)

The remaining thirteen (13) members will be regular voting members. Of the regular voting members: 

• One (1) will be the MCSD General Manager
• One (1) one will be MCSD’s Parks & Recreation Director
• One (1) will be MCSD’s Operations Director
• One (1) will be a MCSD Recreation Coordinator
• One (1) will be a member of the Parks and Recreation Committee
• One (1) will be a member of the McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee
• One (1) will be a Forester
• One (1) will be a representative from an appropriate natural resource service agency
• One (1) will be a field expert in forest management, natural resources or biology
• One (1) will be a member of the public who is a resident of the MCSD and is to be appointed by the MCSD Board of Directors 
• Three (3) seats may be filled by additional McKinleyville residents, field experts and/or tribal community representatives

Terms of Office

The McKinleyvilleCommunity Forest Committee is an advisory Board appointed by the MCSD Board of Directors. The annual expiration date of appointment shall be December 31. Appointment terms are as follows:

(a)  Appointment of District Board Members shall be for a term of one (1) year. Such member shall be a non-voting member and shall be appointed by the MCSD Board President in January each year.

(b)  Appointment of field experts shall be for a term of two (2) years.

(c)   Terms of the non-Board of Director committee members shall be staggered so that no more than two (2) membership terms shall expire in any given year.

How to Participate

Current Vacancies:

• One (1) Pending Wiyot Tribe Appointee Member

McKinleyville Community Forest Committee (MCFC)

Any citizen, residing in the service area of the McKinleyville Community Services District may apply to the District Board for appointment to fill vacant seats on the McKinleyville Community Forest Committee.  The MCFC seeks members who bring skills and knowledge applicable to  forest and natural resource management,  local tribe representatives, as well as community members with vested interests in the McKinleyville Community Forest.  Committee members serve a terms as defined above with no limit to term renewals and are expected to attend an average of 2 hours of meetings per month and volunteer 8-10 hours a month in service to the Committee.

How to Apply

Interested applicants must submit a complete McKinleyville Community Forest Committee Application to the District Office. Upon receipt of your Application and Resume (resume optional), we will review it and contact you to let you know when the MCSD will be discussing and voting on your appointment to the committee. Questions can be directed to the Parks & Recreation Director at (707) 839-9003

The MCF Committee Application Information Letter and Application can be found at the links below. You can also pick up a hard copy from our Parks & Recreation Office at 1656 Sutter Road in McKinleyville.

McKinleyville Community Forest Committee Application (Google Form)

In Person

1656 Sutter Road

McKinleyville, CA 95519

By Mail

PO Box 2037

McKinleyville, CA 95519

Email

kirsten@mckinleyvillecsd.com

McKinleyville Community Forest Committee Member List

• Gregory Orsini, MCSD Board Member - Chair (Non-voting Member)
• James Biteman, MCSD Board Member (Non-voting Member)
• Patrick Kaspari, MCSD General Manager
• James Henry, Operations Director
• Kirsten Messmer, Parks & Recreation Director
• Jens Andersen, Recreation Coordinator
• Maya Conrad, McKMAC Appointee Member
• Jennifer Ortega, PARC Appointee Member
• Joel Rink, Forester/RPF Member
• Tyler Brown, Natural Resources Service Agency Member
• Desiree Early Dorvall, Natural Resources/Biologist Member
• Michele Stephens, McKinleyville Resident Member
• Todd Truesdell, At-Large Member
• Kevin Creed, At-Large Member
• Vacant, Wiyot Tribe Appointee

Alternate Members

• Kevin Dreyer, Alternate McKMAC Appointee Member
• Mersadies Campbell, Alternate Forester Member
• Christopher Collier, Alternate Natural Resources Service Agency Member
• Nicole West, Alternate Natural Resources/Biologist Member

Regular Monthly MCFC Meetings

• When: 3rd Tuesday of the Month
• Time: 5:30pm
• Where: Azalea Hall, Hewitt Room (1620 Pickett Road in McKinleyville) Or Via Zoom*

*Please visit McKinleyville Community Forest Committee Meetings for more information on upcoming meetings.

MCFC Subcommittees

Two (2) subcommittees were formed at the August 20, 2024 MCFC Meeting.  They are:

Forest Management Plan/Funding/Budget Subcommittee

• Patrick Kaspari, MCSD General Manager
• Kirsten Messmer, Parks & Recreation Director
• Maya Conrad, McKMAC Appointee Member
• Jennifer Ortega, PARC Appointee Member
• Joel Rink, Forester/RPF Member
• Kevin Creed, At-Large Member

Trails Plan/Security/Clean Ups/Infrastructure Subcommitee

• James Henry, Operations Director
• Jens Andersen, Recreation Coordinator
• Tyler Brown, Natural Resources Service Agency Member
• Desiree Early Dorvall, Natural Resources/Biologist Member
• Michele Stephens, McKinleyville Resident Member
• Christopher Collier, Natural Resources Service Agency Member
• Nicole West, Alternate Natural Resources/Biologist Member 

Each subcommittee will also have an additional 1-5 subcommittee member seats to be filled by interested members of the public.  The Appointment of Subcommittee Members shall be for a term of one (1) year. Please visit the MCFC Subcommittee page below for more information including on how to apply.