RUE'S VIEWS ON ISSUES
Our Forests
by Rue Furch
The 5th Supervisorial District has most of Sonoma County’s redwood and fir forests, but clear-cutting of forest lands has exploded over recent years to allow vineyards and other developments. We’re losing far too many trees to such conversions, especially in our remote coastal mountains.
I’m proud of our local wineries and have worked to support local grape growers, but it’s time to stop cutting forests for vineyards. Deforestation contributes to the decline of groundwater supplies and to higher Russian River floods. Sediment and erosion from logged hillsides have impaired our streams and rivers, damaged roads, and destabilized slopes. This threatens our salmon and steelhead runs, as well as Bodega Bay’s fishing industry and tourism.
My opponent has failed to take a clear stand on forest conversion, but one of his principal campaign advisors is on the payroll of developers proposing the latest large forest conversion project in Sonoma County, ironically called Preservation Ranch. This speculative real-estate scheme would clearcut over 1600 life-supporting forest acres to create 90 luxury estates surrounded by newly-planted vineyards.
And one of his largest contributors is Gualala Redwoods, which is next in line to clear slopes near Jenner for more luxury homes, a golf course, and a private air strip. In the past, Gualala Redwoods has carried out massive clearcuts in Mendocino County, and has used napalm sprayed from helicopters to clear logging slash, resulting in sterilized soils, substantial erosion and road damage during winter storms.
I support a County policy of no net loss of forestland, whether conifers or oak woodlands. I want the County to obtain expert reviews of every logging plan that comes before the Board of Supervisors, so that slopes, streams and roads will be protected. I also want the County to encourage sustainable logging practices, and that means discouraging clear-cutting. And I’ll fight backdoor subdivisions that undercut our Urban Growth Boundaries.
I have consistently fought clearcuts that eliminate timberlands and replace them with vineyards and megamansions. The public has little or nothing to gain, and much to lose from such projects. Sustainable timber harvesting does have a place in the County’s future; wholesale conversion of forests into vineyards and estates does not. When we talk about sustainability, forests must come first. When we protect them, we protect our future.
The threat of Sudden Oak Death (SOD) also calls for leadership. Already thousands of trees are dead and dying and providing the fuel for the next great wildfire. This is a community problem, yet residents are left to fend for themselves. And for many, cutting down and removing dead trees is a far too expensive proposition.
As your Supervisor, I will work to rally not only our Board of Supervisors, but the Supervisors of all the coastal counties from Santa Cruz to the Oregon border afflicted with SOD. Together we will fight for the state and federal resources we need to help residents reduce fire danger and restore our forests.
