CRFM Mission Statementmission | goals | objectives | organization | history | directorsMission StatementThe mission of the Citizens for Responsible Forest Management is to advocate the protection and enhancement of the forests and watersheds of the Santa Cruz Mountains and preserve our environmental heritage for future generations.General Goals
Specific Objectives
Our OrganizationCitizens for Responsible Forest Management (CRFM) is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that was formed in 1993. The members of CRFM have a fundamental interest in living in a high quality environment; we enjoy living in a world where natural values are respected and preserved. CRFM is committed to preserving and enhancing the ecological stability of the Santa Cruz Mountains environment, especially wildlife habitat and watershed stability, water quality and all beneficial uses of water including fisheries.CRFM's original focus was on the Soquel Demonstration State Forest (SDSF), to ensure that the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF), which manages the forest, complies with all state laws mandating the standards and limits of development for the forest. Since then, our focus has widened to include the larger Santa Cruz Mountains forest environment. History of InvolvementOur group has worked extensively in the following areas:State Logging Rule Proposal for Santa Cruz CountySince early 1998, our group has been working with a coalition of environmentalists, residents and scientists, actively participating in the rulemaking process in proposing, writing, and negotiating more protective and sustainable logging practice rules for our county.Soquel Demonstration State Forest (SDSF)CRFM began in 1993 to monitor the California Department of Forestry (CDF) plans for SDSF, insisting that CDF observe the legal restrictions (PRC 4660-65) that define the guidelines for managing this publicly owned forest. In 1996, CRFM joined legal forces with Santa Cruz County to demand that CDF's management plan for the forest comply with state legislation restricting the extent of commercial logging allowed on the forest. We participated throughout the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and management plan review process, served on the advisory committee and recommending better protection for riparian corridors. We met with county supervisors, county counsel, CRFM attorneys, CDF officials, and state elected officials. In the end, CRFM and the county were successful in bringing the state forest management plan into compliance with the law.Watershed Protection: Grizzly FlatWorking closely with a coalition of environmental groups, we spearheaded the attempt to stop the City's planned logging of Grizzly Flat, a late successional forest (recovering second-growth forest beginning to attain old-growth characteristics) that they hold in the public trust. The Watsonville Water Department, serving 48,000 water users, commissioned a forester to draw up a timber plan that proposed building roads and cutting trees immediately adjacent to streams and wetlands, and on steep erosive slopes in red-legged frog and steelhead habitat. CDF approved the plan and the Board of Forestry subsequently denied the county's appeal, we filed a lawsuit but did not prevail. While the coalition was unsuccessful in stopping the logging project, we did succeed in raising the public's awareness of key problems in the existing forest practice rules, including the lack of protection for riparian areas and late successional forest habitats.Neighborhood ProtectionOur organization has served as a central organizing focus and information resource for several neighborhood and community groups. Our group contends that logging is fundamentally an industrial activity which is incompatible with neighborhoods and needs to be buffered from residential use just as any heavy industry would be. Shortcomings in the existing state forest practice rules, local zoning, and land use policies, have exposed neighbors to the potential loss of beneficial uses of water, health, safety, welfare, and enjoyment of their property. The regulatory agency, CDF, approves almost all plans regardless of the concerns and opposition of adjacent neighbors and community members. This long-standing pattern of abuse of discretion has created a deep mistrust of the agency on the part of environmental and neighborhood activists all across the state.Fritch Creek - 116 acres - Ben Lomond/Boulder CreekPlan submitter: Greg Koppala, timber owners of record: Greg Koppala, Eel River Sawmills, THP# 1-96-247SCRNina Terrace is a densely populated subdivision sharing one border with this THP and Fritch Creek is a smaller neighborhood along another border. Nina Terrace abuts the THP on a ridge top and Fritch Creek neighbors are at the base of the same hill. Fritch Creek THP is situated on steep unstable slopes a scant 1/2 mile from the disastrous 1982 Love Creek slide which claimed ten lives. Community members from both neighborhoods were concerned about slope stability. Fritch residents also expressed concern over contamination of their sole source of water. CDF approved the plan and the Board of Forestry subsequently denied the county's appeal, we filed a lawsuit but did not prevail. While the neighborhood coalition was ultimately unsuccessful in stopping the logging project it did succeed in raising the public awareness of this land use conflict. Wildwood Terrace - 25 acres - Boulder CreekPlan submitter: Greg Koppala, timber owners of record: Greg Koppala, Eel River Sawmills, THP# 1-97-057SCRThe Wildwood THP shares the same basic characteristics as the Fritch Creek THP, a densely populated subdivision surrounding a logging plan. Included in the THP is a geologic report that describes slopes ranging from 30% to in excess of 70% with erosion hazard ratings of high to extreme. An 80-acre deep-seated landslide deposit as noted on the Cooper Clark and Associates (1975) map covers nearly half of the plan. This deposit covers most of the steepest northern side where log skidding and long line cabling (dragging cut logs by tractor or cable) is to be performed. CDF approved the plan and the Board of Forestry subsequently denied the county's appeal, a lawsuit was filed and eventually withdrawn after a negotiated settlement was reached which granted the neighbors the continued option of seeking legal remedies in the future. The Wildwood neighborhood coalition was ultimately unsuccessful in stopping the logging project but the public's awareness was heightened yet again to the incompatible use conflict. Malosky Creek - 145 acres - Bonny Doon/Boulder CreekPlan submitter: Greg Koppala, timber owners of record: Randy Cook, Craig Hulse, THP# 1-97-103SCRIn the Malosky Creek THP, a neighborhood at the top of Ben Lomond mountain united with another at the bottom, in Boulder Creek, to fight this controversial logging plan featuring the use of helicopters. In the summer of 1997, a helicopter logging operation near a densely populated residential area adjacent to the Boulder Creek Country Club drew heavy criticism from neighbors who were exposed to deafening noise. The heavily loaded industrial helicopter flew by 6 times an hour, 12 hours a day, for 14 days with noise levels measured inside a near-by house of 65 decibels. The public outcry was so great that county supervisors felt compelled to take action, even the local CDF director visited homes in the neighborhood attempting to calm down irate citizens. Zoning action by the county supervisors stopped the Malosky Creek plan. This plan served as a catalyst for change uniting citizens who would otherwise not have become involved in politics to take a stand against this intrusive form of industrial logging in their neighborhoods. Protection of Endangered SpeciesOur group participated in public hearings, researched peer-reviewed Federal Ecosystem Management Assessment Team (FEMAT) guidelines for species protection, and wrote letters to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Forestry, advocating protection on an ecosystem basis for the Coho salmon and the Marbled Murrelet. We also researched shortcomings in the state Forest Practice Rules, and advocated closing loopholes that allow significant habitat degradation in deference to maximization of timber profits.Weekly Television Show: ECO ReviewCRFM is proud to sponsor ECO Review with host Tom Harvey. ECO Review has covered a wide range of local environmental topics including fire ecology, fish biology, forest ecology, water issues, alternative building materials, environmentally responsible clothing alternatives, local and state environmental politics. The show has featured politicians, Assemblyman Fred Keeley and Santa Cruz vice Mayor Keith Sugar, numerous scientists, local activists, ecologically responsible builders, and retailers. We are currently doing one live call-in show each month. If you live in the greater Santa Cruz viewing area please tune in for news, discussion, and information you can use.The ECO Review appears on Santa Cruz TCI channel 71, every Tuesday night from 6:00pm to 7:00pm. Broadcast Quality Video: "Knowing Our Coastal Redwoods"CRFM is pleased to be able to offer this fine production by Raindancer Film and Video to the public for a suggested donation of $17.50 plus shipping. Your donation will be used to continue CRFM's media programs. This documentary is about aspects of redwood ecology, including Redwoods and Soil Stability, Redwoods and Fire, Redwoods and Watersheds, and the Importance of Old Growth. The video features Santa Cruz County experts Don Alley, Dr. Bob Curry, George Gray, and Steve Singer. This production was made possible by the support of the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz, the Santa Cruz Chapter of the Sierra Club, Citizens for Responsible Forest Management, the Environmental Council of Santa Cruz, the Open Space Alliance, Earth Links, and Community Television of Santa Cruz.How-to Manual: "Fight Back!"Former CRFM Director Betsy Herbert authored this useful booklet (now featured on this web site) that outlines the timber harvest plan (THP) review process and what to do along each step of the way so that you can be more effective and proactive in your fight. Don't wait for the chain saws to start, empower yourself now with the information you need to improve your chances for success. The online version of this document includes hypertext links to the Forest Practice Rule references and related state law; you will be able to better prepare your written comments to pave the way for an appeal or successful litigation. Do it right, use Fight Back!Close Associations with Other GroupsCRFM maintains close associations with groups that have overlapping interests and works to foster a spirit of cooperation and coalition. Those groups include the Sierra Club, the Valley Women's Club (San Lorenzo Valley), Summit Watershed Protection League, Neighbors for Responsible Logging, Rainforest Action Network, Salmon Forever, Forests Forever, just to name a few.Strong presence on the Timber Technical Advisory CommitteeSeveral of our directors were appointed to serve on the Timber Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC) by the Santa Cruz county board of supervisors. They were convened to recomend changes to zoning regulations and county-specific forest practice rules to address the growing conflicts between logging plan submitters and citizens. After a six months of effort the input from the committee was incorporated in a county planning department proposal calling for twenty four new rules and several specific zoning limitations. The Board of Forestry has not yet adopted the twelve most critical rules which are the heart and substance of the proposal.CRFM's DirectorsBojana F. Morgenthaler - PresidentTom Harvey - Vice President Julie Hendriks - Secretary Lawrence Prather - Treasurer
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