2020 Year End Update

Dear Supporters of a Healthy Planet and Rainbow Ridge,

We’d like to thank you for signing on with your support and with this note keep you up to date on the year’s progress toward our goal of preserving Rainbow Ridge.

This is NOT a fundraising appeal!

We continued to engage with Humboldt Redwood Company to preserve our priceless natural heritage in the Mattole. The Appeal of HRC’s Forest Stewardship Council certification as “sustainable” drags on with the FSC entity known as ASI considering the facts of the matter. However, they are very, very, very slow to take action or come to a conclusion. During the time of their deliberations, events have shown that our Appeal has more than merit: it has URGENCY! We challenged HRC’s process of designating High Conservation Value Forests (therefore warranting protection under FSC Guidelines and Principles) citing the Northern Spotted Owl as an indicator species of such designation. HRC ignored that fact.

Last week, the USFWS decided (rather belatedly and only under intense pressure from the Center for Biological Diversity among other partners) that, yes, the owl is declining and should be listed as Endangered, not simply Threatened. USFWS now is willing to acknowledge that all existing owl habitat is precious. It seems that “precious" must be interpreted as being a sign of High Conservation Value by FSC. Though, we hear nothing from FSC or ASI, or the local certifying auditor (SCS) recognizing that fact. (You can read much more about this at LostCoastLeague.org).

The Certifiers must be taking a Covid break.
However, we are not.

This year our campaign to preserve Rainbow Ridge has been joined by the Wiyot Tribe and the Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria (also home to Mattole’s indigenous people). Our Rainbow Ridge Coalition is strong. We have worked together in significant ways. Both Tribes appealed to FSC to uphold our Appeal, citing lack of consultation with them. Their Natural Resource Departments, along with LCL, are commencing a “Focal Species” Study of the region to document the presence of the many species that are indicators of ecosystem health so that they can be preserved for future generations.

In addition, the Bear River people, with invitation and support from the Lost Coast League, conducted a Salmon Welcoming Ceremony at the mouth of the Mattole River for the first time since 1902. You can hear the voices of the Participants and Community Members who gathered by the hundreds to observe this Rite. This is a welcome cooperation, addressing unspeakable crimes commited by Mattole Residents in the 1850s against the Mattole People, and charting a way together to restore the life-sustaining natural ecology of the Mattole. As Yurok Ancestral Guard’s Sammy Gensaw put it, “The Industrial Revolution is over. The Restoration Revolution has begun.” This is the way forward, built upon the dedication of Mattole Residents who fomented the Restoration Revolution in the 1980s and based on mutual recognition of Tribal and Resident partners that coming together is essential for the health of the watershed and planet.

And lastly, a Humboldt County Superior Court Judge DISMISSED charges against LCL Elders (Jane Lapiner, David Simpson, Ellen Taylor and Michael Evenson) who were arrested for protesting HRC’s logging known owl habitat on Rainbow Ridge. The charges were without basis in fact so that the DA had to petition the Court to drop them. Pacific Radio picked up the story for its FlashPoints program.

You can read more about the Rainbow Ridge Coaltion work on our website LostCoastLeague.org We encourage you to write us, join our work and spread the word.

Wishing you a Healthy New Year,

Michael, for the Lost Coast League