by Julia Butterfly Hill
Recently, I experienced the bittersweet joy of returning to the ancient
redwood Luna where I lived for two years. This time I embraced her wide
trunk rather than her outstretched limbs. Together with my colleagues from
Circle of Life Foundation and Sanctuary Forest, I celebrated the victory of
protecting this ancient being and the surrounding three-acres. Yet, there
are still so many groves that are being cut within the greater Headwaters
area and the rest of Maxxam/Pacific Lumber's forest land.
This summer, Pacific Lumber has approved timber harvest plans in several
watersheds in Humboldt County and even in the heart of the Headwaters
Reserve. The 7500 acre Headwaters Reserve has two components. The ancient
forest groves and buffer areas are in a large block. Extending from it is
a thin ribbon of protected land along both sides of the South Fork Elk
River, one of the best remaining salmon streams in California. The river
protection corridor, only 150 feet on each side of the water, winds its way
downstream until it again crosses the main body of the Reserve. Roughly
1000 acres between the river and the groves are not included in the
Reserve. Within this Hole in Headwaters is a 705-acre Timber Harvest Plan
(THP 520). Operation of the THP will muddy the river, harm salmon, and
diminish the environmental values of the Reserve. The Environmental
Protection Information Center (EPIC) and the Sierra Club are litigating to
protect this area and have successfully obtained a preliminary injunction.
The plaintiffs demonstrated that there is a strong legal case but were
required to raise a substantial bond to secure the injunction. (Please
check out the EPIC web site at www.wildcalifornia.org for up to date info
on the legal battle to save Headwaters and other critical wildlife areas).
We at the Circle of Life Foundation believe that the Headwaters Forest
Reserve should be expanded to include the Hole in Headwaters in order to
truly protect the ecological viability and critical habitat for old-growth
dependent species. The upper portion of Elk River must be protected as a
salmon refugia.
We must continue to advocate on behalf of all life for the basic rights of
clean air, pure water, and healthy forests. Protecting Luna is a stepping
stone in our path of preserving and restoring forests. Yet, we must band
together and employ a variety of strategies to protect our precious forests
including direct action, land acquisition, lobbying, grassroots organizing,
and litigation.
It is vital to defend the areas that are threatened and it is also
necessary to embody the solutions that we want to see in the world. When
we speak out or put our bodies in the way of destruction, let's also
articulate a vision of sustainable forestry, tree-free paper, value-added
products, and harvesting annually renewable fruits of the forest.
Julia Butterfly Hill founded the Circle of Life Foundation to promote
efforts to protect and restore the Earth through education and outreach.
For further information, contact the Circle of Life Foundation at:
Address: PO Box 388, Garberville, CA 95542
Tel.: (707) 923-9522
E-mail: info@circleoflifefoundation.org
Web: http://www.circleoflifefoundation.org
