ISF Press Release on Scopac/Palco Bankruptcy

Much of the current debate surrounding Pacific Lumber Company (PL) and Scotia Pacific's (Scopac) recent bankruptcy filing is focused on the funds extracted from the company and environmental considerations in elements of its Headwaters deal. This debate is a losing strategy for Humboldt County.

Both sides in the current debate express a commitment to long-term financial and environmental sustainability. Neither side articulates an economically and ecologically viable strategy to create a profitable and sustainable financial structure for PL properties.

Managing Scopac properties based on community forestry standards offers significant benefits in both economic and ecological terms:

- Increased late seral stage stand conditions from 12% to 54% of the overall acreage in the first 30 years, 100% in 60 years.

- $3 billion in long-term debt-free income over the second 30 years - double the long-term income and local economic impact of the Traditional Timber Management Model in the same period.

- Steady increases in forest inventories and productivity throughout 60+ years that will position Scopac properties to maximize their biological capacity to meet a significant proportion of California's lumber needs on an economically and environmentally sustainable long-term basis.

- Steady increases in the provision of ecosystem services throughout 60+ years including carbon storage, water quality and in-stream and upslope wildlife habitat.


It's time for efforts to resolve this dispute to focus on creating the financial mechanisms, policy instruments and ownership structures that will enable new owners and investors, committed to conservation values as well as long-term productivity, to make the necessary financial commitments.

ISF on Palco/Scopac Bankruptcy
http://newforestry.org/council/PalcoBankruptcy.htm




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