PL tells Freshwater tree-sitters to get out

The Times-Standard ^ | March 06, 2003 | James Tressler

[farmfriend]

PL tells Freshwater tree-sitters to get out

By James Tressler The Times-Standard

FRESHWATER -- Pacific Lumber Co. sent climbers up ancient redwood trees here Wednesday to deliver a message personally to tree-sitting activists.

The message: It's time to come down.

At least 18 activists sitting in PL-owned trees in the Freshwater area were served notice of a hearing scheduled Friday in Humboldt County Superior Court.

The timber company is seeking a temporary restraining order which, if approved by Judge Dale Reinholtsen Friday, would order all of the tree-sitters to stay off the company's property. It also would order the activists not to interfere with the company's logging operations.

If the judge issues the restraining order Friday, the activists would have 24 hours to come down after being served the restraining order. Otherwise PL would send the climbers back up the trees to arrest them.

PL sued the activists last September, alleging that tree-sitting and other demonstration activities have caused economic damage to the company. That lawsuit has yet to be heard in court.

"Our desire would be that these kids come down out of the trees for their own safety and for everyone else's," said Jim Branham, Pacific Lumber's director of government relations. "It's a dangerous activity, and really the best alternative would be for them to voluntarily come down."

This week PL also posted signs on the trees advising the tree-sitters they are trespassing on private property, to leave, and not return unless they had written permission from the company.

At least 30 other activists and Freshwater residents watched from the ground Wednesday as PL's two climbers went up each tree to deliver the notices. Many of them tried to talk one of the PL climbers, Eric Schatz, out of doing his job.

"Don't do it, Eric -- think of the forests," one of them said as Schatz started up another tree. Other supporters played drums, sang songs and chanted encouragement to the activists high above in the trees.

A couple of Sheriff's Department deputies were on the scene, but no arrests were made.

The crackdown on the tree-sitters comes on the heels of a decision last week by the North Coast Water Quality Control Board, which granted PL permits to log on the disputed land in the Freshwater area. Critics petitioned the board to slow PL's rate of cut, a cause backed by some leading scientists.

The tree-sitters have been protesting what they characterize as destructive logging practices, which they believe destroyed ancient redwood trees, caused erosion and damaged watersheds. Some have been in the trees for months.

The activists have called PL's lawsuit against them a so-called "SLAPP suit," or strategic lawsuit against public participation.

Branham called that characterization "nonsense."

"We're trying to protect our private property rights," he said. "And trying to stop individuals from engaging in illegal activity. It has nothing to do with their right to express themselves legally."

Other tree-sitters are also demonstrating on PL-owned timber land in Grizzly Creek and the Mattole. Now that the company is cracking down on the Freshwater tree-sitters, it's likely that the other sitters can expect similar visits from PL climbers sometime soon.

"We're not doing that at this time, but it's certainly a reasonable expectation that it will happen in the future," Branham said.

Meanwhile, an activist known as Remedy, who has been in a 1,200-year-old redwood tree for nearly a year, said she has no intention of coming down.

"I'm here to defend this tree," Remedy said from her cell phone. "If (PL) is willing to take into consideration the health of the forest, the health of our community and the other property owners, then we'd see all protests on their land come to an end."

The hearing on PL's restraining order is set for Friday at 10:30 a.m. in courtroom No. 1 at the county courthouse.

[farmfriend]

How about sending all that in an email to the company?

[technochick99]

But more importantly, did you send a nice message to Mary?

[technochick99]

Make sure you email Mary!

[Grampa Dave]

I doubt that the lumber company wants to down any old growth trees.

Often these squatters get into older trees to prevent younger trees from being cut.

I planted a 2 foot redwood for my DIL and son in the back yard of their new home last summer. That tree is now over 8 foot tall in about 1/2 half of a year. Their yard is in warm eastern Contra Costra, not exactly the best place for redwoods to grow.

We love our beautiful red wood deck.

[Grampa Dave]

Actually, you should read them passages from your book.

When you pause and rest your voice, we could replay Ronald Reagan's comment about redwood trees over and over. Then GW's remarks made in Medford, Oregon last about the need for logging to protect our forests could be played.

During this time the star spangle banner could be played with the Battle Hymn of the Republic.

They would last about 24 hours. If they don't come down, we could fire up chainsaws and start falling trees around them. Then, we tell them, that each hour they are up their tree, we will cut down 60 trees for decks.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!

[Grampa Dave]

You radical! You actually support property rights of the property owners! :)

[EBUCK]

No I don't, I never said that! Oh wait, I did, you must have misinterpreted me because I would never do anything radical.

[blackie]

Hang 'em High!

Be Well - Be Armed - Be Safe - Molon Labe!

[ibbryn]

Ok, just to present a disseting POV, I DON'T support logging 1,200 year old redwood. Both emotionally and intellectually. And yes I do support private property rights. And no, I can't propose a solution that will be accepted by both sides.

Flame on!

[farmfriend]

I love that movie.

[farmfriend]

And no, I can't propose a solution that will be accepted by both sides.

I can. Natural Process

[Psycho_Bunny]

My mother lives pretty close to Freshwater. If PL wants the tree Hempipants People/Patchoulites gone, they should send my mother down there with her dog.

Not that she'd hurt anyone....it's just that no human can take more than 5 minutes of listening to my mother talk to her dog.

[farmfriend]

You need to check out Carry_Okie's post #33 as well as the book.

[SierraWasp]

"filthy hippie"

Wadja hafta go an mention wunna them four? Dang!!!

I got so many uv 'em cloggin my Post Office parkin lot, goin to see their medickal maryjewwanna husbund an wife lowyer/dockter team that I hafta walk a mile ta git my Camels I bought offa the dang inturnet cause the danged littul parkin lot's always full!!!

Jus call me "Pistoff @ the Post Office!!!"

Do ya spose they gits their maryjewwanna up in dat tree by carrier pigun??? What say ol man?

[Grampa Dave]

I think that it comes up the trees in honey buckets after they use and lower the buckets to their handlers. (talk about a $hitty job)

[tubebender]

Thanks for posting this. I've been busy bucking up the 10 yard load of oak and madrone logs a logger friend dropped off in my yard last nite.

One of PLs contractors had the engine in a log loader ruined last week by these anarchist. $35,000 damage . PL brought this on themselves when they didn't have "butterfat hill" removed from her perch a couple of years ago. Don't lose any sleep over the trees they are in as this is the third time this area has been logged in the past 120 years and these trees are just regrowth (suckers). If you ever saw how filthy and scruffy these kids are you would puke.

BTW...The eco terrorist Mike J. Scarpetti (aka Tre Arrow) was seen in the area and he is wanted by the FBI for burning vehicles. There is a $25,000 reward on his head.

[SierraWasp]

"Honey Buckets" "$hitty job" Wen yoo adress me with langwidge like dat, yoo spels it "Shiddy job," hear?

Whut? Yoo a Koreen War Veterinarian, er sumpthin? They be's the onliest wuns ta call 'em "Huney Buckits!" (toothless redneck cuntry grin)

[Grampa Dave]

I was a mere chilrun during the Korean War. However, I read a lot of history and war novels, so I know all about Honey Buckets and what a Shiddy Job these tree sitters's ground crews have.

[Grampa Dave]

30-40 year old trees regrown from the stumps of previously logged trees at least two other times.

These POS eco economic terrorists make a 30 year old redwood sucker into a diety.

May someone serve up Mike J. Scarpetti (aka Tre Arrow) head after they catch him trying to destroy their property or harm someone.