Editor’s note: The following is a letter to the editor. The opinions expressed in this letter are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect those of The Mendocino Voice. If you would like to submit a letter to the editor feel free to write to info@mendovoice.com.
Dear Editor:
As a working mom raising two daughters on the Mendocino Coast where my husband grew up, I voice my strong support for Assemblymember Chris Rogers’ Assembly Bill 2494, which would finally end commercial logging of Coastal Redwoods in our local Jackson “Demonstration” State Forest.
The bill will move the forest’s management priorities where they ought to be: fun activities like hiking, biking, and camping; restoring special wildlife like fish, woodpeckers, owls, and special plants and trees like tanoaks and redwoods; and co-governance with the Pomo Indigenous people whose land this has always been.
In December Cal Fire’s Santa Rosa section approved clear-cutting redwoods in a new Timber Harvest Plan (AMEX THP 1-25-00044-MEN) across a patchwork of nearly 500 acres of Jackson State Forest. Now the agency is considering the Camp 8 South Timber Harvest Plan, which threatens the oldest, undisturbed second-growth redwood stands in the steepest, most fragile terrain in the forest.
As our Mendocino County coastal communities suffer from “atmospheric river” storms, wildfires, and other clear harms of the climate crisis, the hypocrisy of “demonstrating timber production” in Jackson State Forest has become intolerable. We’re a long way from the 1940s. Let’s start Demonstrating Climate Justice.
Rachele Hayward, Gualala
Thank you for your support of AB 2494. Everyone needs to get on board with this Bill. Please contact the state’s Natural Resource folks now (Comment period ends March 16th). Go here to do so:
https://antr.assembly.ca.gov/members
Your involvement in protecting our forest for future generations is paramont.
Maybe the land should go back to the owner who donated it to try different logging methods if they don’t want to follow the intent of the donation. I am a fifth generation mendo coast and I think the logging should continue and they should open up more roads for public access for hunting, firewood making
End commercial logging yes! However, it should simply be rolled into the state park system with no special governance by the Pomo or anyone else. State park, available for recreation, maximizing a return to mature Redwood forest.
Hi Bonholio,
I too call for ending commercial logging. I am also huge proponent of supporting small-time operators to do sustainable harvesting. I’m not necessarily talking about in Jackson State Forest but would be ideal for whole community involvement.
Realistically there are generational communities to support and the need for wood products harvested responsibly.
I kind of like your state park idea but not to have the Pomo involved is a mistake. And I was very dubious about having another state run entity at this point.
I don’t know what your living situation is but if you have been living where you’re at for a long time and we’re abruptly displaced with no resources to stave off the invasiveness how would you feel? I would feel angry disorientated and defeated.Reparations are due. The Pomo deserve their traditional lands to be given back to them.
I would recommend looking into the work being done up in Klamath with the Yurok tribe. Definitely steps in the right direction.
Let the forest grow and let’s enjoy them.
So happy you live in a world wood product free. From the house you live in, to the books you like to read… to the pencil to write with. We need wood products that means logging will need to continue.
And stop dragging “climate change “ into an any agreement. The world is always in a state of change.. there is nothing new about that. We are on a spinning planet, with landmasses that are also in constant motion.
Hi Jim
Yes, the world has always been in a state of change but not with this many people on it. There’s way too many monkeys on this mud ball and if we don’t figure out how to sustain human life we are toast and heading towards Blade Runner territory.
The Earth does not care about us saving it or even taking care of it- that is our job so we can sustain as a human race. Once we are gone the Earth will just fine. We are just the make weights.
If Jackson is continued to be logged it should be done by Small Time operators sustainably so they can do a good job.
All harvested resources should be processed and sold locally so we don’t have to import from Washington, Oregon, or Canada. Ridiculous! There are plenty of people who would like to do that kind of work but don’t want to contribute to veiled misguided destruction. For the roles that require pencils and paper there’s plenty of recycled material available and byproducts from mills and in the digital age are becoming quite obsolete. There is no paper to be found or a pencil to sharpen for our communication right now. How convenient. It appear you have a concern about what’s going on by your comment and I was just wondering what would your solutions be?
AB 2494 is a stupid bill written by anti-logging activists and introduced by our new ignorant assembly person pandering for the environmental vote. Hopefully more intelligent minds will see that and trash this garbage. California imports 70%+ of the wood products it consumes yet charges a tax on all wood products sold in the state to pay for the programs to regulate timber harvesting in the state. This bill would ask the State Forest Program to also be funded by this tax. The State Forest Program lands should remain working forest lands being sustainably managed for multiple uses and self funded through timber sales as much as possible. We do not need more tax burdens. These working forests are already providing all the services listed in the bill: carbon storage, wildlife habitat, clean water, recreation, tribal involvement, etc. This bill is a wish list for environmental elitists who prefer exporting their environmental impacts and to not have to look at bare dirt or stumps. These forest lands were aquired to demontrate sustainable forest management and be a proving ground for the many forest practice rules and a place to do research all while paying there own way without taxpayer funds. They should continue to do just that. Just say ‘NO’ to AB 2494.