The redwood forest in Richardson Grove State Park supports old growth stands of redwood that are an important part of California’s natural heritage. This heritage has nearly disappeared as a result of logging and conversion to agriculture of the original redwood forest. Of the close to 2,000,000 acres of redwood forest in California in 1850, only about 39,000 acres are protected in state and national parks. These old growth stands cannot be replaced and special consideration should be given to any projects that would impact the remaining old growth forests.
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is proposing a highway-widening and realignment project through Richardson Grove State Park. The purpose of the project is to increase goods movement through Humboldt County by altering the highway in such a way as to remove the restrictions that are currently in place that prevent the largest commercial trucks (STAA) from passing through Richardson Grove.
Highway 101 through Richardson Grove is a remnant of the old Redwood Highway. It is a narrow two-lane section, about a mile in length, that winds close to the old growth trees. Logging trucks and other tractor-trailer configurations have navigated this stretch of road since the inception of goods movement by truck. With the development of the Interstate Highway system, the trucking industry has lobbied Congress to allow longer and heavier tractor-trailer combination to facilitate interstate commence and goods movement. However, Highway 101 transects a landscape whose geography makes it inappropriate for use as an Interstate highway. Nevertheless, certain local business interests in conjunction with Caltrans seek to enable Interstate size rigs (called STAA rigs) along this stretch of road.
The analysis done by Caltrans to widen and realign the curved roadway is to prevent “off-tracking” by the STAA-rigs. Off-tracking is the tendency for the rear portion of the STAA trailer to encroach into the oncoming lane or onto the shoulder of the roadway. This would be a particular problem if two STAA rigs were approaching each other at exactly the same time and neither slowed. No such accidents have occurred to date. There have been accidents in the Grove due to excessive speed, distracted drivers, etc. but none specifically caused or documented by off-tracking.
The design presented by Caltrans was generated by a software package. It is unclear how reliable this software is to actually reach the goal Caltrans envisions. More importantly the project would require removing the existing roadway and reconfiguring portions that would actually move the roadway closer to the ancient trees. In the process of removing and replacing the roadway the roots of the ancient trees would be cut and disturbed, the earth would be compacted and materials toxic to the trees would be deposited as part of the re-paving process.
Redwood trees, tall as they are, have no large or deep taproot. Instead they maintain a system of smaller spreading roots that lie near the surface to absorb moisture and nutrients to nourish the tree. In addition, this wide spreading root system provides stability for the tree by intertwining with its neighbor in a mutual support system.
Additionally, removal of as many as 54 smaller trees would disrupt the forest canopy possibly contributing to the velocity of the wind. Wind-throw is one of the main causes of uprooting old growth trees. The nesting habitats of the endangered marbled murrelet and northern spotted owl would also be affected, lead particles would be released by disturbing the soil and the nearby wild and scenic Eel River is in danger of being impacted.
Allowing and encouraging greater access by diesel trucks increases the release of carbon into the atmosphere. Diesel fuel is highest in carbon emissions regardless of attempts to make it cleaner. Increasing our dependence on diesel trucking and longer supply lines is in opposition to the goals of lowering carbon emissions, sustainability and localization that our tax dollars should be subsidizing.
