Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
Forest Defenders Blockade Road to Rainbow Ridge
Forest Defenders are risking arrest locking down at multiple blockades along logging roads leading to Rainbow Ridge.
Forest defenders are risking arrest locking down at multiple blockades along logging roads leading to Rainbow Ridge in the remote Mattole river watershed of coastal Northern California. They are defending 3,000 acres of magnificent old-growth Douglas fir and some 9,000 acres of second growth. At risk over the next decade or so is the complete cutting of the trees of Rainbow ridge. Rainbow ridge is among the ten largest areas of privately held ancient forests in the entire Pacific Northwest and contains the second largest intact stand of lowland old-growth Douglas Fir in California.
Pacific Lumber company has applied to the California Department of Forestry (CDF) for approval of Timber Harvest Plans (THPs) to cut approximately 350 acres in over 30 units spread throughout the North Fork Mattole basin. These cuts would fragment the ancient forests, cause mudslides on the steep slopes and increase sediment in the North Fork of the Mattole River, endangering Coho salmon and Steelhead trout. Lawsuits are temporarily holding off cutting of several of the THPs but litigation has been exhausted on THP 475 and PL is attempting to log this THP through a subcontractor, Columbia Helicopters of Oregon.
On November 10th loggers were met in the forest by over a dozen forest defenders occupying the area to be cut. Despite the presence of Sheriff officers who pepper sprayed and otherwise harassed the activists, the forest defenders held their ground and only one tree fell that day. Again on November 27 and November 28, loggers accompanied by a larger force of Sheriff and Police, entered the area to fall trees. Ten trees fell on November 27. On the 28th five activist were arrested and over 30 trees fell endangering the lives of non-violent forest defenders as Sheriffs and Police looked on. The day brought to mind a day approximately two years ago that forest defender David (Gypsy) Chain was killed by a tree felled by a logger as Gypsy was attempting to defend, by his presence, old growth Redwood trees. Though over 40 trees have fallen on Rainbow Ridge, the number of trees downed are considerably less than would have otherwise fallen had it not been for the courageous young women and men defending these magnificent trees by placing themselves in the fall zones. Outside the forest, a contingent of local residents and other champions of ancient forest and the environment rise daily at 3:00 A.M. to maintain a presence at PL/Maxxam gates leading into the Mattole river basin.
No logging has been attempted since November 28. The forest defenders have erected various blockades on the road to Rainbow Ridge further complicating future logging attempts by PL/Maxxam. See the accompanying photograph for a view of one such blockade. An effort is being made to raise enough money to purchase this land and permanently preserve this wild and natural place.
The forest defenders need help in defending these magnificent trees during future attempts by Pacific Lumber/Maxxam to cut them. For more pictures of this blockade and information and pictures of the Mattole watershed forest and for information on how you can help, visit http://www.asis.com/%7Ecoho/mattoledefense/ .
Pacific Lumber company has applied to the California Department of Forestry (CDF) for approval of Timber Harvest Plans (THPs) to cut approximately 350 acres in over 30 units spread throughout the North Fork Mattole basin. These cuts would fragment the ancient forests, cause mudslides on the steep slopes and increase sediment in the North Fork of the Mattole River, endangering Coho salmon and Steelhead trout. Lawsuits are temporarily holding off cutting of several of the THPs but litigation has been exhausted on THP 475 and PL is attempting to log this THP through a subcontractor, Columbia Helicopters of Oregon.
On November 10th loggers were met in the forest by over a dozen forest defenders occupying the area to be cut. Despite the presence of Sheriff officers who pepper sprayed and otherwise harassed the activists, the forest defenders held their ground and only one tree fell that day. Again on November 27 and November 28, loggers accompanied by a larger force of Sheriff and Police, entered the area to fall trees. Ten trees fell on November 27. On the 28th five activist were arrested and over 30 trees fell endangering the lives of non-violent forest defenders as Sheriffs and Police looked on. The day brought to mind a day approximately two years ago that forest defender David (Gypsy) Chain was killed by a tree felled by a logger as Gypsy was attempting to defend, by his presence, old growth Redwood trees. Though over 40 trees have fallen on Rainbow Ridge, the number of trees downed are considerably less than would have otherwise fallen had it not been for the courageous young women and men defending these magnificent trees by placing themselves in the fall zones. Outside the forest, a contingent of local residents and other champions of ancient forest and the environment rise daily at 3:00 A.M. to maintain a presence at PL/Maxxam gates leading into the Mattole river basin.
No logging has been attempted since November 28. The forest defenders have erected various blockades on the road to Rainbow Ridge further complicating future logging attempts by PL/Maxxam. See the accompanying photograph for a view of one such blockade. An effort is being made to raise enough money to purchase this land and permanently preserve this wild and natural place.
The forest defenders need help in defending these magnificent trees during future attempts by Pacific Lumber/Maxxam to cut them. For more pictures of this blockade and information and pictures of the Mattole watershed forest and for information on how you can help, visit http://www.asis.com/%7Ecoho/mattoledefense/ .
For more information:
http://www.asis.com/%7Ecoho/mattoledefense/
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$330.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network
No Logging In 3 weeks
Mattole Forest Defenders Blockade Going Strong
It's been since November 28th that Maxxam/Pacific Lumber sent in Columbia Helicopter loggers accompied by Humboldt County Sherriffs to log old-growth doug-fir in the Mattole. Since then Mattole Forest Defenders have moved almost 2 miles up Long Ridge to create the Mattole Free State, a blockade complete with several lockdowns, and hanging pods across the road. The idea is to top Maxxam's crews before the can get their chainsaws in the forest. Clearly Maxxam is choosing not to challenge the blockade and the near constant presence of 30 non-violent forest defenders in the wood has effectively shut down their operations for the time being. Mattole and Humboldt Residents are holding off on the outer gate blockades for now, but ready to moblize when Maxxam chooses to go back in. Forest Defenders will be spending Hanakuah, Christmas and New Years at the blockades, please read on to see how you can continue to help...
We Have A Large X-mas List!
Thanks to all those who have already contributed but we have a more defined needs list to keep this endevour going. It's going to be a long winter, so go ahead and make a holiday donation of any items below to the Mattole Forest Defenders.
> Immune Boosters i.e. Echinacea tinctures/pills
> zinc tablets
> Tea bags
> Ground coffee (organic is preferred)
> Hydrogen Peroxide
> Chocolate (vegan if possible)
> High protein pocket food i.e. cliff bars, power bars
> Dried soup mixes
> Hummus & Falafel mix
> Organic oats & Rice
> Vitamin C/Emer'gen-C packets
> Trail mix
> Tofu
> Dried fruit/raw nuts
> Fleece tops and bottoms
> Nokia 5100/6100 Cell phone batteries
> Bivy Sacs
> Sleeping Bags
> Tarps
> Static Line
> Pagers
> Walky Talky's (5 watts perferred)
> UHF/VHF radios
> Video Camera's
> Still Camera's
> Wool Socks
> Raingear (rubberized)
> Gift Certificate to Ace Hardware, Costco or Picky, Picky, Picky
> Paid work for activists who come out of the woods
> Monetary donation can be made out to "Mattole Forest Defenders" and mailed to POB 28, Arcata, CA 95518.
People Needs
Please come to the Mattole for a few days and help defend the 3,000 acres of incredible old growth Doug-Fir forest. We prefer those with non-violent direct action experience. Please call the hotline first at 707-441-3828. We need folks to help block gates or head into the backwoods. Come prepared for very cold, rainy conditions. The hike into the area is over 12+ miles. There is no basecamp so please call the hotline to get invloved.
Please contact:
Call these people and tell them what you think of them destroying the ancient forests and the local communities in the Mattole. The Sheriff's Department has apparently recieved hundreds of calls in the last few weeks from citizens express outrage about their treatment of non-violent activist. Thanks and keep it up!
John Campbell, Pacific Lumber Co., 707-764-2222, FAX - 707-764-4269
Charles Hurwitz, Maxxam Corp, 713-975-7600, FAX- 713-952-4795
Ask them to hold off logging in the Mattole for one year so the community can assess and raise the funds to purchase the entire 14,000 acre holding. Also demand that they treat non-violent activist as humans beings and stop endangering their lives with falling trees.
Humboldt County Sherriff Dennis Lewis, (707)-445-7251
Demand they stop endangering non-violent activists by allowing Pacific Lumber and Columbia to fall trees recklessly and so close to activist. Ask them how much of our taxpayer dollars they intend to spend to protecting Maxxam's logging of ancient forest in the Mattole. Remind them the situation in the Mattole is no different from the circumstances that led to the murder of David Gypsy Chain two years ago. The penalty for trespassing is not death.
For more information:
Direct Action: Mattole Forest Defenders,(VM) 707-441-3828
POB 28, Arcata, CA 95518
North Coast Earth First!, (VM) 707-825-6598
ncef [at] humboldt1.com
http://www.mattoledefense.org/
Images at http://www.earthfilms.org/
Article at http:/http://www.indybay.org/
-end-