You can have a voice in protecting the forests at the headwaters of the North forks of the wild Mattole River in Humboldt County.
We want to alert you to a new timber harvest plan (THP) that threatens the Rattlesnake Creek tributary of the Mattole. The public comment period on this THP–Humboldt Redwood Company’s newest logging proposal on Rainbow Ridge— (photo at right) will close at the end of the day on April 19 (this Friday!).
Comment guidelines:
While public comment alone may not stop the destruction, it opens the
door to environmental lawsuits on issues that would otherwise be ignored,
and requires the state to take time to respond to your concerns before
approving the logging.
Feel free to copy and paste, modify and/or write about your own
concerns. Directing questions at CalFire is great too!
Send to: santarosapubliccomment@fire.ca.gov
Subject Line: Public Comment on THP 1-19-00029
Issues of Concern:
1. Unlogged Forest– Logging of Douglas fir and hardwood forest that has
never been logged and the non-disclosure by Humboldt Redwood Company of
such stands inside the plan area.
2. Climate Change– Effect of ongoing climate change on the future growth
and survival rates of natural forest and re-planted areas is not being
considered in the Plan.
3. Greenhouse Gas– The release of greenhouse gasses and contribution to
catastrophic climate change by killing large numbers of hardwood trees
which are left to rot has not been quantified nor addressed in the Plan.
4. Toxic Herbicides– The proposed use of herbicides in the plan area,
especially near a drinking water source. This commonly includes
glyphosate (active ingredient in Roundup, a Monsanto corp. herbicide).
The toxicity of glyphosate is not addressed in the Plan, even though recent jury
verdicts have awarded millions of dollars to victims of Roundup exposure
who developed cancer.
5. Fire Danger– Increase in fire danger due to a buildup of dead bushes and
trees due to herbicide use. This is a threat to community safety as well
as ecological health.
6. Fire Resistance– The replacement of large fire resistant trees with more
flammable, crowded tree plantations.
7. Fire Risk Assessment– Lack of assessment of flammability and fire danger
to residents pre-harvest and post-harvest.
8. Forest Conversion– The Plan constitutes conversion of natural forest to
tree plantations.
9. Erosion– Intensive logging and road building is proposed on unstable
slopes.
In other news, forest defenders continue to monitor the timber harvest
areas for company activity up in the Mattole River watershed. The next action camp is planned for June – stay tuned!
You can contact efhum@riseup.net with questions about specifics or action camp. In the Bay Area, you can plug in with Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters.
Come visit our table at People’s Park 50th anniversary celebration on April 28, in the Park between Dwight and Hearst above Telegraph in Berkeley!