BACH Update 01/24/02

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January 24, 2002 Update<br>
from the Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters<br>
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<p>1 -- EPIC seeks injunction to protect Marbled Murrelets<br>
2 -- Heritage Trees initiative released and running!<br>
3 -- PL lay-offs due to unsustainable practices<br>
4 -- Allen Creek still on chopping block--write CDF!<br>
5 -- Redwood Rabbis invite you to Tu BiShevat<br>
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EPIC CHALLENGES KILLING OF ENDANGERED BIRD</p>
<p>Challenging the first-ever permit issued to destroy Marbled Murrelet nesting
habitat that was granted Pacific Lumber as part of the infamous Headwaters
Deal, the Environmental Protection Information Center, along with the Sierra
Club filed a motion for an injunction in December to protect the bird's
habitat. The Calif. Dept. of Fish and Game estimated that PL will kill up
to 340 Murrelets by logging areas of residual (previously selectively
logged) old growth forest. The population is so decimated that 340 birds
represents nearly 10% of the population remaining in California. The U. S.
Fish and Wildlife Service's Marbled Murrelet Recovery Plan stresses that the
species' survivqal depends on the protection of all occupied nesting habitat
left. </p>
<p>Pairs of this elusive seabird return to the same forest grove year after year
and sometimes nest in the same tree, reminiscent of the salmon that return to
their home streams. The lawsuit the injunction motion is based on was filed
shortly after the Headwaters Deal was consummated in 1999, challenging a number
of provisions relating to logging PL was allowed to carry out under the terms
of the Deal. See more facts on PL's logging at the bottom of this email. A copy
of the motion, declarations from expert witnesses and other information are
available on EPIC's website: http://www.wildcalifornia.org.<br></p>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br>
<p>HELP GET OLD GROWTH TREES ON THE BALLOT!</p>
<p>The Citzens' Campaign for Old Growth Preservation is proud to announce the
release from the state atorney general's office of the title and summary of
their initiative to preserve old growth trees on non-federal forest lands in
California. Now starts the monumental task of signature gathering over the
next three months. The petitions are being printed and coordinators and
office space secured. The BACH office will likely be a distribution point
when the petitions arrive, and an office is being set up in the We the
People space in West Oakland. Stay tuned and we will bring you more details
soon.</p>
<p>PL LAYS OFF WORKERS, CLOSES SCOTIA MILL</p>
<p>Cynically blaming not only environmentalists and state regulations, but
claiming to be constrained by their own Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP)
(part of the Headwaters Deal), Pacific Lumber put 140 of its workers out of
work shortly before Christmas. PL's overcutting, which spiralled out of
control with the takeover of the company by Maxxam Corporation in 1985,
landed them where they are today, with a very depleted resource base but a
wealthy parent company. (Charles Hurwitz, CEO of Maxxam, got an $11 million
bonus for the Headwaters Deal, which could go a long way toward helping the
people living in a county in economic decline.) Operations will continue at
PL's smaller Carlotta mill, but the Scotia mill is the visible PL operation
on Highway 101, and central to Scotia, one of the last company towns in
America. PL said those employees laid off must move out of their
company-owned homes in 6 months.</p>
<p>ALLEN CREEK PLAN STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION</p>
<p>PL's proposal to log 73 acres in Allen Creek Grove, one of the Marbled Murrelet
Conservation Areas set aside for 50 years via the Headwaters Deal is still on
the desks of Calif. Dept of Forestry officials. Until the second review of this
timber harvest plan (THP 1-01-352) it is subject to public comment. We have
posted sample letters to send to the CDF, which can be found on our website
http://www.HeadwatersPreserve.org, or email
us at <a href="mailto:bach [at] igc.org">bach [at] igc.org and we will forward you
the entire alert and sample letter. Tell CDF no logging in Marbled Murrelet
Conservation Areas! It is illegal and outrageous.</p>
<p>Call our office if you can help collect more letters at our info tables at
the Farmer's Market and other locations. (510-548-3113)</p>
<p>A MESSAGE FROM THE REDWOOD RABBIS: CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR OF THE TREES IN
SACRAMENTO</p>
<p>The Redwood Rabbis invite you to an inter-faith celebration in honor of Tu
BiShevat: </p>
<p>Sunday, February 3, 2002<br>
Shepard Garden & Arts Center, 3330 McKinley Blvd, Sacramento</p>
<p> In the heart of winter Jewish communities across the world gather for a
seder, a lovely ritual meal in which tree-borne fruit are eaten and
thanks are given to the Creator for the gift of trees. Here in California
we are grateful for the abundance of our orchards -- the pears, plums,
peaches, figs, apples, apricots, almonds, walnuts and other produce of the
tree, which nourish and delight us. We remember the mighty oaks and the
acorns that sustained native Californians for thousands of years. And we
are learning to honor our forests of redwood, fir, pine, yew and cedar, not
only for their beauty and grandeur, but also for their fruit - the clean,
life-bringing water that is stored and filtered on forest slopes, flowing
down in a stream of blessings for both wildlife and humans.</p>
<p>We, the Redwood Rabbis, invite worshipers of all traditions, community
leaders, forest and water advocates, to gather on February 3rd at the State
Capitol for an evening of worship and education.<br>
6:00 pm ~ Religious, Scientific & Community presentations<br>
7:00 pm ~ Tu BiShevat seder led by Naomi Steinberg<br>
Directions: H-Street exit from Business I-80, left onto E Street , which
becomes McKinley Blvd.<br>
The Garden & Arts Center is between 33rd and 35th Streets, on the right<br>
hand side of the road.</p>
<p>Please bring tree-borne fruit, nuts, red or white wine or grape juice to<br>
contribute to the seder. Free of charge</p>
<p>~The Redwood Rabbis<br>
~Rabbi Margaret Holub, Mendocino ~ Rabbi Lester G. Scharnberg, Bayside<br>
Student Rabbi Naomi Steinberg, Carlotta<br>
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FACTS ON PACIFIC LUMBER'S LOGGING OPERATIONS<br>
-Number of acres of Murrelet habitat that can be logged under PL's HCP:<br>
9,400 - 9,964<br>
-Number of acres of Murrelet habitat logged since the HCP was granted in<br>
1999: approx. 5,000<br>
-Number of acres approved for logging by PL in 1997: 7,677<br>
-Number of acres approved for logging by PL in 1998: 2,658<br>
-Number of acres approved for logging by PL in 1999: 5,536<br>
-Number of acres approved for logging by PL in 2000: 6,816<br>
-Number of acres approved for logging by PL in 2001: 11,750</p>
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<p>------------<br>
Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters (BACH)<br>
Ecology Center<br>
2530 San Pablo Ave.<br>
Berkeley, CA 94702<br>
phone: 510 548 3113<br>
http://www.headwaterspreserve.org<br>
email: bach [at] igc.org</p>
<p>HEADWATERS HOTLINE: 510-835-6303 </p>