2024 Victory for Guerneville’s Forests threatened by Logging
224 acres in the heart of Guerneville were at risk! Logging the hillsides overlooking Guerneville would ruin the view, endanger our health and safety, watershed and economy.
Potential damage:
- Redwoods: Giant redwoods and Douglas firs would have been cut down for lumber on 224 acres that stretch from Neeley Road to Mays Canyon Road and to the Northwood Golf Course.
- Fires: Without the redwoods, highly flammable hardwood trees such as tanoak and bay will proliferate and increase fire danger.
- Road Damage: Heavy, noisy logging trucks would have impacted the fragile local roads, erode the hills, and cause soil to migrate down into the river.
- Landslides & Floods: Trees that absorb water and hold the soil in place would have been removed.
Rainwater rushing down the denuded hills would have caused landslides and increase flooding. Road blockages could have prevented evacuations on no-outlet Neeley Road during floods, fires, and other emergencies. - Water Quality: Sediment, debris, rocks, and mud would have run off the denuded hillsides and pollute the Russian River whose water we depend on for drinking and recreation.
- Ludwigia: Added nutrients in the Russian River encourage the spread of invasive ludwigia.
It robs fish of oxygen and helps mosquitoes thrive. It chokes out native plants that provide
food and shelter for otters, turtles, frogs, and water birds, creating an unnatural monoculture. - Toxic Blue-Green Algae: Blue-green algae thrives in poor-quality, sediment-rich water.
It can be deadly to people and pets. In Sonoma County, three dogs have already died from
swallowing this toxic algae while swimming. It could happen here. - Habitat Destruction: The forest home of birds, foxes, squirrels, and deer would have been be diminished.
- Public Safety: Wide logging trucks on narrow Neeley and Mays Canyon roads would have endangered
pedestrians, bike riders, and other drivers. - Impaired Vistas: Lush, green vistas in the Highway 116 Scenic Corridor would never be the same. Views from nearby homes, resorts, beaches, vacation rentals, and Northwood Golf Course will be compromised.
- Tourism & Economy: Guerneville’s status as a beautiful, safe, recreation getaway would have been impacted. Tourism and real estate, mainstays of our local economy, will be affected.
The list goes on and on…
But, your help stopped this project!
Cal Fire approved the logging plan but the Guerneville Forest Coalition supported by Forest Unlimited filed suit against the approval. Facing a potential loss in court, the land owner wisely negotiated a sale to the Save the Redwood League. The League has transferred the land to the county with a conservation easement that provides for limited public access and protection of the forest!
The Guerneville Forest Coalition is still involved, monitoring and commenting upon the county’s plan for the newly named Russian River Redwoods.
Join their email list
To receive alerts and updates, email:
GuernevilleForestCoalition@gmail.com
Or join our Facebook group
www.facebook.com/groups/guernevilleforestcoalition
The Guerneville Forest Coalition is a grassroots group of concerned citizens from Guerneville and neighboring communities. Forest Unliited is their fiscal sponsor. They are dedicated to the safety and protection of the Russian River area. Please join then to help protect our precious forest environment.