December 13th 2000

The Commerce File

By K.C. Meadows
The Ukiah Daily Journal
December 13, 2000

This week the Pacific Forest Trust announced it had come to an agreement with the Mendocino Redwood Company to protect a 90-acre forest near Comptche.

The company has agreed to put the mature redwood and fir forest that forms a back-drop to the Trust, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving private forests. The easement means there will be virtually no timber harvesting or development in that forest.

"This easement represents the culmination of many years of cooperation and hard work by the Comptche community as well as the fulfillment of MRC's commitment to the people of Mendocino, said PFT President Laurie Wayburn. "It's a great gift to the future of this community."

The Comptche community has been hoping for just such a conservation easement since 1987 when Louisisana-Pacific still owned the land.

The forest lies along the Albion River, and hasn't been logged since the early 1900's. It contains large diameter, second growth redwood and Douglas fir as well as scattered old growth trees.

Judy Garrett, head of Comptche Land Conservancy said the company should be commended.

"From the very beginning, Sandy Dean (president of MRC) was interested in meeting with us and finding out what had been done in the past, what we were looking for and finding a way to accommodate the community."