mailbox / By North Coast Journal Readers

Grovies Respond

(March 19, 2009)  Editor:

How interesting to find you, Mr. Sims, editor of the wonderful NCJ, with the attitude of “you’ve seen one redwood, you’ve seen them all” (“Town Dandy,” March 12). How else can we construe your casual description of the severing of the roots of 30 of the largest old-growth trees in Richardson Grove State Park as a “tiny alteration”? (Did you even read Caltrans’ DEIR?) This lack of reverence for rarity on your part is surprisingly reminiscent of the blasé attitude of the good-old-boy Neanderthal politicians of yesteryear.

Regardless, cutting the roots and expecting a tree to thrive is a bit foolhardy, don’t you think? Not to mention the removal of 89 other types of trees, which surround and support the redwoods with interlacing root systems and overhead canopy.

I suppose the 300-foot-long, 17-foot-high retaining wall is just a “tiny alteration” also?

Keep in mind that the impact of all this activity occurs within a condensed area of less than one mile, requiring day and night construction with floodlights and high-decibel noise for almost a full year. Good luck to the already endangered marbled murrelet and spotted owl … hope they survive this “tiny alteration.” The fact that Caltrans has applied for a “take” permit indicates that they themselves know the changes are not apt to be slight.

It appears, Mr. Sims, that you are tired of the Richardson Grove redwoods, and no longer care to respect and preserve them for future generations. Why not just say so, instead of spending so much time building a false case against citizens (Save Richardson Grove and NEC) who do care?

Upon reading the DEIR, it is easy to see that Caltrans’ Richardson Grove “proposed project,” as currently planned, is a threat to the Grove and an extravagant waste of taxpayer money, especially shameful when there are other options — for instance, Caltrans’ Alternative #3 — that are simple, reasonable, economical solutions allowing the big trucks to pass without damage to the big trees.

Glenda Hesseltine, Eureka

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