County to launch new front in logging crackdown

Santa Cruz Sentinel ^ | March 30, 2007 | Genevieve Bookwalter

[EggsAckley]

There was a time when Santa Cruz environmentalists encouraged logging.

"It is the policy of the Board of Supervisors to encourage the continued production of forest products," reads the county code, written in 1976 by former Supervisor Gary Patton, long known for his strong environmental stances.

But while the code he wrote has not changed, the attitude of some county leaders has. And next month, they will further their attempt to curb one of the county's first and most controversial industries: harvesting trees.

At their April 24 meeting, supervisors are tentatively scheduled to consider increasing the size that a piece of land must be before it can be rezoned for logging.

[ClearCase_guy]

Are they logged in?

[Vaquero]

hey you got your posting name from Zap Comix (R.Crumb) didnt you?

[EggsAckley]

Yep

[SF Republican]

Those giant coastal redwoods ARE spectacular, they only take 500 years to get that way, cut 'em down.

[bk1000]

News flash to enviros: TREES GROW BACK!

[sionnsar]

Those giant coastal redwoods ARE spectacular, they only take 500 years to get that way, cut 'em down.

Before they slide down the hillsides in wet winters. In late '81 I found my usual commute route blocked by a grove of redwoods that had slid down off a hill and were blocking the road. All upright still -- the strangest sight.

[EggsAckley]

We're not talking about 500 year old trees. We're talking about much younger trees from previously forested land. These trees grow back much more densely and for the health of the forest, a certain percentage of them NEED to be thinned out every ten years or so.

As a matter of fact, the California Division of Forestry has required regular thinning. It's the Bozo tree-hugging faction of Santa Cruz that prevents it.

[sdillard]

You must understand that here in California, we have a particular species of moonbat: the Tree Sitter.

These odd creatures have a habit of nesting themselves in trees that they consider "sacred", so as to keep them from being cut down.

Currently, on the UC Berkeley campus, there are several of these Tree Sitters living in oak trees that the university is going to remove for a new building. The Tree Sitters insist on calling these trees by their pagan name: "Mother Oak". "Save the old growth Mother Oaks", they cry.

Sadly, "Mother Oak" was planted by gardners in 1923. These trees will be replaced with over 300 new ones.

You really cannot argue with the Tree Sitter. It's like arguing with a stone.

[EggsAckley]

Oh, I DO understand. My forest is due to be thinned again and I'm NOT looking forward to all the hoops they'll make me jump through. Santa Cruz County is nothing but fruits, nuts, and a bunch of flakes, the granola capitol of the world.

[ApplegateRanch]

My forest is due to be thinned again and I'm NOT looking forward to all the hoops they'll make me jump through.

I got the

look from our 'local authorities' when I asked about permits, etc. to thin our woods a few years ago.

After "The Look", they asked me if it was my property, then told me that what I did on it was my business!

I was born & raised in CA, then had lived in OR for the previous 20 years, so swallowing ire, and asking permission for anything & everything was second nature.

We may not have Costco or Home Depot within 350 miles; Trader Joe's within a day's fast driving distance, but at least we're civilized here.

[EggsAckley]

What gets me is the title of the article. I told my friend the title "County to launch new front in logging crackdown" but I purposefully left out the word "logging." I asked her what kind of heinous activity she guessed they might be "cracking down" on. She guessed the obvious....graffiti, panhandling, gangs, drugs, drunk drivers, etc. You know, all the social ills of a community.

She about fainted when I filled in the word "logging."

No media bias here, heheh.

[Expendable]

I'm not surprised. I have a friend who lives down in Santa Cruz. He tells me that there are people in town who refuse to use microwaves for some reason or another. In addition, remember that Rolling Stone mentioned Santa Cruz as the Number One town for marijuana in the US. Hence, my lack of surprise.

Nice town to visit. Definitely wouldn't want to live there.