Joe Wells wrote in
news
From http://www.mecgrassroots.org/NEWSL/I...05Tanoak.html:
"Recently, Mendocino Redwood Company (MRC) announced plans to reopen
its Willits sawmill and hire 25 workers to process tan oak into
hardwood flooring. At first glance, this seems like a good idea,
creating new jobs and increasing company revenues while eliminating
"weed" trees that are supposedly crowding out redwoods and Douglas
firs.

The commercialization efforts, for a number of reasons, didn't go too well.
There are no current efforts to exploit this resource on a commercial
scale. Hundreds of thousands of board feet already harvested were sold at
significant loss, and diverted into lower value use. It's a shame, as it
makes great flooring, and I could use 1500 sq ft or so...

The lumber country is one of the most highly politicized areas, per capita,
in the state. It seems extremely difficult to have a rational, moderate
discourse between parties. The fact that there are large numbers of
counter-culture cannabis growers out in the backwoods seems to be a factor
as well...

Patriarch