REDWOOD NEEDLES

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

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NORTH GROUP REPORT

By Diane Beck, North Group Conservation Co-Chair

In the last Needles it was reported that we won a temporary restraining order in a suit over salvage logging in Six Rivers National Forest following the Big Bar Fire of 1999. Soon after the decision, Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth withdrew his "emergency determination" that would have allowed salvage logging immediately--including 300 acres in a roadless area--without needing to go through citizen appeals. The suit was then withdrawn, with the possibility of refiling, depending on the seriousness with which the Forest Service responds to objections raised in the original suit. According to Anthony Ambrose of the Environmental Protection and Information Center--and North Group member--"It's really the first major timber sale where new logging is being done in an inventoried roadless area. We're glad the chief has been persuaded that this was never an emergency."

Six Rivers National Forest is proposing to close 40 miles of roads in the Smith River National Recreation Area to protect a unique botanical area from a root disease that is fatal to Port Orford Cedar. The 21,000-acre "Special Interest Area" on the North Fork of the Smith River is one of only two areas in the entire NRA that are not infected with the water-borne phytophthora lateralis, which is closely related to the disease that is now killing oak trees in California. Road closures were proposed because the Forest's risk assessment indicated the roads posed a high risk of transporting the disease. Unsurprisingly, road closures were appealed by the Blue Ribbon Coalition, which is funded by the off-road-vehicle industry. Fourteen organizations including the Northcoast Environmental Center, the Environmental Protection and Information Center, the Friends of Del Norte, and the Sierra Club (North Group) sent Interested Party letters to Regional Forester Bradley Powell. Powell denied the Blue Ribbon Coalition's appeal on August 28.

The Redwood Sciences Laboratory's technical review of Pacific Lumber Company's Freshwater Watershed Analysis was published in August. The review thoroughly trashes the pseudoscience that we have come to expect from Pacific Lumber: "A few general comments are necessary. First the watershed analysis provides insufficient information concerning how portions of the analysis were carried out. Second, the statistical confidence of results often is not reported, and the qualitative confidence assessments that are provided do not appear to be linked to documented or meaningful criteria; in several cases the reported 'confidence' in results directly conflicts with information presented in the analysis. Third, relevant data are often not provided. For these reasons, many of the results reported in the watershed analysis cannot be reproduced or verified, and some of the qualitative results cannot be unambiguously interpreted. Fourth, the watershed analysis contains internal discrepancies that detract from the credibility of the document as a whole." A Teach-in gathering is in the works for November. Keep tuned.

The Northcoast Environmental Center in Arcata--the mainstay of the environmental community for three decades--was consumed by flames on July 25, including its 30-year collection of irreplaceable archival material and books. Although rumors abound, the Arcata Fire Department has yet to uncover the cause of the blaze that destroyed it and the buildings on either side. It is making a temporary home at 575 H Street. Fundraising for rebuilding has been gratifying and will be ongoing. Wildberries Market immediately announced a $10,000 matching fund, which was quickly matched. Singer Bonnie Raitt donated half the proceeds from a concert in Salem, Oregon, on September 14. North Group members can help by renewing--now--their subscriptions to Econews, whether or not they are owed (subscriptions alone from 1,000 members could add up nicely and any extra will not be spurned). But not only North Group members can appreciate the monthly Econews. I highly recommend its broad-range coverage to Redwood Chapter members as well. Subscriptions are $15/yr student/retired, $20/yr regular, $30/yr family. Send to NEC, 575 H Street, Arcata, CA 95521.

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