For immediate
release
June 17, 2003
Pacific Lumber Carrying Out Dangerous Extractions of Protesters in Trees Activists
are Trying to Purchase
Activist Locked Into Concrete-Filled Barrel 130 feet High in Branches
Humboldt County, California-The tree that the activist known as Remedy lived
in for a year was ascended by contract climbers hired by Pacific Lumber (PL)
this morning with the intention of removing protesters and cutting the giant
old growth redwood tree. Other activists have occupied the tree continuously
since Remedy, a 28 year old woman from Olympia, Washington was forcibly taken
out of the tree March 17, starting a month-long process to remove sitters
from nearly two dozen old growth trees they were occupying in efforts to save
the remnants of forest in this severely impacted watershed.
The action by Pacific Lumber this morning, observed by only one Sherriff's
Deputy, was described by those on the scene as highly dangerous, as the tree-sitter
had his arms locked into a 55-gallon barrel filled with concrete. The contract
climbers, not trained to do this sort of work, planned to lower the heavy
barrel with the protester attached to it from a height of about 130 feet.
The old growth redwood tree with a girth of about 12 feet, was topped and
limbed after Remedy was taken down, but given the resilience of old growth
redwoods, would recover if left alone. Local residents have been raising funds
to purchase this tree and several other ancient trees from the timber company,
who would profit more from a purchase than logging the few remaining trees.
Over 50 people were arrested over the course of two months this spring, amid
"SLAPP suits (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, designed
to quash dissent) filed by PL and cross complaints filed by activists charging
assault by the contract climbers.
Freshwater has been the site of many demonstrations by forest defenders and
landowners alike, who have been protesting flooding of their homes and
roadways from logging-caused sedimentation of Freshwater Creek.
The Freshwater Creek watershed has been heavily logged throughout the past
20 years and less than 4% of its original forest remains. Freshwater
Creek was the subject of one of the most extensive watershed studies
ever done in California, which concluded that the watershed is severely impaired
and that all logging should cease and desist immediately. Pacific Lumber
ignored the analysis and has continued to clear-cut residual old growth forests
on steep and unstable slopes while disregarding the concerns of residents.
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