Historical Clippings Book (HC-04) (198 pages)

ae National Forest Site? Redwood Battle Looms Over By Son Young \Georgia-Pacific and Simpson copes DAPI . Timber — still are studying the ARCATA, Humboldt Co. —. right of access but Becking, One man and one tree may. Momentarily persona non grata, serve as guides in an explosive . Will not enter the area without redwood battle which is shaping. ficial permission of all three up on the north coast of Caliland owners. It is necessary to fornia. cross all three properties, That man is Rudolph W. Four Others Becking, 44, a Fulbright acta Incredibly, there are four ar, a forester with a doctorate. other record trees in the same from the University of Wash-jgeneral area. All found by ington, a forestry consultant. Becking, they include a Douglas and a professor at Humboldt/fir 285 feet tall, 64 feet taller State College in Arcata. jthan the record; a Grand fir The tree is a 385-foot-high red-. 250 feet tall, 75 feet taller; a wood, more than 17 feet taller} Western hemlock, 217 feet tall, than the previously claimed . 92 feet taller; and a Red_alder, record of Dr. Paul Zinke of. 126 feet high, 34 feet taller. the University of California. . The concentration of so many Zinke’s tree, located in the/record trees is called an ecoRockefeller Grove of the Hum-. logical climax, a rarity in scienboldt Redwoods Park, was found tific searches, Fierce wind has on Aug. 8, 1966, and confirmed!thinned the ranks of tall trees at 358.8 feet. jon most of the north coast, topAwesome economic, . philo-. pling some 1,000 years ago. But sophical and emotional forces. /because this area, centered in have been arrayed for the bat-}the Redwood Creek drainage, tle over the record tree. And{contains a sheltered canyon sitit all ties in with the location} uated away from the prevailing of the much-discussed national; westerly wind, these tall trees redwood park on the north. survived. coast. . Becking wants to be given Becking’s discovery, made in. the right to officially disclose June 1966 in the company of the location of the area, measfour other professional inde-. ure the trees and mark them pendent foresters, has not been. appropriately. The timber firms confirmed. It can not be be-jwhich own the land, however, cause the Arcata Redwood Co./apparently fear attention would (ARCO) in a letter to Becking. be focused on the area as the dated Sept. 9, 1966, refused fied care of the proposed national permission to enter the area to. redwood park and recognition confirm the size of the tree or;would lead to a bitter contest to make further scientific stud-. for the land. ies of the area. Consequently, only secret At the time Becking’s party;}maps held by key people in made the discovery, three of. federal government agencies the major lumber companies,. show exactly where the record including ARCO, had the land. trees are located in the Redclassified as a public recreation-. wood Creek watershed. Because al area, and general permission. of rare ecological conditions, was granted for public access. Becking surmised there are But the second paragraph ofjeven taller trees than ones he the letter states: “. We will! found. not grant permission for you. Becking, formerly a Dutch or anyone who represents you/citizen and born in Indonesia, to enter our Jands .” discovered the trees while on The other two companies —!a National Science Foundation 706 grant given him in 1964 to do an ecological study of the redwoods following the disastrous flood of that year. It was necessary to measure the heights of various trees, Becking said, and it was during explorations through all available areas that the discoveries were made. Referring to the impact such a discovery will have on the final choice of location for the redwoods park, Becking stated: “We are not trying to preserve second-class or secondgrowth timber. Vast ecological implications are inherent rela. tive to an area where so many record trees stand. The best park would be where the best trees are located.” With an eye to preserving this prime area, and developing recreational acreage throughout the area, Becking has proposed his own plan, which he refers to as the Regional Redwood Park Plan (RRPP), which would emcompass 210,000 acres. Some 73,900 acres would form the core of the national redwood park, as Becking envisions it, and this would be centered on the Redwood Creek watershed. Since his proposal would mean the public acquisition of about 80 per cent virgin redwood stand from one company, ARCO, the struggle for this land could be long and bitter. Becking proposes to pay double the appraised standing value for timber lands acquired and points out that most of the lands were purchased long ago for a few dollars per acre, Pralsed One Firm Becking was high in his praise for one company: ‘Almost all of the present state parks were once owned by Pacific Lumber Co. of Scotia. They appreciated the redwoods as a unique species and preserved them. They sold these timber stands to the State and got good money for them. Others have logged almost indiscriminately and have hever set anything aside for the public in perpetuity.” Becking’s RRPP would include the area from Patrick's Point on the coast, north to the /Klamath River, thence eastward to Johnson’s Riffle, southward to the Mad River, thence back to Patrick’s Point. It does not include any presently owned state park land nor any Indian land, both of which would remain status quo, He estimated that the 74,000 . acres in the center of the plan ;could be acquired for less than $50 million, When it was pointed out that one company already has stated it wants $90 million for a small section, Becking replied: “Jf they value their land like that, then appropriate taxes should be paid on it.” Need For Haste Urging, immediate adoption of his plan to federal officials, . THE SACRAMENTO BEE . Record-Height Tree legislators and _ conservation groups, Becking insisted the move must be made now before the irreplaceable virgin stands of redwoods are completely logged off. Becking brushed aside fears of a crushing impact on the counties here if the redwood park is established immediately. He repeatedly stated that the lumber industry as it is presently constituted is due for an almost fatal decline within two years. “. The most conservative estimate by competent foresters and others is that the redwood industry will be gone by 1975. If we don’t preserve these trees now, we never will. It will be too late.”” Becking maintained that the dislocation of employes, peripheral services and businesses could be eased by instituting the RRPP immediately. “Tf these people are flexible,” he said, “many can become park supervisors, camp managers, concession operators, (boatmen, packers, guides), and there will be an enormous trail system to be developed and maintained which will provide permanent, year-round employment, instead of the somewhat} seasonal jobs of the loggers, Opened Land . Becking observed the lumber industry had opened 300,000 acres for public use of hunting, fishing and similar recreation. “This is an excellent idea,’’ he said, “but it is too bad that it had to be done under public pressure. It may be that if the pressure is relieved sometime in the future, the 365,000 acres will be shut off from the public again. My plan would keep these areas open for all time.” Becking’s park plan, he believes, is the only one which includes two recreational buffer}: zones on both sides of the national park. These features ac-! count for two-thirds of the en-. tire acreage. 1} The northern recreational . area, Called the Klamath Wild River Area, would include 62,000 acres, The Klamath River which arises in the Warner) Range flows for hundreds of. miles through primitive and scenic areas. The southern recreational area includes 75,000 acres and would be intensively developed by damming three streams to form three Jakes with a sur{a pulp wood emphasis, as I be a complex of restaurants, . lodgings, meeting rooms and an} amphitheater with a_ seating capacity of at least 1,500 people. Companies Concerned Becking’s plan has caused some concern among industries which hold investments in the area and he admits they have an interest in the future. But he argues their interests are largely located elsewhere and the problem has to be faced and solved now. Becking insisted the present »p —> lumber industry, which {s devoted to 40 per cent redwood, is changing. “We are moving away from a saw log industry,’’ he stated, ‘The future will presage nothing more than a pulp wood industry. Only the virgin redwood has a relatively stable market, but even that is delicate. “There is virtually no market for second-growth redwood except as pulp product. If pulp products are the only interest, areas without the virgin redwoods can be used, or chips can be shipped to the present pulp mills, processed and reshipped, “If the industry is headed for firmly believe, then there will be a severe employment dislocation in time. Automation will take over in most all areas because the chipping machines will move directly into the woods and gobble up the trees there. Only the chips will emerge, and many of the skilled Sunday, January 8, 1967 = SE EL RES ee Sie . or, heavy-equipment jobs will be lost.” Walter B. Sweet, left, a civil engineer from Arcata, and Rudolph W. Becking, take measurements on a tall tree in a redwood forest on the north coast. Becking has found a number of record-height trees in one area but has been barred from re-entry by a lumber firm. proposed area includes three} salt-water lagoons of 2,200 acres which provide a variety of fish-} ing, boating, swimming and. other activities. Though not in-. cluded in the plan, nearby are] fine, already establisheq resort areas of Trinidad anq Eureka for blue water fishing, Within’ this southern area, too, Becking proposes a major} conference center which would) face area of 4,600 acres. This. ).

ae National Forest Site? Redwood Battle Looms Over By Son Young \Georgia-Pacific and Simpson copes DAPI . Timber — still are studying the ARCATA, Humboldt Co. —. right of access but Becking, One man and one tree may. Momentarily persona non grata, serve as guides in an explosive . Will not enter the area without redwood battle which is shaping. ficial permission of all three up on the north coast of Caliland owners. It is necessary to fornia. cross all three properties, That man is Rudolph W. Four Others Becking, 44, a Fulbright acta Incredibly, there are four ar, a forester with a doctorate. other record trees in the same from the University of Wash-jgeneral area. All found by ington, a forestry consultant. Becking, they include a Douglas and a professor at Humboldt/fir 285 feet tall, 64 feet taller State College in Arcata. jthan the record; a Grand fir The tree is a 385-foot-high red-. 250 feet tall, 75 feet taller; a wood, more than 17 feet taller} Western hemlock, 217 feet tall, than the previously claimed . 92 feet taller; and a Red_alder, record of Dr. Paul Zinke of. 126 feet high, 34 feet taller. the University of California. . The concentration of so many Zinke’s tree, located in the/record trees is called an ecoRockefeller Grove of the Hum-. logical climax, a rarity in scienboldt Redwoods Park, was found tific searches, Fierce wind has on Aug. 8, 1966, and confirmed!thinned the ranks of tall trees at 358.8 feet. jon most of the north coast, topAwesome economic, . philo-. pling some 1,000 years ago. But sophical and emotional forces. /because this area, centered in have been arrayed for the bat-}the Redwood Creek drainage, tle over the record tree. And{contains a sheltered canyon sitit all ties in with the location} uated away from the prevailing of the much-discussed national; westerly wind, these tall trees redwood park on the north. survived. coast. . Becking wants to be given Becking’s discovery, made in. the right to officially disclose June 1966 in the company of the location of the area, measfour other professional inde-. ure the trees and mark them pendent foresters, has not been. appropriately. The timber firms confirmed. It can not be be-jwhich own the land, however, cause the Arcata Redwood Co./apparently fear attention would (ARCO) in a letter to Becking. be focused on the area as the dated Sept. 9, 1966, refused fied care of the proposed national permission to enter the area to. redwood park and recognition confirm the size of the tree or;would lead to a bitter contest to make further scientific stud-. for the land. ies of the area. Consequently, only secret At the time Becking’s party;}maps held by key people in made the discovery, three of. federal government agencies the major lumber companies,. show exactly where the record including ARCO, had the land. trees are located in the Redclassified as a public recreation-. wood Creek watershed. Because al area, and general permission. of rare ecological conditions, was granted for public access. Becking surmised there are But the second paragraph ofjeven taller trees than ones he the letter states: “.. We will! found. not grant permission for you. Becking, formerly a Dutch or anyone who represents you/citizen and born in Indonesia, to enter our Jands ..” discovered the trees while on The other two companies —!a National Science Foundation 706 grant given him in 1964 to do an ecological study of the redwoods following the disastrous flood of that year. It was necessary to measure the heights of various trees, Becking said, and it was during explorations through all available areas that the discoveries were made. Referring to the impact such a discovery will have on the final choice of location for the redwoods park, Becking stated: “We are not trying to preserve second-class or secondgrowth timber. Vast ecological implications are inherent rela. tive to an area where so many record trees stand. The best park would be where the best trees are located.” With an eye to preserving this prime area, and developing recreational acreage throughout the area, Becking has proposed his own plan, which he refers to as the Regional Redwood Park Plan (RRPP), which would emcompass 210,000 acres. Some 73,900 acres would form the core of the national redwood park, as Becking envisions it, and this would be centered on the Redwood Creek watershed. Since his proposal would mean the public acquisition of about 80 per cent virgin redwood stand from one company, ARCO, the struggle for this land could be long and bitter. Becking proposes to pay double the appraised standing value for timber lands acquired and points out that most of the lands were purchased long ago for a few dollars per acre, Pralsed One Firm Becking was high in his praise for one company: ‘Almost all of the present state parks were once owned by Pacific Lumber Co. of Scotia. They appreciated the redwoods as a unique species and preserved them. They sold these timber stands to the State and got good money for them. Others have logged almost indiscriminately and have hever set anything aside for the public in perpetuity.” Becking’s RRPP would include the area from Patrick's Point on the coast, north to the /Klamath River, thence eastward to Johnson’s Riffle, southward to the Mad River, thence back to Patrick’s Point. It does not include any presently owned state park land nor any Indian land, both of which would remain status quo, He estimated that the 74,000 . acres in the center of the plan ;could be acquired for less than $50 million, When it was pointed out that one company already has stated it wants $90 million for a small section, Becking replied: “Jf they value their land like that, then appropriate taxes should be paid on it.” Need For Haste Urging, immediate adoption of his plan to federal officials, . THE SACRAMENTO BEE

. Record-Height Tree legislators and _ conservation groups, Becking insisted the move must be made now before the irreplaceable virgin stands of redwoods are completely logged off. Becking brushed aside fears of a crushing impact on the counties here if the redwood park is established immediately. He repeatedly stated that the lumber industry as it is presently constituted is due for an almost fatal decline within two years. “.. The most conservative estimate by competent foresters and others is that the redwood industry will be gone by 1975. If we don’t preserve these trees now, we never will. It will be too late.”” Becking maintained that the dislocation of employes, peripheral services and businesses could be eased by instituting the RRPP immediately. “Tf these people are flexible,” he said, “many can become park supervisors, camp managers, concession operators, (boatmen, packers, guides), and there will be an enormous trail system to be developed and maintained which will provide permanent, year-round employment, instead of the somewhat} seasonal jobs of the loggers, Opened Land . Becking observed the lumber industry had opened 300,000 acres for public use of hunting, fishing and similar recreation. “This is an excellent idea,’’ he said, “but it is too bad that it had to be done under public pressure. It may be that if the pressure is relieved sometime in the future, the 365,000 acres will be shut off from the public again. My plan would keep these areas open for all time.” Becking’s park plan, he believes, is the only one which includes two recreational buffer}: zones on both sides of the national park. These features ac-! count for two-thirds of the en-. tire acreage. 1} The northern recreational . area, Called the Klamath Wild River Area, would include 62,000 acres, The Klamath River which arises in the Warner) Range flows for hundreds of. miles through primitive and scenic areas. The southern recreational area includes 75,000 acres and would be intensively developed by damming three streams to form three Jakes with a sur{a pulp wood emphasis, as I be a complex of restaurants, . lodgings, meeting rooms and an} amphitheater with a_ seating capacity of at least 1,500 people. Companies Concerned Becking’s plan has caused some concern among industries which hold investments in the area and he admits they have an interest in the future. But he argues their interests are largely located elsewhere and the problem has to be faced and solved now. Becking insisted the present »p —> lumber industry, which {s devoted to 40 per cent redwood, is changing. “We are moving away from a saw log industry,’’ he stated, ‘The future will presage nothing more than a pulp wood industry. Only the virgin redwood has a relatively stable market, but even that is delicate. “There is virtually no market for second-growth redwood except as pulp product. If pulp products are the only interest, areas without the virgin redwoods can be used, or chips can be shipped to the present pulp mills, processed and reshipped, “If the industry is headed for firmly believe, then there will be a severe employment dislocation in time. Automation will take over in most all areas because the chipping machines will move directly into the woods and gobble up the trees there. Only the chips will emerge, and many of the skilled Sunday, January 8, 1967 = SE EL RES ee Sie . or, heavy-equipment jobs will be lost.” Walter B. Sweet, left, a civil engineer from Arcata, and Rudolph W. Becking, take measurements on a tall tree in a redwood forest on the north coast. Becking has found a number of record-height trees in one area but has been barred from re-entry by a lumber firm. proposed area includes three} salt-water lagoons of 2,200 acres which provide a variety of fish-} ing, boating, swimming and. other activities. Though not in-. cluded in the plan, nearby are] fine, already establisheq resort areas of Trinidad anq Eureka for blue water fishing, Within’ this southern area, too, Becking proposes a major} conference center which would) face area of 4,600 acres. This. ).