Viviane Lerner wrote:
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Janet M Eaton [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Sunday, November 07, 1999 3:29 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: [GSN] 10 Tree Sits -Protecting forests of the Pacific NW
>
> From: "Janet M Eaton" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
> --Arcata community forest, since October 15, 1999
> Oregon treesitters from Red Cloud Thunder have traveled to California to
> set up a tree village to stop logging in the community forest of the
> "greenest" city in America. The result is that folks of Arcata have begun
> to wake up to the threat and they are rallying to stop the cut. After a
> recent brush clearing crew was prevented from working, a dozen law
> enforcement and security personnel returned, October 25, to ensure that
> the public did not interfere with the brush clearing. Regardless of this
> show of force, planned Fall cutting of the city of Arcata's redwood park
> has been put on hold until Spring. Call the city of Arcata and tell them
> save their park! <707-822-8184>
>
Viviane:
I live in Arcata. I am an environmental engineering student at
Humboldt State University. I have organized a campaign to switch the entire
university to a new type of high-quality paper which uses no new trees.
HSU paper use results in 1000 large trees being
cut each year. We can reduce this by 2/3 by switching the
type of paper that we are using. I am offering $10,00 per year
of my own money for the next 2 years to help finance this.
The story is online at:
http://lumberjack.humboldt.edu/9-22-99/campus/campus_ecopaper.html
I also work on solar hydgrogen fuel cells at Schatz Energy Research center.
However, I am in favor of logging in the Community Forest.
I try to minimize my use of all resources including wood used for paper
and for all other uses. I do use wood. So does everyone else.
I want the trees that I use for wood to be grown in the most environmentally
sound and sustainable manner possible.
The Community Forest is second and third growth. Wood harvested in
the Community Forest is certified by the SmartWood program as
environmentally sound. SmartWood is a program that does independent
third-party certifications that trees are being grown and cut in an
environementally-sound manner.
Cutting is being done in patch cuts which are small
clear cuts. I have seen the results of the previous logging. It isn't pretty,
but it is much better than the mass clear cuts that are done in industrial
forestry. The city is using a 120 year rotation.
None of the trees in the community forest is more than about 125 years
old. I love hiking in the Community Forest, but I realize that as long
as I am going to use wood products it is important that I directly
see and live with the the results of my use rather than keeping my local
forest pristine while still using wood products from a clear cut rain
forest on the other side of the world.
No cutting of trees is impossible. Responsible cutting is necessary
to achieve long-run sustainability.
Michael Winkler
