Feature Archives

In the historic civil rights lawsuit of two Earth First! organizers against the FBI and Oakland Police Dept., jury selection is complete and the first witnesses began taking the stand on Wednesday, April 10, 2002. Opening remarks were made by the plaintiffs on Tuesday afternoon, with the defense making its opening remarks Wednesday morning. The jury is a diverse group that well represents the mixed culture of the Bay Area. Judi Bari's 21-year-old daughter Lisa Bari, who has been in the courtroom all week, commented, "It seems like they will be fair and impartial. I think we have a good chance for justice."

The trial comes after more than a decade of aggressive defense motions and delay tactics as the stonewalling FBI attempted to gain immunity from prosecution. But the courts have repeatedly upheld the merits of the case and ruled that it could go forward with its charges of false arrest, illegal search and seizure, and violation of First Amendment rights by falsely associating the plaintiffs with terrorism. Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney were victims of a car-bomb attack in 1990 in which the FBI accused them of carrying the bomb. But no charges were ever filed, despite a national smear campaign in the media against the two and their lawful cause. It was a classic frame-up attempt in the long history of COINTELPRO "disrupt and neutralize" tactics. The lawsuit attempts to clear the plaintiffs name and expose FBI actions against lawful political movements. Stay tuned!

Tree-sitting protests have begun on Pacific Lumber property at Grizzly Creek, where some of the largest remaining unprotected old-growth redwoods are on the chopping block. Help is needed right now or these trees will be cut! A new group of activists have emerged out of the Pacific Northwest calling themselves "The Natural Guard," setting up a tree-village 220 feet up in an enormous (24 ft diameter) redwood called Zen connected with a traverse to another tree named Merlin. More platforms are planned and more tree-sitters and ground support are needed immediately! The Natural Guard is in solidarity with Earth First! who also have 2 other new tree-sits nearby on Gypsy Mountain, named after David "Gypsy" Chain who was killed by an angry logger who felled a redwood tree on him here in 1998. full story and contact info
The Campaign for Old-Growth is working to place an initiative on the November, 2002 statewide ballot calling for the preservation of old-growth trees on non-federally owned forestland in the State of California.
HAVC's website

GOOD NEWS FOR A CHANGE! Pacific Lumber (PL) has pulled their logging plan (THP 1-01-352 HUM) for Allen Creek, one of Headwaters Forest's six ancient groves and one of the 13 Marbled Murrelet Conservation Areas put off limits to logging for a period of 50 years in the so-called Headwaters Deal of 1998. PL was attempting to use their own interpretations of the Deal's Habitat Conservation Plan to claim the logging could be allowed. The public and environmental organizations responded with a flood of calls and letters to agencies, particularly the California Dept of Forestry (CDF), responsible for review of all Timber Harvest Plans. full story On February 5, the Berkeley City Council passed a strongly worded resolution opposing the logging in Allen Creek Grove. It was sponsored by Councilmember Linda Maio and co-sponsored by Vice Mayor Maudelle Shirek. BACH activists worked on the resolution language with the sponsoring council members and spoke at the council meeting.

1/9: In a victory for Forest Activists in Humboldt County, the District Attorney has dropped all charges against 9 activists cited and released on October 24, 2001 while engaged in protests at the gate to the Hole in Headwaters logging plan. The activist maintain that they were doing nothing illegal having only engaged in friendly dialog with loggers on public property. The arrests were made by a security guard hired by Maxxam/PL who was backed by Carl Anderson, a former Sheriff, now head of security for PL/Maxxam. Sheriffs, who arrived at the gate, reportedly failed to investigate an incident where chain saw oil was thrown into an activist's car. Instead they took the word of the security guard without investigation and cited nine innocent activists, showing the bias against activist in the county by the Sheriff and DA. For now, a civil SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) suit filed by Maxxam/PL and PL subcontractors against the nine protesters remains in place.

If passed during the March 2002 statewide ballot, the "California Clean Water, Clean Air, Safe Neighborhoods and Coastal Protection Act of 2002" proposition could provide funds to purchase forest in the Mattole which are presently under siege by Pacific Lumber Company. Over 60 activists have been arrested during the past year while protesting logging in this largest unprotected continuous stand of old growth lowland Douglas Fir forest in the state. Proposition 40 would authorize $2.6 billion for parks acquisition and land, air and water conservation. Help pass proposition 40: NFW | TPL | PCL

In a separate effort, the Citizens' Campaign for Old Growth Preservation (CFOGP) has formed to place another initiative on the Nov 2002 statewide ballot calling for the preservation of old growth trees and stands on non-federally owned forestlands in the State of California. Old growth is defined as trees that were alive in the year that California became a state (1850).

Nov/Dec 2000: In response to the approval of potentially devastating Timber Harvesting Plans (THPs), activists and residents organize ongoing blockades that keep loggers out of the Mattole November: Forest Defenders block the entrance to Rainbow Ridge December: Locked down in a junked car on the logging road November: Local residents stage an early morning blockade

You can try to make your voice heard in Sacramento by calling or writing Governor Gray Davis. See this Mattole update for Maxxam and Palco CEO contact info, as well as a long list of essential supplies needed by the Forest Defenders.