Just got word from sitters perched up in a redwood on North Ridge Rd on Green Diamond land. An arborist just climbed the opposing tree of the sitters and dangerously axed two branches close to a connected traverse line attached to a sitters platform. We need your support - please come to North Ridge Rd off of Walnut Drive. Detailed directions on efhumboldt.org.

Okay, so Green Diamond Resource Company is playing chess, not checkers like the now defunct Pacific Lumber Company. This company is actually thinking! Wow, amazing, eh. Or… maybe things aren’t what they appear to be…

Green Diamond has strategically (re: new markers) placed “Wildlife” markers on various old growth trees throughout the McKay Tract 60 acre THP (McKay-09) which is scheduled to begin “not before February 2009.”

Obviously the lines of communication are weak throughout the company, due to the fact that on Saturday August 23rd a Green Diamond forester placed a wildlife tag on a tree known as Millenia that sitters had been occupying; the forester looked up and acknowledged the tree sitters as they yelled “Hello!”

On August 28th the North Coast Journal published a story about the Green Diamond tree sit in which, Neal Ewald, Vice President of the Timberlands Division, had no idea about the tree sitters: “…was surprised to hear of the treesit. Ewald said he couldn’t remember the last time his company had had treesitters.”

Now why wouldn’t the Green Diamond forester notify anyone about the tree sitters? How peculiar…. And why is Green Diamond now going back and marking new wildlife trees after they already stated in their THP that “91 Wildlife trees have been marked in clear cut areas?”

Does anyone know the legalities of marking a wildlife tree, then removing it to cut the tree? Is this a possibility?

Is it because they, too, are trying to ride the wave of all the media hype that Humboldt Redwood Company is now receiving about “saving” old growth trees? Do they also want to save old growth and just not declare it so? Was marking the trees a subterfuge to use tree sitters as a tool to go running to the media screaming in joy: “YAY!!! Green Diamond is not cutting old growth!!”

Not sure. But it lends way to an interesting situation. As far as I’m concerned Green Diamond is the new Pacific Lumber if they are still cutting old growth. And ALL the companies are equally destroying nature if they continue to clear cut and use ridiculous loopholes of Habitat Conservation Plans (ha, what a joke!) to kill endangered and threatened species.

But you know what…. the CDF (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection) is the ROOT of the problem because they are giving these companies the key — the green light — to commit these atrocities on Nature. CDF, no worries, we haven’t forgotten about you.

The battle continues…. It never stopped!

Tree-sitters sitting in “Millenia” documented this very animated Northern Spotted Own while in an old-growth tree that resides directly inside a grove marked for clear-cut in February 2009 — the McKay Tract in Eureka, CA. Though the tree the owl was located in was a “wildlife tree” (marked not to be cut), then entire grove is planned to be cleared, greatly diminishing the owl’s already limited habitat. Under the government authorization of an “Incidental Take Permit,” Green Diamond (nice oxymoron, eh?) has the power to kill Endangered Spotted Owls, so they can make more green, green, green, money, money, money!!

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.

The Struggle Continues to Protect Ancient Forests

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.

What About the Second-Growth?

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.

Last week Forest Defenders hiked into the tree-village known as Nanning Creek, Scotia, Humboldt County, for a resupply of food and water. Currently there are a few sitters up in the trees, waiting until it’s safe to come down and the trees are finally protected once and for all.

Longtime Forest Defender know as “Amy” and her child stand before the tree called Spooner (pictured above) that is estimated to be close to 3000 years old, roughly 300 ft high, and 45 feet in diameter. Spooner is one of a kind and has been the focal point of the entire tree-village from its inception a few years back.

“Tree-sitting really does work!” says Amy as she spoke confidently to the saving and protection of Spooner that she anticipates is in the near future as Humboldt Redwood Company purportedly declares “not to cut old-growth trees”.

During the visit to Spooner, a platform was removed from the tree as it hasn’t been functional and unnecessarily suspended in the tree. As always, measures are constantly taken by the Nanning Creek Affinity Group to lessen the impact of the tree-sits on the environment.

Garbage, supply, waste, etc.. are hiked out on a weekly basis and actions are taken to keep the area as well as the trees as healthy as possible. As of this week, the Nanning Creek crew has been in direct contact with executives of the Humboldt Redwood Company in a effort to ensure that these trees will remain standing.