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Indybay Feature

Earth First! Blocks Sierra Pacific Logging Truck at Sawmill

by Earth First! Humboldt
Earth First! activists blocked a logging truck and flooded the office of Sierra Pacific's saw mill in Manila, demanding a stop to old-growth logging and massive clearcutting planned in Humboldt Co.'s forests.
800_earth_first_blocks_sierra_pacific_logging_truck.jpg
Manila, Ca. – 30 Earth First! activists protesting Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) logging practices rallied peacefully outside the gates of SPI’s Arcata mill on Monday, demanding a stop to the company’s logging of old-growth.

“We’re here to expose SPI’s destructive logging” said Jeremy Jensen. “They claim to be sustainable under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative label but SPI intensively clear-cuts and logs old-growth forests all over California.”

Demonstrators blocked the logging truck entrance to the mill, holding banners reading “SFI is a scam” and “Stop old-growth logging.” They stood in front of a truck trying to enter the mill, disrupting logging traffic for over half an hour.

Earlier in the day, an activist was handcuffed and detained by police in Arcata while hanging a banner on an overpass that read “Sierra Pacific Logs Old-growth”. He was later released with a warning.

The activists cite two examples of SPI’s clear-cutting and old-growth logging plans in Humboldt County. One, a 245 acre logging plan in the Mattole River and Bear River watersheds, and another in Redwood Creek totaling 241 acres. Click here for photos of threatened old-growth trees.

“In the 21st century the remaining old growth forests have incalculable value and these private timber corporations are stealing them from under our noses. Forests like this need to be protected, and clear-cut logging needs to stop,” said Elise Gerhart. “We want sustainable, light, selection logging, restoration of wildlife habitat and a rate of harvest that restores rather than depletes the forest”.
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is one of the largest certifiers of logging operations in the country. It was originally created by the American Pulp & Paper Association. For more information click here,

The SPI timber company owns 1.9 million acres, making it the second largest private landowner in North America. The bulk of this land lies in the forests of northern California.

Earth First! is an international movement dedicated to using direct action to protect threatened ecosystems from runaway resource extraction.

Please check the Earth First! Humboldt flickr for action photos at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/84361430@N02/
§Sierra Pacific saw mill July 2012
by Earth First!
800_sierra_pacific_saw_mill_july_2012.jpg
Sierra Pacific saw mill July 2012
Add Your Comments

Comments (Hide Comments)
by --
Hello –

I wanted to send some information over regarding your posting of the EarthFirst! protest. The claims made in the post are inaccurate and I was wondering if there was any way Indy Bay Media could correct them.

The logs they are featuring in the pictures are Hoopa logs not SPI’s. Hoopa logs are FSC certified not FSI.

Please feel free to contact me any time. My contact information is below.

Best,

Lindsey

Lindsey Nitta
Communications Director
California Forestry Association
916.444.6592 - office
916-316-6802 - cell
lindseyn [at] foresthealth.org
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