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Sunday, August 7, 2011

Benefit for Richardson Grove Legal Fund


Greetings, Friends of Richardson Grove! Let's get together and celebrate the recent success of our legal team in obtaining the Preliminary Injunction that has temporarily halted the CALTRANS project.

This event will be a benefit and fundraiser for the Richardson Grove Legal Fund being administered by EPIC. The event will be held at
Beginnings in Briceland- http://www.beginningsbrice​ land.org/
on Sunday, September 4 (Labor Day we...ekend.) Doors will open at 5:00PM Admission is $20.00/sliding scale. Dinner will be offered starting at 5:30PM for a separate fee, catered by Sue Moloney of Sue's Organics. Wine and beer will be available for purchase. There will be a silent auction including items of original artwork by local artists.

There will be fabulous music. Music during dinner will include local singer/songwriters with songs honoring the Grove: Jan Bramlett, Bud Rogers and Jessie Rubin. Following an invocation by Native Elder Jene McCovey, Gary Hughes, Executive Director of EPIC will give an update on the campaign to Save Richardson Grove.

After dinner, Joanne Rand will play a set including her new Richardson Grove song. The set by Jefferson Parson and his Rasberry Jam Band will include all 5 of his original Grove songs ... and hey ... it's Jefferson's 70th birthday! The Marjo Wilson Bank will climax the evening, ricking out and bringing all dancers to their feet.

This event is being planned by a dedicated crew of volunteers BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP! We need a set-up crew of volunteers to decorate and create the right ambiance, a take-down and clean-up crew, a crew to gather silent auction items, a parking crew and a crew to mind the door.

We will need a kitchen crew to work with Sue Moloney: 4 volunteers are needed for the 7:00-10:00 PM shift; 2 are needed for washing dishes from 5:30-9:30 PM; 2 are needed for drinks and dessert from 5:00-9:00 PM; and two are needed for kitchen clean-up from 9:00 until 11:00 PM.In addition, we need donations of wine and beer. Silent auction items can include original artwork, craft items such as jewelry, donations of sessions for body work, spa, massage, donations of hotel stays and meals at area restaurants, etc.

Start thinking of who you know that would be willing to donate and please ask now. Donations are tax-deductible since EPIC is a non-profit and all donations will receive a receipt for tax-deduction purposes.

Please contact Kelly Larson at 707-923-0152 or email at Kelly.Jane.Larson@gmail.co​m or contact Jefferson Parsons at 707-923-3499 or email at jefferson@asis.com with your questions and offers to volunteer. With everyone pitching in, this is guaranteed to be a great time. If you have ever asked "What Can I Do To Help The Grove?" - this is your answer!!

Feel free to forward this email to your own email lists, to Facebook friends and Twitter it. We have a great poster available - email for a copy.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Richardson Grove project on hold until July/August!




Federal case against Caltrans is awarded injunction until July 2011 in which project bidding may commence unless Caltrans is found to have violated environmental regulations. Which they have, in the Richardson Grove "Improvement" Project(RIP) Environmental Impact Report(EIR).

Bidding for the RIP cannot commence until July 2011 and any type of road work, vegetation removal, etc. for the RIP until after 30 days after the project goes to bid.

Many thanks to EPIC, CATS and The Center for Biological Diversity for their hard work on this very important matter. Please help support the Federal case against Caltrans by donating to these well respected non-profit environmental organizations.

It is very important to continue to put pressure on Caltrans with direct action to stop this project...

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

New Photos from Green Diamond's Strawberry Rock THP

Here are new photos from Unit E and Unit D. General locations for photos can be found by clicking on map for each photo on the ForestDefense Flicker page. Note that the fire scars from the Stump Town fire can be seen on all of the older Redwoods, which would make these trees over 60-80 years old. Unit E contains some of the largest trees left on local Green Diamond timber lands and is the general hiking route for visitor to Strawberry Rock.

Previous photos on this stream are labeled and are from Unit A and Unit B which are pretty hammered. The trees in these units are almost dead except for some larger trees in the select cut areas in Unit A. These larger Redwoods in Unit A are not as large as the Redwoods in the clear cut and select cut areas of Units D and E. However, Unit A will be most visible from the 101 as well as Strawberry Rock.

Units B and C appear to be suffering from what most of Green Diamond's hammered timber lands are suffering from. Years and years of clear cutting, top soil run off and loss of biomass which helps the already poor clay soil hold water. The redwoods in these units are drying up and and yellowing, the foliage is very sparse. But the Jack Pines are doing great in these dry and poor soil conditions. Unfortunately, Green Diamond will be clear cutting these units and most likely will replant them with Redwoods that will also have the same problems.

More information available at http://trinidadforest.blogspot.com/. This blog is not affiliated with the above blog site, but would like to be and really appreciate their work on getting the word out about these tragic clear cuts. ;)


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Thursday, March 17, 2011

The Nature Conservancy's One Billion tree march...

I just received this email from the Nature Conservancy. I suppose I was a little harsh but it's a sore subject for me...


Hello,

I am trying to earn some publicity for the Nature Conservancy’s mission to plant 1 billion trees. I would like to discuss advertising options on, humboldtforestdefense.blogspot.com , with you. If you could email me back that would be great.

Thank you for your time,

Omitted



Thank you for your interest Omitted...

You may not be aware of this but the industry controlled special interest group that you work for is a subject of ridicule on the same blog that you are inquiring about:

http://humboldtforestdefense.blogspot.com/2008/03/new-green-scare.html
http://humboldtforestdefense.blogspot.com/2008/01/greatbut-what-about-clearcutting.html

Instead of planting GMO trees after timber lands are clear-cut, hacked-and-squirted and laid to waste by the same guidelines that the Nature Conservancy and the Forest Stewardship Council support for so called "sustainable" forestry, why doesn't your industry controlled special interest group promote something more sustainable, besides "horizontal" management?

Now I'm not attacking you personally but the "feel good" campaign for the 1 billion tree march is not only ironic in regards to the Nature Conservancy's support of clear-cutting(aka. "even-aged" management) but is also deceptive as to the reasons why trees need to be planted after the industry has stripped all the top-soil and biomass that would support the natural propagation of reforestation.

Why should the public pay to reforest the same timber lands that your non-profit promotes unsustainable industry standards? Does the very existence of the Nature Conservancy depend upon the promotion of unsustainable forestry in regards to replanting and even purchasing timber lands with donated funds destroyed by the same unsustainable practices that the Nature Conservancy promotes?

My hope is not to convince you to quit your job and go sit in a tree but more to provoke questions about the "company" you work for. I hope that you realize that the Nature Conservancy is controlled by timber industry special interests and behind the facade of the non-profit face of the Nature Conservancy lies the real intention of greenwashing the timber industry.

Thank you for your time and attention,

Jeff Musgrave

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Ending Obsessive Wars of Exploitation and Ruin! Sat. 1:00PM Mar. 19

For Immediate Release
Mar 15th , 11'

contact 707-616-2212


Be part of this stunning awakening to our times!

"Yes, we're part of all this National Resurgency to take back our lives. . . to end this insanity and monstrous drain of wars and focus our vital energy doing all we can to help maintain life on Earth!

Sat. 1:00 Mar. 19
Ending Obsessive Wars
of Exploitation and Ruin!

'On The Waterfront'
' End of F. St, Eureka, Ca.

"Reclaiming our lives!"
Seeing it and taking hold!


This Sat. 1:00 -End of . F St. in Eureka - on the waterfront

Spread this word. . . 'best you can'
. . . in any form you feel will reach others!

Friday, February 18, 2011

RALLY To Stop Highway Expansion Through Richardson Grove This Monday!

Flier here, spread the good word!

RALLY To Stop Highway Expansion Through Richardson Grove This Monday!

Richardson Grove Action Now invites all to a rally on Monday, February 21st, to stop the highway expansion through Richardson Grove State Park. Expose CalTrans' lies and misinformation campaign!

Monday's rally will begin at noon in the Garberville Town Square.

Bring anything you want to express yourself!

Resist Invasion!

For more info contact Richardson Grove Action Now, call
(707) 602-7551 or email rgroveactionnow@gmail.com.


*RALLY
*Monday Feb 21, 2011
*Noon
*Garberville Town Square

Friday, February 4, 2011

Mass Rally, Monday Feb 7 To Demand that CalTrans Cancel 101 Road Widening Project Through Richardson Grove State Park

For Immediate Release:

February 4, 2011

Mass Rally, Monday Feb 7 To Demand that CalTrans Cancel 101 Road Widening Project Through Richardson Grove State Park



Contact: Angie, Richardson Grove Action Now! 707-602-7551, rgroveactionnow@gmail.com

Humboldt County, CA-Richardson Grove Action Now, one of many community groups that emerged in the past three years to oppose the federally funded California Department of Transportation [CalTrans] plan to widen Highway 101 through the ancient redwoods of Richardson Grove State Park, will rally at CalTrans District 1 Headquarters to demand the immediate cancellation of the Richardson Grove plan. Monday’s rally will take place at Wabash and Union Streets in Eureka, beginning at noon. A group bike ride to the CalTrans office will leave the Arcata Plaza at 10 am sharp.

The road widening threatens the region with irreparable harm to the ancient trees and overall integrity of Richardson Grove State Park in addition to opening the door to big box development and increased militarization. North coast residents say this project will exacerbate local economic disaster for working people and small businesses, and bring an unacceptable increase of truck traffic.

“This rally is a wake up call from local residents. The Richardson Grove road-widening project, along with CalTrans’ similar proposals for Highways 299 and 199, threaten to punch a hole through the “Redwood Curtain” and impact our beloved redwood trees. Acting together, we have the power to stop this wasteful and destructive project,” says event coordinator Margie of Richardson Grove Action Now.

Local residents are frustrated with the lack of transparency and, in spite of the significant harm posed to the state park and local economy, have been shut out of the planning process. “First CalTrans said there would be no trees cut, and now the number has grown. CalTrans can’t get its story straight about the true impacts of their proposed construction, and in collusion with the County, they’re lying about the true motivations for the project,” said Margie.


Richardson Grove Action Now is a network of individuals mobilizing collective social action in a time of unprecedented ecological peril. While CalTrans plans to expand major commercial and military arteries throughout the north coast bioregion, the group is organizing grassroots efforts to effectively stop the highway expansion through Richardson Grove and protect this region’s unique ecosystems and way of life.

Richardson Grove Action Now knows that widening highway 101 through Richardson Grove will take us one leap closer to the hustle and bustle of Southern California city life styles. “People in this region learned the hard way, for instance with Maxxam Corp., how outside corporate interests destroy local industries and jobs, while forcing us to ruin the environment we live in,” says Margie.

The public is invited to the mass rally on February 7 to join in demanding CalTrans immediately cancel the road-widening plan through Richardson Grove State Park. Vegetarian food will be shared by Food Not Bombs. Musicians Joanne Rand and others TBA.

Informational pamphlet from Richardson Grove Action Now available here:
http://www.box.net/shared/6xyyml02vu

Banner unveiled at Redwood Curtain entrance

We just received this from "Richardson Grove Action Now":

For immediate release:


THIS!


According to the Transportation Engineering website, "the most important function of Highway Systems is to ensure the defense readiness capability of public highway infrastructure and establish policy on how the DOD[Department of Defense] uses the public highway system."

Homeland Security measures are a high priority in highway construction projects. Left unchecked, we are facing potential invasion from land and sea--increased accessibility for military convoys on our highways and Navy dominance of our oceans.

We know that the Highway 101 expansion is supported by the U.S. military and so-called defense agencies who wish to have greater access and control of the people and natural resources of this region.

There may be a lot Caltrans isn't telling us about the real motivations and funding of the project.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

An urgent message from Richardson Grove Action Now!


For Immediate Release January 27, 2011

Mass RALLY at CalTrans: NO Road Widening Through Richardson Grove!
Contact: Richardson Grove Action Now (707) 602-7551, rgroveactionnow@gmail.com


Richardson Grove Action Now announces and invites all to a mass RALLY at CalTrans in Eureka.

NO ROAD WIDENING THROUGH RICHARDSON GROVE!
Protect the forest and our future. Resist Invasion.

Rally on Monday, Feb 7th at NOON
at
CalTrans District 1 Headquarters
1656 Union St. (Union and Wabash)
Eureka

Bring anything you want to express yourself!

For info or to get more involved contact Richardson Grove Action Now, call
(707) 602-7551 or email rgroveactionnow@gmail.com.

***
Update: A Critical ride to Save Richardson Grove just added to Monday's events!

Also, on Sunday Feb 6th, the day before the rally...
If you're in Southern Humboldt, go to the Garberville Town Square at noon to commemorate the political legacy of Bob Marley on his birthday with a celebratory and craft-making event in preparation for Monday's mass rally at Cal Trans District 1 Headquarters in Eureka. Come organize rideshares and rally spectacles!


Sunday February 6th, Bob Marley Birthday Celebration and Preparation for Rally at CalTrans Headquarters.

Monday February 7th, mass Rally to protest the road widening plan through Richardson Grove. Noon at CalTrans District 1 Headquarters at Union and Wabash
in Eureka.


Friday, January 21, 2011

Caltrans on "Humboldt Time"...

After waiting for years for Caltrans to make their move in removing 54 trees as well as destroying the roots of the ancient Redwoods along highway 101 through Richardson Grove State Park, I was reminded on Tuesday that bureaucracy is a slow moving steamroller that appears to run somewhat efficiently, until you set aside three days to observe that machine operating out of it's "non-natural" habitat.

To catch up on this update, please refer to this
prior post.

Tuesday January 20th: ZZZZZ.....ZZZZZ

Caltrans never showed. Maybe they were busy with another project or maybe they are wasting our tax dollars by advertising the proposed maintenance in two local papers as well as KIEM Channel 3, maybe to test direct action response to the threat. My reason being present during this "maintenance project" through Richardson Grove State Park was the possibility of Caltrans attempting to remove all or part of the 54 trees that happen to be in the way of what many non-locals and out of area transplants call "progress". (Learn more about the implications of this project to out local businesses and economy at saverichardsongrove.org). Most of us Humboldtians feel that Caltrans will try to sneak in and cut the trees before the project start date. I wanted to be there to document it if they tried.

Eventually around noon, a Caltrans employee did finally visit the One Log House to inform them that they would be shutting down traffic right in front of their business after lunch. This was overheard by a member of our observation crew who happened to be getting coffee(the best coffee in the area). We waited until dusk without any show from Caltrans at the One Log house or at the North end of the project area.

Wednesday January 21st: Late start and traffic control setup

First off, I need to state that the Garberville Caltrans employees are very friendly, courteous and hard working. I don't blame them for the waste and destruction that is inherent in Caltrans' system of operation. I blame their superiors, because the shit rolls downhill, especially in this bureaucracy. Many made it a point to state "tongue in cheek" that they were against the project or at least neutral on the subject and did not want "us" to blame them for doing their job, especially regarding this simple maintenance project. They are hardworking State employees feeling the same cutbacks that all State agencies are experiencing.
Furthermore, the Garberville Caltrans station employees will not be primarily working on or benefiting from the R.I.P.(Richardson Grove Improvement Project). The work will be contracted to Granite Construction. Or Mercer Fraser. Overseen by a Caltrans supervisor, presumably.

Hopefully...

But after seeing what I witnessed, the R.I.P. not likely be supervised. I didn't see the Caltrans supes around much at all, including in the more sensitive work areas. Except once to tell us to get out of the controlled traffic zone while handing out info and once while hiking north to RGSP from the Hartsook area.

Caltrans did finally show today, around 10 am(instead of 8 am...yesterday...) in which they began the stated traffic control in front of the One Log House(just before the One Log House driveway to block patrons from entering) as well as North of the RGSP entrance. Caltrans then immediately began to grade the shoulders of the west side of highway 101 through RGSP starting from the RGSP entrance with a large grader. A crew of two manual laborers followed behind the grader and were busy clearing duff and dirt from the areas that the grader could not reach. However, that did not prevent damages to multiple ancient redwoods along the western side of highway 101 from the grader, along with some damage to the RGSP split redwood fence that separates the RGSP from the shoulder and highway. The manual laborers with shovels should have been doing the clearing work around the bases of these ancient trees, not the grader. I blame the supervisor for not managing his/her employees in such a sensitive area.



Will we be seeing this inefficiency and lack of regard for trees and State park property during the R.I.P? Is Caltrans even aware of the fact that gouging redwood tree bases only makes more work for them in the future? These gouges create burls, which further damage the road in some instances by causing the pavement to be lifted and cracked.
In my own opinion, the damage to the fence(not the trees)was not apparently the fault of the grader operator. Caltrans could have easily sent a single employee ahead of the grader to remove the large redwood branches before the branches got wedged between the grader blade and the fence to avoid damage to the RGSP fence. A bucket loader and a dump truck followed the grader and shovel crew scraping dirt and duff from the grader off the pavement, as well as one lucky employee cleaning road signs.

Caltrans took lunch around 11:00. I didn't. Nothing else happened...

Caltrans continued working after lunch and completed the entire west side stretch of highway 101 heading south all the way to Hartsook Inn. Caltrans left before 4 pm.

Thursday January 22nd: My late start and Caltrans in high gear

So no one's perfect. But then again, I'm on vacation anyways. I slept in and missed traffic control set-up which happened at the same place but much more timely. The other observers did not sleep in like myself but had nothing unusual to report. A rumor was going around that PG and E would be removing a power pole in the area, further supported by the fact that power had been shut off to the area south of RGSP.
I ran down to the south end of RGSP just in time to see the beginnings of work in the park around 10:30. Caltrans started at the south end this time near Hartsook Inn, but I missed part of it. I continued to film and monitor work in RGSP but the terrain of the shoulder on the East side of highway through RGSP required little or no grading.

In conclusion, Thursday had to be the worst example of wasted time and tax dollars. Unlike Wednesday, which was the worst example of how Caltrans mistreats our ancient trees by hitting them with a grader or how Catrans respects our Parks by knocking down OUR fences.

I came away from those three days with the realization that heavy equipment does not belong so close to our ancient redwoods along highway 101 through RGSP. As an operator myself, I applaud the operator(s) of the grader for being able to minimize the amount of damage that you would expect from operating such heavy equipment right up against the trees. Equipment that essentially blocks your view during operation of things such as fences, tree bases and roots. But the fact remains that even a simple Caltrans maintenance project harms tree bases, roots and State Park fences.

If Caltrans can't even conduct routine maintenance with gouging ancient trees and knocking down State Park fences, why should anyone believe that the ancient tree root work(up to 5' deep) around OUR ancient redwoods that make up the Redwood Curtain will be conducted any more carefully or with more consideration?

Yes, we will be vigilant!

You are being watched, Caltrans...




Sunday, January 16, 2011

Richardson Grove Roadwork to begin Tuesday

http://www.times-standard.com/ci_17105481

Caltrans has announced that crews will be performing routine maintenance on U.S. Highway 101 in Richardson Grove State Park beginning Tuesday and continuing through Thursday, Jan. 20, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.

3 days of State labor to remove debris? With holiday pay?

Work will involve removal of debris from the shoulders of the roadway and drainage ditches. One-way traffic control will be in effect and motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

All work is weather-permitting and subject to change. For the most current road information on all state highways, call 1-800-427-7623 or visit www.dot.ca.gov.

Be vigilant!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Holding Police Who Kill Accountable: Justice for Martin Cotton event

please help spread the word...

Two Bay Area events, open to the public, regarding Martin Cotton: Download the flier HERE

Martin Cotton II was living houseless and unarmed when, on August 9, 2007, in Eureka California, he was severely abused by police, then brought to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility. At the jail, he was further attacked by guards and left to die on the cell floor.

There is currently a federal civil rights lawsuit that brought on behalf of Martin Cotton's baby daughter, Siehna Cotton, and by Martin's father, Marty Cotton.

Join Redwood Curtain CopWatch in discussions about what happened to Martin Cotton and how to connect community struggles against police brutality. Help strategize to sustain public pressure during the upcoming trial.



THURSDAY DECEMBER 16th

Long Haul Info Shop
3124 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley CA

7:00pm



TUESDAY DECEMBER 21st

Siegel & Yee office
499 14th St, Ste 220
Oakland

6:30pm

Holding Police Who Kill Accountable:
Justice for Martin Cotton event

Co-sponsored by National Lawyers Guild SF Bay Area Anti-Racism Committee

antiracism@nlg.org

Greenwash?

From Humboldt Herald:
http://humboldtherald.wordpress.com/2010/12/15/good-news-for-eureka-salmon-spotted-owls/


"Good news for Eureka salmon, spotted owls


The environment-rich Ryan Creek watershed may get its death sentence commuted in a deal that would protect forest and fish habitat by ditching most development plans.

The Times-Standard reports that logging company Green Diamond is working with the Trust for Public Land on a plan that could keep the area that borders the City of Eureka in timber production and create a community forest rather than subdivide it.Depending on the way the forest is managed, it appears to be an idea that everyone could support."

Yeah! Right...

But here is the interesting part:

"A smaller portion could be retained for development."

The article continues:


And though it’s not mentioned in the article, the area has been a focal point of protest and civil disobedience for the past two years and would no doubt have been clear-cut in preparation for development if not for the efforts of local activists. (The McKay Tract)





Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Petition to Save Swedish Old Growth forest

To the Swedish Parliament and Government:

Appeal: Protect Sweden's Old-Growth Forests

The loss of natural habitats is the single main cause for the global loss of biodiversity, a living nature. In order to preserve a living forest landscape in Sweden, all remaining natural and old-growth forests with high conservation values need to be protected. More than 1,800 forest-living plant and animal species are listed on the Swedish red-list as near-threatened and endangered species, and a large proportion of these species are linked to these forests.

According to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency only a few percent of high conservation value forests remain below the mountain region (sub-alpine forests) in Sweden. It is time to stop all old-growth forest logging plans. Moreover, suitable forest habitats need to be restored to reach sufficient area and quality in accordance with the recommendations of current nature conservation science.

The depletion of the forest ecosystem does not only force away a variety of forest species – it also has a negative impact on human beings. A living forest ecosystem is fundamental to essential processes such as regulation of air quality, climate regulation, water regulation, water purification, pollination, and mitigation of natural disasters.

A sustainable Swedish forestry, which takes the safeguarding of biodiversity seriously, cannot be achieved in a situation where 95 percent of the productive forests are exploited, and where only a few percent of the forest land are set aside for nature conservation. The Swedish Government and the Swedish Forest Industries Federation advocate further forestry intensification, with methods such as stump extraction, increased use of non-native tree species, restoration of ditches, and fertilization, which threaten the biodiversity even more. Sweden is committed, internationally and nationally, to stop the loss of biodiversity and it is our duty, to future generations, to abide by these obligations. The current negative trend must be reversed immediately and the Swedish Parliament and Government must take their responsibility.

Click here view the Appeal site and sign the petition

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Richardson Grove Update-CALTRANS Pressing Ahead-Richardson Grove Project To Start February, 2011

Artist conception of 101 through Humboldt County after the Big Box invasion

We have urgent and last ditch efforts to make ahead of this looming CALTRANS deadline. In spite of the fact that two lawsuits have been filed (one in Federal Court in San Francisco under NEPA and one in State Court under CEQA that has been moved to Humboldt County) CALTRANS is pressing ahead.

Right now they are applying for one of the last permits needed from the Regional Water Control Board. Comments are due by DECEMBER 10 so we need to act quickly.
Letters need to be sent to:
Also, please see this article at:
which shows how CALTRANS does not hesitate to pollute our waterways - their claims that they do no damage are entirely bogus.

As you are aware, we have a new Governor-elect so let's put some pressure on Jerry Brown to stop this madness. Jerry made an election-eve appearance at the Samoa Cookhouse and is familiar with Humboldt County and voters here helped to elect him. Let's try for some payback! Encourage him to put the project on hold pending further review or, ideally, stop it completely. Send emails to:
or mail to:
Governor-elect Jerry Brown
c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814.

Remember, these STAA trucks negotiate the Grove every day without incident. This project is merely make-work for CALTRANS and will prove not just damaging to the ancient trees but to the way of life we favor in this County. Let's take a lesson from the Tea Party and activate our grassroots support to take action - we can do it!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

All of us must be aware and working more together right now...

To stop U.S. Navy planned war games for
weapons testing off our coasts,
deliberately allowing the extermination of 11.7 million mammals over the course of 5 years,
a program initially permitted
under Bush and continued under Obama,

We ask, how could this have been proposed, let alone reached this level and about to happen, where the public comment period is coming to an end Nov. 30,10' , without allowing input on the most recent and worst of weaponry to be tested. All this in the hands of government officials who simply find it "normal" to use terms like "mitigations" ( more mild, softening, to sooth) as if to alleviate unimaginable losses, the word "take" rather than "kill" to rationalize the massive extent of these exterminations of species life.

War exercises along 122,400 nautical miles of air, surface, and subsurface space in Northern California, Oregon, and Western Washington, Idaho, called the the Northwest Training Research Complex (NWTRC) . These war games include "a total of 7,588 sorties...[of] fixed wing aircraft, helicopters, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ("drones"), and naval vessels conducting exercises for 6,940 hours". . . for each of the next five years.

This means the worst of consequences to marine mammals. fish and birds, in the very midst of the most precious of their national marine sanctuaries, marine reserves, biologically sensitive marine habitats...no longer to be protected by any government agency at this time including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
This has got to sound alarmist, but it's simply the reality of what these weapons testings mean.
(see other sources at bottom)

This, only the latest update on this massive issue of Naval testings, suppressed by this governments refusal to initially broadcast such information where it would be most noticed, first announcing in the smallest communities they could find in northern California, Oregon, and Washington...avoiding the big cities.

The Agricultural Defense Coalition of Mendocino was among the first to discover, read the volumes of the report and decipher the extraordinary impact of what the Navy planned. Activists began reaching out to larger newspapers, TV stations to have it broadcasted, but were turned down, for months... thus forced to continue on the phone and begin travelling to surrounding population centers and walking it through, knocking on doors of environmental groups, bringing it to the attention of Boards of Supervisors and others involved in government... anyone they felt might be able to understand the scope of this and help stop it!

(NRDC) National Resources Defense Council, finally took it on, but their legal suit covered only a portion of sonar effects. That suit was settled and NRDC was sidelined and legally bound not to take on this larger case of weaponry being used. Thus their legal work is not of any use in this larger picture of ocean weapons testing, beyond sonar, while their presence in the public eye has led many people to feel all this has been covered.

Activists are still attempting to inspire further legal work and build an extensive coalition of those who hear this message. This has included reaching out further to native tribes, environmental groups and caring peoples everywhere who acknowledge this madness and step up!

We're not simply asking for delay,
but an abrupt stop to this madness.

In the state of Washington, the Navy talked with Indian tribes and it became obvious the tribes had been deceived by the concessions they had made for allowing the tests to proceed, only lately becoming aware of the greater consequences of all this.

A look at governments way of speaking:
In one breath they say; The Navy requests authorization to "take" (kill) individuals of 32 species of marine mammals....and when confronted with this we hear them reply: "nothing of consequences is happening . . .and how . . . people have "misperceptions", . . stating how their safety measures "will reduce the number of animals affected". Still not in the loop, is the impact of their newest arsenal of weapons of 'shock and awe' ... and how the Navy acknowledges some testing is highly classified therefore the tests will not be shared with the public, at all. We always face the curtain drawn by "national security" of anything deemed "highly classified".

We're told sonar will not be used if marine mammals are spotted near training. But a good proportion of the public, including a great many children in school, already know the least of sonar effects are immediately felt by these great mammals even hundreds of mile away. The Navy plans to test sonar weapons with such extreme intensity as "to deafen whales, but..."their hearing eventually is (expected) to return" we're told.

Volumes of public rage over these plans seemed to have been heard back in 09,' and Navy plans, we were told, would be re-evaluated, yet the present plans suggest nothing whatsoever has changed, assuring no protection, nor even making mention of their newest most devastating weapons to be tested, mostly re-tested . All this brought into the plans only recently and never part of what should have been open to public comment!

This is not all. A whole other dimension of this is the inclusion of air bombardments in the summary of what will happen, with testings going on across several states,. . . overhead and targeting parts of Idaho .

According to Navy Public Relations Officer Sheila Murray the United States Navy is already conducting warfare testing programs throughout the United States.

Finally, the EIS Socioeconomics segment concludes, "the Proposed Action would result in no significant impacts. Therefore, no mitigation measures are required."
That's it! And that's why this message is in our hands now


We are not being asked, but simply led through formal procedures,
then told what power will do.

A final ROD (Rule of Decision) was issued on October 25, 2010, to proceed forward despite thousands of filings with them against taking this action. No National Marine Sanctuaries, biological sensitive areas, marine habitats, fish, breeding and feeding habitats, birds or human health are to be preserved or protected at this time within this area from sonar use, toxic chemicals, bomb blasts, and other warfare testing.

The Navy Warfare Testing Program will... "utilize mid-to high frequency active sonar sources and explosive detonations... during Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW), Mine Avoidance Training, Extended Echo Ranging and Improved Extended Echo Ranging (EER/IEER) events, Missile Exercises, Gunnery Exercises, Bombing Exercises, Sinking Exercises, and Mine Warfare TrainingÅ "

The list of toxic chemicals is a long one as noted in the Navy E.I.S. Depleted uranium, red and white phosphorus, and a whole host of chemicals known to be toxic not only to man, but to marine life, are being served up on the "Navy Warfare Chemical Menu" that will contaminate our air, water, and soil."

Fish, habitat, mammal life, human health, toxic chemical usage and dumping, bomb blasts, airborn explosions and overall use of our atmosphere as a physics laboratory for conducting experiments for prosecution of war are all without consideration of the environmental consequences of their actions....and all omitted as part of NOAA (NMFS), items of investigation at this time.

The EIS Socioeconomics segment concludes, "the Proposed Action would result in no significant impacts. Therefore, no mitigation measures are required."


(P.E.E.R.) Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, a group watch dogging this governments ongoing levels of destruction to ocean life, taking the Navy to court over years of dumping wastes in our oceans, including toxic materials and expended weapons, rather than keeping it all until reaching land and safer deposit.

With dead zones growing in most seas, the effects of plastics and what all the oil drilling has and will continue to do, it begs the question why this nation has not turned its massive power
to restoring the life of our great oceans?

We must all work together to stop this madness


So important: To be making calls directly to Obama

To overturn these plans/be holding Congressional hearings in order to protect Marine Life!

The Whitehouse
* Switchboard: 202-456-1414
* Fax: 202-456-2461
or e-mail - Internet - Whitehouse
Congress toll free # 1-866-220-0444
Switchboard: 202-224-3121

Department documentation on this:
Dr. Jane Lubchenco, NOAA Undersecretary
Oceans & Atmospheric U.S. Dep. of Commerce



Who among us, raised to support species life, are not caretakers?
Most Americans raised to respect and embrace the lives of animals will respond to even a single animals life in jeopardy before us. What have we become that we must plead with officials who somehow have the right to override and ignore us, signing off to decimate whole areas of planet life?

How can such treachery ever be acceptable and
What must we do to bring this to a stop?

If our letters and calls to explain such absurd and deadly results
are further ignored, what is our next step?


Asking everyone please to quickly pass this on to others. . .

Communities For Justice and Peace, Humboldt.Co. Ca.
sending out reports and research studies, exposing media bias and
holding government accountable
442-8733


+++++++++++

Other Sources:

Navy Northwest Training Range Complex: http://www.nwtrangecomplexeis.com/

1) NWTRC EIS - Hazardous Materials. Table 3.3-1: Number of Activities or Training Items Expended Annually - All Alternatives. Footnote 2, page 3.3-6.

2) NWTRC EIS - Hazardous Materials. Table 3.3-6: Selected Hazardous Materials Discharge Restrictions for Navy Vessels. Page 3.3-17.

3) NWTRC EIS - Socioeconomics. Page 3.14-7.

Susan Galleymore is author of Long Time Passing: Mothers Speak about War and Terror, host of Stanford University's Raising Sand Radio, and a former "military mom" and GI Rights Counselor. She was born in apartheid South Africa, lived in Israel from 1975 to 1977, and visited again in 2005. Contact her at media@mothersspeakaboutwarandterror.org.













Thursday, September 23, 2010

Kirk Girard pulls eminent domain on Cutten resident over Ridgewood Village Project

[forwarded message]
Hello,
I was shocked to read in the paper recently, that Kirk Girard said they would take the property they need, belonging to Sharon Yost, by eminent domain if she refused to sell her property to make a new road for the Ridgewood Village Project.
Ridgewood Village is a proposed subdivision plan for the Cutten area. After reading that, I contacted Sharon Yost and asked her to send me a petition to sign.
Here is information and e-mail contacts to write letters if you are also not in favor of this project, you are not in favor of all the clearcutting of the forest it will entail, and/or you are against the idea of taking a person's property by eminent domain::
Thanks for all you do,
T

Dear T,
Thank you for your concern regarding the Ridgewood Village Project and eminent domain. I encourage you to write many letters of protest and pass the word to everyone you know. This is going to affect everyone in Eureka City and County! It is not just the Cutten residents. Also, please put the word out about this Thurs, Sept 23, Supervisor's chambers at 6 PM to protest this train wreck!
Here is the website for concerned citizens: http://www.humboldtccrd.org/
Here are the email addresses to send letters to the Supervisors, Planning Dept., Planning Commission, etc.:

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS Training

How to Handle Encounters With Cops

Saturday, Sept. 25th

1:30-5:30 pm

at Peoples' Action For Rights and Community
EUREKA
Q St. Alley between 3rd and 2nd St.

ALL AGES
FREE
SNACKS

Hosted by Redwood Curtain CopWatch

Call (707)633-4493 for more info.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

You should be at Earthdance! Wherever you find yourself this weekend, join us in spirit on Saturday at 4PM.

2010 is the last year that Earthdance will be held in Laytonville, Ca at Black Oaks Ranch(aka "the Hog Farm"). We have attended Earthdance for years now, tabling for local forest defense actions in "Activist Alley". Every year has been great and it will be sad to say goodbye to the Oaks.

My personal favorite part of the event is the worldwide "Prayer for Peace" that has happened every year on Saturday(the "International Day of Peace") at 4Pm, since Earthdance began in 1997. It is really inspiring to join with so many human beings in positive intention for the end of global war and suffering. We hope you come out to Earthdance 2010 this weekend and join together with thousands of your brothers and sisters here in Laytonville, as well as with the hundreds of thousands of participants in over 350 cities around the planet.


We hope that if you cannot make it to Earthdance to in the least join us for the "Prayer for Peace" in spirit at 4pm this Saturday.

Monday, September 13, 2010

That was awesome! Many thanks to Jack and the TreeSpirit Project!


Now I can check off "running naked across Redwood highway 101 in Richardson grove state Park as one of the things to do with my time left on Earth...

The action Sunday morning went very smoothly. Despite threats from the Park about shutting down the project, Jack of Tree Spirit, crew and participants pulled it off. Over 50 "spirits" participated. I cannot wait to see the beautiful photos. I feel it was a great way to show the vulnerability of nature juxtaposed with the vulnerability of being nude.

Please visit http://treespiritproject.com/ to view Jack's amazing work. Many thanks to the crew and participants for such an inspiring action to save this amazing place we call the "Redwood Curtain"...

Friday, September 3, 2010

Show your spirit for Richardson Grove!


There are many ways to defend Richardson Grove - currently on the highway carving block. One way is that of photographer Jack Gescheidt whose Tree Spirit Project began six years ago when he photographed volunteers naked in a gigantic coast live oak several hundred years old. On Sunday, Sept 12, the project will come to the grove when Jack will once again unite the naked human form of volunteer participants with the contours of ancient Redwood trees. Jack has never used professional models in any of his forest settings.

The project has taken on a life of its own, according to Jack, “attracting men and women who are drawn to trees as children are. They share stories about how they love to sit under one special tree, or are compelled to climb into one, or how they communicate with them, or how they have always, like me, felt comforted in the presence of trees.”

Jack invites all to enter the Grove at 7 am on Sunday to shed their inhibitions and rekindle “in our hearts a reverence for the interconnectedness of all living creatures.” We can meet outside the Grove at French’s Camp in the early morning on Sunday.

Jack says that “sometimes the photographs seem beside the point, just an excuse to have a powerful experience with a tree again, or for the first time. People overcome fears, reclaim confidence in their bodies, enjoy community in nature.”

As a land of tree huggers and erstwhile devotees of nude swimming, the project is a perfect way for many of us to focus our protective energy on the Grove. To make sure you get there on time, there will be a camp close to the grove in the evening before, Saturday, Sept. 11.

After 9 am, at the conclusion of the project participants will be able gather near the river for a shared meal and discussion of future strategies to save the grove from desecration by CalTrans and the Army Corps of Engineers.

More information on the event and locations, call Paul 923 4488, or Jack 442-8733. To view past projects go to TreeSpititProject.com

Richardson Grove Calendar for September 11 and 12:

September 11, 2010:
Camp near Richardson Grove in prep for Tree Spirit Project (and to discuss protecting the Grove - and everything else in our lives that would be killed or horribly altered if the road-widening were to happen.)

September 12, 2010:
Early morning meet at French's Camp outside Grove
7:00am in the Grove
9:00am Project Conclusion;
Shared meal and strategy discussion near river


Thursday, August 26, 2010

Timber wars: No end in sight!

From: http://efhumboldt.org/

In addition to the information in this press release, we were also just told that Humboldt County Sherriffs cut the lifeline of the activist who is still dangling 60 feet in the air. In addition they arrested a support person to the action to clear the road so Green Diamond Resource Company logging crews could continue clearcutting redwoods above a residential neighborhood in Bayside, Ca.

Redwood Forest Defense

For Immediate Release: August 18, 2010



Forest Activists Blockade Clear-cut Logging In Jacoby Creek!


Early Tuesday morning forest defenders set up a 60 ft high road blockade to stop the active clear-cutting operations of Green Diamond Resource Company in the redwoods near Jacoby Creek Road north of Eureka in Humboldt County. These clear-cut logging plans represent a mere fraction of the ongoing clear-cut logging operations in Northern California.

“We are not coming down voluntarily until the reckless logging in the Jacoby Creek watershed is stopped,” said "Fly", one of the activists from atop the 60 ft high hanging platform

Citing concern for the local redwood eco-system as well as global climate change, the activists scaled rope structures made to block the entrance of a logging road. The blockades were constructed so that if moved or damaged, the activists could fall from a considerable height. Several pickup trucks and a van full of workers had to turn back when they arrived. One of the workers from the van started cutting the rope before supporters on the ground could stop him.

“This is about global eco-cide,” said Fly , “We are doing this to preserve life on this planet, to fight climate change, loss of species and threats to our ability to survive.”

Recent studies from botanist Steve Sillett, of Humboldt State University show that Redwoods grow faster as they grow older, storing huge amounts of carbon and slowing the rate of global warming. There is currently a collaboration of conservationists and scientists using highly advanced technology to decode the information stored in redwood tree trunks, branches and leaves to study the effects of climate change on these giants.

It has also been found that fog decrease is threatening California’s Redwood forests as reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. University of Berkley Professor Todd Dawson commented, "As fog decreases, the mature redwoods along the coast are not likely to die outright, but there may be less recruitment of new trees. They will look elsewhere for water, high humidity and cooler temperatures." (Reuters, Feb.15, 2010)


Location: From Bayside post office take Jacoby Creek Rd, go right on Quarry Rd 0.2 miles



Timber Harvest Plan Information:


Green Diamond THP # 1-08-145

Name: G-127

50.6 acres total

33.1 acres clearcutting

15.3 acres selection

2.2 no-harvest

Green Diamond THP # 1-08-153

Name: Rocky Washington

66 acres total

39.5 acres clearcut

14.0 selection

12.5 no-harvest

Humboldt County Sheriff's deputies going back on duty after shooting death

http://www.redwoodcurtaincopwatch.net/node/528

Humboldt County Sheriff's deputies going back on duty after shooting death

The Times-Standard Posted: 08/13/2010 01:15:16 AM PDT

The two Humboldt County Sheriff's deputies involved in the shooting death of Robert Garth near Blue Lake on Saturday are returning to duty today.

After reviewing physical evidence, officer statements and witness statements, Sheriff Gary Philp decided to return seven-year veteran Deputy Dave Lundie and Deputy John Fomasi to regular duty, according to a Sheriff's Office press release. Philp determined that neither deputy violated Sheriff's Office policy or procedure during the incident.

An investigation was opened after Garth's death. He was shot multiple times after allegedly approaching officers aggressively with the metal handle of a garden rake and refusing to comply with officers' orders on State Route 299 west of Blue Lake.

The case will be forwarded to the Humboldt County District Attorney's Office for review, including autopsy and toxicology reports.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Video of CSI for the officer related murder of Robert Garth

Update 08-26-2010:
Link to Redwood Curtain Copwatch's Youtube channel for more video, as much more video is continuously being added:
http://www.youtube.com/user/RedwoodCopWatch

Also, read the Copwatch press release to catch up on this continuously developing story:
http://redwoodcurtaincopwatch.net/node/520

So I get the word that my buddy's brother was shot and killed near his house in Blue Lake on 08-07-2010. I ran down to the crime scene and see that the entire hwy 299 from the Glendale/Essex lane to the Blue Lake exit was shut down to traffic, including the press and the family of the officer related murder victim, Robert Garth.

I grabbed my digital still camera that has low quality video and audio and ran down through the pumpkin farm property on the north side of SR 299, just west of the Blue Lake exit. I climbed a Spruce tree about 150'-200' from the crime scene and started shooting, praying that the cops wouldn't discover me and shoot me too!

I feel the audio of these videos will demonstrate the lack of compassion by law enforcement for the victim, as they are laughing and joking about the incident. My apologies for the quality of the videos, but I was trying to avoid getting arrested or shot. I was also about 30' from the ground, level with the highway and could have been easily seen from the crime scene, if cops had any brains...

I soon ran out of battery power for my camera, but was provided another camera after returning to the victim's family and friends that were gathered in front of the victim's home, a digital video camera with a better zoom. That footage is much better quality and captures most of the crime scene investigation, including the arrival of the Coast Guard helicopter as well as interactions with District attorney Paul Gallegos and the grim reaper man Frank Jager(Update 8-13-2010 Coroners identified in video by Copwatch: Van Buskirk(corrupt) and I think, Dave Paris (the shorter guy from the coroner's). Frank Jager is a Eureka City Council guy now, and is running for mayor. He was the coroner for years- and a coverup criminal himself.)

Since law enforcement and investigators were unaware of my presence, the videos(especially the one pending release) is a rare look into the lack of professionalism and sympathy for the murder victim. The other video is 2-3 hours long, and ends with Roberts body being bagged and removed as well as the arrival of the Blue Lake fire department to spray the blood off of the highway and guard rail. The video is out of my possession and is in the hands of multiple people with multiple copies.

The other video(s) will be released as soon as possible after editing and formatting for relevant events and highlights captured.