From the Redwood Forest: Ancient Trees and the Bottom Line: A Headwaters Journey, by Joan Dunning
The oldest trees of the Headwaters Forest pre-date Jesus Christ. For generations they have provided refuge, inspiration, and livelihood for creatures large and small. Harvested sustainably for decades by Pacific Lumber, a family-owned business, it seemed that the legacy of old-growth forest could be maintained indefinitely. This situation changed when Pacific Lumber was acquired in 1985 in a hostile takeover by MAXXAM Company of Houston. The welfare of the forest and its regional stakeholders suddenly became secondary to a corporation's need to satisfy financial obligations. Since that takeover, "liquidation logging" practices have fueled passions and caused deep rifts in a land known for its peaceful majesty. Now, the Headwaters Forest is the locus of a virtual environmental holy war, with skirmishes fought in courtrooms, on back roads, in the media, and in the living rooms of local residents who are scared, resentful, and angry that the healthy forest, which for generations has provided jobs, is vanishing.
