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EFFECTS OF REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK ON NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
(From: Trends in federal landownership and management : hearing before the Committee on Resources, House of Representatives, One Hundred Fourth Congress, first session, on the effect that federal ownership and management of public lands and the condemnation and restriction of private property has on local areas, March 2, 1995--Washington, D.C.)
I AM ANNA SPARKS, FORMER FIFTH DISTRICT SUPERVISOR OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY, CALIFORNIA FOR TWELVE YEARS.
MY FORMER DISTRICT IS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY AND IS HOME OF THE REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK, EIGHT STATE PARKS, THREE COUNTY PARKS, SIX RIVERS NATIONAL FOREST, BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT HOLDINGS AND PRIVATE TIMBER LANDS. TIMBER AND GOVERNMENT ARE OUR LARGEST EMPLOYERS.
WE HAVE OFTEN HEARD THE WARNING .. THOSE WHO FALL TO HEED THE LESSONS OF HISTORY ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT THEM ........
IT IS A WARNING OFTEN FORGOTTEN, OR NOT CONSIDERED BY THOSE WHO CLAMOR FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.
HISTORY HAS SHOWN THAT WHEN LAND IS REMOVED FROM COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION, NOT ONLY IS PRODUCTION LOST BUT SO ARE THE JOBS OF THE WORKERS IN DIRECT PRODUCTION AND THOSE INDIRECTLY SUPPORTING THE WORKERS, THE VENDORS OF SUPPLIES AND TOOLING. LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, THE TAX BASE UPON WHICH OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEPENDS TO FUND OUR SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, ROADS, WELFARE AND MEDICAL SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES, AND OTHER BASIC SERVICES SUCH AS CLEAN WATER AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.
HUMBOLDT AND DEL NORTE COUNTIES CAN CITE STATISTICAL EVIDENCE OF THE NEGATIVE EFFECT OF THE REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK. THERE IS LITTLE REASON TO BELIEVE THE EFFECTS WOULD BE ANY DIFFERENT IN ANY OTHER STATE THAN THEY HAVE BEEN IN CALIFORNIA.
IN 1968, THE CREATION OF REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK ELIMINATED 718 FOREST INDUSTRY JOBS AND 2,039 INDIRECT JOBS, FOR A TOTAL OF 2,757.
IN 1978, A MINIMUM OF 3,218 DIRECT FOREST INDUSTRY JOBS AND MORE THAN 2,000 INDIRECT JOBS WERE LOST TO PARK EXPANSION. APPROXIMATELY 17% OF ALL HUMBOLDT JOBS AND 25% OF DEL NORTE COUNTY JOBS WERE LOST. 2,500 MEN AND WOMEN WERE COMPENSATED FOR THEIR JOBS, AND MANY WORKERS HAD A TOUGH TIME TRYING TO RETRAIN INTO NEW JOBS AND CAREERS BECAUSE OF THEIR INTEREST, AGE AND PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT HISTORY. THEIR AGE AND LACK OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW PLACEMENT IN A CLOSELY RELATED POSITION CAUSED SOME FAMILIES TO NOT FIND WORK. OTHERS HAD TO LEAVE THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS, TO FIND WORK ELSEWHERE. SPOUSAL ABUSE INCREASED, CHILD ABUSE INCREASED, ALCOHOL, DRUGS AND DIVORCE BECAME MUCH MORE PREVALENT.
MERCHANTS WHO HAD PROVIDED FOOD, CLOTHING, SHELTER AND SERVICES TO THE DISPLACED WORKERS HAVE FELT THE IMPACT. COUNTIES HAVE FELT THE IMPACT OF PARK EXPANSION THROUGH ADDITIONAL DEMANDS ON COUNTY SERVICES AND LOST TAX REVENUES.
THE DOLLARS PAID TO THE FAMILIES OF THE DISPLACED WORKERS NEVER MADE UP FOR THE INDIVIDUAL LOSSES. SOME BUSINESSES COLLAPSED AND THE OWNERS HAVE NEVER BEEN PAID FOR THEIR LOSSES JUST BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T FIT INTO THE GUIDELINES SET FORTH BY THE BUREAUCRACY FOR EXPANSION RELATED COMPENSATION.
TWO MAJOR PROMISES WERE MADE BY GOVERNMENT DURING THE PARK'S CREATION IN 1968. THOSE PROMISES HAVE NEVER BEEN FULFILLED.
THE FIRST PROMISE WAS TO ACCELERATE THE HARVEST ON SIX RIVERS NATIONAL FOREST TO REPLACE THE VOLUME LOST TO PARK EXPANSION. IN REALITY, SIX RIVERS NATIONAL FOREST HAS REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF TIMBER OFFERED, ADDING FURTHER TO LOST JOBS. THE HARVEST ACTUALLY DECLINED NEARLY 50%, BETWEEN 1971 AND 1980. THE HARVEST IN 1985 WAS 154 MILLION BOARD FEET, ABOUT 50 MILLION BOARD FEET LESS THAN 1971. BETWEEN 1992 AND 1994, 16 MMBF WERE ADVERTISED FOR SALE. DURING THAT SAME PERIOD 132 MMBF WERE HARVESTED WHICH COMPLETELY DEPLETED THE BACK LOG OF TIMBER SALES. THERE ARE NO NEW SALES PENDING IN 1995.
THE SECOND PROMISE WAS OF INCREASED TOURISM TO OFFSET JOB LOSSES.
ACCORDING TO THE SIERRA CLUB, TOURISTS WERE JUST WAITING TO WALK, PICNIC AND CAMP IN THE REDWOOD FORESTS, BREATHE THE CLEAN AIR AND COMMUNE WITH THE TALL TREES, POSSIBLY WITH THOUGHTS OF YOSEMITE DANCING IN THEIR HEADS.
IN REALITY, LADY BIRD JOHNSON GROVE CONSISTS OF 3 TABLES, HIS AND HER TOILETS, LIMITED PARKING, TWO GARBAGE CANS AND A TRAIL. THERE IS NO BEAUTIFUL LODGE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO STAY IN OR NEAR THE PARK AND NO FUNDING TO CREATE A LODGE. OVER 90 PERCENT OF THE PARK IS NOT EVEN ACCESSIBLE TO THE AVERAGE TOURIST.
THE SIERRA CLUB'S BASIC PREMISE IN URGING THE CREATION OF THE PARK WAS TO SAVE THE LAST OF THE REDWOODS. THEY PREDICTED SUCH AN OUTPOURING OF VISITORS TO THE AREA THAT TOURISM WOULD REPLACE TIMBER AS THE DOMINANT INDUSTRY.
IT IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE SIERRA CLUB THAT SINCE THE PARK TAKING WAS ACCOMPLISHED THEIR USUALLY HIGHLY VOCAL SPOKESPERSONS HAVE INITIATED NO EFFORT TO PERSUADE DECISION MAKERS TO MAKE THE PARK MORE ATTRACTIVE AND ACCESSIBLE BY ERECTING A LODGE AND MORE CAMPGROUNDS AND TRAILS. QUITE THE CONTRARY, UNDER THE NAME OF "NATURAL MANAGEMENT" THEY PREFER TO DISCOURAGE VISITORS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANY AMENITIES.
THEY SELL ILLUSION, NOT REALITIES. THEY PREFER TO MOVE ON TO OTHER TARGETS, TO ADD MORE WILDERNESS AND MORE RESTRICTED-USE FOR LANDS IN THE NATION'S INVENTORY. ONCE THEIR OBJECTIVES ARE ACHIEVED THEY APPEAR UNINTERESTED IN THE PEOPLE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE AFTER-MATH, WHICH IS WHY THERE IS SUCH A HUGE BACKLOG OF UNFUNDED PARKS AND WHY THERE ARE INSUFFICIENT MONIES AVAILABLE FOR EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF EXISTING PARKS.
THEY CITED STUDIES TO SUPPORT THEIR CLAIMS, INCLUDING ONE BY ARTHUR D. LITTLE WHICH PREDICTED BY 1973 THERE WOULD BE AN INCREMENTAL GAIN IN THE NUMBER OF VISITOR DAYS ABOVE THOSE OF THE STATE PARKS IN THE REGION AND PREDICTED AN INCREMENTAL GAIN TO 1.6 MILLION VISITOR DAYS BY 1983.
THE FACT IS, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VISITOR DAYS REACHED ONLY A LITTLE MORE THAN 39 THOUSAND IN THAT 10 YEARS PERIOD.
THIS IS LESS THAN 5 PERCENT OF THE ARTHUR D. LITTLE ESTIMATE AND LESS THAN 4 PERCENT OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ESTIMATE OF WHAT ATTENDANCE SHOULD BE EXPECTED. ANNUAL GROWTH IN VISITOR HOURS HAS AVERAGED LESS THAN 3 PERCENT. THIS CONTRASTS WITH THE ATTENDANCE GAINS IN THE STATE PARKS. WHICH HAVE SHOWN SIGNIFICANT VISITOR INCREASES.
PROJECTIONS ASSUMED VISITORS WOULD STAY AN AVERAGE OF 12 HOURS.
IN REALITY, THEY VISIT THE PARK FOR AN AVERAGE OF 50 MINUTES.
IF THE DETAILED DATA BEHIND THE SUMMARIES IS EXAMINED, IT SHOWS THAT MORE THAN HALF OF THE PARK VISITS ARE TO AREAS WHICH HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH REDWOOD TREES PER SE. AS A MATTER OF RECORD THESE AREAS WERE MAJOR ATTRACTIONS BEFORE THE PARK WAS FORMED.
ONE SUCH ATTRACTION IS CRESCENT BEACH, POPULAR BECAUSE OF ITS OCEAN FRONT SETTING AND CAMPING FACILITIES, PRAIRIE CREEK REDWOOD STATE CAMPGROUND AND PARK. THE OTHER IS LAGOON CREEK PICNIC AREA, WHERE THE PRINCIPAL ATTRACTION IS THE PICNIC AREA WITH TABLES IN A PLEASANT SETTING BESIDE U.S. HIGHWAY 101. THESE AREAS ACCOUNT FOR ONE HALF OF ALL THE VISITS TO THE PARK. THE JOHNSON GROVE WAS VISITED BY ONLY 4 PERCENT OF THE TOURISTS.
FUNDS HAVE NOT BEEN USED FOR PICNIC TABLES, ACCESS ROADS, FIRE PITS, SANITATION, RUNNING WATER OR CAMPING AMENITIES THAT MAKE VISITING A PARK REWARDING. AS FEW AS 10 PERCENT OF THE VISITORS TO THE REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK EVEN GET OUT OF THEIR CARS.
THE TOURISM BUST HAS PERHAPS BEEN BEST SUMMARIZED BY GLORIA ZUBER, THEN PRESIDENT OF THE ORICK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WHEN SHE PRESENTED TESTIMONY BEFORE A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED PARK EXPANSION. ORICK IS GEOGRAPHICALLY THE CLOSEST COMMUNITY TO REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK AND JUST A FEW MOMENTS DRIVE FROM THE LADY BIRD JOHNSON GROVE.
SHE SAID, "THERE HAS BEEN A DRASTIC AND SEVERE DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES OPERATING IN ORICK SINCE THE CREATION OF THE REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK IN 1968.
IN 1968 WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE NEXT 10 YEARS, 1968 THROUGH 1978, WERE TO BE A PERIOD OF TRANSITION TO TOURISM. TOURISM WAS TO BE THE MAJOR BASE OF ORICK'S ECONOMY. HOWEVER, REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK IS ONE OF THE LEAST VISITED NATIONAL PARKS IN THE COUNTRY. UNEMPLOYMENT IN OUR AREA IS TWICE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, 14.6 PERCENT AND THE REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK HAS HELPED RELIEVE OUR HIGH LEVEL OF UNEMPLOYMENT BY HIRING ONE LOCAL RESIDENT. ANY EXPANSION TO REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK WOULD BE HIGHLY DETRIMENTAL TO ORICK AND ITS SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES." MRS. ZUBER'S PREDICTION PROVED TO BE TRUE.
THE ESTIMATED COST OF THE PARK, AS PROVIDED TO THE SENATE IN 1968, INDICATED THAT THE ORIGINAL TAKING OF PRIVATE LANDS WOULD COST SOMETHING UNDER 92 MILLION DOLLARS. BY 1981, THE TOTAL WAS OVER 306 MILLION DOLLARS. ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1987, THIS TOTAL WAS INCREASED BY A U.S. DISTRICT COURT TRIAL PANEL, WHICH CONCLUDED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OWED ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO LOUISIANA PACIFIC CORPORATION AND SIMPSON TIMBER COMPANY. THE TOTAL, INCLUDING INTEREST DUE, WAS EXPECTED TO BE 770 MILLION DOLLARS.
REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK'S TOTAL COST NOW EXCEEDS ONE BILLION DOLLARS AND IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE OF ALL NATIONAL PARKS.
PARK EXPANSION HAS NEITHER ENCOURAGED INVESTMENT NOR CREATED NEW JOBS. HIGHER PAYING SKILLED JOBS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY MUCH LOWER PAYING FOOD, TOURIST AND OTHER SERVICE RELATED JOBS. TIMBER JOBS NORMALLY PAY BETWEEN 18 AND 32 THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR, WHILE FOOD SERVICE JOBS FREQUENTLY PAY LESS THAN 10 THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR.
NATIONAL, STATE AND LOCAL PARK SYSTEMS HAVE A CONSIDERABLE INVESTMENT IN REDWOOD PARKS. ABOUT 70 PERCENT OF THE REMAINING OLD GROWTH REDWOOD TREES ARE NOW IN PARKS.
UNKEPT PROMISES OF MITIGATION TO LOCAL RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND GOVERNMENT WERE THE RESULT OF INFLATED AND UNSUBSTANTIATED ECONOMIC PROJECTIONS. PROMISED BENEFITS AND DEVELOPMENT HAVE NOT BEEN REALIZED.
CURRENTLY, THERE ARE NEARLY ONE QUARTER OF A MILLION ACRES HELD IN PARKS IN THE REDWOOD REGION. OVER 82 THOUSAND ACRES CONTAIN OLD GROWTH REDWOOD. SIX RIVERS NATIONAL FOREST BORDERS REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK AND CONSISTS OF OVER A MILLION ACRES. SIX RIVERS WILL PRESERVE ALL OF ITS DISTINCTIVE STANDS OF OLD GROWTH REDWOODS.
REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK IS NOT A PARK IN THE SENSE OF YOSEMITE, YELLOWSTONE OR MOUNT RUSHMORE. VAST SECTIONS HAVE BEEN CLOSED OFF TO THE PUBLIC AND ACCESS HAS BEEN LIMITED THROUGH THE CLOSING AND ELIMINATION OF ROADS AND ACCESS POINTS. IT IS A PRESERVE.
IT IS A PRESERVE BUILT ON GOOD INTENTIONS AND FALSE, INFLATED AND MISREPRESENTED FACTS, WHICH HAVE CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE FISCAL PROBLEMS OF NORTH COAST COUNTIES, BUSINESSES AND THE LIVES OF THE REGION'S CITIZENS.
THE SCARE TACTICS OF THE "NO ON EVERYTHING" CROWD CAN BE FAR MORE EFFECTIVE IF THE PUBLIC DOES NOT KNOW THE FACTS. THERE IS A SEGMENT OF THE PUBLIC, WHO BELIEVE THEY ARE IMMUNE TO ECONOMIC RECESSION, WHO FEEL THEY CAN AFFORD THE LUXURY OF SHUTTING DOWN TIMBER PRODUCTION IN FAVOR OF PRESERVATIONIST FOREST POLICIES. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WANT THEIR COMMUNITIES TO EXPAND TO ACCOMMODATE NEW INDUSTRIES, WORKERS AND OPPORTUNITIES. ALSO THEIR MOTIVES ARE USUALLY APPARENT.
HALF TRUTHS AND POOR INFORMATION RESULT IN BAD POLICY. WITHIN OUR SOCIETY THERE IS AN ADMISSION THAT WE NEED PRISONS, WE NEED MANUFACTURING, WE NEED TIMBER. WE NEED MINERALS AND OIL, BUT WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT THEM IN OUR OWN BACKYARD. THESE ARE UGLY, SMELLY NOISY ACTIVITIES THAT SHOULD BE PLACED SOMEWHERE ELSE.
WHEN PRIVATE LANDS ARE TAKEN, TAX REVENUES AND JOBS ARE LOST. WHEN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC LANDS, SUCH AS NATIONAL FORESTS ARE CONSIGNED TO NATIONAL PARK STATUS, THE FINEST TREE GROWING SOIL IN THE WORLD IS LOST FROM ITS HIGHEST AND BEST USE. TIMBER YIELD TAXES ARE LOST, JOBS ARE NOT CREATED THROUGH MULTIPLE USE SUCH AS SPORTING GOODS STORES, EQUIPMENT RENTALS, FOREST ACCESS STATIONS, GUIDES, TIMBER JOBS, AND FIREWOOD CUTTING.
FISHERIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS ARE PAID FOR BY THE TAX PAYERS OR NOT DONE AT ALL. THE COST OF LUMBER GOES UP AND DRIVES THE PRIVILEGE OF OWNING YOUR OWN HOME OUT OF THE REACH OF MANY OF OUR PEOPLE.
NOW WE ARE IMPORTING LOGS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES THAT DO NOT HAVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT THAT WE HAVE IN CALIFORNIA IN ORDER TO TRY AND PRODUCE THE LUMBER WE NEED TO KEEP OUR PEOPLE WORKING PRODUCING THE PRODUCTS AND HONES THE NATION NEEDS.
I AM NOT HERE ON BEHALF OF THE TIMBER INDUSTRY, LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR ANY SPECIAL INTEREST. MY COMMENTS AND THOUGHTS ARE THE RESULT OF TRYING TO SERVE MY CONSTITUENTS AND WATCHING THEIR DISBELIEF AS THEIR JOBS WERE TAKEN AWAY, THEIR LIVES TORN APART AND THEIR GOVERNMENT, LISTENING TO THE LIES AND DISTORTIONS OF THE PROPONENT OF EXPANSION. THEN THE FINAL SLAP OF THEIR GOVERNMENT WAS THE BREAKING OF ALL THEIR PROMISES OF USFS TIMBERS SALES AND JOBS IN THE PARKS OR RETRAINING FOR JOBS IN THE AREA.
ONCE AGAIN THEY TOOK OUR TAXES AND GAVE MONEY TO A FEW WITHOUT ANY PLANS OF AN ECONOMIC BASE FOR THE COMMUNITY. ORICK, THE COMMUNITY NEXT TO THE PARK, NOW HAS 72% OF ITS SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY AND RECEIVING GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY.
PLEASE DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND, I SUPPORT HAVING PARKS, BUT WHEN IS ENOUGH, ENOUGH? HOW MANY MILLIONS OF ACRES OF LAND DOES IT TAKE TO SATISFY THE INSATIABLE APPETITE OF THE PRESERVATIONIST? HOW MUCH OF OUR PRIME GROWING SOIL MUST BE TAKEN OUT OF PRODUCTION, NEVER TO PRODUCE AGAIN? HOW MANY LIVES HAVE TO BE DESTROYED AND FAMILIES TORN APART? HOW MANY COMMUNITIES MUST BE THROWN INTO POVERTY BEFORE THE LIBERAL MINORITY FACTION IS SATISFIED? HOW MANY BROKEN PROMISES WILL THE GOVERNMENT MAKE BEFORE THERE IS NO CREDIBILITY LEFT BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE THEY ARE TO SERVE?
I BELIEVE WE NEED A BALANCE OF CONSERVATION, WISE USE AND MANAGEMENT OF OUR RESOURCES TO ASSURE THAT WE, AS WELL AS OUR CHILDREN, DO HAVE PRODUCTIVE AND MEANINGFUL LIVES. WE NEED TO RECALL THE LESSONS OF THE PAST. WE MUST NOT CAST THEM AWAY FOR SOME UNCLEAR VISION OF THE FUTURE. THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF OUR LAND IS WHEN ALL OF US BENEFIT FROM IT, THROUGH MULTIPLE USE AND GOOD MANAGEMENT.
IN CONCLUSION I THINK I CAN SAY FLAT OUT, WITHOUT MUCH FEAR OF CONTRADICTION THAT, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, THE PLACEMENT OF THE REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK IN HUMBOLDT AND DEL NORTE COUNTIES HAS BEEN A DIRECT INDUCEMENT TO THE DESTRUCTION OF JOBS AND THE LOSS OF INCOME.
CHAIRMAN YOUNG, YOU AND YOUR COMMITTEE NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT PAST ERRORS OF RESOURCE LAND ALLOCATION DECISIONS AND GIVE GREATER CONSIDERATION TO THE EFFECTS THAT GOVERNMENT ACTIONS HAVE ON A COMMUNITIES RESOURCE BASE. YOU SHOULD INCREASE THE USE OF THE NATIONAL PARKS, DEVELOP TRUE MULTIPLE USE MANAGEMENT ON USFS LANDS AND REDUCE THE DEPENDENCE ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. I HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT YOUR COMMITTEE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE THE PROMISES OF THE PAST A REALITY.
FEBRUARY 22,1995
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