The markings of a fight

Residents, hikers, bicyclists and equestrian riders are preparing to save trails and trees in the Osborne Hill area adjacent to Empire Mine State Park, where developers are proposing to log 152 acres and build 76 homes.

Walking the shaded forest trails recently, John Gardner and his partner, Shannon Wright, pointed to tree trunks marked with orange paint.

"They came in here and explained all the orange marks meant 'cut,' and we became really worried," Gardner said. The couple live across the street from the proposed logging site and are among 50 residents who received notices informing them that developers Osborne Hill Partners submitted a timber harvest plan last month to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

A six-month environmental review has begun through Nevada County, and the public has 20 days to comment on the timber plan. So far, CalFire has received 100 letters from people concerned about impacts to trails, wildlife and the natural beauty of the area.

"These open spaces close to town are becoming more and more rare," said Gardner, a member of Bicyclists of Nevada County (BONC) and a regular rider of trails in the area.

Also of concern are the toxic mine tailings remaining from the decades when Newmont Mine Corp. owned the land.

"There are some unique situations that have to be dealt with," said Rick Carr, a CalFire forester.

Developers want to be "transparent" throughout the environmental review process and have made assurances that selective logging will help reduce the risk of fire in one of the county's most fire-prone areas, project manager Jon Blinder said.

On Monday, representatives from CalFire, the county planning department, the state Parks Department, state Toxic Substances Control, environmental consultants, developers and residents visited the 230-acre parcel for a pre-harvest inspection.

"We're not old school developers. We look to address their concerns," Blinder said.

Selective logging of incense cedar, ponderosa pine, Douglas fir and some sugar pine is proposed in the timber plan.

"It's very selective, very thoughtful. We care about trees. People in our organization are environmentalists," Blinder said. He works for Gold Country Lenders, the organization overseeing the project.

The project will feature energy efficient and "green" building schemes and set aside 150 acres of open space while preserving trails and offering connectivity to the park, Blinder said.

"We're not looking to make a significant scar on the property. This is considered an infill project by the county. It's not like we're creating sprawl," Blinder said.

Walking through the forest of orange-marked mature trees, Gardner questioned the developers' intentions.

"Fuel reduction is acceptable, but taking out old-growth trees doesn't make sense," Gardner said.

Years of efforts by the Rural Quality Foundation to find grant money to buy the land and absorb the property into Empire Mine could be dismantled, worried Rebecca Hahn, who lives near Osborne Hill.

"It's a resource. It's a wildlife corridor. It should be part of the park," Hahn said.

The developers are considering donating the 150 acres of open space to the park, Blinder said.

"If it were handed to us on a silver platter with no cost and clean," the park would consider absorbing it into the existing park boundaries, Park Superintendent Ron Munson said.

On a statewide basis, Osborne Hill is considered a low priority when more populated areas in the Central Valley and Southern California are competing for larger acquisitions. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing to close 48 parks, including Malakoff Diggins Historic Park, to balance a budget facing a $14.5 billion deficit.

Go online and click on www.bonc.org/osborne to see a map of the timber proposal.

Comments can be submitted to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection at 6105 Airport Road, Redding CA 96002. Specify "Timber Harvest Plan 2-07-124-NEV."

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To contact Staff Writer Laura Brown, e-mail lbrown@theunion.com or call 477-4231.