"Striptease for the Trees" at Montgomery Woods

1/29/01
A small crowd of concerned citizens, fronted by the legendary bare-breasted poet "La Tigresa", successfully stalled timber operations that threaten the world's two tallest trees at a logging site adjacent to Montgomery Woods State Park in Mendocino County. Reciting her "Earth Goddess" poetry topless, as the loggers respectfully listened, La Tigresa was supported by local residents, mothers with babies, children and dogs, who were all there to express concerns over the environmental impacts of this logging plan. The loggers were delayed long enough for CDF (Calif. Dept of Forestry) inspectors to come out and find some violations of the forest practice rules. Although the logging crew was cited for violating the law, they are still allowed to continue the cutting.

Two major concerns here are erosion and "blowdown" caused by cutting the buffer zone around the park. Montgomery Woods is nestled in a narrow canyon, where increased high winds can topple these exceptionally tall trees (some over 350 ft. tall). The erosion caused by logging on the steep terrain immediately above salmon spawning beds in the headwaters of Big River, has been identified as a major factor in the dramatic decline of salmonid populations.

California Dept. of Parks & Recreation, which runs Montgomery Woods has been negotiating to purchase this property and add it to the park, but have yet to satisfy landowner Bill DeRidder's asking price. Local residents are outraged at the so called "cut & run" tactics of "out-of-town land speculators" or "land sharks" such as Bill DeRidder & his partner Rick Priest. Both are under investigation by the Mendocino County District Attorney's office for their real estate deals and questionable logging practices.

Local activists including "La Tigresa" vw to continue to be present at the Montgomery Woods logging site early every morning this week to stop this "Timber Harvest Plan". The hillside contains important habitat for Spotted Owls, Peregrine Falcons, Mountain Lions, Pacific Fishers, and is immediately above a known Salmon stream.

La Tigresa and 9 other forest activists are currently facing charges of trespass, and are challenging a restraining order to stay off the nearby property of Mendocino Redwood Company. MRC, which is owned by the Fisher Family of San Franciso, [who also own the GAP, Banana Republic and Old Navy clothing stores], has been accused of unsustainable forest practices by local residents and activists, despite recent "certification" as a provider of "sustainably harvested timber". La Tigresa and the other "Mendocino Ten" are holding a rally outside the Courthouse in Fort Bragg on Feb. 13, before their next pre-trial hearing, to "expose" the timber industry's practices and the "watered-down certification process" - which still allows the use of toxic herbicide spraying in forests, and the cutting of old growth trees. Trial is set for May 7.

Press contact: James Ficklin 707-962-0547
Stills and video available for media use at http://www.earthfilms.org (Hi-res jpegs are downloadable)