This image was recently taken in the McKay Tract in the vicinity of occupied trees, under the protection of brave and passionate tree-sitters. The owls don’t want to see this forest clear-cut and we don’t as well. Please support the tree-sitters and continue to organize within your community to preserve this ancient forest.
Northern Spotted Owl - February 2009
© forestdefenders.com
The title of the story is “What Now, Treesitter?” That has to be the most unfitting and ridiculous titles for such an article! What now??? Ha!… Do you think that it’s over?
…They won’t be cut, ever. That was the word, delivered in person on Aug. 12 by Humboldt Redwood Co. President Mike Jani, who hiked into the woods to two treesitter villages with his wife and several activists to see the old trees and talk to the treesitters. He told them it wasn’t his company’s policy to cut old-growth trees such as these. He said if they hadn’t sat in these trees, the trees surely would have been cut under the former company’s plan. He shook their hands and said, “Thank you.” Then they all walked around attaching pink “Do Not Cut” tape to the trees…
The Los Angeles Times published a piece on the Humboldt Redwood Company visit to the tree-sits (read article here »). It’s a pretty good article, but, again, I’m concerned about the media casting HRC in too good of a light. Let us hope that HRC’s actions of “saving” old-growth trees can be the impetus for Green Diamond Resource Company and Sierra Pacific Industries to STOP cutting “their” old-growth trees.
The larger issue here, regarding all of these companies, is that they all practice clear-cutting. Clear-cutting must stop. Sure, let’s save the old-growth. But let’s not let the positioning of ” saving old-growth” cloud our aims here. Animals are at stake. Poisonous chemicals are being deployed. Lakes and streams are being destroyed. Fish are suffering. The entire forest is suffering.
The real victory will come when these companies stop destroying the land, not from solely protecting old trees.
It’s already been a week since Forest Defenders broke the story of the Fern Gully and Nanning Creek Tree-Villages being saved from the greedy tight fists of Pacific Lumber Company and the buzz is still going strong. Just this morning 
Times-Standard and Indybay released stories on the tree-sits.
As happy as we Forest Defenders are, myself included, people need to understand that old-growth logging practices have not stopped. Clear-cutting has not stopped. Herbicide usage has not stopped. Killing of endangered and threatened species has not stopped.
Humboldt Redwood Company didn’t do the right thing, they did the only thing that was acceptable – to end the destruction of old-growth trees. Should we continue to pat them on the back and treat them like saviors? You can, but I surely won’t be doing so. It should be natural – a given – that old trees should never be cut under ANY circumstances.
Companies such as Green Diamond Resource Company and Sierra Pacific Industries would both do well to come to this ridiculously simple understanding – stop destroying the land! Live in harmony with the land. Land isn’t here for us to liquidate and squeeze money out of at the expense of wildlife habitat, clean air, and freedom for plants to survive just as we are able to (for now, at least).
This isn’t the end of tree-sitting – not at all. This isn’t the end of forest defense. As long as companies are liquidating forests, killing old-growth, clear-cutting, using herbicides, and killing threatened and endangered species, you can bet we’ll still be at it, every day, for asss lonnggg asss itttt takeeess……..
This isn’t the end, it’s the beginning of more victories to come.
The buzz is still going with the recent saving of both Humboldt County Tree Villages, Nanning Creek and Fern Gully. Last night various Forest Defenders as well as Mike Jani, Chief Forester of Humboldt Redwood Company, spoke with Cynthia Elkins of KMUD Radio.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
After years of direction action, struggles, pains, perseverance and determination, Fern Gully and Nanning Creek tree-villages are finally — and rightfully — protected. After an 18 month struggle, Mendocino Redwood Company has successfully taken oven Pacific Lumber Company (PL), naming the new company Humboldt Redwood Company (HRC).
Good riddings Maxxam Corp.!!
Michael Jani, chief forester and vice president of Mendocino Redwood Company, has told activist directly (via phone and in person) that no old-growth trees will be cut, and ensuring that both current tree-villages will be protected. The old-growth trees will be tagged with “Wilderness Tree” signs after activist didn’t accept having the trees traditionally sprayed with paint, disrupting the aesthetic value of the forest.
All current Timber Harvest Plans (THP) containing old-growth trees will be modified to selective logging plans.
Does this mean that Humboldt Redwood Company is in the clear? Absolutely not. As long as companies are still clear-cutting, there’s a problem that needs to be dealt with. Also, there’s the question about the second growth-trees that are living within the tree-village groves. Will they be protected as well? What, exactly, will be the perimeter around each grove? Will heavy machinery damage the old-growth groves to access second-growth trees? There are still many, many questions for which we currently have no answers.
I applaud Humboldt Redwood Company for their pledge to protect old-growth and save both tree-villages; however, activists and forest defenders will keep a very close eye on their actions and developments. Making sure that they live up to their word.
With companies such as Green Diamond Resource Company (a.k.a. Simpson Timber Company) and Sierra Pacific Industries both owning a total of over 2 million acres of California “Timber Land,” there’s no time to take a breather. Both companies are still noxiously clear-cutting trees, including old-growth, as I write this article.
Activists are demanding to have something put in writing, which has yet to happen.
[This shouldn't be a problem since Jani has already agreed, right? well... we'll see .] We expect new developments to take place in days as to the protection of the tree-village groves. Until it’s is writing or the THPs are dropped, tree-sitters will remain in trees until Octobers when both THPs are set to officially expire.
Stay tuned…
Last week Wednesday around 1AM Forest Defender and tree-sitter known as “Tree” was injured upon coming in contact with a black bear in the Freshwater area tree village known as Fern Gully.
Tree became spooked when on the ground in the dark when the bear huffed and began advancing on the activist. As the activist speedily retreated from danger, his headlamp broke which resulted in a fall down a steep hill, resulting in a broken wrist.
The next morning after swelling and inflammation became overwhelming, Tree knew that his arm was broken. Within an hour, Tree was picked up and brought to the Mad River Medical Community Hospital where he was treated and released that same day.
Even with a broken arm, Tree is confident and determined more than ever to remain involved in the defense of threatened forests. “It was my time to be on the soil. Everything happens for a reason,” Tree said. He looks forward to getting back up in a tree within 2 months. Until then, he’ll remain on the ground supporting other forest defenders.