Guerneville Forest Coalition – Silver Estates Victory!
On July 1st, the Redwood Empire Saw Mill filed Timber Harvesting Plan 1-20-00084-SON, also known as the “Silver Estates” Plan. The document proposes harvesting timber from 224 acres of land stretching to the west of Mays Canyon Road and to the north of Neely Road, across the River from Guerneville. Much of this proposed acreage lies within Scenic Highway Corridor 116.
Thanks to legal action by the Guerneville Forest Coalition, one of Forest Unlimited’s fiscal sponsorships, the land owner was persuaded to sell the parcels to the Save The Redwoods League instead of log. The League then transferred the property to Sonoma County for a public park covered by a conservation easement by the Sonoma County Agricultural and Open Space District.
The Guerneville Forest Coalition is still involved monitoring and commenting upon the Countiy’s development of a plan for the newly named Russian River Redwoods.
Click on the link above for more information and what you can do to help.
Friends of the Gualala River – Dogwood Logging Plan halted!
“The Dogwood THP includes logging 342 acres of second-growth and mature redwood forest within the sensitive floodplain of the Gualala River. The THP area is located close to the Sonoma County Gualala Point Regional Park Campground, extending up river to Switchville, at the Green Bridge, and continuing along the South Fork which flows parallel to The Sea Ranch and directly across from, and beyond, the “Hot Spot.” Additional tracts of land containing large redwoods are included in the expansive THP including units beyond twin bridges and along creeks in the Gualala River Watershed.”
For more information on Gualala River logging plans, visit the Friends of the Gualala River website.
July 14, 2020 Update: Fight over Gualala River logging plan heads to federal court (The Press Democrat)
Roseland Neighbor Wood
Residents of Roseland in Southwest Santa Rosa have been fighting to protect a parcel on Roseland Creek from development for years. The parcel with a mature oak forest is now owned by Santa Rosa and is designated to be developed as a city park. The city has for several years tried to add parking, soccer fields, a dog park and a paved trail. The neighbors want development limited to restrooms and a bicycle trail on the south side of the park. The bike trail would connect to the existing pathway along the lower reach of Roseland Creek. The Friends of Roseland Creek want a natural park with an intact riparian zone and a natural oak woodland. But Santa Rosa persists and the locals resist. If you would like to help defend the Roseland Neighbor Wood, contact Duane De Witt.
Jackson Demonstration State Forest
CalFire does a poor job of managing this State Forest. We have joined forces with the Mendocino Trail Stewards to reform CalFire’s mandate. Please visit their site and view the video Forest Unlimited help fund.