Freaked out over the two months of massive nonviolent resistance that squelched their attempted decimation of Enchanted Meadow in 1992, this was a pathetic attempt on LP's part to deforest the Albion River watershed without troublesome opposition. Instead, their New Year's Day sneak attack precipitated another two months of resistance and reinforced Louisiana Pacific's corporate reputation as an environmental and social outlaw.
On paper, the timber harvest plan for this cut wasn't that bad - at least by LP's standards. THP 95-469 (the "Tidewater THP", in CDF parlance) was for the selective cutting of mature second growth douglas fir and redwoods, with buffer zones on each side of the Albion River and the setting aside of "wildlife trees". Most of the yarding (hauling logs from where they fall to landings where they are loaded onto trucks) was to be done by high-line cables and helicopter, to avoid the erosion and soil compaction left in the wake of skidding logs behind caterpillar tractors.
In reality, this "harvest" was a disaster. LP's public relations method is to talk about sustained yield and sensitivity, but their preferred practices in the woods are clearcuts and devastation. To set the record straight, the aforementioned environmental concessions weren't LP's ideas at all, but were imposed upon them by special coastal zone regulations and the refusal of some neighbors to grant road access across their property. Several of the "wildlife" trees were cut, as well as marked trees that had been traded for unmarked ones (at the discretion of the fallers), and then cut later anyway.
And the helicopter was devastating to local denizens - furry, feathered and human. Its machine gun staccato started early in the mornings and continued nonstop into the evenings, six and seven days a week, driving neighboring residents crazy as it flew over their homesteads, panicking wildlife, and putting woods workers at great risk (choker-setters hooked up their cables, then ran for their lives as LP's aging chopper lifted tons of logs over their heads). On February 22, when Albion neighbors were in court attempting to get an injunction against the helicoptor, a resident named Coyote pointed out how painful the noise must have been to the ears of the "four-leggeds", much more sensitive than our own. A final irony is that on March 15 LP will do their mandated annual spotted owl calling - good luck!
This was a cut that should never have happened. It took place on steep slopes bordering the sensitive Albion Lagoon. It took place in a residential area, with no concern for its impact on the neighborhood. It took place in winter, with environmental consequences and added danger to the workers.
Mostly (and this is the crux), THP 95-469 should not have happened because of LP's past history and future plans in Mendocino County. In a frenzy of cutting, the company has, according to LP's most recent inventory report, reduced most of its forest holdings to an average 11,000 board feet per acre, a very low "stocking". The exception is the Albion River watershed, with 25,000 - 30,000 bf/a. THP 95-469's "select cut" removed half the standing timber within the THP boundaries. Since LP's stated goal is to reduce all of their holdings to the depleted 11,000 bf/a figure, they no doubt intend to come back in a few years and cut the rest of the trees, and to do the same to the rest of the Albion watershed. And then they will abandon the County and leave us wondering where the jobs went, and if the forests can ever recover.
Realizing all this, residents issued a State of the Albion Nation Address and mobilized themselves to try to stop LP's madness. At 6:00 a.m. on the second day, loggers on their way to work were greeted by a blockade of twenty locals who said "No work today. Go home." Eventually the sheriff arrived, and at the urging of the LP forester, ordered the protesters to leave. They complied, but logging was delayed by four hours. The next day Albion residents held a community meeting and discussed plans for future actions. The fourth day was basically a rerun of the second: thirty blockaders held up work for another half day, this time with the aid of an eleven foot long, one ton concrete barrier camouflaged by debris.
Numerous land based sorties by the Albion Army followed, including a "yarning" (gentle chainsaw-entangling webs spun between threatened trees) and a walk and rally at LP's roadhead, attended by some seventy residents and supporters, despite a steady rainstorm.
Meanwhile, the Albion Navy launched its fleet of canoes, kayaks and rowboats and paddled up the river to the scene of the crime. This was a fortunate situation: since the Albion is a navigable waterway, the "fleet" had a legal right to be on the water, whereas the helicopter could not legally fly over it. Aside from one scary assault, this principle meant that the chopper was forced to detour around the boats. It also allowed the maritime stalwarts to legally maneuver into close proximity of LP's workers and engage in good natured, albeit shouted, conversations.
On other occasions the sailors disembarked and walked right up to the action, dialoguing with the fallers and choker-setters. These encounters were mostly amicable, and people felt that significant progress was made in bridging perceived gaps between timber workers and environmentalists, fostering mutual understanding and respect.
Several other benefits accrued from the sustained resistance to the cutting: One was the exposure provided by local media coverage on the protests. Another was a fundraising evening, which was fun, covered some expenses, and also served as an educational vehicle. And yet another is an agreement on the part of LP to send a couple of high ranking representatives (Western Division Manager Keith Matheney and possibly the new CEO Mark Suwyn) to a large public meeting slated for the end of March.
If this forum materializes, it will provide us with a stellar opportunity to test LP's new "kinder, gentler" image (these hanchos' predecessors, Bobby Simpson and Harry Merlow, were shitcanned for their arrogant styles and corrupt policies), and to confront the company's bogus Sustained Yield Plan. Although a boggling 7,000 pages long, this document is really just a prescription for liquidation logging (see the Summer l995 issue of this MEC Newsletter for an analysis by Hans Burkhardt).
Unfortunately, resistance has also had its price. Many residents were subjected to heavy stress and financial hardship throughout this two month ordeal, and several are being harassed by LP through the court system. Using a stipulation of the settlement of LP's SLAPP suit against Enchanted Meadows protesters, LP first initiated civil contempt of court proceedings against six people. Now, and in eager cooperation with Sheriff Jim Tuso and District Attorney Susan Massini, LP is hitting protesters with criminal trespass and contempt - six have been so charged to date, with more threatened.
The disappointment of this two month to-do was that despite our valient efforts, LP prevailed and cut the trees they intended to cut. This is always very frustrating, but on each individual THP the odds are against us - plans are almost never denied through the public comment process, and logging is almost never stopped once it has commenced.
Nonetheless, we can chalk this up as at least a partial victory. We stood up to LP, witnessed against their policies and practices, and slowed their logging. We talked with workers in the woods and found common ground. Reports on our actions in the media served to educate people in the County and beyond as to what LP and their ilk are doing to the forests. If it comes to pass, the planned community meeting with LP mucky-mucks will be a great opportunity to further expose the corporation and its "Sustained Yield Plan". In the end, we will prevail.
So, on to the next front, and let's support our friends being harassed with criminal charges!
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 1997
Permission granted to excerpt or use this article if source is cited