Karen Pickett – Page 8 – Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters

HRC and MRC–It all comes down to the Fi$her Family. also~Gualala Redwoods, Klamath NF

August 26, 2016 by Karen Pickett

Is it Timber Wars all over again or a kinder, gentler forestry? It depends whether you are prone to believe greenwash or science and ground-truthing. Humboldt Redwood Co. (HRC) and Mendocino Redwood Co. (MRC) came to their position as major forest owners in Northern California (400,000+ acres) via different trajectories: MRC owns 227,000 acres in Mendocino County purchased from the multi-national Louisiana-Pacific when they left Calif. after reaping millions, and HRC got what was Maxxam/Pacific Lumber’s ravished land in Humboldt County, minus small but precious protected groves of old growth redwoods surrounded by a sea of clearcuts. But the buck stops for both companies at the Fisher family, or rather the …

July 19 Protest Against Mendocino Redwood Co. for Herbicide Use

July 19, 2016 by Karen Pickett

Hack’n’Squirt Alert! Nonviolent Protest at Mendocino Redwoods Company Mill in Ukiah Residents of Mendocino County will rally in front of the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors’ Chambers on Low Gap Rd. in Ukiah at 9 am on Tuesday, July 19, prior to an (approximately) 11 am demonstration at the Ukiah mill operation of Mendocino Redwood Co. (MRC). They are protesting the continued use of herbicide in the forests, through the practice of “Hack ’n’ Squirt,” which is the direct application of toxic substances to trees, and then leaving the dead trees standing, creating a significant fire danger besides the …

Rally in the Redwoods Saturday July 16

July 15, 2016 by Karen Pickett

Agency Green-Lights Logging Plan in the Redwoods Protest Rally July 16 on Gualala River On July 1, state regulators approved the 402-acre “Dogwood” timber harvest plan (THP) to log in the sensitive redwood forest floodplain along the lower Wild and Scenic Gualala River, to the river’s mouth. The redwood trees there, many a century old, are in recovery, regenerating after historical heavy industrial logging. The plan was filed by Gualala Redwood Timber (GRT), responsible for clearcut logging in the watershed on its over 30,000 acres of timberland. California’s Forest Practice Rules were changed to expand protection of stream areas (known as Watercourse …

Update on North Coast Forest Issues on Our Radar: Caltrans Threats to Forests, Wetlands and Native Culture Remain on BACH’s Agenda

July 15, 2016May 20, 2016 by Karen Pickett

Richardson Grove Things are quiet at the moment regarding Caltrans’ boondoggle highway expansion plans through the old growth redwood forest as we await new environmental planning documents from Caltrans. Defeated in Federal Court in 2012 by the environmental groups, Caltrans ultimately withdrew the project in December, 2014, but subsequently announced they would start the process over again. The transportation agency insists on taking another whack at this costly and unnecessary project, for reasons unfathomable to most of us. Last year an additional group of Richardson Grove activists expanded the campaign by forming the Coalition for Responsible Transportation …

Willits News Journalist Arrested at Bypass Construction Suing for False Arrest ::: Trial in San Francisco Under Way ::: Support Good Journalism on Environmental Issues!

July 15, 2016February 24, 2016 by Karen Pickett

False Arrest Trial Underway in SF Federal Court Related to Caltrans Willits Bypass Debacle Steve Eberhard, a professional (and award-winning) photographer and journalist with The Willits News was arrested in July 2013, while attempting to document a protest against the disastrous (for the earth) Caltrans freeway bypass project. See links below for more details and a video of his arrest. Eberhard filed a false arrest suit almost three years ago. The case is finally being heard beginning with jury selection on February 22 in San Francisco Federal Court, 450 Golden Gate Ave, Floor 19, Room 11, Judge Donato presiding. The case is expected to take most of two …

Judi Bari Day is May 24!

May 20, 2015 by Karen Pickett

May 24, 2015 is the 25th anniversary of the attack on Earth First! activists Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney by car bomb in Oakland in 1990 as Redwood Summer dawned. The Judi Bari Day event at the Berkeley U-U Fellowship Hall (1924 Cedar at Bonita) will feature special guest performer LAURIE LEWIS, legendary songwriter, fiddler and vocalist. Doors 7 PM; the program begins at 7:30 After comments and updates by musician and film-maker DARRYL CHERNEY and others, the documentary film “WHO BOMBED JUDI BARI?” will be screened. Karen Pickett will host the program, and facilitate a Q …

Comment now: TELL CALTRANS that Richardson Grove, Willits Bypass and 197/199 Smith River Projects Contradict Their Own Goals

April 9, 2015 by Karen Pickett

Tell Caltrans that big trucks don’t mix with big trees, wild rivers & wetlands! Caltrans has released a long-term planning document, called the Caltrans Transportation Plan (CTP) 2040. The agency opened a short comment period, which ENDS APRIL 17. In keeping with our Put the Brakes on Caltrans campaign to put a halt to the environmentally disastrous plans on the north coast, we are submitting comments pertinent to those projects. Please take a minute to send Caltrans comments. We need to tell Caltrans that Californians prioritize big redwoods, lush wetlands, threatened species and wild rivers over giant big rigs! The link to submit comments …

Richardson Grove Attack Redux Announced

March 18, 2015 by Karen Pickett

Caltrans Just Won’t Quit Even When They Are Wrong…So Wrong. It appeared for a time that the jackhammer shovels had been called off excavation duty around feeder roots of the redwood giants in Richardson Grove State Park. However, Caltrans just announced they plan to release new documents in the fall of 2015 to restart the project with a goal of making Hwy. 101 more accessible to over sized trucks. This announcement came only three months after news celebrated in early December 2014 that the highway agency would be withdrawing their permit documents in an agreement with the courts. Successful lawsuits–thanks …

Caltrans’ Construction of Bypass Collapses: Workers Hurt; Alkaline Cement in Salmon Stream

March 17, 2015February 14, 2015 by Karen Pickett

With a crash and a roar, a 150 Ft. section of Caltrans’ Willits Bypass collapses, sending workers to the hospital. You can view an ABC story with dramatic video at http://abc7news.com/traffic/investigation-continues-on-collapsed-willits-freeway/498503/ On Jan. 22, 2015, a 150-foot section of a 30 ft. elevated viaduct, part of the “Willits Bypass” on Highway 101 in Northern California collapsed as concrete was being poured into forms. With a tremendous roar, the elaborately constructed ‘falseworks’ crashed to the ground in a tangle of twisted steel, splintered timbers, crumpled rebar and wet concrete. Workers said they ran for their lives and several “rode it down”. Five …

Great News for Redwoods; Demo Report-Back; Caltrans Wants More $$

December 17, 2014 by Karen Pickett

First the good news: I. Ancient Richardson Grove Redwoods are Safe for the Forseeable Future! Caltrans has WITHDRAWN its Environmental Assessment and approvals for this ill-conceived, potentially devastating highway expansion project in the ancient redwoods of Richardson Grove State Park, keeping the precious grandmother trees safe from jack-hammer shovels (for now, and we hope forever). Accompanying this action, the hard-fighting legal eagles waging this battle in court have withdrawn their lawsuits that have kept this project at bay until this victory. This action does not preclude Caltrans from re-proposing the project, but they would have to start over from …