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Taking A Stand for Trees By Patrick Grossi Redwood Mary is an environmental activist who has made extensive efforts toward the preservation of California Redwood trees, specifically in Mendocino County, California. Along with her friend and colleague Julia "Butterfly" Hill, Mary has started the "Plight of the Redwoods" campaign, touring across the country speaking at various college campuses about the decaying conditions of Redwood forests in Northern California. Last month, Mary spoke at Anabel Taylor Hall at Cornell University. Redwood Mary was raised in New Jersey and studied retail-advertising and graphic design at Rutgers University. "I was pushing consumerism and I didn't really like it," said Mary. She then moved to California to study master classes in the arts at Humboldt State University. Glancing out her window as she flew over California for the first time, Mary noticed miles of barren land amidst the surrounding forestry. "I was just blown away-- acres and acres of devastation like a bomb went off," recalls Mary. Mary had seen a clear cut, and soon after she devoted her time and energy to the preservation of the redwoods. "I realized that creatures can't stand up for themselves," said Mary. The Pacific Lumber Company (PALCO), originally a well-respected family run business, began logging massive numbers of redwoods in Humboldt and Mendocino Counties in the mid 80s. In 1985, Charles Hurwitz, CEO of Maxxam Corporations, bought out PALCO for $900 million, $450 million of which was in junk bonds. Hurwitz was a key player in the Texas Savings and Loans Scandal of the early 80s but escaped indictment. Hurwitz quickly doubled the logging rate, imposed overtime labor, and cut into employee pension plans. Due to stepped-up logging local residents experienced increased flooding and mudslides. The ecosystems were violently disturbed. Due to increased surface runoff and sediment in the streams, the Coho Salmon began to have difficulty spawning and have become endangered. From December 10, 1997 to December 18, 1999 Julia "Butterfly" Hill sat atop a 200-foot tall redwood tree in an effort to prevent PALCO from clear-cutting an area of redwood trees in Stafford, California. As a result of Butterfly's 738-day tree sit PALCO/Maxxam eventually offered minimal cooperation. An agreement was met to preserve the tree (which Butterfly came to name Luna) and a 200-foot buffer zone around it through a covenant purchased with $50,000 raised by Julia. PALCO reportedly donated the money to Humboldt State University School of Forestry toward a scholarship program for PALCO employees and their children. Still PALCO and other lumber companies continue extensive cutting. According to Mary, redwoods are being logged at a faster rate than the South American rainforests. Louisiana Pacific, a local lumber company, practically wiped out their forests, forcing it to discontinue logging. In 1998 the Fisher Family, owners of GAP Inc. (The Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy), bought 230,000 acres of Louisiana Pacific's lands and established Mendocino Redwood Company. Redwood Mary and others quickly urged the MRC to comply with their concerns for the area. "We didn't ask them to stop logging, we asked them to do it right," said Mary. Mary requested full protection of the area and a prohibition of herbicides. The Fisher Family failed to cooperate. Like Hurwitz, GAP Inc. Chairman Donald Fisher promoted extensive clear cutting. MRC also utilized garlon, a carcinogenic herbicide that takes two to three months to decompose, which MRC continues to use. Redwood Mary and other Mendocino residents launched an extensive protest campaign against the practices of the MRC and the Fisher Family clothing empire. Gap Inc. employees in Honduras are forced to work 14-hour days at 50 cents an hour; Chinese migrants in Russia are working 10 hours a day, 6 days a week at 11 cents an hour, according to Global Exchange. In addition Gap CEO Millard Dexler made $47.1 million in 1998 (roughly $24,000 an hour) and this past year roughly $550 million was spent on the Gap Inc. advertising campaign. Mary showed a video entitled "Timber Gap" that documented the "Plight of the Redwood" campaign and the protest against sweatshop labor in Gap Inc. factories. Mary herself appears in a powerful scene where she has locked herself to the door of a Gap store by her neck with a kryptonite bike lock. "I make it a point to let them know that I'm not [there] to fight them or make them lose their job," said Mary on Gap retail employees. Redwood Mary said she would be leaving the video at Cornell so that it may be further used to spread her message. "I think I picked up a little stutter since I got tear gassed in Seattle," said Mary jokingly on her attendance at the WTO protest last December. Originally, Mary was there only as a non-governmental organizer but she eventually felt the need to be and went into the streets. Ultimately Mary is trying to promote action. "I don't want to use the word environmentalist, I like to consider myself an active citizen," said Mary. Julia Butterfly was touring her recently published book, The Legacy of Luna, about her two-year experience sitting atop Luna but she did call in via cell phone. "We all want to insure that a natural legacy is left for future generations," said Julia. Nate Madsen, a Mendocino County resident who recently began his own tree sit, also called in from atop the forest. Madsen called to attention the promises of Governor Gray Davis. In March 1998, Davis promised the Planning and Conservation League Foundation to stop old growth tree logging. Davis has yet to meet his promise; Mary and others have begun a letter writing campaign to the governor. Mary currently teaches at Fort Bragg University in California. She will continue to tour the country and both Julia and Mary attended the World Bank/IMF rally in Washington, D.C. from April 14-17. Mary closed commenting on people's apprehensiveness to activism. "Economics does not have ethics, it's up to people to bring ethics to economics-- Everybody has money in their pockets whether it' s 50 cents or $150,000 stock profits. We can look at where we spend that money," said Mary. Redwood Mary's rallying cry is a call to action and civil disobedience, not simply environmentalism. " It's really easy to be comfortable with your own; I try to go places that aren't comfortable," said Mary,"It's amazing the number of people [you find who share your concerns] when we break out of our little groups." Patrick Grossi is just edgy enough to be punk rock. |
