Editor:

John Andersen paints a pretty picture of the Gap Brothers' Humboldt Redwood Co., but it's a picture of the rapidly receding past, not the reality of the present ("Come See for Yourself," Aug. 1). Tree sitters block logging of the Mattole's older trees of Rainbow Ridge because they know intact forests are the only protection against a future — their future — of climate-driven fire and famine.

Smarter forestry is not going to lead to a more livable planet. Aware young people say we have to stop cutting the forest for profits. Old, standing redwood and Doug fir in Humboldt County sequester more carbon per acre than any other forest on earth. We live in a temperate rain forest, more life-breathing than the Amazon.

It's pointless to argue about the best way to log a forest that took centuries to develop. The end result is liquidation, loss of jobs, wildlife, salmon. Recovering the healthy forest after a legacy of destruction is the essential work of all generations in our region. John should learn from "trespassers" in trees before he condemns them together with their trees.

Michael Evenson, Petrolia

Editor:

I have some major problems with John Anderson's report "Come See For Yourself" in the recent Journal. First, to say that Lear Assets Management, the security group which Humboldt Redwood Co. (HRC) hired, is for the safety of all concerned, including the tree sitter, is completely false. The tree sitter has been subjected to what amounts to torture. In the early days of her occupation of the tree, a masked security guard climbed into the tree, cutting down branches and dropping, from above, the life support supplies that she needs to survive: food, water and tarps. Two 6-gallon jugs of water were dropped dangerously close to her. Then they proceeded to dole food and water out to her at starvation and dehydration levels. The portions have varied but have been as low as 8 ounces of water and 300 calories a day. Additionally, the food they send up is particularly unhealthy. Lots of sugary food, like Cliff Bars. They have played loud, lascivious music and shined bright lights at her at night.

Second, Anderson does not mention the "grievance" that the Lost Coast League (LCL) initiated with SCS (a Forest Stewardship Council certifier) in July of 2018 in which two of their complaints were found to have "merit." The outcome of this grievance has not yet been determined. Anderson says, though, that they made adjustments to their High Conservation Value Forest (HCVF) plan and therefore were able to commence logging despite the fact that they never conferred with or presented the plan to LCL for review as they were supposed to under instructions from FSC. This is indeed "Straight from The PALCO Playbook."

Jane Lapiener, Petrolia