Clar Tree, Austin Creek News

RRRAUL Press Release, December 28, 1998

Forestry News:

The Clar Tree THP: On Monday, December 21, a scheduled Calif. Dept. of Forestry Second Review of the controversial Clar Tree THP (1-98-253 SON, "Silver Estates") was hastily postponed per the request of the Registered Professional Forester responsible for the THP. Members of the public and of County agencies showing up to attend the hastily canceled Review were discomfited, as they weren't apprised of the cancellation beforehand. CDF in a letter subsequently rebuked the forester, who did not attend the aborted meeting. (It is an unfortunate feature of the current Forest Practice Rules, and one which RRRAUL is lobbying to rectify, that too much of the lamentably short timetable for conducting THP reviews depends upon the convenience of the plan submitter rather than of the regulatory agencies). Both the Sonoma County Water Agency and the County Counsel had written letters to CDF underscoring various hazards of this THP, as had the Regional Water Control Board and members of the concerned public.

That THP has aroused strong local opposition for putting at risk the tallest redwood in Sonoma County, the Clar Tree, for posing unjustifiable visual disturbances along a State Scenic corridor, Highway 116, and for threatening the functioning of the Guerneville Sewer District, which leases some of the THP area for effluent disposal. The Sonoma County Water Agency and the Sewer District are currently considering the question of how the proposed logging would reduce the conifer evaporo-transpiration rate of the affected lands. Significant hillside portions of the THP area have already been removed from the plan due to landslide dangers posed to Sewer District facilities, which were recently damaged by land failure upon the property.

This controversial project was initiated by Mr. Roger Burch of Santa Clara County, who owns a logging company also involved in controversial operations in other California counties. In a January letter, CDF strongly rebuked Mr. Burch and his agents over another logging project, for "excessive removal of canopy", "cutting of unmarked trees", "improper falling techniques", "excessively wide cable corridors", and other misdeeds, and ordered that significant changes in operating procedures be immediately implemented in that operation.

Austin Creek Alliance: One of three contentious Austin Creek THPs (this one, No. 1-98-254, "Kohute Gulch") is awaiting CDF decision. This THP, along with two others adjoining it, has also aroused considerable neighborhood objection. RRRAUL and the Austin Creek Alliance (the latter formed to contest the Austin Creek THPs), recently hired a Certified Engineering Geologist, Mr. Harold Wollenberg of Ft. Bragg, to comment upon these THPs. Mr. Wollenberg has documented the general instability of the Franciscan terrane of the region and commented upon the dangers of specific landslide features which already exist in the THP area. Aerial photos obtained by RRRAUL and ACA show significant environmental impacts affecting the Austin Creek watershed due to logging in this and adjoining areas over recent decades.

Additionally, a nearby THP also adjoining Austin Creek was recently submitted to CDF. This (No. 1-98-428 SON, "Bullbarn Gulch") is a proposal to log 280 acres alongside Bullbarn Gulch, Kidd Creek, and Austin Creek itself. The plan, which like the other Austin Creek THPs involves Class I and II watercourses and steep slopes, was this week returned to the submitter (rejected for filing) at an initial First Review by CDF, for incompleteness and other concerns. Together with the other Austin Creek THPs, the total amount of land presently being considered for timber harvest in the Austin Creek Watershed amounts to nearly 900 acres.

Meanwhile, a nascent and fractious Russian River Watershed Council, convened at the behest of the Resource Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers and still in birth throes during the Davis administration transition, has not yet managed to find any grip with these and other watershed management concerns.

Interested persons may contact RRRAUL for more information about these and other forestry concerns in the County.