Mattole Escalates: Loggers' assault with deadly weapons, threaten arson

This update is for the NCEF! Action Alert List

In This Update,Sunday 5/13/01
-Four Days Of Mattole Logging!
-Upcoming Mattole Action Camp
-Needs + Contact Info

Mattole Logging Continues, 20 arrested

The old-growth Douglas Fir of the Mattole is in the middle of a Blitzkrieg logging siege by Maxxam/Pacific Lumber. Operating on two separate logging plans Columbia Helicopter and Lewis Logging fallers have leveled a majority of the 68 acres slated for clear cutting since Wednesday morning. Reports we have from the woods indicate that yarding is continuing under spotlights into the night. The Humboldt County Sheriffs Department have barreled into the area with logging crews in tow at 4am every morning. For four mornings in a row we\'ve mobilized up to eighty activist and community members to block the outside gates, but with up to seven separate entrance at their disposal stopping this convoy of 20+ vehicles has proved almost impossible. This morning -Sunday- reports from the gates have indicated that no logging/law enforcement convoys headed into the woods, perhaps they decided to spend the days with their mothers...

Resistance has been strong with 20 arrest since Wednesday evening. Most of those arrested have been in the backwoods at the point of destruction. These brave activist have shut down logging for periods of time in different areas by climbing trees, talking with falling crews and just being in the way. Two women were arrested Friday morning who had locked down to a 55 gallon drum filled with concrete. Their blockade supported by five other blockades slowed several Maxxam operations all morning long, including the fleet of haul trucks used to transport downed ancient trees out of the Mattole. In the last five weeks have seen 19 arrest and since November 10th, 2000 a total of 44 activists have been arrested defending the Mattole Old Growth.

There has been violence against activists from logging crews in the woods and at the gates. Several backwoods activists report being beaten with sticks by loggers as Sheriff deputies looked the other way. These activists were also chased up trees and had wood debris built up at the base with one logger waving a can of gasoline threatening to burn them out. At several outer gates activists have been physically assaulted by truck drivers, punched, spit on, bumped by trucks and had hot coffee thrown in their faces. One activist received a fat lip by a sucker punching crew foreman and/or supervisor for the logging crews. His exact identity will be revealed as we have his license plate #, photo and 5 witnesses. Charges are being filed in this incident and another were a women standing at the side of a logging road was punched in the head.

Dan Erhsman of THP Watch attempted to get a stay of logging in THP 031 from the Federal Appeals court Friday morning. Despite a strong case, his request was denied, robbing him of his day in court. Maxxam/Pacific Lumber had verbally agreed not to log on this plan until the Superior Court in Humboldt County had ruled on his request for reconsideration of denial of a preliminary injunction. THP 031 is the logging plan that Maxxam has hit the hardest since Wednesday. Maxxam lies and courts deny...

People keeping calling and asking what we need. Food, Gear, $ Donations and spreading the word all help but in the face of a corporate monster who at their disposal has unlimited money, law enforcement and arcane laws that uphold the desecration of old-growth forest, we need one thing.... people. Folks who can commit to participating in nonviolent direct action. We held them off for 161 days and that is a victory in itself, but at this point we can\'t stop these trees from going down. But by slowing their operations, by getting in the way we send a clear meesage to Maxxam- get out of the Mattole... We have to make noise, get some headlines, build our arrest numbers, build our community of resistance and hopefully that will save this forest down the line.

Call (707)-825-6598 to get involved, come to the action camp..

Please contact:
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 nonviolent activist as humans beings and not endanger their lives with falling trees.

Humboldt County Supervisor, Stan Dixon (707)-476-2391
Humboldt County Supervisor, Roger Rodoni (707)-476-2392
Humboldt County Supervisor, John Wooley (707)-476-2393
Humboldt County Supervisor, Bonnie Neely (707)-476-2394
Humboldt County Supervisor, Paul Kirk (707)-476-2395

Please call each of these Humboldt County Supervisor\'s them how much of our taxpayer dollars they intend to spend protecting Maxxam\'s logging of ancient forest in the Mattole. Remind them that the Humboldt County Sheriff\'s Department is not Maxxam\'s private security force and the protection of the Mattole is supported by a majority of the citizens they represent.

Mattole Action Camp, May 18th -24th
Please come join us next weekend in Humboldt County for the Mattole Action Camp. We need to train a new round of activist to defend the old-growth doug fir of the Mattole. Trainings and skill sharing will include Nonviolence, Backwoods, Legal, Climbing, THP Monitoring, Blockading and more. Please bring camping gear, warm clothing, hiking apparel, musical instruments, food and monetary donations for the kitchen. Please No Dogs, Drugs, Alcohol or Bad attitudes. Camp will open late Friday afternoon on the 18th and close the 24th, in time to head to the Sierras for the California EF! Rendezvous. Call (707)-825-6598 to RSVP. More info on the action camp as plans unfold.


Essential Mattole Forest Defender Needs
> Walky Talky\'s
> UHF/VHF radios
> Video Camera\'s
> Ground coffee (organic is preferred)
> Hydrogen Peroxide
> Chocolate (vegan if possible)
> Dried soup mixes
> Hummus & Falafel mix
> Organic oats & Rice
> Trail mix
> Tofu
> Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
> Dried fruit/raw nuts
> Fleece tops and bottoms
> Nokia 5100/6100 Cell phone batteries
> Bivy Sacs
> Sleeping Bags
> Waterproof Tarps (preferrably camo)
> Static Line
> Still Camera\'s
> Waterproof Hiking Boots
> Wool Socks
> Raingear (gortex or rubberized)
> Gift Certificate to Ace Hardware, Arcata Coop, 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 nonviolent direct action experience. Come prepared for wet and cold conditions. The hike to the Free State is over 12+ miles.

For more information:
Direct Action: *Mattole Forest Defenders

POB 28, Arcata, CA 95518

*North Coast Earth First!, 707-825-6598, 822-3771(fax)

ncef [at] humboldt1.com

*Bay Area Coalition For Headwaters (510)-835-6303

http://www.mattoledefense.org/

Images at http://www.earthfilms.org/

Article at http:/http://www.indybay.org/

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