Fish and Forestry News

Saturday, September 26, 1998

Several contentious local timber harvest plans remain disputed in the complex California Dept. of Forestry review process. These include: affecting Guerneville, the Clar Tree plan (1-98-253 SON); near Cazadero, two contiguous Austin Creek plans (1-98-254 SON and 1-98-218 SON); and a Willow Creek Road (near Occidental) plan (1-98-294 SON).

On Wednesday, September 23, forestry activists Helen Libeu, Alan Levine, Linda Perkins, Greg Zuckert, and Jay Halcomb spent several hours meeting with CDF officials Tom Osipowich, Deputy Chief of Forest Practice, and Cascade Region Review Team Chair, Anthony Lukacic, discussing Timber Harvest Plan (THP) filing issues. Participants reached some consensus about THP submission problems and the means of addressing them in the CDF review process. The discussions will continue in November.

Recently in Sacramento, CDF director Richard Wilson appointed a Task Force on THP submission; members of RRRAUL will participate. Members of RRRAUL and other groups will also meet September 30 with Assemblywoman Virginia Strom-Martin, to discuss possible legislative change to current forestry practices.

On Wednesday, October 5, a presentation by co-author Patrick Higgins on KRIS COHO. a computer program for watershed information management, will be held at the New College in Santa Rosa. The Klamath Resource Information System (KRIS) is a free, interactive, expandable database program that compiles data tables, charts, photographs and bibliographic materials related to a watershed. It consists of all the available fisheries and water quality data available in the public domain, and includes an electronic map system. KRIS contains both historical information about fishery populations as well as current status and trends in water quality.

The presentation will include evaluation and comment on Pacific Lumber's Habitat Conservation Plan. It is hosted by Russian River Residents Against Unsafe Logging, the Institute for Inland Fisheries, and Trout Unlimited The New College is at 99 Sixth Street, corner of 6th and Wilson in Santa Rosa's Railroad Square. The New College phone number for more information is 568-0112, David Baker.