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News
from the Redwood Empire What value do we place on the things we share in common? Public schools, libraries, national forests, parks, education, health care, gifts of nature like air and water, human knowledge and experience, science and culture form the basis of humanity's common wealth. Without them we could not breathe, drink or create. We call them, collectively, "the commons." A recent Ecotrust (ecotrust.org) publication states that we have forgotten how to recognize the commons and act like the rightful owners of these riches. "The stewardship of our shared inheritance is embedded in our religious traditions, and laws about commons date back to Roman times. Some early American states called themselves "Commonwealths" and made the government responsible to care for that common property for generations yet to come." These days our commons are threatened as never before. Elected representatives are breaking the public trust and selling off our collectively held lands, schools, forests and water and running others into the ground. The message to future generations seems to be "We are spending our children's common inheritance and some day none of this will be yours." If we look closely, our commons are still there for us to claim and protect. It is time to Reclaim the Commons! We own the sky, fresh water, knowledge and culture, our airwaves, internet, quiet, and public spaces. Public spaces such as parks, libraries, schools, sidewalks and streets furnish the platform on which community and democracy flourish. When we sell off and privatize our public spaces, such as Harmony School in Occidental, we unravel the very fabric that holds our communities together. The members of Town Hall Coalition urge all of you to elect decision-makers who will protect the common good for generations to come. Or better yet, run for office yourself and assume responsibility to protect our common heritage and build a common future where everyone can live and thrive. Get involved. Now is the time! 2004
Raffle - Great Prizes Raffle will extend throughout the year and culminate in the Fall with a Special Event where prizes will be drawn. Enclosed raffle tickets are $2 each or 10 tickets for $15. Just fill out your contact information on the tickets, keep the duplicates and return the number of tickets you want with your payment donation in the return envelope provided. Raffle proceeds benefit the Redwood Empire Environmental Center Programs and Scholarship Fund. Make checks out to Town Hall Coalition at the address below. Town Hall Coalition PO Box 1005 Occidental, CA 95465 Ph 707 874-9110 F 707 874-2579 townhall@sonic.net www.townhallcoalition.org Protecting
the Commons - Forests and Water In
June of 2003, our efforts produced a major victory when the Citizen's
Advisory Committee for the Sonoma County General Plan voted 7-4
in favor of Option 3, which would extend protection to over 80%
of Sonoma County's timberland against the conversion to vineyards
and other uses. Town Hall Coalition organized a diverse coalition
of businesses, farmers, grape growers, Town Hall Coalition members also commented and participated in two critical Timber Harvest Plans during their Second Review Hearings at the California Department of Forestry. THP 1-02-216 SON, which led to the formation of the Pocket Canyon Protection Group, poses a serious threat to a community water supply and tributary to the Russian River. The hillside conversion plan is also dangerously prone to landslides, with the potential of endangering numerous residents who live downhill. THP 1-00-484 SON, also known as the Haupt Creek THP near Annapolis, contains significant stands of old growth redwood, a rarity in Sonoma County aside from being some of the last areas of critical habitat for marbled murrelets and red tree voles. Chainsaw
Wine Protest Hits the Streets The purpose of these events is to educate citizens of this pending forest conversion to vineyards and potential ecological catastrophe. Artesa Vineyards, based in Napa, is actually owned by Cordorniu, a Spanish Corporation reported to be the third largest in the world. This particular project represents a significant shift in terms of size and scope of its predecessors, and a dangerous precedent in terms of moving from small-scale farming to large-sized and internationally financed forest destruction and industrial vineyard development. Look for the Chainsaw Wine on the streets at a town near you! Defending
the Public Trust However,
the threat of water commodification by outside interests continues,
and Town Hall Coalition has set its sights on Ric Davidge and
the newly-renamed Aqueous Corporation's latest proposal to transport
water from the Mad River in Humboldt County using the same waterbag
technology. A coalition of environmental groups quickly formed
in response to this latest project, aptly named the Coalition
to Stop the Mad River Waterbags, and an eleven page letter was
presented by an attorney from the Western Environmental Law Center
Climate
Change and Redwoods - A New Threat to our Forests Dr. Halter's work with redwoods focuses on studying the serious problem of redwoods top dieback, which is threatening the edges of the few remaining redwood reserves throughout the California Coast. This
Spring, Town Hall Coalition will feature a presentation by Save
the Town
Hall Coalition Profit and Loss Summary Income Expenses Total
Expenses $30,449 Land
Use and Participatory Democracy We distribute Action Alerts, election information, newsletters, special events, and information about community forums. We also respond to citizen complaints by notifying elected officials, regulatory agencies, and communities about potential dangers or developments in or near their neighborhood. Examples have included illegal forest conversions, exposure to pesticide spray or drift, contaminated wells, bird depredation by toxic chemicals, destruction of riparian forests, fill or proposed development of fragile wetlands, and illegal water appropriations. For
the Public Record -
Fish and Wildlife Service in support of listing of California
Tiger Salamander as Endangered Species Participatory
Democracy Upcoming
Events Environmental
Activism, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties Redwood
Empire Strikes Back Redwood
Lily Bouquets to: * Paul Dolan at Fetzer Vineyards for his commitment to sustainable growing methods and innovations. Most of all for his support of forest protection in Sonoma County. Town
Hall Coalition Staff
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