Earth First! Keeps Up Its Forest Defense

While Governor Davis continues to add Corporate Timber dollars to his war chest, the forests of the North Coast continue to be ravaged by chainsaws. The Hole in Headwaters is one of many areas sacrificed by the Headwaters deal, and as other stories in this Update report, a timber harvest plan is pending here. North Coast Earth First! (NCEF!) is prepared to defend the 705-acre area, home to one of the five remaining Coho salmon spawning runs in the state. (read more)

A Final Push for Debt for Nature

For six years, the Rose Foundation has worked with other activists to save Headwaters Forest through a Debt for Nature land swap. Debt for Nature means resolving hundreds of millions in pending federal claims against Maxxam in exchange for public title to ancient redwoods and other sensitive habitat in the Headwaters Forest area. Rose has researched and documented the factual and legal basis for FDIC and Treasury Department suits against Maxxam and CEO Charles Hurwitz. The suits seek $800+ million restitution for the failure and taxpayer bailout of Maxxam/Hurwitz? Texas Savings and Loan. Maxxam credits Rose with catalyzing the suits. We also led shareholder campaigns for four years to reform Maxxam?s corporate governance and forest management practices. In the most recent campaign (which Maxxam presented as ?a referendum on Debt For Nature?), 80% of the shares outside of Hurwitz? control voted for our resolutions, and almost 50% voted to toss out Maxxam?s Board in favor of our candidates. (read more)

Let's Not Make the Same Mistake Again

In March 1999, the 7500-acre Headwaters Reserve passed into public ownership. Much ado was made about saving this priceless stand of ancient redwoods for the survival of endangered species and the inspiration of future generations. However, logging on adjacent timberlands now threatens the Reserve. A quick look at the history of other redwood parks shows that a second round of acquisition was often necessary to protect the original parkland. Right now, we have a unique opportunity to complete the Headwaters Reserve by acquiring the rest of the South Fork Elk River watershed before logging-related landslides and sedimentation further degrade the resources the Reserve was supposed to protect. (read more)

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