PL files suit against Earth First
April 11, 2001
By John Driscoll
The Times-Standard
The Pacific Lumber Co., two ranch owners, and three PL contractors are trying to sue Earth First! and the Mattole Forest Defenders following the arrests of several activists on timberland in the Mattole in the past week.
Humboldt County Judge Dale Reinholtsen issued a restraining order against a few named activists, and numerous unnamed activists, to bar them from trespassing on PL property.
"We can no longer tolerate the well-orchestrated effort of ongoing illegal activities," said PL President and CEO John Campbell.
The organization and activists are accused of trespassing, intentional interference with legal business and property damage in the remote area southwest of Scotia.
At least three people accused of trespassing were taken into custody on Tuesday. Jill Szczygiel, 26, of Arcata, Michael Winter, 23, of San Diego, and Jereme Stinespring, 25, of Trinidad were arrested on suspicion of resisting arrest and trespassing Tuesday. They were taken to the county jail.
While dealing with alleged trespassers, deputies also were notified of a fall victim. A man had apparently fallen 30 to 35 feet from a hillside into a creek, injuring his back. A California Department of Forestry helicopter was called in and the man was transported to St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka. He was in stable condition Tuesday night.
Szczygiel was locked into a concrete "device" embedded in the ground when Humboldt County deputies and California Department of Fish and Game wardens arrived at about 8 a.m. Sheriffs reported that as many as a dozen activists, many masked, fled the scene.
Three other activists were arrested Monday.
The activists, calling themselves the Mattole Forest Defenders and believed to be associated with Earth First! have been camping out on Pacific Lumber's Mattole properties for more than four months, blocking roads and trying to prevent PL from conducting state-approved logging. As much as 3,000 acres of old growth Douglas fir graces the high prairie country, and the activists, and some residents of the Mattole consider it a jewel that should be acquired by the state or federal government for protection. These residents have frequently shown up to black gates into PL property as well.
Earth First has numerous chapters, a website, and a newsletter. You can reach them by phone. But how do you sue Earth First!, the most loosely knit of "organizations"?
Local Earth First! contacts wouldn't comment, but a call to a Tucson, Ariz., number found on the Earth First! Journal web site found the standard answer: All Earth First chapters are anonymous and independent.
"It tends to be more a name than anything," said a man named Adam.
Adam said that at least one suit, brought against a few specific activists, has been successful, but he believed that there have been no successful attempts to sue Earth First! as an organization.
Bullwinkel said that this is a first for Pacific Lumber. And she said that the company now has evidence of who the activists are. Radio conversations, information from the Internet and e-mail all have tipped off the company as to their identities.
"They have phone numbers, addresses, cell phones, they've been asking for donations," Bullwinkel said. "It's a pretty organized effort."
Joining PL in the lawsuit are Steve Will Trucking, Lewis Logging, Columbia Helicopters Inc., the Russ Ranch and the Vevoda Ranch.