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logging are national issues. The plunder of irreplaceable ancient redwood 

 forests continues while state and federal agencies fail to enforce the 

 Endangered Species Act (ESA). Pacific Lumber's logging of Owl Creek, 

 known as an occupied Marbled Murrelet nesting area, highlights the inability 

 of the state and federal agencies to enforce laws designed to protect 

 threatened and endangered species habitat. Habitat and species protection 

 entails ecosystem protection on a large scale level. 



There are numerous compelling reasons why the H.R. 2866 must encompass 

 44,000 acres to adequately protect endangered habitat and provide restoration 

 opportunities. Recovery of threatened species entails creating biological 

 corridors and migratory routes between existing ancient forest islands. 

 Similiarly, the needs for forest restoration and rehabilitation jobs for 

 displaced timber workers are better served if a large acreage bill becomes law. 



The Headwaters Wilderness and the associated groves contain the largest 

 unprotected ancient redwood forests remaining in the world. It is a rare and 

 irreplaceable national treasure. These forests deserve permanent protection 

 through federal acquisition, wilderness designation and the rehabilitation of 

 the biological integrity of the area. The Headwaters Forest which lies 

 between Redwood National Park and Humboldt Redwoods state parks will 

 provide an essential genetic link important to Ihe recoveiy of threatened and 

 endangered species. 



The fate of the Marbled Murrelet, a small seabird which nests in coastal 

 ancient forests, is lied closely to the fate of the$e remaining ancient forests. 

 The murrelet is listed by the federal government as "threatened" and by the 

 state as "endangered". The area under consideration in H.R. 2866 contains 

 one of three significant populations of the murrelet in California. TTie 

 survival of the murrelet population in the Headwaters Forest area is 

 essential for the genetic mixing that is vital for the long-term viability of any 

 species. The murrelet does not build a nest, but rather lays its eggs on a 

 lichen covered branch high above the ground. Smaller and younger trees do 

 not have branches broad enough to hold the eggs safely, and their foliage 

 does not adequately shelter the young from predators. Biologist C). Ralph 

 states, '1 have seen no bird as closely tied to a forest type. They are entirely 

 dependent on old-growth." During the past century California's marbled 

 murrelet population dropped from 60,000 to 2,000 birds due to liquidation 

 logging. 



During my term as President of EPIC, MAXXAM took over the Pacific 

 Lumber Company (PL) and announced a systematic plan to liquidate all of 

 their ancient redwood forests within twenty years. MAXXAM tripled the rate 

 of cutting to pay off their enormous Junk bond debt incurred in the takeover 

 of PL. 



