Not One More Ancient Tree

Old-growth forest to begin falling any time at McCoy Creek

Posted 7/18/97

Early Thursday morning Lancaster Logging Co. sent a large logging crew into an old-growth Douglas fir forest in the McCoy Creek watershed just east of Piercy, Calif. McCoy Creek supports a spawning population of threatened Coho salmon, and its unentered old-growth Douglas fir stands are among the last remaining in northern Mendocino County. One critical seed of recovery in a heavily logged landscape, McCoy Creek's old-growth provides important wildlife habitat and connectivity between the Sinkiyone / King Range and Red Mountain areas.

A tragic series of events and decisions led to this forest being opened to logging. Once maintained by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), McCoy Creek was sold so that another old-growth parcel in Humboldt County could be acquired. BLM disposed of McCoy Creek for $450,000-- less than half its appraised value-- and did so in the face of extensive public opposition. The American Land Conservancy subsequently brokered a deal that transferred the parcel to Lancaster Logging Co. for even less money. As one local activist put it, "It is absurd that the BLM is selling precious old-growth forest and critical Coho habitat to a cut-and-run logger. Is this responsible stewardship of our public lands?"

Lancaster has a reputation in Mendocino County for reckless, destructive logging practices and disregard for environmental laws. State officials have documented egregious water quality violations on past Lancaster plans, a fact that does not bode well for McCoy Creek's struggling fishery. The McCoy Creek Timber Harvest Plan (THP), though strenuously opposed by watershed residents, was approved by the California Department of Forestry (CDF) this week. The Piercy Watersheds Association is now organizing a lawsuit with the assistance of the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC). A court hearing was scheduled for Fri., July 18, in Ukiah. In the meantime, ancient trees could begin falling.

The plunder of McCoy Creek represents a massive abdication of responsibility on the part of many people, organizations and agencies. Please phone, FAX, or e-mail the following people and express your outrage that they are allowing still more of our irreplaceable ancient forests and Coho salmon to be lost forever.

Let them hear it loud and clear: NOT ONE MORE ANCIENT TREE.

Harriet Burgess, American Land Conservancy 415/403-3850 (voice), 403-3856 (FAX)
Ed Hastey, State Director, BLM, 916/978-4600 (voice), 978-4620 (FAX), nrossen@ca.blm.gov (e-mail)
Linda Roush, BLM, 707/825-2300 (voice), 825-2301 (FAX), lroush@ca.blm.gov
Richard Wilson, Director, CDF, 916/653-7772 (voice), 653-4171 (FAX)
Tom Osipowich, CDF, 707/576-2275 (voice), 576-2608 (FAX)
Dick Butler, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), 707/575-6058
Patrick Rutten, NMFS, 707/575-6059
Christi Young, NMFS, 707/575-6067
William Hogarth, NMFS, 310/980-4000, william.hogarth@noaa.com
Doyle and David Lancaster, Lancaster Logging Co., 707/498-4461 (voice), 764-5230 (FAX)

For more information contact:

Piercy Watersheds Association, 707/923-4372
EPIC, 707/923-2931
Mendocino Environmental Center, 707/468-1660