The Greta Thunberg/John Kerry fan club loves fires. The bigger the better. That could be the only reason they do not want a forest thinned out. The denser the forest, the more intense the fires and the broader the fire. Thin the forest and you will save the lives of people, animals and property. Newsom does not like that, he prefers fires.
“The ruling gives the Forest Service a green light to remove and thin vegetation across 755 acres of forest atop Pine Mountain and Reyes Peak.
First approved by the Forest Service in 2021, the tree-thinning project, known as the Reyes Peak Forest Health Project, was met with overwhelming criticism based on the removal and potential commercial sale of large trees.
Environmental groups, including the Santa Barbara–based Environmental Defense Center, Los Padres Forest Watch, and Patagonia, sued the Forest Service in opposition of the project in 2022, claiming it would violate environmental laws, harm wildlife, and damage roadless areas in the forest.
However, the U.S. District Court ruled against them last year. And, now, the Court of Appeals has too.
These groups say that the Court of Appeals’ “short, unpublished ruling” sidestepped stakeholders and threw environmental and cultural concerns out the window.
Will cultural concerns save lives? Will Greta or Newsom pay for the damage. Why do they hate fire free forests?
Appeals Court Gives Green Light to Tree-Thinning Project on Los Padres National Forest’s Pine Mountain
Path Cleared for Reyes Peak Forest Health Project to Proceed; Conservationists Call Decision ‘Shocking Blow’
By Callie Fausey, Santa Barbara Independent, 12.6.24 https://www.independent.com/2024/12/06/appeals-court-gives-green-light-to-tree-thinning-project-on-los-padres-national-forests-pine-mountain/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Indy+Today%3A+The+Coach+For+Every+Season&utm_campaign=Indy+Today%2C+Monday+12%2F9&vgo_ee=8lJz4%2BwAMZkAlWYgzVaGV6eMcab8R0ubpybpvI8igJQCcaD%2BRbYshp%2F7%3AiAyr6QiYRJ8s00OTdqHcobNOp7Xbazib
In Los Padres National Forest, a controversial project — labeled “logging” or “forest health,” depending on who you ask — cleared the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals last month.
The ruling gives the Forest Service a green light to remove and thin vegetation across 755 acres of forest atop Pine Mountain and Reyes Peak.
First approved by the Forest Service in 2021, the tree-thinning project, known as the Reyes Peak Forest Health Project, was met with overwhelming criticism based on the removal and potential commercial sale of large trees.
Environmental groups, including the Santa Barbara–based Environmental Defense Center, Los Padres Forest Watch, and Patagonia, sued the Forest Service in opposition of the project in 2022, claiming it would violate environmental laws, harm wildlife, and damage roadless areas in the forest.
However, the U.S. District Court ruled against them last year. And, now, the Court of Appeals has too.
These groups say that the Court of Appeals’ “short, unpublished ruling” sidestepped stakeholders and threw environmental and cultural concerns out the window.
They argue that the project will hinder outdoor recreation; offend Chumash tribes, for whom the mountain (“Opnow”) holds religious and spiritual significance; and harm vulnerable plant and animal species along the ridgeline, such as the California condor.
According to a press release sent out by these conservationists, the Forest Service received more comments on this proposal than any other project in the history of Los Padres. More than 99 percent of comments opposed the project, they said.
On the other hand, the Forest Service claims the project will reduce tree densities and fuels to “promote forest resilience” to wildfire hazards, drought, disease, and harmful bug infestations.
Using prescribed fire and other fuel-reducing methods, the service says the project aligns with its “Wildfire Crisis Strategy,” which combines congressional funding with research and planning to “dramatically increase the scale and pace of forest health treatments over the next decade.”
It claims these “treatments” will reduce competition, improve tree health, and increase the overall average “stand diameter” of trees in the forest. Trees between the 24-inch and 64-inch diameter will be retained unless they pose a safety or infestation risk, it said.
“We are in a wildfire crisis and must take immediate action to protect our forests in Southern California,” said Los Padres Forest Supervisor Chris Stubbs. “The Ninth Circuit decision allows us to save the remaining trees on Reyes Peak from the devastating effects of a stand-replacing wildfire and create a healthy, resilient forest on the mountain.”
However, environmentalists criticized the wildfire argument, alleging the project “went against scientific evidence regarding fire ecology and community wildfire protection.” Despite the ruling, they said they are considering next steps, including whether to seek a rehearing on the matter.
“The court’s ruling is a shocking blow, but we’re not deterred in our commitment to do everything we can to protect Pine Mountain,” said Jeff Kuyper, Executive Director of Los Padres ForestWatch. “This project exemplifies the misguided ‘rake-the-forest’ policy that began under the last Trump administration, and will only worsen over the next four years.”
Implementation of the project can begin in the coming months, once the Forest Service secures funding and hires a contractor to complete the work.
The stupidity of it all! We need people in black robes who know nothing about trees, forests and the environment to make a decision as to weather or not the forests need to be thinned out. And we allow people who live on the east coast to file lawsuits in their quest to run roughshod over people on the west coast when they too don’t know what they are talking bout. Kerry may be rich because of his wife but he is still brainless.