Old Growth and Haupt Creek -- A "Devastating Impact" in Process? -- Final Review at CDF
URGENT ACTION ALERT!!!
LAST OLD GROWTH REDWOOD STAND IN SONOMA COUNTY AT RISK !
URGENT REQUEST to attend this hearing to safeguard this last vestige of old growth redwoods in Sonoma county! PLEASE FORWARD ON TO ALL WHO CARE. WE ARE ABOUT TO LOSE ONE OF THE LAST PRIMEVAL OLD GROWTH REDWOOD FOREST HERE IN SONOMA COUNTY...AND THERE'S STILL TIME TO SAVE IT BY ATTENDING THE TIMBER HARVEST REVIEW AT THE DEPT.OF FORESTRY, 135 RIDGEWAY AVE IN SANTA ROSA ON THURSDAY APRIL 24 AT 10:00 AM.
CAN WE COUNT ON YOU TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR LAST REMAINING OLD GROWTH REDWOOD FOREST IN SONOMA COUNTY???
Please read the article below submitted by Linda Perkins in Redwood Needles:
SONOMA COUNTY'S OLD GROWTH FOREST
Would it surprise and delight you to learn that there still exists in Sonoma County- just four miles northeast of Salt Point- an ancient redwood forest of over 800 acres that has never been harvested? A stand that rivals in magnificence and beauty any redwood forest found in California?
Would it dismay you to find out that the integrity of this old forest is threatened by logging? Logging in the only intact old growth redwood stand of this size left between Humboldt and the Bay Area?
Both are true. These old growth trees have hugged for hundreds of years their steep slopes that drain to the Gualala River. And now the landowners, the Richardson family, propose to cut 55 acres of the ancient giants.
California Water Quality staff did an on-site inspection of the plan to assess its potential impacts to the coho and steelhead salmon found in this already-impaired river system. The photographs that are part of their report provide a grim lesson in what this harvest might mean.
Those photos taken within the bounds of the ancient forest are of beautiful old trees and a pristine creek, with clear water bubbling over rocks and past mossy, fern-covered banks. Other pictures- taken in adjacent logged-over areas- depict the sad effects of cutting these huge trees from their steep slopes; landslides have occurred and there are gullies a dozen feet deep. Both have contributed so much sediment to the creek that it has gone underground. The photos show, instead of a creek, only a "road" where vehicles now drive.
A plant ecologist's evaluated the plan and wrote this: "a regionally rare prehistoric remnant of native vegetation.in western Sonoma County [it is] "unique".[and includes] rare intact. soil profiles, seed banks, clonal herb populations, and insect population. Uncommon to rare extinction-prone populations of amphibian and invertebrate taxa.are likely to be concentrated.[in] the THP area."
For the imperiled marbled murrelet, this loss of habitat will be devastating. Radar surveys have detected mamu flying into the plan area. Unfortunately, their nests- given the low numbers of remaining birds- have been impossible to find. Biologists say that the most critical element in achieving the recovery of this species will be in providing habitat in the counties between Humboldt and Santa Cruz to link up the mamu populations in these two counties. This high quality old growth habitat in Sonoma County is one such critical and irreplaceable link that must be preserved.
We can't afford to lose that which can never be replaced; we can't allow even one of these trees to be lost. We must save this remnant forest and the rare species that only it can harbor.
· Please write even a brief note of protest to the California Department of Forestry, 135 Ridgway Avenue, Santa Rosa CA 95401. Reference THP 1-00-484 SON.
· Send a copy of your letter to your state legislators and, for Sonoma County residents, to county officials. Both locally and in the region, elected officials need to know that this unique site is a public treasure to be preserved in perpetuity.
· For pictures, reports and in-depth information, visit the websites of
Russian River Residents Against Unsafe Logging www.rrraul.org and Friends of the Gualala River www.gualalariver.org .
Linda Perkins PO Box 467 Albion CA 95410
Friends,
Did you know that Sonoma County has some of the best old growth on the north coast? A logging plan (THP) is in the review process now: THP 00-484. Available from CDF Santa Rosa, for $9.50. Phone 576-2959 to order.
Sonoma County has little old growth redwood preserved in public ownership, and almost none even *exists* in private ownership, let alone ownership that is likely to result in preservation. Now, the major block of privately-held old growth is proposed for logging; the land is owned by a Mr. Richardson.
The Richardson family owns about 800 ACRES of it out there; there is no watershed group to carry the torch here because the family owns all around it. In any event, this is something that far transcends any one watershed group; we need to consider that the watershed is the Sonoma Coast and make it ours for this occasion.
Water Quality has a good inspection report on it, with pictures. Fish and Game also did a good report.
I hope some of you will write comments to CDF Santa Rosa, 135 Ridgway Ave, SR 95401. And attend the second ( final) review at CDF.
*** OUR PRESENCE CAN BE OF HELP.*** You don't have to SAY anything, but there is a time-honored practice of "nodding and shaking" -- that is, you nod in support of the good guys, and shake your head when something is said you disapprove of.
I don't expect ever to have another chance to try to help preserve old growth in Sonoma County in my lifetime -- and you may not either. THPs are almost NEVER completely denied by CDF, but sometimes the 'other' agencies can gain some mitigation or reduction of the logging, elimination of landslides, etc.
Hope to see you there,
Helen Libeu
Comments on this THP are needed in writing and can be hand delivered by the commenters at second review. Being at a second review meeting is interesting as it shows how the system works and it is where the community is invited to give their comments. A good turnout at the meeting is seen by the agencies as evidence of concern by the public and it influences their decisions on a THP.
Chris Poehlmann
To repeat, this proposed 1-00-484 SON timber harvest will have Second Review at 10:00 on Thursday, April 24, at the CDF offices in Santa Rosa. Members of the public should attend and voice their concerns; please call for the time. Written comments may also be sent to CDF. The CDF offices are:
Calif. Dept of Forestry and Fire Protection Coast Cascade Region 135 Ridgeway Ave. Santa Rosa, CA 95402 Phone: (707) 576-2959 Fax: (707) 576-2608
Richardson forest property: "The THP states that the plan area is 'no different from any other forested lands in Sonoma County'" . Hmmm... Old-growth.
Some highlights of the report (emphasis added):
"This land has never been harvested and is a Late Seral redwood and Douglas fir forest. The forest is evenly distributed from ridge top to stream corridor, which gives it a distinct character different from inland redwood forests that are concentrated along river bottoms in alluvial flats. As with all forests of this type, there are pockets where the redwood is in a high basal area percentage component of the forest with a mix of small hardwood understory. Large Douglas fir is mixed lightly throughout this forest. The Late Seral stand characteristics of this property should receive complete evaluation as any loss will have a serious effect on “listed” salmonids as well as Marbled Murrelet, Spotted Owl and other rare animals, plants (CCR 14 912.9 (f), (g)). It has been observed that Marbled Murrelet is in such low numbers in this area that they no longer call out as they enter the nesting area as they normally do in larger flocks. CDF&G has reported that finding Murrelet onsite will be difficult during standard protocol surveys, even though they have been picked up on radar in the area (CDF&G). As with all of the sensitive native species their numbers decline in direct relation to removal of habitat, which is why the Forest Practice Rules require a complete evaluation of any loss of an essential habitat elements. Any loss may have a profound impact on the forest and the future of the endangered species on this property. When habitats are fragmented or reduced in size there is a direct correlation to population losses and soon the habitat can not support self-sustaining populations. We are already seeing evidence of native species failing to reproduce in numbers that are self-sustaining. Any further loss of this last remaining intact habitat will have a devastating impact on all species indigenous to this forest. We concur with CDF&G that their future is not only dependent on this habitat remaining intact but also restoration of additional habitats quickly before their genetic link to this land is lost forever." (P. 1-2)
"The two THPs (1-99-098 SON Amendment 2 and 1-00-484 SON) intend to cut portions of this last intact Late Seral forest in this area. These plans infer that harvesting 13 and 55 acres will have an insignificant effect on the remaining 800 plus acres. This is not justified by the facts on the ground nor has a proper analysis been completed... It can only be stated that reduction of this Late Seral forest in the Gualala River watershed by timber harvesting has had a serious and continuing effect on fish, wildlife and plant communities, which is not an insignificant effect as stated in the plan." (P. 4)
"Any loss of habitat at this time cannot be justified. Coho salmon and Marbled Murrelet are just two species that were abundant in the past and specifically thrive on just this type of habitat are now hanging on by a thread and the future of others (Steelhead, red tree vole, and spotted owl) depend at least on retaining this entire late seral stand." (P. 5)
"As stated by 14 CCR 916.9 (6) “Every timber operation shall be planned and conducted to prevent deleterious interference with the watershed conditions including vegetative cover needed to minimize daily and seasonal temperature fluctuations within the preferred range for anadromous salmonids…”. Additionally 916.9(5) provides for protection, maintenance and restoration of trees that may now or in the future, provide large woody debris for instream habitat and fluvial functions within the preferred range of “ listed” salmonids. Due to the existing conditions in Haupt Creek and the critical importance of this site for providing shade and LWD recruitment, there can be no net loss in either of these two important beneficial elements. This loss is devastating to this watercourse, the Wheatfield Fork and the entire Gualala River."
Erosion hazards: There are also significant landslides on the THP property, and a potential for others to occur as a result of logging.
More photographs appear in the report.
The WQ Pre-Harvest Inspection Report for Timber Harvest Plan 1-00-484 SON (Adobe PDF)
Note: This THP review brings up a point which too often seems to get overlooked. Most folks don't know where to put their energies -- and it does take some energy; just e-mailing the choir does no good. The right places for devoting energy vary according to what kind of action is proposed. For this old growth timber harvesting plan, don't talk to the choir,
GO TO THE REVIEW TEAM MEETING AND SUPPORT WATER QUALITY and DFG! READ THEIR REPORTS!
Jay Halcomb
Read example comments on this THP.
Why does any of this matter? For a broader context, see also:
The recent Living Planet Report by the World Wildlife Federation: "The report <http://www.panda.org/livingplanet/lpr02/> shows that humans are currently running a huge deficit with the Earth - using over 20 percent more natural resources each year than can be regenerated - and this figure is growing each year. Projections based on likely scenarios of population growth, economic development and technological change, show that by 2050, humans will consume between 180 percent and 220 percent of the Earth's biological capacity. According to the report, this means that unless governments take urgent action, by 2030, human welfare, as measured by average life expectancy, educational level, and world economic product will go into decline. "
Animals, plants show fast response to warming
NPR Interview: Climate Change Research -- Study: Plants, Animals Affected by Global Warming (Real Audio)
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