By Darryl Cherney – Mendocino Commentary, January 22, 1987 & Country Activist, February 1987
Earth First! would like to offer a synopsis of its carryings-on in the last quarter of 1986 in the Northern California region. September marked the inception of our tricounty coalition (Mendocino, Humboldt, & Sonoma). Out of that first rendezvous carne 6 rallies, all highly publicized, including national coverage by McNeil-Lehrer and CNN The demonstrations targeted Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Ukiah concerning their Eden Valley /Thatcher Ridge Wilderness rejection; Bank of America in Arcata concerning their financing the destruction of the world’s rainforests; Maxxam/Pacific Lumber in San Francisco, Arcata and Scotia concerning their doubling of timber harvesting of old growth; and U.S. Forest Service in Ukiah concerning their clear-cutting plan for Mendocino National Forest. These events made their way to the (San Francisco) Examiner, (San Francisco) Chronicle, (Eureka) Times-Standard, (Santa Rosa) PressDemocrat, Humboldt Beacon, Ukiah Daily Journal, Redwood Record and more, along with massive TV and radio coverage and interviews on various shows.
An Earth First! investigation of corruption in the California Department of Forestry is underway and a barrage of letters is being received by CDF challenging their timber harvest plan approvals. The Save the Loggers League (Chapter 10) has been formed to present how large corporations destroying the environment will foul up life for the tree-faller, as well and encourages the woodworkers to participate in the process of change. A boy-cott of Redwood products has been put in effect; the Internation-al Indian Treaty Council is participating in our rallies; and lawsuits against various offenders are being drawn up presently.
Thanks to a computer/print shop, we have published bro-chures and newsletters on Maxxam, the boycott, Save the Loggers League and Mendocino National Forest Earth First! alternative plan. All these materials are available to the general public.
We have seen at least seven EF! groups emerge in Berkeley, Guerneville, Mendocino, Ukiah, Garberville, Arcata, and Davis. This is no accident. Earth First! as it so describes itself, truly is a movement. Each individual is accountable firstly to her / him-self. Because of the lack of imposed hierarchy, cooperation between groups is fostered organically There are no bosses, except that we are our own guides…