|
 original press release of 1/23/06
Sempervirens
Fund to Purchase the Lompico Headwaters
Controverisal logging
plan put on hold
Lompico, CA — Sempervirens Fund today
secured a $5,600,000 option to purchase two redwood forest properties,
the Lompico Headwaters and Malosky Creek Forest from timberland
owner Roger Burch. Mr. Burch also donated an additional portion of the
total value in order to complete the transaction. The Fund’s last-minute
intervention will prevent the imminent logging of over 14 million board feet
ofredwood and Douglas fir trees.
The Lompico Headwaters, once
called Islandia, is a 425-acre property where towering redwood
trees rise from deeply incised sandstone canyons above the small
mountain community of Lompico, California. Once an inspiration
to rock musicians Jerry Garcia and Janis Joplin, who both
frequented Lompico in the '60's, the Lompico Headwaters
forest today provides more than an inspiration—It
is the primary source of the community's drinking water.
A Timber Harvest Plan (THP) was submitted in 2001 and
had been approved by the California Department of Forestry
(CDF), but later was appealed. A subsequent logging
permit was pending approval when Sempervirens secured the
option. The Lompico Headwaters logging proposal has been
the most highly contested in Santa Cruz County's recent
history. See www.lompicocreek.org for
details.
Logging plan opponents, led by the Lompico Watershed Conservancy,
cited concerns about environmental impacts to fisheries,
wildlife habitat, and especially to water quality. Lompico
Creek, which flows from the forest, provides domestic water
to 1,500 Lompico residents.
The Malosky Creek Forest is a mixed-redwood
forest carpeting steep ravines, within the Santa Cruz Mountains,
above residential areas in the San Lorenzo Valley. This
200-acre property supplies water to the town of Boulder
Creek, and is sandwiched between parcels owned by the San
Lorenzo Valley Water District, which serves 17,500 water
customers. The purchase will allow for further protection
of domestic water sources.
 “We’ll be using $100,000 from our Opportunity
Fund to secure the purchase,” said Executive Director
Brian Steen. “Our deadline to raise the remaining
$5.5 million is June 30, 2006. This will be the most
aggressive fundraising campaign in the Fund’s history. Our
success in saving this forest will be determined by the
conviction and generosity of private donors. No public
funds are available at this time.”
Sempervirens Fund’s campaign to permanently preserve
these critical watershed properties marks a new focus for
the conservation group. As California struggles to locate
new sources of water for people and wildlife, it is vital
to preserve forestland that supplies the best-quality water.
Founded originally as the Sempervirens Club, the Sempervirens
Fund has preserved redwood forests since 1900, when it
purchased 3,800 acres of spectacular old growth redwoods
that became Big Basin Redwoods State Park, California's
first state park. Since then, the Fund has
raised many millions of dollars for the preservation of
critical lands in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Fund recently
completed a $10.8 million campaign, which added the San
Lorenzo River Redwoods to Castle Rock State Park.
Sempervirens Fund’s mission is to preserve and protect
the natural character of California’s Santa Cruz
Mountains and to encourage appropriate public enjoyment
of this environment.
Donors are encouraged to contribute toward the purchase
of the Lompico Headwaters, using the secure Donate
Now links available throughout this website,
or by calling 650-968-4509. All donations are
deductible under IRC 501(c)(3).
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