California Tree Farmers of the Year 2000
The Westphal family, owners of the 1000-acre Old Forbestown Tree Farm in Yuba and Butte counties, consists of Ted Westphal of Lafayette, a retired Del Monte Corporation executive and managing partner, a sister Caryl Armstrong of Monte Sereno, brother Jim Westphal of Donner Lake and Cousin John Hays of Oakhurst.

The Old Forbestown Tree Farm is located surrounding the historic town of Forbestown, site of many early mining operations.  The Westphal family’s grand uncle, Fred Stoer, and a partner acquired several gold mining properties in the Forbestown area in the early 1900’s.  Mines in the Forbestown area had the exotic names of Samson Lode, Shakespeare, Rattlesnake, and Goldbank.  The Goldbank mine was one of the largest gold mines in California.  The Tree Farm also includes the Cherokee mining properties around the historic town of Cherokee in Butte County.

The Butte and Yuba County line runs directly through Forbestown and the parcels are split between the two counties.  The elevation, soils and climate in the area are ideal for a mixed conifer tree farm.  It is at 2800 feet, the soils are largely deep, red loam, and it receives an average of 70 inches of rainfall each year.  The south fork of the Feather River runs through about ¾ of a mile of one parcel, and the Plumas National Forest borders the tree farm in several places.  They also have many town residents with whom they share property lines or who have access rights across the tree farm to their homes.

The Westphal family members were selective in the logging process—removing the less promising, the damaged and a few diseased trees and retaining the best trees everywhere for best potential natural regeneration.  In places where Tan Oak had taken over entirely, the group selection method was used (about 140 acres) on which there have been planted over 60,000 seedlings, 95% of which have taken hold very well.  Natural regeneration has been excellent in most other locations.

The Westphal family are all members of the Forest Landowners of California and the Tree Farm group.  Ted was a member of the Board of Directors of FLOC and a member of the National Woodland Owners Association.  They are also contributors to the Northwest Woodland Owners Association.  The Westphal family have been proud to host Forest Landowners annual meetings and Field Trips on their property in both 1995 and 1999.