Earth First! Humboldt

(revised 10/9)

Green Diamond (GD) is rampantly clear-cutting in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties. They also have shady plans for residential development in coastal areas. One of these areas is the McKay Tract (in red).

The most recent logging plan in the tract covers 60 acres (bold orange) and targets 80-100 year old Redwoods as well as scattered “residual” ancient Redwoods that were spared during the initial logging in the late 1800’s. These two groves are the last sizable remnants of functional mature forest in the entire 2,000 acre area. Nearly all of the mature forest stands in this area have been picked off (shaded green w orange outline), some of them were logged this year before our attention was drawn to the area. The yellow circles on the map represent 1,000 ft. radius around N. Spotted Owl nests surveyed as of 05′-06′. Green Diamond has a permit to harm, harrass or kill Spotted Owls so they are not required to protect any habitat for the sake of the owls. This is called an “incidental take permit”.

Earth First! Humboldt is currently active and organizing non-violent direct action in defense of this area. We are looking for motivated folks with the following skills or interested in; community organizing, public outreach, art, hiking, tree climbing, drivers, cooks, first aid, etc.

Some main points about McKay:

1. The groves GD plans to log next year are the last refuge for Spotted Owls and other wildlife in a 2,000 acre area that has been stripped of it’s mature forests by heavy industrial logging. The result’s of this logging are a massive tree-farm. The tree farms are dominated by much smaller trees and have very low habitat quality for this species if at all.

2. Spotted Owls continue to slip towards extinction throughout their range and on GD lands. GD has permits to harm this endangered species.

3. The groves are targeted for residential development after logging. GD has told the County that this area can be developed to help Eureka meet their housing and traffic needs.

4. Though GD marked the Ancient Redwood tree that EF! activists were sitting in as a “wildlife leave tree” this does not give it permanent protection. It may be cut if they say it poses a work hazard or in a subsequent logging plan.

5. The plans for logging and residential development are a big threat to the survival of healthiest population of young salmon in the entire Humboldt Bay watershed. These salmon live their earliest years downstream from here in Ryan Creek. In a time when Salmon are seriously declining in north coast rivers it is imperative that we give them the utmost protection.

Videos: The first shows “Z” ascending into an ancient Redwood in McKay. The second shows a young Spotted Owl visiting tree-sitters in the ancient Redwood known as “Millennia”.