They oppose Gov. Brown’s move to clear dead trees.
Below is the state’s media release.
Meanwhile, the radical enviros at Center for Biological Diversity oppose the move:
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GOVERNOR BROWN TAKES ACTION TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES AGAINST UNPRECEDENTED TREE DIE-OFF
10-30-2015
SACRAMENTO – As record drought conditions exacerbate bark beetle infestation that is killing tens of millions of trees across California, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today declared a state of emergency and sought federal action to help mobilize additional resources for the safe removal of dead and dying trees.
“California is facing the worst epidemic of tree mortality in its modern history,” said Governor Brown in a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “A crisis of this magnitude demands action on all fronts.”
Four years of drought have made trees in many regions of California susceptible to infestation by native bark beetles, which are normally constrained by the defense mechanisms of healthy trees. The United States Forest Service recently estimated that more than 22 million trees have already died in California due to current conditions.
The tree die-off is of such a scale that it significantly worsens wildfire risk in many areas of the state and presents life safety risks from falling trees to Californians living in rural, forested communities. Several counties have declared local state of emergencies due to this epidemic tree mortality.
The Governor’s state of emergency proclamation on the tree mortality epidemic builds on the April 2014 executive order to redouble the state’s drought response, which included provisions to expedite the removal of dead and dying hazardous trees. Today’s proclamation helps identify high hazard zones for wildfire and falling trees that have resulted from the unprecedented die-off and prioritizes tree removal in these areas. It also calls for state agencies to take several actions to enable removal of hazard trees. Governor Brown’s letter to Secretary Vilsack requests urgent federal action, including additional technical assistance for private land owners, matching federal funding and expedited approval for emergency actions on federal lands.
In addition, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and CAL FIRE are convening a Task Force on Tree Mortality comprised of state and federal agencies, local governments and utilities that will coordinate emergency protective actions and monitor ongoing conditions.
The Governor’s state of emergency proclamation on the tree mortality epidemic can be found here and his letter to Secretary Vilsack can be found here.
California’s Drought Response
Governor Brown declared a drought state of emergency in January 2014 and directed state agencies to take all necessary actions to respond to drought conditions. In April, Governor Brown announced the first-ever 25 percent statewide mandatory water reductions and a series of actions to help save water, increase enforcement to prevent wasteful water use, streamline the state’s drought response and invest in new technologies that will make California more drought resilient. Californians have responded with unprecedented conservation efforts, exceeding the Governor’s water reduction order in each of the past three months.
To date, guided by the California Water Action Plan, the state has committed hundreds of millions of dollars – including Water Bond funds – to emergency drought relief, disaster assistance, water conservation and infrastructure projects across the state. Efforts are also underway to establish a framework for sustainable, local groundwater management for the first time in California’s history based on legislation signed by Governor Brown last year.
Throughout the year, Governor Brown has convened mayors, business leaders and top agricultural, environmental and urban water agency officials from across California to discuss the state’s drought and conservation efforts.
To learn more about the state’s drought response, visit: Drought.CA.Gov. Every Californian should take steps to conserve water. Find out how at SaveOurWater.com.
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I just came back from a 10 day hunting trip in the Western Sierras. At least in the Sierra National Forest all is not completely lost. Timber sales actually made it through the lawsuits and trees were felled this year. Slowed only by the tinder dry conditions. There is feverish activity to get the cut logs to mill and to get things cleaned before the snows come (if they do). It brought tears to my eyes to actually see laden log trucks in California coming off federal lands. And in some cases 2-3 log loads to boot. For those who have never seen a pine with a base 5 feet across topple, you are truly missing out on a spectacular event.
The drought has caused untold thousands of pines in the forest to brown out. Hopefully they will recover else they add to the conflagration in waiting for those areas not yet cleared
“Save the Dead Trees!”
The Center for Biological Diversity is one of the most radical environmental groups out there. Considering the radical groups out there, that says a lot.
It is ironic that those who claim that they love nature and resist mans management of forests actually cause more death and destruction of those same forests with their attitude of leaving it to nature but then extinguish (kill) forest fires as soon as they can. Many trees require burn off which has happened naturally for thousands of years as being natures method of rebirth of great forests, while at the same time reducing pests and threats to new growth – including pests like the Bark beetle – the trouble with ‘Greens’ (IMHO) is that they never seem to see the bigger picture – trouble of having big ‘know it all’ heads with very little inside them!