Celebration to Honor Richardson Grove

Yesterday, a group of people gathered at Richardson Grove State Park to honor the trees there. The celebration included speakers and music performed by Humboldt Bandemonium, a community driven music ensemble. Among the speakers was Yurok tribal member,
Jene McCovey.

Update from Oregon Logging Protest

I just got these pictures from the protest in the Elliott State Forest along with this update from Cascadia Forestdefenders: Report just in :

Police staging area spotted, more then 40 multi agency trucks, Cherry Picker, and FBI involvement.

Protesters Block Logging Roads in Oregon

From Cascadia Forest Defenders:

Tuesday, July 26th, Coos County , Oregon

Early Tuesday morning a number of activists with Cascadia Forest Defenders, and Cascadia Earth First! unfolded a series of road blockades in the Elliott State Forest, located in Coos County, closing access points to timber sales along the west fork of the Millicoma River. The blockades consist of an array of Tree-sits and ground level locking devices. The activists are prepared to block logging in this sensitive eco-system for as long as necessary.

The sales are all slated for clear-cut logging, and are areas of native forest that have never before seen a chain saw. They exist on steep slopes where erosion from logging threatens to further damage Salmon habitat, as well as devastate already dwindling numbers of protected species such as the Marbled Murrelet and the Northern Spotted Owl. Native forests refers to forest that has never before been logged, but can include forests that have experienced wildfire. Please see www.forestdefensenow.com for regular updates on this developing situation.

Tree-sit Video Released

Here is a new video from the Humboldt tree-sit in the McKay tract.

Tree-sitter Arrested in Richardson Grove

A tree-sitter that goes by the forest name "Ozark" was arrested early this morning, as he attempted to climb a redwood tree in the southern part of Richardson Grove State Park. The activist whose real name is Lucas Wright was arrested by a park ranger on a misdeameanor charge of climbing more than 10 feet in a tree. Wright was one of the people who sat in trees in Freshwater in 2003.

Green Diamond to Clearcut near Grizzly Creek

Green Diamond Resource Company is proposing several clearcuts in a Marbled Murrelet buffer area near grizzly Creek State Park. Forest defenders that are monitoring timber plans on the North Coast, hiked in three units of THP 1-11-026. Unit A contains several residual old-growth trees, mixed in with 60-80 year old second growth.

May Day at Richardson Grove

For more info call 952-215-4058

Photos from the Stop CalTrans Rally

Here are some photos that I took yesterday at the rally yesterday at the CalTrans headquarters in Eureka. One protester was arrested after climbing on the roof. She was hoping to lock to other activists, but the police took the ladder down before anyone else could climb it. Some of the protester then marched to the jail to demand her release, but she was let go before they got there.

Lawsuit Delays CalTrans Project

From saverichardsongrove.blogspot.com:

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...

Another Rally at CalTrans HQ on Monday

From RGAN: "This Monday, April 18th, at noon in Eureka on the corner of Wabash and Union, we are mobilizing a second mass rally at the CalTrans District 1 Head Quarters. April 18th is when CalTrans has stated it will be conducting the bidding process for sub-contractors wishing to take part in the main phase of construction to widen Highway 101 through Richardson Grove State Park."