The state Department of Forestry (CDF) approves a 226-acre Pacific Lumber (PL) logging plan for Owl Creek without mitigations requested by state Fish & Game. EPIC files suit in state court and ultimately wins in December 1991.
January 1991
CDF denies PL timber harvest plan (THP) 90-237 to log 237 acres in the heart of Owl Creek, because the plan lacks adequate information on the presence of Marbled Murrelets.
March 1991
PL appeals denial of THP 237 to the Board of Forestry, which overrides CDF and approves the plan over objections from CDF, DFG, the Attorney General and their own counsel, as well as EPIC. EPIC immediately files suit in state court and convinces the judge to require the Board to reconsider the plan.
March 6, 1992
Board of Forestry reconsiders THP 237 and reapproves it, conditioned on Pacific Lumber performing adequate surveys.
March 12, 1992
The Marbled Murrelet is listed as “Endangered” under the California Endangered Species Act.
June 1992
Pacific Lumber begins logging THP 237 without consulting with wildlife agencies. PL logs for three days before stopping when threatened with lawsuits. PL nets $1,000,000 in illegal timber.
September 1992
EPIC obtains a Temporary Restraining Order preventing PL from reentering the grove.
November 20, 1992
Visiting Judge lifts EPIC restraining order
 |
In what becomes known as the “Thanksgiving Massacre”, Pacific Lumber logs Owl Creek over Thanksgiving weekend, stopping only when EPIC receives an Emergency Stay from the California Court of Appeals.
March 1993
Pacific Lumber removes the logs cut illegally in the Thanksgiving Massacre, netting another $1,000,000.
April 1993
EPIC sues PL for violating the Endangered Species Act in logging Owl Creek.
February 1995
Federal judge issues a permanent injunction barring PL from logging Owl Creek, at least until they receive an approved Habitat Conservation Plan.
March 1995
Pacific Lumber receives an “salvage” exemption to the Forest Practices Act that will allow it to remove “dead, diseased and dying” trees from the ancient groves of Headwaters Forest without a Timber Harvest Plan or environmental review. Under public pressure, the US Fish & Wildlife Service requires PL to wait until the end of Murrelet nesting season, September 15, to begin logging the ancient groves.
September 15, 1995
While thousands attend a Headwaters Forest rally in Carlotta, EPIC files a federal lawsuit against the salvage logging of endangered species habitat, and receives a last-minute Temporary Restraining Order blocking salvage logging on over 40,000 acres of endangered species habitat in the Headwaters area.
March 1996
Board of Forestry denies PL's plan for logging in Headwaters Grove
May 1996
Federal Court of Appeals upholds our trial court victory on THP 237.
May 1996
Pacific Lumber files a “takings” lawsuit against the federal government. It demands hundreds of millions of dollars because enforcement of the Endangered Species Act has prevented them from logging Headwaters Grove.
September 1996
California, the Feds and PL announce the “Deal” to purchase the Headwaters Reserve, and craft a Habitat Conservation Plan for the rest of PL's property. The “Deal” is widely seen as an out-of-court settlement of PL's lawsuit against the government, which arose from the Owl Creek victory.
July 1997
Pacific Lumber releases a draft HCP that calls for logging all Murrelet groves that aren't purchased.
1997-March 1999
Ongoing struggles between EPIC & Sierra Club, federal Fish & Wildlife Service, state Fish & Game and Pacific Lumber over the scope and size of their Murrelet Conservation Areas. Owl Creek is ultimately included and protected for 50 years.
September 1998
California Legislature appropriates an additional $80 million to purchase Owl Creek Grove. Curiously, the bill creates appraisal assumptions that result in an unrealistically high valuation of the grove.
December 2000
The State purchases the 1,200-acre Owl Creek Grove for $67 million, creating our most recent wildlife reserve.