Munchie site, we're watching!
Hulbert Creek: This plan was approved by C.D.F., on Sept. 8, with mitigations. The timber owner has made arrangements with the Russian River Fire District for radio communication between the fire station and logging trucks. Also, he has made bond for coverage of road and water pipe damage. He has also said that he will schedule hauling operations around school bus runs.
Sacramento news: Helen Libeu and R.R.R.A.U.L. appeared three times before the Board of Forestry (BOF) to propose two changes in the Forest Practice Rules -- road bonding and public notification of THPs to other concerned agencies. RRRAULians also met with CDF's director, Richard Wilson, to discuss the Guerneville situation. He stated that "rural-residential logging presents special problems" which require special treatment. RRRAULians produced a video (viewed by both BOF and C.D.F.) demonstrating some of the problems of local road congestion, soil instability, etc.
Purrington Creek Land Conversion. This is an under-3-acre exemption for a barn/corral on pristine Purrington Creek (tributary of the Russian River and Coho and Steelhead spawning stream). R.R.R.A.U.L. attended three hearings at the Sonoma County Board of Zoning Adjustments, and helped appeal the matter all to the Board of Supervisors, which approved the conversion conditional upon completion of an approved building permit.
RRRAULians spoke with Heald Business College students about local forestry issues and assisted them with an environmental class production of a 20 page magazine on the area's ecology. This is now a webpage hosted by RRRAUL. See "The Russian River Perspective"
RRRAULians assisted at Helen Libeu's talk at the S.R.J.C. Environmental Forum, entitled, "Forestry: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly". The J.C. has produced video of the presentation, which is available to those interested (contact R.R.R.A.U.L.).
RRRAULians spoke with students from the Sonoma State Environmental Studies Department, assisting them with a class project dealing with the Russian River environment.
R.R.R.A.U.L. met with outraged neighbors to organize opposition to yet another proposed Guerneville THP; this one involving old-growth and the likelihood of direct, heavy river siltation.
R.R.R.A.U.L. issued a press release announcing the discovery of a 27", gravid steelhead salmon (and many fingerlings) in Hulbert Creek -- a tributary of the Russian River so small that portions of it disappear underground during the summers, but which floods heavily during wet winters.
RRRAULians are monitoring the proposed formation of a Russian River Watershed Council. See Letter to Russian River Watershed Council .
RRRAULians attended a Coastal Watersheds conference in Ukiah, jointly sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service and C.D.F., and which dealt with logging of second-growth forests and cumulative impacts thereupon. The conference focused on the cumulative effects of timber harvests, on sedimentation, stream discharge, channel morphology, soil erosion, fisheries, and biological values found within the Caspar Creek watershed.
R.R.R.A.U.L. was a signatory to an important letter to the Director of Fish and Game, Jackie Schafer, concerning the near-total absence of that department's participation in THP review. Sadly, DFG's long time representative, Dick Moore, recently retired, and there is no news of his replacement. Dick Moore was sensitive concerning environmental issues and will be missed.
In June RRRAULians flew to Santa Barbara to speak at a Board of Forestry meeting concerning the problems of California Oaks. Sonoma County wineyard conversions often involve the removal of many oaks.
RRRAULians have produced and are disseminating a second video (and photographs) documenting local forest and stream conditions. Plans have been made to fly over Sonoma County, to video and photograph the present state of vineyard conversion and forestry .
R.R.R.A.U.L. continues to act as watchdog of forestry issues in Sonoma County.
From a Sierra Club Newsletter:
"...California residents have been making a difference in their local watersheds, monitoring Timber Harvest Plans and development that would endanger salmon.
Recently, Russian River Residents Against Unsafe Logging (RRRAUL), with the guidance of veteran activist Helen Libeu, convinced the California Department of Forestry to abandon a Timber Harvest Plan for 66 acres in Guerneville that would have polluted salmon streams and increased the potential for landsliding.
RRRAUL's victory reminds us that a dedicated group of activists can make a difference, and that we have the tools, in the form of laws on the books, to do so. But in the race against extinction, time is running out. Californians need to demand strong protections for salmon."
("Upstream", Winter 1997)
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