A group of concerned local citizens and environmental groups have written to Pacific Lumber asking the company to suspend logging in an ancient forest until the community can raise the funds to buy a grove they consider priceless.
Nanning Creek Grove, one mile east of the logging town of Scotia, is the last, largest unprotected stand of primeval redwood forest in the world. It contains old-growth trees up to 15-feet in diameter standing over 300-feet tall, likely to be thousands of years old. Of the two million acres of original Redwood forests that existed when California gained statehood in 1850, less than three percent remain today.
Activist Julia Butterfly Hill said, "I risked my life every day for over two years to protect Luna and three acres around it. There are hundreds of trees as big or bigger than Luna in this forest. Every one of them should be protected."
Cindy Allsbrooks, whose son David Chain was killed while trying to protect ancient trees in 1998 said, "It is disheartening to hear about plans for more old growth to be chopped down. I sincerely hope that negotiations can take place to discuss a financial agreement to purchase the grove before it is too late. I believe we are obligated to at least try."
Susan Moloney, Founder of Campaign for Old Growth, conducted a 52-day hunger strike pertaining to old-growth protection in 2002. "The majority of people in the world want to see our remaining old growth protected. This is an incredible opportunity for the Pacific Lumber Company to prove they are serious about being a good neighbor."
Local filmmaker James Ficklin said, "The mission of The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is `to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats,' and yet in the case of Nanning Creek Grove, they are doing the opposite. They have failed to do their jobs for the American people, and now the community is coming together to appeal to Pacific Lumber to do the right thing and work with us to protect this precious place. Once cut, these rare ancient trees will be lost forever."
The Nanning Creek Grove is home to both the endangered spotted owl and the marbled murrelet and is critical habitat for their survival . A 2004 report commissioned by the US Fish & Wildlife Service shows that under current management regimes (i.e. ongoing old-growth logging) the marbled murrelet faces an 80% probability of extinction in California in the next 60 years.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently gave the Pacific Lumber Company the go-ahead to log this old-growth grove. Loggers began falling the giant redwoods in Nanning Creek on Friday, November 11, 2005.
Activists have set up a treesit in the grove and a basecamp is being held at Grizzly Creek State Park.
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TOC for Forest & River News, Fall 2005