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Environmentalists fight vineyards' spread
Associated Press ^ | Jan. 21, 2006 | TERENCE CHEA

Posted on 01/21/2006 1:18:01 PM PST by george76

In the fog-shrouded forests of California's remote North Coast, winemakers believe they've found the perfect terrain to grow the notoriously fickle pinot noir grape prized by connoisseurs.

Vineyard developers are snapping up thousands of acres of redwoods and firs in Sonoma County, with plans to clear the trees and plant the once-obscure varietal made famous by the wine-fueled road trip film "Sideways."

Environmentalists and residents in Annapolis, a tiny town about 140 miles north of San Francisco, are trying to rein in the pinot lovers.

"If you've seen the movie, you've seen the glassy-eyed stare they have when they talk about their plans to produce pinot noir up here,"...

"We feel it's much more important for future generations to have forests on these hills than wine grapes."

As demand for California wine grows, vintners are looking for new terrain beyond traditional wine-growing regions such as the Napa and Sonoma valleys, where available land is scarce and expensive.

A group of Annapolis residents formed Friends of the Gualala River and teamed up with the Sierra Club and other environmental groups to protect the forests.

They say there isn't enough water to support more vineyards, which pollute the river and soil and threaten salmon and other wildlife with runoff.

"We're not saying you shouldn't drink wine.

We're saying there are more appropriate lands to grow wine grapes on," said Keith Kaulum, a local Sierra Club activist.

Currently, landowners who want to convert timberlands must apply for a permit from the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, a process that usually requires a rigorous series of environmental studies.

(Excerpt) Read more at sunherald.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: California; US: New York; US: Oregon; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: agriculture; alf; california; californiawine; connoisseurs; elf; environment; environmental; environmentalfight; environmentalists; fight; forestry; g76; globalwarminghoax; landuse; napavalley; oenology; peta; pinot; pinotlovers; sanfrancisco; sierraclub; sonomacounty; studies; vineyards; vintners; wine
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1 posted on 01/21/2006 1:18:05 PM PST by george76
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To: george76

Okay, environmentalist wackos opposing urban sprawl at least makes sense. But opposing the spread of plants? What is this?


2 posted on 01/21/2006 1:20:11 PM PST by Gordongekko909 (I know. Let's cut his WHOLE BODY off.)
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To: george76

Nimby, Nimby, change is evil!


3 posted on 01/21/2006 1:21:10 PM PST by glorgau
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To: Gordongekko909

If they do not like wine plants, then they should buy that land.


4 posted on 01/21/2006 1:21:59 PM PST by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: andrew2527; AnAmericanMother; A Jovial Cad; Awgie; babaloo; Betis70; Bigturbowski; blanknoone; ...
Click to be added or removed on this low volume list. (Over 100 members).

Wine news ping.

Oenology news ping.

5 posted on 01/21/2006 1:23:21 PM PST by NautiNurse
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To: george76
They say there isn't enough water to support more vineyards, which pollute the river and soil and threaten salmon and other wildlife with runoff.

If it hadn't just flooded there this month, that claim might be more credible.

6 posted on 01/21/2006 1:23:31 PM PST by Dog Gone
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To: george76

But buying land is something capitalists do! And capitalism is evil! They would never stoop to such base means.


7 posted on 01/21/2006 1:24:12 PM PST by Gordongekko909 (I know. Let's cut his WHOLE BODY off.)
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To: george76

Enviro-whackos vs. California liberal wine snobs. Does it get any better? I think not.


8 posted on 01/21/2006 1:25:45 PM PST by TADSLOS (Right Wing Infidel since 1954)
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To: glorgau

The environmentalist wackos are discriminating against plants on the basis of species! They are racists!


9 posted on 01/21/2006 1:26:26 PM PST by Gordongekko909 (I know. Let's cut his WHOLE BODY off.)
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To: TADSLOS

This should be fun to watch.

Who has the popcorn ?


10 posted on 01/21/2006 1:27:38 PM PST by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: george76

Don't fret, they're buying as much land as they can get their grubby little fingers on, and they're doing it with your tax dollars.

Think 'conservency'.


11 posted on 01/21/2006 1:28:14 PM PST by DoughtyOne (01/11/06: Ted Kennedy becomes the designated driver and moral spokesperson for the Democrat party.)
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To: george76
plant the once-obscure varietal

Once obscure? When, before Louis the XIV?

12 posted on 01/21/2006 1:29:39 PM PST by Michael.SF. ('Only thing worse than a Frenchman is a Frenchman who lives in Canada' - Ted Nugent.)
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To: george76

They ran out the timber industry and now they're after the vineyards. To the same ends. No jobs. No local industry except real estate sales where the locals can live off the money made from other people with real jobs in the cities.


13 posted on 01/21/2006 1:32:41 PM PST by GVnana (Former Alias: GVgirl)
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To: Michael.SF.

Good One...

"('Only thing worse than a Frenchman is a Frenchman who lives in Canada' - Ted Nugent.) "


14 posted on 01/21/2006 1:33:02 PM PST by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: george76
They say there isn't enough water to support more vineyards

LOL

15 posted on 01/21/2006 1:33:14 PM PST by B Knotts
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To: Michael.SF.
The 'journalist' that wrote this piece is probably a fan of Ripple.

/johnny

16 posted on 01/21/2006 1:34:35 PM PST by JRandomFreeper (D@mit! I'm just a cook. Don't make me come over there and prove it!)
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To: george76
"They say there isn't enough water to support more vineyards, which pollute the river and soil and threaten salmon and other wildlife with runoff."

I'm a fish-hugger, but properly maintained vineyards shouldn't use any chemicals other than perhaps copper sulfate. There should be little to no change in runoff with reasonable soil management techniques. A grape plant or a pine tree plant shouldn't operate too differently. Just make sure you protect a wide riparian strip.

17 posted on 01/21/2006 1:36:59 PM PST by Uncle Miltie (Liberals oppose individual slavery compared to colletive slavery because they hate competition!)
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To: B Knotts

The Sierra Club is running out of excuses.


18 posted on 01/21/2006 1:37:23 PM PST by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: george76

sent to N CA son.


19 posted on 01/21/2006 1:38:59 PM PST by larryjohnson
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To: NautiNurse

Please add me to your wine list!


20 posted on 01/21/2006 1:40:23 PM PST by governsleastgovernsbest (Watching the Today Show Since 2002 So You Don't Have To.)
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