Robert "Hatchet Man" Manne Explains Motive For Scotia Real Estate Liquidation

Robert Manne, the president of Pacific Lumber, said his main motivation in selling the town was keeping employees happy by making them homeowners, though he admitted that "obviously, when we exit this and sell the homes, we get the money."

Chuck Center, PALCO’s government relations representative, is also a Scotia resident. His family occupies a three-bedroom home that he would like to own.
“It’s an exciting proposition,” (the company mouthpiece) said.


Another Perspective:
Resident Jonna Ball worries about being able to purchase a home in Scotia: “Most people I know can’t afford a down payment.”

This is not the first time the Hatchet Man has bent, or shall we say "altered", the truth. In a past rant regarding critics of Pacific Lumber Manne wrote,

"The only conclusion I can reach as to why they continue their attacks against us is that they lead empty lives and need to put blame on everything around them in order to negatively impact those that are happier than them,"
"This gives them power with their constituents and importance in the eyes of their friends and other PALCO haters."

Some of the people he's reffering to have been flooded out of their homes due to PLs irresponsible logging practices.
_

Pacific Lumber has been strongly urging Rio Dell to take on Scotia, which costs the company more than $1 million a year to maintain.

(Scotia) also has assets, most of which may also be sold by Pacific Lumber. The town's main street has a movie theater, a museum and the Scotia Inn, a 1920s hotel that houses the town's only restaurant and bar. (It is currently closed for renovations.) There is a new shopping center, an elementary school, a community recreation center and a baseball diamond, all within walking distance of the giant lumber mill and power plant that hulk and hum next to the river.


He said the company was doing everything it could to protect the town's special character.
"But when it comes down to the nostalgia, in the mind of the employee, and the choice between history and them being able to have an affordable house and being able to meet the American dream?" Manne said. "The American dream wins."

last three paragraphs, July 6, 2006 NYT

Last Minute Phone Call Reverses Old-Growth Logging Approval... For now.

Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) Old Growth logging plan "Shower Head" had been given the OK by Fortuna California Dept. of Forestry (CDF) when a last minute phone call from the main office in Santa Rosa reversed the decision.
SPI proposes to clearcut and bulldoze over 100 acres of Douglas Fir, Cedar and Hardwoods.

"This THP (timber harvest plan) went to 2nd review at CDF today. It was "recommended for approval" by Fortuna CDF but after an 11th hour call from Santa Rosa CDF regarding unresolved herbicide issues, the decision was reversed. Further review of the plan will be necessary and the public comment period will remain open." said an anonymous source on thursday, july 6th.

you can send comment letters on this logging plan (#1-06-039) to California Department of Forestry at;

santarosapubliccomment@fire.ca.gov

or

California Department of Forestry
attn. forest practice
135 Ridgeway Ave.
Santa Rosa, Ca. 9540

SPI Old Growth Logging Plan Near Bridgeville

Logging Plan #1-06-039 "Shower Head"

Filed by Sierra Pacific Industries, one of the biggest land holders in California and notorious for irresponsible and destructive logging.

Location:
Showers Creek, Mad River. 10 miles northeast of Bridgeville. Near Showers Pass road, Next to Stapp Road.

Size:
133 acres total. There are 7 individual units.

Logging Methods:
123 acres of Clearcutting. Tractor Yarding.
(Tractor Yarding means dragging the logs around with bulldozers. This is probably the most destructive yarding method utilized in logging today.)

The plan says that logging operations will occur during the winter. This includes "Mechanical Site Prep" which follows logging. Mechanical Site Prep entails driving buldozers to and fro across the hillsides and scrapeing the organic matter into piles for later burning. This has been nicknamed "Tractor Derby" and utterly destroys the topsoil. For this to be happening during the rainy winter season is even more alarming considering the potential for soil to be washed into watercourses.

Forest Conditions:
Mixed age stands with Old Growth over 130 years old. "Merchantable Timber" Mostly Douglas Fir with some White Fir and Incense Cedar. "Non-Merchantable" (to be trashed) Big Leaf Maple, Several Oak Species, Madrone.
Some of the area appears to have been partially thinned in the past while others appear to be un-entered.

Major Concerns:
Proposes cutting closer than usual to streams.
Removal of Old-Growth. Clearcutting on unstable slopes.
Tractor Yarding.
Mechanical Site Prep "Tractor Derby".
Tractor Yarding and Mechanical Site Prep during the winter season.

According to the CDF website the public comment period for this plan has not yet closed. (although it says they expected it to close on April 24th.)

you can send comment letters on individual logging plans to California Department of Forestry at;

santarosapubliccomment@fire.ca.gov

or

California Department of Forestry
attn. forest practice
135 Ridgeway Ave.
Santa Rosa, Ca. 9540