Pacific Lumber Threatens to Log in

ACTION ALERT

Pacific Lumber Threatens to Log in "Lesser Cathedral"

Pacific Lumber recently submitted a proposal to log 73 acres in Allen Creek Grove, attempting to log inside one of the six Marbled Murrelet Conservation Areas established by the infamous Headwaters Deal. These areas were supposed to be completely protected from chainsaws under the terms of the Deal, yet the company is poised to log mature second growth forests and residual old growth redwoods within the heart of this vitally important habitat.

Pacific Lumber claims this logging operation would "improve" Murrelet habitat, a preposterous claim since these elusive seabirds rely on intact forest stands and are extremely susceptible to noise disturbances and predator species. Logging proposed by Pacific Lumber would have disastrous consequences for the Murrelet, resulting in reductions in canopy density and closure, increasing wind and weather impacts, and increasing opportunities for predatory birds that predate on the Murrelet's eggs.

The contract between Pacific Lumber and the state of California for the lease of money authorized as part of the Headwaters Deal clearly prohibits any kind of logging within the 13 Marbled Murrelet Conservation Areas for a period of 50 years. However, Pacific Lumber and the California Department of Forestry are trying to ignore this fact and use creative interpretations of the company's Habitat Conservation Plan to claim this logging could be allowed. Urgent action is needed!

--Action--

Logging proposed by Pacific Lumber inside the Allen Creek Grove must not go forward! Help us stop this potentially disastrous logging plan by taking the following actions!

1. Contact the California Department of Forestry (CDF) and tell them this logging plan, THP 1-01-352 HUM, should be denied because it is not consistent with the state contract and would cause harm to the Marbled Murrelet that is unauthorized and illegal. Let them know you DO NOT support logging in any of the Marbled Murrelet Conservation Areas! Sample letter follows.

Write: Bill Snyder, California Department of Forestry 135 Ridgeway Ave,
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Fax: (707) 576-2608

2. Call the Department of Fish and Game and the Fish and Wildlife Service and let them know you DO NOT support any logging in any of the Marbled Murrelet Conservation Areas.

Contact:
Department of Fish and Game: Bill Condon @ (707) 441-2064,
Fish and Wildlife Service: Amedee Brickey @ (707) 822-7201

Sample Letter:

November 13, 2001

Re: THP #1-01-352, Allen Creek MMCA

Mr. William Snyder, Deputy Chief Forest Practice
135 Ridgeway Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95401

Mr. Snyder and CDF:

These comments are submitted as a supporter of the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC) regarding Pacific Lumber/ Maxxam Timber Harvest Plan (THP) #1-01-352.

THP #1-01-352 covers 93 total acres and proposes to conduct 76 acres of commercial thinning logging in the heart of the Allen Creek Marbled Murrelet Conservation Area (MMCA). The THP also proposes ground based yarding operations, winter period logging and pile burning, all within the MMCA.

Section 3.1(f) of the state contract for the enforcement of Assembly Bill 1986 (Migden 1998), to which Pacific Lumber/Maxxam is a party, clearly prohibits logging activities of any kind within the designated MMCA1s for 50 years, the life of the state contract.

Page 71 of the THP claims the proposed logging activities within the Allen Creek MMCA are lawful because they conform to standards set forth in PL/Maxxam1s Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) 6.1.2.2.1 and 6.1.2.2.2. Clearly these provisions of PL1s HCP are not consistent with the letter and intent of the state contract for enforcement of AB 1986 (Migden 1998), an agreement undertaken by the State of California to ensure protection of MMCA1s for the life of the contract and the HCP.

Page 71 also states that the THP will be logging within second growth forest buffers around residual and previously unlogged old growth redwood ancient forest, and claims that such logging will benefit the Marbled Murrelet. This THP fails to address numerous potentially damaging and detrimental impacts to Marbled Murrelet from the proposed logging activities including: increases in wind and windthrow of remaining trees, loss of canopy cover and increased weather infiltration, decreased stand continuity and increased fragmentation, increases in predation, and others.

As currently proposed, we urge you to deny this plan as inconsistent with the state contract agreement and as posing detrimental impacts to Marbled Murrelets and their habitat. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,