Forest Defenders Remove Hundreds More Markers From Timber Harvest Plan in the Mattole.

The Maxxam owned Pacific Lumber Comany has plans to log more than 500 acres in the Mattole watershed of southern Humboldt county, Ca. A few weeks ago, thousands of flags and other markers were removed from four of the plan areas. This stalls the approval process and forces PL to send out various different contracted and company employed surveyors to replace the missing markers.

PL has a brand new timber harvest plan in the Mattole watershed, 03-045. Supposedly it is at least partially on Eel River Sawmills property. It encompasses 64 acres and contains old-growth forest. More will be posted on this proposed plan.

The resistance in the Mattole is strong and we welcome those who wish to help. Whether it's giving rides, donating food and gear, going on re-supplies, going on backwoods actions or any of the other important things people do to help.
Currently a handfull of tree-sits are up in one of the last fragments of old-growth forest in the Rrattlesnake creek area, upstream from the Mattole. There has been a group of people living there since last fall who rotate in and out of the woods but keep the area occupied. This area is a two mile hike from the parking turnout. It is next to Humboldt Redwoods State Park.

The following press release was sent out this monday

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More Markers Removed From Controversial Logging Plan

Bags of Flags Delivered To CDF



Mattole Watershed, Humboldt County, Ca.- Last week Mattole Forest Defenders removed hundreds of markers that delineated three units of Pacific Lumber Company's (PL) proposed Timber Harvest Plan (THP) 02-243 or "Rattler". Another unit of this plan was unmarked two weeks ago. This is a controversial plan to log 113.4 acres of second growth, patches of old-growth and residual large hardwoods and Douglas firs upstream from the towns of Honeydew and Petrolia.
" Nearly every one of the nine units in the plan are on or directly adjacent to one or more landslides.", said one Mattole Forest Defender.
Staff from the North Coast Water Quality Control Board issued a non-concurrence with the plan. They don't think the plan should be approved due to the lack of discussion on already existing impacts to the watershed, specifically cattle grazing.

On Saturday, two bags of flags were left by Mattole Forest Defenders at the California Dept. of Forestry (CDF) office in Fortuna, Ca.

" We delivered the flags to show CDF that many markers have indeed been removed.", said a forest defender who goes by the name Salamander. " Our objective is to interfere with all advancements of the plan that rely on the existence of marked boundaries."

Two weeks ago thousands of flags were removed from four separate THP's in the Mattole watershed. The THP numbers and names are; 01-164 or "Canned Heat", 02-301 or "Skookum", 02-243 or "Rattler" and 03-007 or "Skagit".

Activists say that they started using this tactic hoping to avoid the danger of confronting company employees and sheriffs in active logging operations.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are also several tree-sits in a nearby area of the Mattole, adjacent to Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
PL has a brand new timber harvest plan in the Mattole watershed, 03-045. Supposedly it is at least partially on Eel River Sawmills property. It encompasses 64 acres and contains old-growth forest. More will be posted on this proposed plan.

The resistance in the Mattole is strong and we welcome those who wish to help. Whether it's giving rides, donating food and gear, going on re-supplies, going on backwoods actions or any of the other important things people do to help.
Currently a handfull of tree-sits are up in one of the last fragments of old-growth forest in the Rrattlesnake creek area, upstream from the Mattole. There has been a group of people living there since last fall who rotate in and out of the woods but keep the area occupied. This area is a two mile hike from the parking turnout. It is next to Humboldt Redwoods State Park.