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PREVIOUSLY: Five Old-Growth Redwoods Were Cut Down in Lower Redway. How Could That Happen?

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The removal of a massive old-growth redwood tree in Southern Humboldt is currently underway. 

The towering 252-foot tree — estimated to be between 350 and 370 years old — is one of several “hazardous” old-growth redwoods removed from a residential parcel on the corner of Oakridge Drive and Briceland Road in Lower Redway in recent months, sparking outrage among some neighbors and environmental advocates, though the action appears to comply with state law.

This afternoon, a handful of locals gathered at the corner lot with signs that read “Stop Logging Old Growth” and “Honor the Elders,” hoping against hope that their efforts would stop the centuries-old tree from being cut. (A video of the protest signs can be seen in this video posted to Facebook.)

Redway resident Sue Maloney told the Outpost that six sheriff’s vehicles had shown up at the property this morning to deter a group of protestors from parking within the work zone. “We parked too close to the fence, thinking we could stop them from sending the limbs down, but we were told to move our vehicles.”

Maloney shared the following video from the scene:

Asked how Scarlett responded to their presence, Maloney said, “We’ve talked to each other a little bit, and he said, ‘I don’t have any problem with you guys being here,’ but we’re clearly on opposite sides of the issue.”

Reached by phone this afternoon, Scarlett declined the Outpost’s offer to comment on this story. We’ve reached out to his attorney, Tonya Farmer, for comment as well, but we’ve yet to hear back. 

Since the first round of old-growth redwoods was chopped down at the end of last year, Maloney and several other long-time environmental advocates have called on county officials to take immediate action, expressing concern that the case sets a dangerous precedent for old-growth trees throughout Lower Redway.

“We’ve had several conversations with [Humboldt Planning Director] John Ford and [Second District Supervisor] Michelle Bushnell, as well as the director of CalFire and [Hank Seemann], the deputy director of environmental services,” Maloney said. “It’s a lot of run around about who has jurisdiction, and ‘We’ll meet with you in the future!’ but, in the meantime, this tree [is being] climbed to be cut.”

The Lower Redway Q Zone is depicted in yellow. | Map: County of Humboldt

Maloney and others were under the impression that the trees were protected by a county-designated “Q Zone,” a special zoning ordinance created in 1996 to safeguard old-growth redwoods near the John B. DeWitt State Natural Reserve. Under the county policy, trees exceeding 12 inches in diameter can only be cut “in an emergency situation” when trees are “threatening people or property.” 

As the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, CalFire has permitting and enforcement jurisdiction over timber operations on timberland pursuant to the Forest Practice Act of 1973. The county also has a hand in the permitting process, but it’s taken a step back in recent years due to a provision in the act that precludes the county from requiring permits that would supersede an exemption from the state.

A request to clear up the confusion around state versus county jurisdiction and potentially increase protections provided by the Q Zone was placed on the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors’ April 20 agenda, but the item was removed from the docket at the beginning of the meeting without explanation.

As previously reported by the Outpost, last year, Scarlett secured a hazard tree exemption for the removal of “approximately five” old-growth redwoods at his Lower Redway property. The trees were inspected by CalFire Supervising Forester Lucas Titus, who made the following determination in his report:

“During the inspection approximately five trees/clumps were identified all within 30 feet of structures as having the defect and site conditions indicative of tree failure. These identified trees have already damaged the roof and deck of the main habitable structure and caused damage to the adjacent shed and adjacent property and continue to pose a safety threat.”

The county issued a stop-work order last month to prevent the remaining old-growth redwood from being cut down, but that order was lifted last month after an arborist determined the tree “poses a threat to multiple residential structures and the people who reside there, as well as the power lines and roads that are in the vicinity.” 

“Mitigation options such as pruning would be unfeasible without retaining a high level of risk due to the lack of remaining canopy and the severe trunk damage the tree has suffered,” according to a March 24 report written by Stephen Hohman, an arborist with Hohman and Associates Forestry Consulting, Inc. “It would be unreasonable to expect the residents of this house to continue to live at this address without addressing the risk posed by this tree. Therefore, I would recommend the immediate removal of this tree due to the potential of severe consequences that would result in the case of this tree’s failure.”

When we spoke earlier this afternoon, Maloney said the tree was in the process of being topped, and suspected it would be taken down in the next day or two.

The Outpost’s request for comment from CalFire and Planning and Builder Director John Ford was not returned before publication. We’ll update this post with their responses if we hear back.

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