Central Coast Forest Watch

December 10, 2007


Established in 2007, Central Coast Forest Watch's Director, long-time activist Jodi Frediani, has kept busy on a number of projects.

CCFW networked with the Santa Cruz Group and Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club, Committee for Green Foothills, the Mountain Resource Group, and the San Lorenzo Valley Water District, watch-dogging a number of problematic timber harvest plans in the Central Coast region, as well as participating in logging-related Santa Cruz County ordinance revisions.

The YMCA 900-acre NTMP in San Mateo County is on hold thanks to strong, well-orchestrated community opposition. The plan proposed cutting old-growth redwoods to reduce fire threat from crown fires. Science does not support the plan arguments and the community did not buy them either. Now the YMCA is looking for alternative funding sources for building repairs and fuels reduction, rather than logging their maturing forest.

Two helicopter-yarded timber harvests on either side of the Santa Clara-Santa Cruz County line created a neighborhood uproar as a result of excessive helicopter noise. After being alerted by disgruntled neighbors, Frediani conducted a visit to hear the helicopters first hand. After reviewing the plan and discovering problems, Frediani contacted the appropriate agencies. A Review Team site visit was held and uncovered a variety of violations including stream-side over-cutting. Multiple agency complaints were filed with the District Attorney, an investigation ensued, and settlement discussions are underway.

Elsewhere, CalFire twice rescinded approval of the 535-acre Cemex THP after Frediani pointed out serious omissions in the plan. San Vicente Creek, a 303(d) listed sediment-impaired stream is the sole water supply for the coastal town of Davenport, whose residents must boil drinking water during the winter because of excessive turbidity. The stream also supports coho salmon and steelhead trout. Thanks to efforts by Santa Cruz County,
Frediani, and Davenport residents, Cemex finally agreed to abandon winter operations and to prepare an Erosion Analysis of their extensive land holdings.

Frediani and other forest advocates convinced the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors to increase the minimum parcel size for rezoning lands to the Timber Production zone. After holding multiple public hearings, the Board voted in-concept to raise the minimum parcel size from 5 to 40 acres, putting thousands of smaller forested landholdings off limits to industrial logging where conflicts over access, surface water protections, and landslide impacts from logging have occurred. The Planning Commission has approved the changes which will return to the Board for final approval.

In August, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Mike Fay contacted Frediani about his planned year-long walk through the California coastal redwood region to bring attention to this magnificent eco-system, its remaining old growth, and our management of it. CCFW, through Frediani, has been assisting Fay by providing network contacts, routing suggestions, and scientific documents to help Mike with this important Redwood Transect. He commenced his walk in early September at the southernmost edge of the redwoods and continues to work his way north.

For more information: JodiFredi@aol.com



This article can be found online at www.treesfoundation.org/publications/article-297

Forest & River News is produced by Trees Foundation.