ACTION ALERT
Nearly 900 Arrested in U.S. Anti-Redwood Logging Protest
9/17/96
OVERVIEW & SOURCE by EE
Following are two accounts of one of the largest anti-logging protests in
recent U.S. history, and perhaps ever. Headwaters, the largest privately
owned ancient redwood forest remaining in the U.S., was the target of a
6,000 person protest followed by a peaceful civil disobedience action where
nearly 900 people were arrested over the weekend. Negotiations continue
between the Pacific Lumber Company and the U.S. government to find a way to
avert logging of the 3000 acre redwood grove. Attached are photocopies of
two press accounts documenting the situation; as well as addresses, fax,
email and WWW information for contacting President Clinton, Vice-President
Gore and the U.S. Congress. Please contact these decision makers and call
for an end to logging in Headwaters Redwood Forest.
Civil disobedience has an important role to play in saving the fragmented
remnants of the world's biological heritage. How much is conserved will
play an important role in determining potential for eventual large scale
ecological restoration across biologically diminished landscapes. Intact
ecological remnants may serve as a model for restoration efforts, a source
of seed materials and important patches in restoring ecological corridors.
All ancient forest ecosystems must be put off limits to industrial logging,
particularly in the much diminished developed countries. Additionally,
efforts must be made to carry out massive ecological restoration on
fragmented and degraded anthropocentric landscapes, as well as development
of sound eco-forestry management practices for the few remaining large
ancient forest wildernesses. To not take action now dooms our children to
a much diminished biological legacy.
Glen Barry
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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
ITEM #1
About 900 arrested in U.S. anti-logging protest
Copyright 1996 by Reuters
9/16/96
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuter) - Nearly 900 people were arrested during a peaceful
logging protest in the nation's largest privately owned ancient redwood
forest, officials said Monday.
Humboldt County Sheriff's Department spokesman Rod Lester said 897 people
were arrested, mostly for trespassing, after a huge rally near Carlotta in
northern California Sunday by environmentalists calling for permanent
protection of the 3,000-acre Headwaters forest.
Singer Bonnie Raitt was among those picked up for trespassing on the
property owned by Pacific Lumber Co. in an orchestrated civil disobedience
action.
Demonstrators lined up to be arrested one-by-one as they crossed the
property line, which took at least six hours, stretching until late in the
evening. They were cited and released except for nine who refused to
identify themselves, Lester said. He said most would probably face a small
fine and some public service work.
The environmentalists called demonstrations this week because Pacific
Lumber has a permit to begin "salvage logging" in Headwaters forest Monday.
The permit allows the company to remove dead, dying and diseased trees from
Headwaters, although the company said it would only remove fallen trees.
The giant redwoods are worth up to $50,000 each.
The arrests came after a colorful rally in Carlotta, 250 miles north of San
Francisco, calling for protection for the towering redwoods, some of which
are 2,000 years old.
Lester estimated the crowd at about 2,500 people but Michael Shellenberger,
a spokesman for the environmentalists, said some 6,000 people attended what
he called the biggest forest demonstration ever held in the United States.
Shellenberger said more protests would take place in the area Monday, with
activists planning to lock themselves to six gates on logging roads.
The Clinton administration and officials from Pacific Lumber's parent
company, MAXXAM Inc., have been holding intensive negotiations in
Washington to seek a solution to the dispute. They were discussing a
possible exchange of the forest for surplus federal land or rights to
harvest trees on other federal land, officials said.
No agreement has been reached, but Pacific Lumber agreed last Friday not to
harvest redwoods in the forest for the next two weeks to allow more time
for negotiations.
Environmentalists say the Headwaters forest and several other redwood
stands in the area provide vital habitat for endangered species such as the
marbled murrelet. Environmental groups have fought for years to prevent any
logging in the forest, saying only a small area remains of the ancient
redwoods that once covered northern California.
ITEM #2
Pacific Lumber won't cut redwoods for two weeks
Copyright 1996 by Reuters
9/13/96
WASHINGTON (Reuter) - Pacific Lumber Co. on Friday agreed not to chop down
ancient redwoods in northern California for the next two weeks, giving the
federal government a reprieve in its fight to protect the last redwood
forest in private hands.
"Promising negotiations toward an agreement in which the federal government
and the state of California will acquire the Headwaters Forest are
underway," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat from California who has
helped facilitate the talks.
"Pacific Lumber Company will not enter Headwaters Forest for two weeks
while negotiations continue," she said in a two-sentence statement.
Administration and company officials declined to give any further details
on progress made in the negotiations.
The two sides decided to take a break to observe the Jewish New Year
holiday, and would resume talks Monday, one administration source said.
"They've made enough progress to be able to continue," the source said.
Pacific Lumber, a unit of MAXXAM Inc, was due to begin taking downed trees
in the Headwaters Grove in Humboldt County Monday.
But the company has been negotiating with the government to exchange the
3,000 acres of virgin forest of ancient redwoods and Douglas fires for
surplus federal land or rights to harvest trees on other federal land.
The forest in northern California's Humboldt County is home to the
endangered marbled murrelet and coho salmon.
Deputy Interior Secretary John Garamendi Thursday described Sept. 15 -- the
last day of the nesting season for the murrelet -- was the target date for
reaching an agreement.
Talks have remained snagged on assessing the value of the 3,000 acres of
land to be exchanged and finding suitable land to be transferred "without
creating new economic problems, new environmental problems," Garamendi
said.
MAXXAM chairman Charles Hurwitz is fighting charges by the Office of Thrift
Supervision (OTC) and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC) that his
company contributed to the failure of a savings institution in 1988, and
has been in talks with the two agencies for a possible debt-for-nature swap
which could involve the Headwaters redwood stand.
The Interior Department has been discussing a land swap that would save
4,500 to 4,700 acres of forest from timber harvesting, Garamendi said
Thursday.
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ADDRESSES to contact:
President Bill Clinton
The President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20500
Email: president@whitehouse.gov
Fax: 202 456 2883
Vice-President Al Gore
The Vice President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20500
Email: vicepresident@whitehouse.gov
Fax: 202 456 7044
Additionally the White House has a World Wide Web comments page at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/Mail/html/Mail_President.html
U.S. CONGRESSIONAL CONTACT INFORMATION:
The Honorable_____________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable_______________
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20515
Capitol switchboard in case people want to get their reps. fax or phone
number:
House (202) 225-3121
Senate (202) 224-3121
Rainforest Action Network has most representative's email addresses in a
searchable database at:
http://www.ran.org/scripts/ran/search.pl?congress