by Ali Freedlund
May 31, 2002

The first thing that the Mattole Restoration Council would like to say is THANK-YOU SO MUCH to all who have written letters in support of protecting the old growth in the Rainbow Ridge area that is owned by the Pacific Lumber Company (PL). We have copies of beautifully written, eloquent and impassioned letters to document your efforts. Several state agencies and the governor received several hundred letters from as far south as San Diego, as far north as Canada, and as far east as Maine. This has brought the Rainbow Ridge project to the attention of our decision makers.

Many state agency people and our representatives are working to find a way to protect this flourishing treasure. The MRC has had meetings both locally and in Sacramento to further this project. Currently, there is funding for habitat protection.

However because Rainbow Ridge is such a large piece of property (and therefore more biologically valuable) the state is still not convinced that public acquisition is the course to take.

Meanwhile the Pacific Lumber Company continues to log bites out of the old growth with proposals for more coming in monthly. In other words, though we have gotten the message that the letter writing is helping, WE STILL NEED TO KEEP UP THE PRESSURE WITH MORE LETTERS. If you have already written a letter, write a letter to the editor (and send us a copy). If you haven’t yet written a letter, please take the time now to be a part of protecting Mattole old growth. At over 2,500 acres, it is still the largest Douglas fir forest of its kind in the state of California. For more information, visit the MRC website at www.mattole.org, visit the Rainbow Ridge website at www.rainbowridge.info, or call Ali Freedlund or Steve Lovett at the MRC office at 629-3514.


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Table of Contents for Mattole Restoration Newsletter, Issue 18 - Summer/Fall 2002