Activists calling themselves Redwood Forest Defenders put up a road blockade in Jacoby Creek this morning to halt Green Diamond timber operations. An activist called Fly is sitting in a sky-pod to keep loggers out. At last report at least five Humboldt County Sheriffs were on the scene. The action is near a public road, so forest defenders are encouraging members of the public to come out to support and witness the action.
Update at 7:50 am: One activist arrested at the blockade. Loggers managed to get through but pod-sitter is still in the air above the road.
Update #2 at 8:33: Press Release from Redwood Forest Defense:
Redwood Forest Defense
For Immediate Release: August 18, 2010
Contact:
Jay Freeman (707) 845-8268
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
THP 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
Update #3: More info at
http://efhumboldt.org/2010/08/breaking-news-jacoby-creek-clearcut-logging-blockaded/Correction:
I first wrote that the activists were associated with Earth First! Humboldt and later learned that they were actually with another group.
