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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
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 17, 2005
For more information:
Susan Moloney, Campaign for Old Growth (707) 932-0260 (cell)
Lindsey Holm, Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC)
(707) 476-8340
Garberville, California - 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 already set up a treesit in Nanning Creek Grove and
a basecamp is being held at Grizzly Creek State Park.
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Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Mr. Robert Manne
President
Pacific Lumber Company
Dear Mr. Manne,
It has come to our attention that Pacific Lumber Company has recently
begun logging an old-growth redwood grove in the Nanning Creek watershed,
known as "Bonanza" (THP 05-097).
We, the undersigned, are greatly concerned with the loss of ancient
forests and the natural heritage that they represent. We support the
protection of this ancient grove and the invaluable public trust resources
that it provides, including clean water, clean air and habitat for
endangered species.
The Bonanza THP is one of the very last unprotected ancient redwood
groves. Ancient redwood forests are a special part of America's heritage,
and we believe present and future generations are enriched by their
continued existence.
It is our hope that the Company is open to meeting its financial objectives
by selling the grove, rather then logging these increasingly rare
ancient redwoods.
We respectfully ask that you suspend logging this plan while serious
efforts are made to raise the necessary funds to purchase the area
at fair market value.
We are all painfully aware of the acrimony that has often followed
this issue. This is an opportunity for Pacific Lumber to work with
the community to come to a mutually beneficial agreement.
We urge you to consider the benefits of resolving this situation in
a mutually agreeable fashion, and look forward to hearing from you
at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Campaign for Old Growth
Humboldt Watershed Council
Environmental Protection Information Center
Sierra Club - Redwood Chapter
Siskiyou Land Conservancy
Friends of the Eel River
Rainforest Action Network
Voice of the Environment
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