Feature Archives

Eureka, CA-Community residents and forest activists from the redwood region and far beyond Humboldt County in Northern California, were relieved and elated as news spread of an unprecedented commitment by Humboldt Redwood Company (HRC) owners of what was Maxxam/PL land to spare the Nanning Creek and Fern Gully ancient groves where tree-sits have been keeping chain saws at bay. The message was delivered directly to tree-sitters and included a commitment to further protect from future cutting all old growth 250 years old or more.

On August 9, the Santa Cruz city council and Coalition to Limit University Expansion (CLUE) reached a settlement agreement with UCSC over campus expansion. In response, the tree sitters occupying the area released a statement declaring that although Chancellor Blumenthal speculated that the tree sitters "have accomplished their goals," they will not be coming out of the trees. The tree sitters accuse the city and CLUE of never intending their lawsuit to protect the north campus trees and ecosystem, saying "Let the city and university make their agreements. We are here for the forest."

"We don't need another parking lot" read one of over 30 stenciled cardboard signs erected on the evening of August 1st across the fences of various failed businesses in Santa Cruz by a group of bicyclists as part of a "Going Out of Business & Green Futures" community ride. Part protest against car culture, part living art project, and part prank, the bicyclists visited the sites of former gas stations, drive thrus, auto-dealerships, and more, planting wild flower seeds, and other decorations depicting a deteriorating economy and hopes for a greener, wilder future.

In Santa Cruz, a banner has been hung over Highway One expressing solidarity with the movement opposing Interstate 69, also known as the NAFTA Superhighway. Portions of the route in Indiana would run through wetlands, farmland, forests and karst terrain, threatening rare species and underground water systems. Urban planners predict the highway will require annual subsidies of $2 billion and accelerate suburban sprawl and automobile dependency. Others believe that by subsidizing trade, I-69 will further undercut union jobs in the United States.

Palo Alto residents and San Francisco Peninsula bike commuters are challenging Santa Clara County's plan to widen Middlefield Rd. near Oregon Expressway. Proposed alterations to the road call for removing the trees and resident-created green strip gardens between the sidewalk and traffic lanes. This will eliminate the buffer between cars and pedestrians now enjoyed by neighborhood walkers and students commuting to Jordan Middle School.

On July 22nd, Judge Barbara Miller upheld U.C. Berkeley's plans for an athletic training center in the Memorial Oak Grove. The order will end an injunction that had blocked destruction of the grove. On Thursday, July 24th, the Berkeley City Council will likely make its final decision about whether or not to pursue an appeal. Supporters of an appeal plan will meet at the grove at 3:30pm and march to City Hall at 4pm before the 5pm public hearing.

On July 22nd, over 3,000 people rallied at the Port of Oakland to protest against pollution and poverty. Many truck drivers at the port make as little as $8 an hour and receive no benefits. The port trucking system requires drivers to sit idle in their trucks for hours everyday while their trucks spew out toxic diesel emissions. Port diesel pollution is associated with high rates of cancer and asthma. As a result, cancer and asthma rates are higher in West Oakland than other parts of the Bay Area.