four non-violent protestors arrested

Sue Maloney shows solidarity with Humboldt county forest defenders.

In the early afternoon of thursday the 19th, four non-violent forest activists were arrested while protesting Maxxam/Palco’s insistence to cut their largest stand of residual old growth. This arrest occurred in conjunction with two other activists who have suspended themselves from a bridge in “pods” over grizzly creek in the Van Duzen watershed, blocking the way into two active timber harvest plans(THP). Even with continued community support these brave people are being incarcerated by a police system that swears “to serve and protect”.

The THPs endangered include 01-382, "Van Duzen View", where David “Gypsy” Chain was killed when a tree was felled on him in 1998. Also, 00-439,called “Texas” due to its shape, which is prime “class E” marbled murrelet habitat. This is the highest rating of livability for these endangered birds as they fly inland to nest and, having webbed feet, cannot roost on the thinner branches of the younger trees. Also present are spotted owls, red tree voles and bald eagles.

The Texas THP is 160 acres of residual old growth, trees similar in size to those on the Avenue of the Giants left to survive from previous selective cut. Palco, previous to the logger-protested buyout by Charles Hurwitz, owner of Maxxam, was very interested in a sustainable logging practices due to its local ownership and employee base. The owner of the company is from out of state and even contracts loggers from out of state, pulling money directly out of the community on multiple levels. The general feeling about the whole situation is that once all of the big (money) trees have been liquidated and the land and rivers wasted, he’s just going to take the money and run. With greater government corporate sponsorship and reduced environmental protection, accountability is almost zero.

The day before the action, Sue Maloney came to the pre-action rally at the gate to the THPs to show solidarity with fellow non-violent forest defenders. Sue is an activist who protested Palco’s unsustainable timber harvest practices by means of a hunger strike for 52 days in hope that Governor Gray Davis would see how strongly the people felt about the issue and uphold his promise that “every old growth tree would be spared from the lumber jacks axe”.

Community support is vital to have these few remaining stand rescued from destruction.
Concerned citizens can show their support by calling Governor Davis at 1-916-445-2841 and let him know that you want Palco’s unsustainable logging practices changed drastically. No more old growth logging, no more clear-cuts, no more pesticides and petrol washed into our watersheds, we drink that water. Also important is that 00-439 and 01-382 be added to the protected list.
Also, direct support can be given by visiting the Arcata co-op and donating food, rain gear, wool clothing or money.

“Maxxam/Pl owns the largest tract of old growth redwoods in the world. In a week we may not be able to say that any more,” says forest defender Remedy.

Remedy has been sitting in a wise ancestor tree with a trunk about 15 feet across named “jerry” for nearly nine months now without setting foot on the ground.