Controversial Logging Company Tries to Green Its Image
Pacific Lumber, one of the most reviled logging companies in the U.S., is trying to give itself a green makeover. The Northern California logging giant, recently renamed Palco, has a new logo featuring a recycling symbol shaped like a tree, a new mission statement in which it commits to being “a leader in environmental stewardship,” and new newspaper ads featuring workers planting trees. The company earned the ire of environmentalists over the past 15 years by threatening to cut down ancient redwoods in the famous Headwaters Forest and clashing with tree-sitting protestors, among other actions. Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos sued the company earlier this year, accusing it of intentionally filing fraudulent logging reports, triggering landslides, and harming streams. “If Palco’s green, I’m Princess Diana,” said Kathy Bailey, a Sierra Club activist. “This company continues to be among the worst, most predatory timber companies in the state.”
