Contact: Katherine Anderton
Save-the-Redwoods League
(415) 362-2352, (415) 407-4291 (mobile)
kanderton@savetheredwoods.org
www.savetheredwoods.org
Jim Branham, Pacific Lumber Co.
(707) 845-5168
January 16, 2003
Save-the-Redwoods League entered into an Option Agreement today to purchase approximately 600 acres from the Pacific Lumber Company. The land is covered with residual old growth redwood and Douglas fir situated on the steep slopes above the town of Redway in Humboldt County. Hundreds of members of the Redway community and grassroots organizations, including the Redway Forestry Council, Environmental Protection Information Center, Stable Slopes Forever!, the Redway Forest Defense, The Institute for Sustainable Forestry, the Eel River Salmon Restoration project, the James Marshall Creek Homeowners Association, and the Redway Community Services District have worked for years to secure permanent protection of the ridge.
"Save-the-Redwoods League worked with Pacific Lumber as early as 1931 to protect the ancient redwood forest. We have not had the opportunity to work with PALCO since 1986 and are very pleased now to have reached agreement for purchase of the Redway Slopes. We look forward to continuing to work with the company in the future," stated Katherine Anderton, Executive Director of Save-the-Redwoods League. "The community's commitment to resolving this issue through a negotiated solution has been a pivotal factor in the League's ability to assist in this success," Anderton added.
Save-the-Redwoods League is working with the State Department of Parks and Recreation to secure transfer of the property to the State for addition to the Whittemore Grove immediately below the property. In the 1920's, Save-the-Redwoods League, with the assistance of the Whittemore Family, purchased and transferred to the State of California, a significant old growth redwood grove now dedicated and known as the Harris Whittemore Memorial Grove. "This is another example of how Pacific Lumber Company and the Save-the-Redwoods League can work together for the benefit of a community," said Ruth Coleman, Acting Director of California State Parks. " State Parks is eager to move forward and we hope to add this property to our State Parks System in the near future."
"Our Company has a long history of transactions resulting in the protection of North Coast forests. In fact, more than 25,000 acres that once belonged to Pacific Lumber Company are now protected in parks. We are pleased to have worked with the members of the Redway community and Save-the-Redwoods League to find a mutually acceptable solution to the issues surrounding the Redway slopes. " said Robert Manne, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Pacific Lumber Company.
Richard Gienger, member of Redway Forestry Council said, "This adversarial struggle has been going on for many years, involving bitter litigation. It is really wonderful that it seems it will be resolved to benefit the community and the forest." "It's a dream come true," added Council member Traci Thiele.
Since 1918, Save-the-Redwoods League, a non-profit organization, has worked to protect California's primeval forests from destruction by including them in parks and reserves. To date, the League has assisted in preserving over 155,000 acres of forestlands in California and more than six of every ten acres in California's State redwood parks.
For more information, please visit Save-the-Redwoods League's web site at www.savetheredwoods.org.
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