REDWOOD NEEDLES
REDWOOD NEEDLESPresented by the Sierra Club Redwood Chapter Newsletter, The REDWOOD NEEDLES
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By Flo Norvell
It was feast AND famine recently at a gathering of Sierra Club members and guests at Jughandle Creek Farm. Attended by 25 hungry environmentalists, the feast was a potluck &emdash; the famine was colored slides of aerial views, showing the devastating effects of clearcutting in the county's forests.
Following the supper, Vince Taylor from the Jackson Forest Restoration Group spoke on the benefits of restoring the 50,000 acres of the public's redwood timberland to a healthy forest &emdash; one that constantly renews itself. He pointed out that the benefits of restoration are many and include restoring watersheds that provide the necessary habitat for endangered salmon species. This, in turn, would help revive the once-thriving local fishing industry, now moribund. The restoration campaign also proposes making the state forest more user-friendly to the public which owns it. This would strengthen the local economy by encouraging recreation, education and eco-tourism. (See the article on this page for more information on how you can help.)
Following Mr. Taylor's presentation, Ron Guenther, Chair of the Sierra Club Mendocino/Lake Group introduced Rixanne Wehren, Vice-Chair, who showed spectacular colored slides of aerial views of the coves, crannies, and bluff tops of the magnificent Mendocino County coastline as well as the bald, clearcut aftermath of logging in the county's forests. The aerial views showing the destructive consequences of clearcutting illustrated the need to re-double efforts to stop flawed Timber Harvest Plans.
The breathtaking views of coastal treasures that have already been preserved for the public gave encouragement to potluckers to work hard to preserve the treasures that have not yet been protected and to assure coastal access.
Our next meeting is October 2, 2000, 6:00, at the Fort Bragg Library (Laurel St.). Call 961-1953 for more information.
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