You'd think a California family this rich would buy redwood forests to protect them, not destroy them

August 15th 2000

The New York Times, Tuesday, August 15, 2000

Mendocino Redwood Company response to content in this advertisement is shown in italics to the right of the New York Times advertisement text.

Ad headline: You'd think a California family that controls Banana Republic, Gap and Old Navy would buy redwood forests to protect them, not destroy them.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

(Caption under photograph) The Fisher family is destroying the last of the best remaining wildlife habitat in Mendocino/Sonoma redwood forests. Cuts like this could doom already endangered coho salmon and steelhead trout.

What would you do with $12.5 billion? Two years ago, San Francisco's Fisher family, founders and major shareholders of clothing colossus Gap Inc., bought 350 square miles of heavily logged forest in Mendocino and Sonoma for $1,000 an acre.

The $240 million price tag is less than two percent of their net worth, according to Forbes's list of the wealthiest Americans.

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

The picture shown is of a traditional clear cut harvest, and this is exactly the type of harvesting Mendocino Redwood Company (MRC) eliminated when we committed to end traditional clear cutting on our forest starting in November, 1998.
This specific picture is of an area that was harvested in 1997 and 1998 by the prior owner, before Mendocino Redwood Company was formed or purchased the forestlands.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

So you'd expect them to take a handsome tax deduction and conserve the habitat in this severely depleted forest for endangered species like coho salmon, steelhead trout, marbled murrelets and northern spotted owls.

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

In an interview with Ted Williams for Fly Rod and Reel magazine, Mary Pjerrou (President of the Greenwood Watershed Association and apparently one of the sponsors of the ad that appeared in the New York Times) stated "I think they should set them [MRC's forestlands] all aside and invest money in restoration work, particularly to employ out-of-work fishermen and timber workers. I don't think they should cut anymore..... They could do this."
We have a different objective for the future of the lands held by MRC. We are working to demonstrate that it is possible to manage these productive forestlands with a high standard of environmental stewardship (which for us literally means over time to leave the lands better than we found them) and to operate as a successful business at the same time. We are operating with these two competing objectives on equal footing. This will allow our success to serve as a duplicable model, and therefore have an impact that is far greater than just improving the health of the 232,000 acres that we manage.
Our environmental objective has now been formalized in a long term management plan that includes a doubling of the standing volume of trees on our property by between 2050 and 2060, a transition to selection management over our entire forest, more and better terrestrial and aquatic habitat, and lots of wildlife.
The steps we have taken in just 25 months towards this environmental objective are detailed in various areas below.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

Instead, the Fisher's Mendocino Redwood Company has been leveling forest like there's no tomorrow. It's called "liquidation logging."

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

The facts are these:

MRC is harvesting at about 60% of the growth rate of the forest, so each year there is more volume of trees standing in the forest.
Our long-term management plan (which is available at www.mrc.com ) shows a doubling of our standing volume of trees by between 2050 and 2060.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

Clearcut gaps in redwood forests

In the Fisher plans, one-third more forest will hear the roar of chainsaws.

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

MRC will cover more acres in the future as we transition to uneven aged management. At the same time, MRC foresters will leave valuable forest structure in place on every acre that we do harvest.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

And over half the plans use clearcutting and toxic herbicides, just like Louisiana-Pacific did.

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

MRC eliminated traditional clearcutting in the fall of 1998, and
MRC's use of herbicides is made on a plant by plant basis with the specific objective of restoring the redwood and douglas fir forest.
MRC is systematically evaluating non-herbicide alternatives to achieving the same objective of restoring the redwood and douglas fir forest.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

Old Navy or Old Growth?

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

MRC protects its old growth (see below).

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

Further over half the plans use clearcutting and toxic herbicides, just like Louisiana-Pacific did.

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

MRC eliminated traditional clearcutting in the fall of 1998, and
MRC's use of herbicides is made on a plant by plant basis with the specific objective of restoring the redwood and Douglas-fir forest.
MRC is systematically evaluating non-herbicide alternatives to achieving the same objective of restoring the redwood and Douglas-fir forest.
In conjunction with FSC certification, MRC is committing to the reduction of 60% of its herbicide use over the next four years.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

Old Navy or Old Growth?

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

As far as we know, MRC has a more comprehensive old growth protection policy than any other large industrial forestland owner.
MRC has identified approximately 130 acres of 14 distinct "never-harvested" (FSC Type I) old growth stands. These acres will be permanently protected by MRC from any kind of harvesting.
MRC has approximately 1,250 acres of previously harvested (FSC Type II) old growth stands where significant old growth characteristics are still present. The residual old growth trees and late successional characteristics of these stands are protected and only silviculture, such as thinning from below, is allowed to enhance or extend these stands.
The remaining previously logged second growth forests on MRC lands contain some scattered residual old growth trees in very low densities. These old trees are being preserved based on a policy that protects them by age, size, function and characteristics specific to particular species. Trees preserved from harvesting include:
- Any redwood tree, 48" dbh and larger, established prior to 1800.
- Any Douglas-fir tree, 36" dbh and larger, established prior to 1800.
- Any tree established prior to 1800 (conifer or hardwood), regardless of diameter size, with a preponderance of species-specific Old Growth characteristics.
- Any tree (conifer or hardwood), established before 1800, that cannot be replaced in size and ecological function within 80-130 years, regardless of diameter or presence of Old Growth characteristics.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

Worse, the Fishers are specifically attacking the most important natural habitat in a handful of watersheds--the last three percent of their holdings with larger redwoods and Douglas firs capable of supporting the richest, most mature ecosystem.

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

. MRC spreads its harvest across its holdings, to make sure that no one area is harvested too heavily.
MRC manages its better-stocked redwood and Douglas-fir stands using selection and group selection silviculture, always leaving a well-stocked forest following harvest.
Regardless, MRC is harvesting in such a manner to improve the distribution of larger trees, especially redwood, across the landscape.
MRC's overall harvest rate will insure that the total volume of timber on MRC's lands will double by between 2050 and 2060.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

The fact is, L-P didn't leave much harvestable timber behind. (Another buyer got the richest tract, according an L-P forester quoted in the Wall Street Journal.) But instead of cutting their losses, the Fishers are cutting everything worth preserving or restoring.

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

MRC has a 100 year management plan that has been approved by the California Department of Forestry.
MRC's long term management plan is available to anyone at www.mrc.com (look for the Option A button), and it shows that our forest will become better stocked and healthier over the coming decades.
MRC's has a healthy and substantial population of spotted owls (109 sites on our property, 2.5 time the number of sites per acre as the much better stocked Jackson Demonstration State Forest located next to us).
MRC's long term management plan contains protection for aquatic and terrestrial wildlife, and road standards that insure the streams in our forest will become healthier over time (by reducing sediment that can erode from road surfaces). These actions are the most important we can take for the health of native coho salmon.
Since starting in business just 25 months ago, MRC has been involved in over 15 large, collaborative restoration projects unrelated to harvest plans or general road improvement activities. Collaborative partners include Trout Unlimited, Mendocino Fisheries Program, California Department of Fish & Game, Mendocino County Resource Conservation District, and others. Streams that have been the focus of this work include portions of the Navarro, Big River, Hollow Tree, Noyo, Garcia, and Albion River systems. Many of the original projects focused on instream habitat improvements. Current projects have expanded that scope to include a significant amount of upslope road assessment and improvement work. The numbers and types of projects will increase in the years to come.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

They've speeded up "winter operations" that can multiply mudslides and choke streams.

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

MRC has dramatically reduced winter operations relative to the prior owner of its lands.
In the 1999/2000 winter season, running from November 1999 to March 30, 2000, MRC harvested just 3% of its annual harvest.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

They even threaten a small town's water supply by clearcutting the steepest slopes.

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

The fact is that MRC eliminated traditional clearcutting before the end of 1998.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

Their own banana republic?

Like other big timber operators, the Fishers' plans are being rubber-stamped by Gov. Gray Davis's California Dept. of Forestry (see coupon below).

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

Forestry is a highly regulated activity in California, and MRC's activities are closely monitored, controlled and restricted by a collection of government agencies, including

the California Department of Forestry, · the California Department of Fish and Game,
the California Department of Mines and Geology,
the California North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board,
the US Fish and Wildlife Service and
the National Marine Fisheries Service.

In addition, because we disclose significant information about each timber harvest plan, many others observe, participate, comment and critique what we do.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

The Fisher family and its associates have handed out over $300,000 in political contribution in the last five years, and $12.5 billion hires a lot of lawyer muscle. Even when local citizen groups win in the court, the Fishers refile the same illegal logging plans, forcing costly, exhausting, apparently endless legal battles.

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

MRC regularly meets with neighbors, concerned citizens, and local environmental groups to find solutions to forestry issues
MRC has and will continue to take anyone, anywhere, on its lands to find solutions to forestry issues..
MRC has and will continue to work to resolve differences primarily in face to face discussions.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

At the same time, of course, the Fishers' logging company paints itself "green" in PR handouts. They claim to improve forest by cutting 90 percent of it down.
Even when local citizen groups win in court, the Fishers refile the same illegal logging plans, forcing costly apparently endless legal battles.

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

We invite people who are interested to come and see for themselves.
MRC's variable retention harvests leave valuable structure in the woods.
The facts on the ground clearly show a different picture than the allegation cited here.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

They also solemnly promise not to fell any ancient giants, except if they're "not important" to wildlife.

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

Prior to MRC acquiring these forestlands, essentially all had been harvested at least once and often two times.
MRC has identified approximately 100 acres of un-harvested old growth across its property, which is being protected from any harvest activities.
MRC has developed a comprehensive policy to protect individual old growth trees.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

The question is will the Fishers help struggling forest recover? Or brutally scavenge it?

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

From the first day that MRC acquired these lands, we set about to conserve and protect this forest. Here is a partial list of the actions taken to date:
Reducing the harvest rate to approximately 60% of the growth rate of the forest.
Installing new senior management for the forestry group.
Adopting of an open, honest, responsive mode of communicating with anyone who is interested in what happens on these lands.
Eliminating traditional clear cutting, starting in the fall of 1998.
Developing an Old Growth Policy, to protect irreplaceable trees.
Collaborating with a number of environmental organizations to proactively develop and execute restoration projects for the streams that run through our forests.
Investing time and resources to create a commercially viable product for the tanoak, which is a competitor to the restoration of the coniferous forest.
Pursuing independent third party assessment and validation of exemplary practices in the woods.
And we are continuing to work every day to improve the management of these lands.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

As owners, the Fishers have a choice. As a shopper, so do you.

Stewardship isn’t about words. It’s about deeds.

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

See our website, www.mrc.com to learn about our deeds.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

Yet the Fishers' unsustainable forestry practices were denied certification by two separate evaluation teams from the independent Forest Stewardship Council.

Facts about Mendocino Redwood Company:

MRC is the largest landowner in the state of California pursuing Forest Stewardship Council certification,
We learned last summer that we have more work to do to become FSC certified, and we are working every day to complete the changes for certification.

Text of New York Times Advertisement:

Will the Fishers embrace the historic opportunity that is now theirs? Or deserve a reputation for short-sighted abuse of California's natural heritage? Help this family make the better choice by mailing the coupons below.

Thank you

Save the Redwoods/Boycott the Gap

Coupons read:

Don, Doris, John and Robert Fisher
Sansome Partners
1 Maritime Plaza, 14th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111

You can be remembered as exploiters of California's redwood forests or as farsighted stewards of the land. Which will it be? Stop squeezing the last dime out of these badly abused forests. Put them into conservation easements for the sake of all the generations to come.
Name
Address

Governor Gray Davis
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814

Enough. The abject failure of your Dept. of Forestry to enforce the laws of California on sustained yield and the cumulative effects of logging threatens the future of our state. Stop the Fishers, Hawthorne Timber, Pacific Lumber and Sierra Pacific Industries and all others from liquidating the forests.
Name
Address

Save the Redwoods/Boycott the Gap
252 Frederick Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
www.elksoft.com/gwa

I knew you would not have placed this ad in the New York Times unless you had no other way to reach concerned citizens in time. I have mailed the urgent messages to the Fishers and Gov. Davis. Keep me posted. I have enclosed my tax-deductible contribution of:
$25 $75 $100 $250 or___

*(Make checks payable to Greenwood Watershed Assn.)

Letter of response from Richard A. Wilson

Link to FSC letter

Letter from MRC