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PL starts cut in ancient redwoods and endangered species habitat
Largest, Unprotected Ancient Redwood Grove on Pacific Lumber land
Now BEING LOGGED
Now BEING LOGGED
******Media Alert******
November 16, 2005
Contact: Kim Starr (707) 618-9185 pager
Activists Outcry
In Northern California, a grove of ancient redwood trees, some measuring 42 feet around, are part of a 250-acre logging plan in the Nanning Creek area by Maxxam Corporation's Pacific Lumber Company. Pacific Lumber (PL) has been clearcutting thousands of acres of old growth forests at
'liquidation logging' speed for the past 20 years, since Maxxam made a hostile takeover of the family-owned timber company. Civil disobedience, lawsuits, offers by well-funded conservation groups, and international attention have consistently aimed at protecting and bringing attention
to the importance of the forests and communities affected by Maxxam/PL's destructive practices. Now, PL is on its 5th day of cutting what is known to be the largest, contiguous tract of ancient redwood forest remaining in the world. "This logging is not just a local tragedy— it is a global travesty," says Earth First! activist, Kim Starr, who, over the years, has spent months at a time in jail for non-violent protests of Maxxam's Pacific Lumber.
"This area of Nanning Creek is intact. Corporate timber, when it hasn't turned forests into deserts, has left us with fragmented islands of trees, hardly worthy of being called forests. The Nanning Creek 'grove' is healthy functioning, pristine, and contiguous forest that has developed through time immemorial."
Due to the enormous size of the upper branches of the trees in Nanning Creek, the endangered, old-growth- dependent marbled murrelets are able to nest in the mossy canopy. Cutting in Nanning Creek, the plan that Pacific Lumber has named "Bonanza" will wipe out the highest quality marbled
murrelet habitat, heavily contributing to the extinction of the bird. Unfortunately, so-called regulatory agencies, charged with protecting wildlife and the public trust, including U.S. Fish and Wildlife, have once again favored industry over people and the environment by ignoring and giving the go-ahead to log Nanning Creek.
Activists currently maintain a tree sit about 300 feet in the air in Nanning Creek , which is only a mile east from the dying Pacific Lumber Company town, and are inviting other concerned people to mobilize at Redwood Winter Renewal Camp for non-violent actions to protect the Nanning Creek Grove. "Through the courts and the regulatory agencies, environmental groups and the public have exhausted available administrative remedies. Because those charged with preserving the area have failed to do so, other actions will be taken to save the ancient grove. The Redwood Renewal Camp is at Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park.
For more info, Humboldt Forest Defenders invite people to call (707) 825-6598.
Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters (BACH)
2530 San Pablo Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94702
phone: 510 548 3113
email: bach [at] headwaterspreserve.org
http://www.HeadwatersPreserve.org
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Community Appeals to Pacific Lumber President Robert Manne to Halt Logging Ancient Redwood Grove at Nanning Creek
Last Largest Unprotected Ancient Redwood Forest In the World Now Being Logged
Garberville, Calif. - A group of concerned local citizens and environmental groups have written to Pacific Lumber asking the company to suspend logging in an ancient forest until the community can raise the funds to buy a grove they consider priceless.
Nanning Creek Grove, one mile east of the logging town of Scotia, is the last, largest unprotected stand of primeval redwood forest in the world. It contains old-growth trees up to 15 feet in diameter standing over 300 ft tall, likely to be thousands of years old. Of the two million acres of original Redwood forests that existed when California gained statehood in 1850, less than three percent remain today.
Activist Julia Butterfly Hill said, "I risked my life every day for over two years to protect Luna and three acres around it. There are hundreds of trees as big or bigger than Luna in this forest. Every one of them should be protected."
Cindy Allsbrooks, whose son David Chain was killed while trying to protect ancient trees in 1998 said, "It is disheartening to hear about plans for more old growth to be chopped down. I sincerely hope that negotiations can take place to discuss a financial agreement to purchase the grove before it is too late. I believe we are obligated to at least try."
Susan Moloney, Founder of Campaign for Old Growth, conducted a 52-day hunger strike pertaining to old-growth protection in 2002. "The majority of people in the world want to see our remaining old growth protected. This is an incredible opportunity for the Pacific Lumber Company to prove they are serious about being a good neighbor."
Local filmmaker James Ficklin said, "The mission of The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is 'to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats,' and yet in the case of Nanning Creek Grove, they are doing the opposite. They have failed to do their jobs for the American people, and now the community is coming together to appeal to Pacific Lumber to do the right thing and work with us to protect this precious place. Once cut, these rare ancient trees will be lost forever."
The Nanning Creek Grove is home to both the endangered spotted owl and the marbled murrelet and is critical habitat for their survival . A 2004 report commissioned by the US Fish & Wildlife Service shows that under current management regimes (i.e. ongoing old-growth logging) the marbled murrelet faces an 80% probability of extinction in California in the next 60 years.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently gave the Pacific Lumber Company the go-ahead to log this old-growth grove. Loggers began falling the giant redwoods in Nanning Creek on Friday, November 11, 2005.
Activists have set up a treesit in the grove and a basecamp is being held at Grizzly Creek State Park.
--
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Community Appeals to Pacific Lumber President Robert Manne to Halt Logging Ancient Redwood Grove at Nanning Creek
Last Largest Unprotected Ancient Redwood Forest In the World Now Being Logged
Garberville, Calif. - A group of concerned local citizens and environmental groups have written to Pacific Lumber asking the company to suspend logging in an ancient forest until the community can raise the funds to buy a grove they consider priceless.
Nanning Creek Grove, one mile east of the logging town of Scotia, is the last, largest unprotected stand of primeval redwood forest in the world. It contains old-growth trees up to 15 feet in diameter standing over 300 ft tall, likely to be thousands of years old. Of the two million acres of original Redwood forests that existed when California gained statehood in 1850, less than three percent remain today.
Activist Julia Butterfly Hill said, "I risked my life every day for over two years to protect Luna and three acres around it. There are hundreds of trees as big or bigger than Luna in this forest. Every one of them should be protected."
Cindy Allsbrooks, whose son David Chain was killed while trying to protect ancient trees in 1998 said, "It is disheartening to hear about plans for more old growth to be chopped down. I sincerely hope that negotiations can take place to discuss a financial agreement to purchase the grove before it is too late. I believe we are obligated to at least try."
Susan Moloney, Founder of Campaign for Old Growth, conducted a 52-day hunger strike pertaining to old-growth protection in 2002. "The majority of people in the world want to see our remaining old growth protected. This is an incredible opportunity for the Pacific Lumber Company to prove they are serious about being a good neighbor."
Local filmmaker James Ficklin said, "The mission of The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is 'to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats,' and yet in the case of Nanning Creek Grove, they are doing the opposite. They have failed to do their jobs for the American people, and now the community is coming together to appeal to Pacific Lumber to do the right thing and work with us to protect this precious place. Once cut, these rare ancient trees will be lost forever."
The Nanning Creek Grove is home to both the endangered spotted owl and the marbled murrelet and is critical habitat for their survival . A 2004 report commissioned by the US Fish & Wildlife Service shows that under current management regimes (i.e. ongoing old-growth logging) the marbled murrelet faces an 80% probability of extinction in California in the next 60 years.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently gave the Pacific Lumber Company the go-ahead to log this old-growth grove. Loggers began falling the giant redwoods in Nanning Creek on Friday, November 11, 2005.
Activists have set up a treesit in the grove and a basecamp is being held at Grizzly Creek State Park.
--
"Now, PL is on its 5th day of cutting what is known to be the largest, contiguous tract of ancient redwood forest remaining in the world."
Why did you post this? It's so obviously not true that it discredits the whole movement. Look at what your doing, please think more of the future.
Why did you post this? It's so obviously not true that it discredits the whole movement. Look at what your doing, please think more of the future.
It should say largest, UNPROTECTED, contiguous tract of ancient redwood forest remaining in the world.
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