One of Humboldt County’s Largest Forests Is Now Permanently Protected

A massive stretch of forestland just east of McKinleyville is now permanently protected from development.

Last week, a conservation easement was finalized that will forever prohibit the subdivision or residential development of 2,815 acres of working forest known as the Lindsay Creek property. The land sits between the Van-Eck Forest conservation easement and the McKinleyville Community Forest, creating a continuous block of protected land in one of Humboldt County’s fastest-growing areas.

The easement was completed by Green Diamond Resource Company in partnership with the Northcoast Regional Land Trust, formalizing a conservation effort that has been in the works for nearly a decade. While the forest will continue to be managed for timber harvesting, the agreement ensures the land remains intact and cannot be subdivided, even if it changes ownership.

The deal also establishes a 300-acre Late Seral Reserve designed to support late-successional and old-growth forest stands. Lindsay Creek, a key salmon-bearing stream and tributary to the Mad River (Baduwa’t), receives additional streamside protections under the easement.

Altogether, the protected lands now total roughly 5,200 acres, including the publicly accessible McKinleyville Community Forest, which was transferred to public ownership in 2023.

The project received $5.75 million in funding from CAL FIRE through its Working Forest Conservation Easements program. While the Lindsay Creek property will remain private, discussions are underway for limited, controlled access through a partnership with the Redwood Coast Mountain Bike Association.

Green Diamond has pursued conservation of the forest since 2015, aligning with long-standing community goals outlined in McKinleyville’s 2002 community plan.