Thanks to the combined efforts of Project LightHawk ("The Wings of Conservation"), photographer Nicholas Wilson, pilots John Pfaff and Berk Snow and The Plane Works, Inc. at the Ukiah Airport, the MEC has been able to document the massive overcutting and depletion of our forests with aerial photographs of virtually all of the forestlands in Mendocino County. These photos are being distributed to the media who have been coming to the area, and enlargements of the photos have been used at many meetings and events. Photos tell the story like nothing else can, and present very convincing evidence of the situation.
As a next step, we want to publish a tabloid of these photos and distribute them widely as a means of visually educating the public - across California and the Nation. It will cost around $6,000 to print and distribute 50,000 of these papers. We hope that contributions raised as a result of these tabloids will cover the cost of additional printings. Tax deductible contributions to help us publish these tabloids may be made to "Rural Institute/Forest Tabloid" and sent to 106 West Standley.
Copies of the photos may be purchased by contacting Betty at 468-1660. Also, if you know of media people or decision makers who would like to see the area for themselves, local flights can be arranged for a donation of $60/hour by calling the same number.
Project LightHawk, based in Santa Fe, would like to arrange flights of the Pacific Northwest for all of the U.S. Congresspeople and Senators, so please tell your friends and relatives in other states to ask their Senators and Representatives to request a flight. I know of no more powerful way to impact people than to have them fly over our devastated forests and see for themselves. Project LightHawk can be contacted at P.O. Box 8163, Santa Fe, NM 87504-8163, (505) 982-9656.
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 2004
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