Saving Sanctuary Forest

The community effort to preserve the Douglas fir and redwoods of Sanctuary Forest outside the little town of Whitethorn in Northern California reached a high point in June when voters passed Proposition 70, a bond issue that included $4 million to buy land for the forest. But despite that decisive vote, the fight to protect the land and the wildlife that depends on it is still going on.

The forest’s backers have had to stay organized to shepherd their project through the state mechanism for buying land so the price won’t go up so much that their money buys less. They’ve also had to deal with a logging company that still wants to cut down trees on at least one parcel of land intended for the park. If the months of activity since the June election teach any lesson, it is not only that one small group of citizens can bring change but also that they could use some help--especially from the state government.

The small community started the preservation effort itself, raising money through appeals to friends around the country and placing a $100,000 down payment on 160 acres of unlogged forest last March. The idea was to expand this forest preserve to at least 614 acres near Whitethorn, a town about 22 miles into the redwoods beyond Garberville. There was even a dream of getting owners to agree not to cut the trees on another 3,400 acres. But now some of that land may be logged before the state has a chance to buy it with the bond money. One timber owner, Eel River Sawmills, has filed a harvest plan with the state on one plot of land sought for Sanctuary Forest.

The California Department of Forestry reviews these plans with the Department of Fish and Game and the state Water Resources Control Board, but the Forestry Department alone makes the final decision. There’s no appeal for citizens if the plan is approved, but timber owners may appeal if they are turned down. Sen. Barry Keene (D-Benicia) tried unsuccessfully during the last session of the Legislature to give the fish-and-game experts more influence on the process and to add an avenue of appeal for those who oppose the logging. We hope that he tries again.

The Forestry Department recently approved a separate harvest plan for land near Sanctuary Forest despite objections from the wildlife experts, who said that cutting the trees there would endanger the homes of several species of animals. The same objections could be made about cutting timber on the Sanctuary Forest land; the decision on that logging plan may be announced Nov. 30. We hope the department will delay that decision to allow negotiations for the land between its owners, the Sanctuary Forest backers and the state Wildlife and Conservation Board, which oversees purchases with the bond money.

The Sanctuary Forest people have hired their own appraiser to try to speed the process of state acquisition. Eel River Sawmills’ attorney says that his client is willing to sell the land. The timber owners have shown restraint to date. They agreed before the bond vote not to cut any trees until the results were in. The voters clearly indicated that they wanted to preserve an area to be known as Sanctuary Forest, and that they will pay to do it. Now it’s time for some good-faith negotiations.