Mattole Defense Winter Update '06

Monitoring of Pacific Lumbers (PL) activities on the North Forks of the Mattole River continues. Some areas of previously protected forest could possibly be open for logging in the second half of this year. PL has not filed any new Timber Harvest Plans (THP's) for over a year, however, it is widely reported that the company is attempting to get watercourse protections reduced. This would allow them access to previously off-limits areas of rare ancient Douglas Fir forest. Some of these areas are within older THP boundaries and are in the "limited entry" or no cut zones. Clauses in these plans allow for logging to occur within the buffer zones if the rules are changed. There would be a relatively short public comment period (a few weeks) and then logging in these plans could begin again. An article in the Mattole Restoration Newsletter says that a draft copy of the new rules for streamside buffers should be available for public viewing and comment by early summer.