REDWOOD NEEDLES

Presented by the Sierra Club Redwood Chapter Newsletter,
The REDWOOD NEEDLES

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Redwood Chapter Chair Report

By Margaret Pennington, Redwood Chapter Chair

“Spring has sprung”, as my mom used to say, and just in time to provide perfect Redwood Chapter weather for all our favorite activities: hiking, biking, gardening, and...signature gathering! Signature gathering? Ah yes, I’m anticipating Sonoma County’s Rural Heritage Initiative Signature Drive will be great fun. Well, maybe not as enjoyable as a sea kayaking off the coast or day-hiking around Annadel, but it will be fun nonetheless to work on a proactive, positive campaign aimed at preventing suburban sprawl on 80% of Sonoma county’s land area.

RHI is sponsored by a coalition of concerned individuals and organizations, including Sierra Club. Special mention goes to Club members Peter Ashcroft for chairing the RHI Steering Committee and Jack Street for organizing the regional coordinators. Thanks in advance to the many of you who I know will respond to the Call For Volunteers, cover one or more signature gathering shifts, and move RHI to its needed 22,000 signatures by May 22nd in order to qualify for the November ballot.

Redwood Chapter is also supporting the California Wild Heritage Campaign, another proactive endeavor. (Yes, Heritage again!) The Chapter has contributed $2000 to an educational campaign created by North Group members Teri Tucker and Lynn Ryan. The campaign will produce a slide show showcasing areas within Redwood Chapter that will be included in the upcoming California Wilderness bill. Slide show presentations and “show-me tours” of some of the proposed wilderness areas are also planned. Once Congress designates these areas as wilderness, they will be forever wild--free of destructive logging, road building, off road vehicles and mining. Rather than fighting for forest preservation one Timber Harvest Plan (THP) at a time, the wilderness bill will protect millions of acres of State wildlands all at once a magnificent goal.

Speaking of battling never ending THP’s, Sierra Club along with EPIC has filed a lawsuit against California Department of Forestry (CDF) over THP 520 part of the “Hole in the Headwaters.” CDF agreed to categorize Pacific Lumber’s plan to helicopter log this area adjacent to Headwaters Forest Preserve as a “minor amendment” (rather than a “major amendment”), hence sidestepping compliance with the Headwaters Habitat Conservation Plan. Redwood Chapter has pledged financial support for the suit, which essentially charges CDF of violating its own rules--again. Although the suit is important in its own right, it’s likely that additional state funds to purchase the 1000 acre “Hole” will be available after July. If we can prevent PL from logging the area until then there’s a good chance the forest will be added to the Headwaters Preserve. These are a few of Redwood Chapter’s springtime activities.

You’ll soon be receiving your National Club Board election ballot in the mail. Please remember to vote. And, you'll soon be receiving Redwood's annual fund appeal letter. Please consider sending a check to support your local Sierra Club.

Thank you and have a wonderful spring.

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