On Thursday August 21st, the University of California cut off branches from trees used by tree-sitters. Limbs were cut off of two or more oak trees in the middle of the grove. The extractors then used a large crane with four people in a basket and cut down two five gallon jugs of water, several bags of food, other gear. They almost succeeded in cutting down one of the platforms but were prevented from doing so by those in the trees. After six hours UC Police Chief Harrison went up and spoke to the tree sitters and said that they were done for the day.

The tree-sit is intended to protect the Memorial Oak Grove, which is located in the 2000 block of Piedmont Ave in Berkeley. It lies adjacent to Memorial Stadium where Cal's football team plays its games and reportedly stands atop a portion of a Native burial ground for the Ohlone tribe. Some of the trees in the Grove were planted in 1923 as part of a World War I Veterans Memorial. The current stadium, which is adjacent to the Oak Grove, stands atop the Hayward earthquake fault.

Photos | Past Coverage Of The Berkeley Oaks Tree-Sit

Eureka, CA-Community residents and forest activists from the redwood region and far beyond Humboldt County in Northern California, were relieved and elated as news spread of an unprecedented commitment by Humboldt Redwood Company (HRC) owners of what was Maxxam/PL land to spare the Nanning Creek and Fern Gully ancient groves where tree-sits have been keeping chain saws at bay. The message was delivered directly to tree-sitters and included a commitment to further protect from future cutting all old growth 250 years old or more.

"Old Growth now included in old PL timber harvest plans will be taken out of those plans", said HRC president and chief forester, Mike Jani, in an interview with KMUD radio in Garberville last week. This in itself is a significant change from company CEO Sandy Dean's position of just two months ago, when he stated, on KMUD and in the San Francisco Chronicle on Aug. 29, that HRC would be finishing up the former owners' harvest plans and that it would "take time" to switch over to the new forestry methods.


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LRDP-Resistance Media writes, "It comes as no surprise to us that the city council and the Coalition to Limit University Expansion (CLUE) have settled their lawsuit with UCSC over the campus expansion under the 2005 Long Range Development Plan (LRDP). But, despite the city's capitulation and Chancellor Blumenthal's speculation that the Tree Sitters 'have accomplished their goals,' we will not be coming out of the trees. The city does not speak for us, nor do they speak for the Coast Redwoods, the Mountain Manzanita, Burrowing Owls, Red-legged Frogs, Bobcats, Coyotes, Gray Foxes, California Myotis or any of the other living creatures who call the exceptional habitat of North Campus their home.

"The city's lawsuit was never intended to protect the unique ecosystem of North Campus that UCSC plans on destroying. The destruction of the forest was always the main issue behind us climbing into the Redwood trees at the site of the first proposed 2005 LRDP building. We look forward to working with the city and with CLUE on the legal battles that will be waged when the UC's plans are put before the Santa Cruz Local Agency Formation Commission. But we cannot rely on politicians and bureaucrats to protect the things that are truly important: clean air, clean water, animal habitats and the experience of being surrounded by the beautiful hundred-year old redwood and chaparral forest that are in danger of being destroyed forever. Those are the values that have called us into the trees, and those are things that cannot be quantified or litigated." Read More

see also: A Glimpse at UCSC's North Campus | Aug 13th and Sep 17th: Upper Campus Forest Walk

In Santa Cruz, a banner has been hung over Highway One expressing solidarity with the movement opposing Interstate 69, also known as the NAFTA Superhighway. Portions of the route in Indiana would run through wetlands, farmland, forests and karst terrain, threatening rare species and underground water systems. Urban planners predict the highway will require annual subsidies of $2 billion and accelerate suburban sprawl and automobile dependency. Others believe that by subsidizing trade, I-69 will further undercut union jobs in the United States.

Ominous Clouds of the Awaiting Storm writes, "In response to the call out for a national day of mobilization against the construction of I-69, we in Santa Cruz exhibit our solidarity with those in Indiana and throughout the country who are directly resisting this destructive expansion. Let our humble banner fly as a sentiment of our appreciation and love for all creatures alive enough to face the machines of industry that would bury us under their concrete." Read More

see also: Information on Interstate 69 || Stop I-69 (Roadblock Earth First!) || Issues One and Two of the "Roadblock Report" || Anti-I69 Protesters Storm Cato Institute in DC || Farcical, Militarized Groundbreaking for I-69

Palo Alto residents and San Francisco Peninsula bike commuters are challenging Santa Clara County's plan to widen Middlefield Rd. near Oregon Expressway.

Proposed alterations to Middlefield Rd. near Oregon Expressway call for removing the trees and resident-created green strip gardens between the sidewalk and traffic lanes. This will eliminate the buffer between cars and pedestrians now enjoyed by neighborhood walkers and students commuting to Jordan Middle School.

Santa Clara County conducted what some residents are calling a stealth campaign. County officials placed confusing announcements in the local paper and sent mailings describing the changes as "improvements to Oregon Expressway", a county road. In fact, the county's plan is to widen Middlefield Rd. (near Oregon Expressway). Other county-proposed alterations in the neighborhood will affect Palo Alto's commitment to improved bike paths.

Bicycle enthusiasts object that putting in a raised median to block Ross Rd. (part of the county's proposal) runs counter to plans for a bike boulevard there. Some Palo Alto city officials say the bikeway will become impossible if that median is built as planned.

The plan to spend $2.8 million in federal funds to "streamline traffic flow on Oregon Expressway in Palo Alto" is generating significant opposition. Concerned residents say that County officials announced community meetings during peak vacation times and without adequate notice.

A public hearing is scheduled for September 2008.

Read More With Photos

On July 22nd, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Barbara J. Miller upheld U.C. Berkeley's plans for an athletic training center in the Memorial Oak Grove. The order ends, on July 29, an injunction that had blocked destruction of the grove. She also ruled that the city and the former City Councilmember Dona Spring must pay most of the university’s legal bills.

On Thursday, July 24th, the Berkeley City Council will likely make its final decision about pursuing an appeal in the UC stadium case. Supporters of an appeal plan to meet at the oak grove at 3:30pm, marching to City Hall at 4:00 and rally at 4:40 before a 5pm public hearing. more | event details

Bad News from Berkeley | Possible Way to Get Food and Water to Berkeley Tree Sitters | Six Arrested for Planting Oak Seedling | Oak grove Struggle Continues

Previous Indybay Oaks Coverage

At a public meeting held July 15 in San Francisco, Bayview residents and supporters accused the San Francisco Department of Public Health of turning a blind eye to Lennar Corp's toxic construction in the Hunter's Point Shipyard. Bayview community members said Lennar Corp, a housing redevelopment corporation based out of Miami, has been digging into asbestos-rich serpentine rock sending plumes of cancer-causing dust into nearby homes, recreation centers and elementary schools.
Photos

Last November, The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) voted to fine Lennar for not accurately monitoring toxicity levels during construction.

California state law requires Lennar to monitor the toxicity of the air and inform residents when asbestos or other carcinogens reach a poisonous level. However, May 30, when asbestos meters sky-rocketed to 138,000 levels of particulate matter, community members were kept in the dark. Bayview advocates say the release far exceeded levels deemed lethal, even by the city's lenient standards, the Environmental Protection Agency reports that there is no safe level of asbestos exposure.
Bayview residents were not informed of this until more than six weeks later on July 14th.

The toxic reading came just days before the June 3 election, when a heated battle was taking place over Prop F, a grassroots proposition that would have forced Lennar to create affordable housing; and Prop G, an initiative that would grant Lennar permission to proceed with the construction of 10,000 condominiums on the Shipyard, a Superfund site.
"Such an overage should have triggered a complete removal of those most sensitive receptors which would have been our children..." noted Bayview resident Marie Harrison of Green Action, an environmental justice organization, as she addressed the commissioners.

Read More | Recent Related Posts From Francisco Da Costa: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15

Will Lennar ever be fined for dropping the dust ball? | Test the Lennar site: There is no safe level for asbestos exposure | Lennar slapped with racial discrimination lawsuit, accused of violating toxic asbestos cleanup restrictions

Previous Indybay Coverage

On June 29th, Berkeley community members, and supporters of the tree-sit at U.C. Berkeley's Memorial Oak Grove attempted to re-supply the tree-sitters with food and medical supplies. The U.C. police, however, blocked all attempts to provide food and medication.

On July 1st, two tree-sitters in a redwood tree negotiated with the UC police, and arranged to be taken into custody with the provision that they would be taken to Berkeley City jail (not Santa Rita) and that they would be cited and released. Another tree sitter, (Dumpster Muffin, the woman who had stood on the small platform during the recent crane incident) experienced medical difficulties. She requested that a doctor she trusted be allowed to meet her at the bottom of the tree when she descended to the ground. She also requested that a local videographer, LA Wood, be allowed inside the grove to film the event. The request was partially granted ; only Wood was allowed to enter, but it was promised that medical attention would be provided if Muffin looked sick. When Muffin climbed down from the tree, she was grabbed by the police, and although she collapsed a couple of times, no medical attention was allowed to reach her.

Red More | Corporate America At The Tree Sit | Prevous Coverage of the Memorial Oak Tree Demonstration

At approximately 2:00 p.m. on June 20th, fires started off of Highway 1 between Mar Monte Road and Airport Road. By 6:00 p.m., 1,000 acres had already burned and several homes destroyed. It is currently burning out of control and continues to threaten the health and safety of people and animals in the area.

The fires ignited and took hold rather rapidly, with many people nearby the fires unaware of the danger or what procedures to follow. An observer of the fire from Freedom Boulevard around 3:00 p.m. was overwhelmed by the giant flume of smoke that encroached over the city of Freedom and headed towards Watsonville.

Currently, over 2,000 people are being forced to evacuate their homes and others are being asked to evacuate, including all areas within the Airport Road, Freedom Blvd and Larkin Valley Road area. Highway 1 is currently closed for a six mile stretch, between Larkin Valley Road and down to Riverside Drive, according to other news reports. Read More and View Photos

anarchist writes, "To everyone who read that Greenspace lost a window to "anarchists" and cringed:
This incident is not representative of the greater revolutionary struggle or anarchists in general. One person claiming their inconsequential vandalism with a communique, especially does not represent the tactfulness and potency that most anarchists act with – both in our contribution to existing social conflicts, and even more so, in our autonomous actions.

"I write this not because I feel protective of Greenspace's financial prosperity, but because I believe this 'action' does more damage than it does good. In my opinion, it leaves a damaging misrepresentation of what anarchist intervention looks like on a local level." Read More

On Tuesday June 18th, Alameda County Superior Judge Barbara Miller upheld a temporary injunction preventing U.C. Berkeley from developing an athletic center in the Memorial Oak Grove. Celebrations broke out among protesters as the news was announced.
Photos | PDF Of Ruling | Tree Supporters Prevail in Berkeley Oak Grove decision | Berkeley Daily Planet Report

The University says they will continue taking down tree-sits and it is not clear how long the oak grove will be safe. Many tree-sit members have said they will remain in the trees until getting a guarantee from the University that the grove will not be cut down.

UC Berkeley officials say that the campus has prevailed on virtually every challenge raised in the lawsuit. "We are thrilled that the judge concluded that state seismic law will allow the Student-Athlete High Performance Center to be built on the site," said Vice Chancellor for Administration Nathan Brostrom at a campus press conference. "The university has prevailed on every single issue in this suit except for two simple, very technical issues," said the university's attorney, Charles Olson.

The issues preventing UC development are related to earthquake risks and additional noise and traffic impacts of their proposed development. While Judge Barbara Miller ruled that the proposed training center itself wouldn't be on the Hayward Fault, she did rule that its construction will involve alterations to the stadium which is on the fault. Therefore, the University must prove that such construction wouldn't violate the Alquist-Priolo Act which regulates new development on active faults. The law only prevents renovating structures on faults if the work amounts to more than half the value of the original building, so it is possible the University merely needs to provide proof that their alterations will amount to less than half the value of the stadium (which the university estimates to be worth $600 million). The proposed athletic center itself is estimated to cost $123 million, so a lifting of the temporary injunction could come as quickly as the University can provide the court with a proof of its cost estimates.

Audio from UC Berkeley's Press Conference following court ruling | Other coverage: Campus officials declare 'a major victory' | Both Sides Claim Victory as Judge Issues Stadium Ruling | Judge rules in UC Berkeley's favor | Judge rules in Cal stadium case

Previous Indybay Coverage Of The Oak Grove Tree-Sits

During summer break, the UCSC tree-sit is on high-alert of a possible attack. In Berkeley this week, police, professional tree climbers, and cherry pickers were used to cut the climb and supply lines of tree-sitters. Similar techniques could be used in Santa Cruz to remove protesters who've been in the trees since November 7, 2007.

Historically, UCSC has cut trees and broken ground on controversial projects during summer and winter breaks. While students are off campus, the administration believes that resistance to their expansion plans will be minimized. Supported by students, faculty, staff, and the Santa Cruz community, the tree-sit stands in direct opposition to UC plans to develop the campus and dramatically increase enrollment. Read More

see also: Celebrating 200 Days of Tree-Sitting Resistance to UCSC Expansion