October 30th 1998
October 30, 1998 Editor Ukiah Daily Journal To the Editor: This is a reprise to the "Ode to Mendocino Redwood Company" poem published on October 22, 1998. Mr. Hering is correct, we do need the support of the community. We work hard and think about what we're doing every day in ways we hope will achieve and maintain this relationship. Since I'm not a very good poet, let me just respond in sentences and phrases to what Bruce's poem talks about. Big trees are important to the forest. Harvesting done by MRC will respect and enhance the growth of large trees on our property. There are thousands of acres of MRC forestland that have significant numbers of trees greater than 20 inches in diameter. For the most part, those trees will continue to grow large and help provide wildlife habitat now and in the future. In a letter last week, I spoke about the careful application of the herbicide Garlon. It's done by hand on a plant by plant basis by trained applicators. Charles Peterson, in a letter discussing this very matter, suggested that citizens should consider the aggregate use of pesticides in Mendocino County rather than simply focusing on our company. When we apply Garlon, we have a specific protocol for notifying landowners (and to our knowledge, no one else does this). We believe that we thoroughly understand the limited power of this substance - that it does not migrate more than a few inches in soil and that following application it breaks down into other natural substances in a short period of time. A great deal of information from published sources is available on this substance. We'll work to provide information on our Web site and face-to-face until people are comfortable with our very limited use of this material to re-establish the conifer/hardwood balance in our forests. We'll be conducting a review of credible alternatives to herbicide use, which an operating business can successfully utilize. We'll set aside some acreage to assess alternative approaches. We expect to develop some kind of community participation as this work continues. More will be communicated about this in the coming weeks. Clear-cuts are minimized. In addition, the bulk of our clear cuts are implemented for the specific purpose of reclaiming what once was, and will again be, redwood and douglas fir dominated timberlands. From the beginning we've been cutting 15 percent less than the previous owners did, and to reshape and refurbish the forest we'll continue to invest in improving our roads, carefully managing our stream zones, and replanting tan oak dominated stands with redwood and douglas fir.. Our fundamental philosophy, stated from the start, is that we have invested for the long term. This enables us to practice good stewardship. We want to run a successful business that people will want to work for, that the community will be proud of, that produces quality products, and makes money over time, which will preserve the jobs and economic contribution MRC makes. This is what a completely sustainable operation is about. Believe me, Bruce, this is the costliest way to log, but this is what the community demands in return for allowing us to operate. In terms of communicating with the community, we're working at listening, talking, and meeting with people to explain what we're trying to accomplish. Who else is doing this? We believe that it's our behavior combined with the facts, good science and forestry that will move the community and MRC forward together in the future. Bruce Hering's poem was entertaining. My hope is that I've been able to respond to some of the issues he raised. Please visit our Web site at www.mendocinoredwoodco.com for further information. If you don't have the technology to access the site at home, you may be able to use equipment at the library or a friend's house. Our goal is to be as open, honest, and responsible as we can possibly be. Visitors can also register on the Web site to be notified of future information as it's added. Sincerely, Sandy Dean, President Mendocino Redwood Company Link to poem by Bruce Hering