Mattole Forest Defenders Yank Thousands of Logging Markers

Direct Action in Defense of
Forests
For immediate release
March 10, 2003


Thousands Of Timber Plan Marker
Flags Removed By Forest Defenders

"Gift" of Bundle of Timber Harvest
Plan Flags Left on Doorstep of Pacific
Lumber Headquarters in Scotia

MATTOLE WATERSHED, HUMBOLDT COUNTY,
CALIF.: Last week activists removed thousands of
flags and other markers that delineated proposed
Timber Harvest Plans (THPs) filed by the Pacific
Lumber Co (PL) in the Mattole watershed. On
Sunday, March 9, a large bundle of these flags was
left on PL's doorstep at their headquarters in Scotia,
California.

"Without these markers, a THP doesn't physically
exist," said Kestrel, a Mattole Forest Defender.

In addition to removing markers, activists have
made many sections of logging access roads
temporarily impassable by strewing them with
logging debris. They say that these actions were
taken to interfere with the approval process of
THPs' that threaten the environment.

Howell Montia, a Mattole Forest Defender said,
"Roads have been proposed that would be built
across streams in seismically active gorges that
would cause long lasting damage to this part of the
watershed."

In THP 03-007, "Skagit," several miles of boundaries
and proposed roads were erased before and during a
"pre-harvest inspection" done in that plan by CDF,
the California Dept. of Forestry. A "pre-harvest
inspection" is required to advance a THP in the
approval process.

"It is unclear to us at this time how the marker
removal affected the inspection," said a local
activist, "but how can you inspect something you
can't see?"

The Mattole Forest Defenders have engaged in a
variety of actions so far this year including tree-sits,
blocking roads with logging debris, surveying
proposed THPs, and restoration work in areas
damaged by logging. PL has plans to log over 400
acres in the Mattole so far this year. The company
considers its' Mattole holdings to be a "sacrifice
zone" under its' "Habitat Conservation Plan" (HCP).
Many of the current proposed logging plans target
large stands of old-growth Douglas Fir and
hardwood forest with trees that are sometimes 450
years old or older.