High-school civics class presents community survey on Great Redwood Trail to supervisors

Students from Redwood Coast Montessori presented findings from a community survey about the Great Redwood Trail (GRT) project at the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors meeting on May 12. The senior civics class surveyed 142 participants via posters and online outreach from Trinidad to Eureka and collected demographic and attitude data intended to inform community and board understanding (SEG 796–806, SEG 821–828).

Students said roughly 55% of respondents were strongly in favor or somewhat in favor of expanding the trail; however, common concerns included maintenance costs, public safety (patrols and policing), the project timeline, and ensuring tribal consultation and tribal leadership in decisions about cultural resources (SEG 877–889, SEG 900–914, SEG 912–913). The students included quotes and statements from local stakeholders and organizations (e.g., Natalie Arroyo, Friends of Eel River) and emphasized that tribal involvement was a frequently cited priority (SEG 917–931, SEG 928–938).

Board members praised the students' work and asked whether the results could be shared; the class indicated they can provide the full data and a Google Sheet export for staff and the board (SEG 1016–1024). The board accepted and filed the presentation report by unanimous consent (SEG 1132–1140).

Why it matters: the GRT is a long-running region-wide planning and acquisition project that affects land use, public safety, tribal cultural resources and county tourism and trail connectivity. Student civic projects like this help surface local opinion and identify community priorities for consideration by county and regional agencies.

Sources: Student presentation and board discussion, Humboldt County Board of Supervisors meeting, May 12, 2026.