November 28, 1998
Forestry News: Wednesday, November 25, the California Department of Forestry (Santa Rosa office) held a 2nd Review of one of the three contentious Austion Creek THPs -- the "Kohute Gulch" havesting plan (No. 1-98-254 SON). That plan, originally submitted to CDF in July, proposes to log 140 acres of creek- and hill-side forest immediately above an 80 household enclave bordering Austin Creek. Cumulatively, the three THPs in the area are intended to log more than 500 acres.
The three and one-half hour review was well attended by protesting public citizens, including members of the Austin Creek Alliance and RRRAUL. Anthony Lukacic, CDF Review Team Chair, conducted the meeting.
Chief among the concerns expressed by the attendees, mostly near neighbors of the proposed logging, were 1) cumulative environmental threats posed by this and 2 adjoining THPS to Kohute Creek., a Class I (fish-bearing) tributary of Austin Creek, 2) silvicultural problems with the THP, and 3) the well-documented geological instability of the region. The well-organized protesters brought with them maps, aerial videos, and photographs demonstrating their concerns, and had previously written numerous letters of criticism to CDF seeking denial or substantial mitigation of the proposed activities.
With respect to silviculture, one citizen complained that a logging method proposed for 100 acres of forestland, the 'alternative prescription' method, amounted in this case to "a sneaky gerrymandering" of the forest, in order to "highgrade" the most marketable conifers from amongst the hardwoods abundant on the hillsides. The result of such practices, he said, is the continuing "conversion of California's forests to hardwood," adding "This THP is a poster-child for bad forestry."
Others spoke about numerous geological instabilities in the region, reporting that an earthquake faultline ran through the THP region. Speakers documented numerous recent landslides in the region -- one landslide within the THP area which as large as several football fields. Those speakers expressed fears that logging would result in even more instability, due to root- and evaporo-transpiration losses. They cited Cazadero's extreme rainfall rate and pointed to the recent Rio Nido disaster and to recent landslide closures of Highway 116, as the sort of thing which could result from logging. They stated that they had only one access road, and that Austin Creek Road had been closed by flooding for two days last year.
Despite these complaints, the Review Team Chair stated that he was recommending approval of the plan, although holding open the public comment period for another week. In quick reaction, the protesting citizens met on the next Friday to plan further protest, including the hiring of a private consulting geological engineer. The Austin Creek Alliance may be contacted at 632-5270. Or communicate to RRRAUL.
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