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Rare Redwood Faces Chopping Block in Cotati (Albino Redwood)
Santa Rosa Press Democrat ^ | Lori A. Carter

Posted on 03/12/2014 3:08:35 PM PDT by nickcarraway

Standing inconspicuously beside a block wall across the street from a glass shop in Cotati is one of the rarest living life forms in the world, an albino chimera coast redwood tree.

Researchers say fewer than 10 of the genetically mutated trees are known to exist.

But if SMART's rail plans proceed, the tree — the largest of its kind — soon will be cut down so commuter trains can safely zoom past.

“This tree is irreplaceable,” said Tom Stapleton, a former Sonoma County arborist who is now based in Amador County and studies the rare mutations. “They need to do something more than just cut it down.”

SMART said the tree, just north of East Cotati Avenue about 15 feet west of the tracks, must be removed — possibly as early as next month — to meet federal safety regulations as the district lays a second railroad track near the existing one in preparation for eventual rail activity along the line.

“We are just complying with safety regulations,” said Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit spokeswoman Carolyn Glendening. “It's a decision that's been made by federal regulators. It's not a discretionary matter. It's not a policy matter for the board. It's a safety matter.”

But preservationists and those in the scientific community aren't satisfied with that answer. They are hoping to raise public awareness about the rare genetic specimen in the middle of Cotati, the hub of the Redwood Empire.

(Excerpt) Read more at pressdemocrat.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Local News; Outdoors
KEYWORDS: trees; trehuggers
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1 posted on 03/12/2014 3:08:35 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Not the albino edwood in question.

2 posted on 03/12/2014 3:09:59 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway
"'We are just complying with safety regulations,' said Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit spokeswoman Carolyn Glendening. 'It's a decision that's been made by federal regulators. It's not a discretionary matter.'"

Another reason to limit the power of the Federal Government.

3 posted on 03/12/2014 3:12:24 PM PDT by Baynative (Got bulbs? Check my profile page.)
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To: Baynative

Well, you know, you gotta follow the regulations no matter what. You don’t want people to use some discretion or think for themselves.


4 posted on 03/12/2014 3:22:30 PM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
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To: nickcarraway

SMART train vs. tree. What’s a good liberal to do?


5 posted on 03/12/2014 3:24:11 PM PDT by whinecountry (Semper Ubi Sub Ubi)
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To: nickcarraway
Mourning the Loss of a Tree
6 posted on 03/12/2014 3:26:04 PM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
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To: whinecountry

” SMART train vs. tree. What’s a good liberal to do?”

Conservatives should call the Sierra Club and raise a stink.


7 posted on 03/12/2014 3:29:00 PM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Insurgent Conservative)
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To: smokingfrog

okay... that was soooo bizarre...


8 posted on 03/12/2014 3:30:03 PM PDT by latina4dubya (when i have money i buy books... if i have anything left, i buy 6-inch heels and a bottle of wine...)
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To: nickcarraway

It’s albino, so it is not a tree of color. You can’t make the argument “trees of color and bushes most severely affected” so it will have to go.


9 posted on 03/12/2014 3:31:23 PM PDT by 17th Miss Regt
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To: nickcarraway

Does this tree have seeds? If so, start a few, and problem solved.


10 posted on 03/12/2014 3:34:37 PM PDT by Pearls Before Swine
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To: whinecountry

No kidding. Talk about being hoisted on your own petard!


11 posted on 03/12/2014 3:38:54 PM PDT by rlmorel ("A nation, despicable by its weakness, forfeits even the privilege of being neutral." A. Hamilton)
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To: Pearls Before Swine

Nope! We should stick by their guns and insist the train be re-route 500 miles to the east to completely avoid any infrigement on the delicate, sacred habitat of this rare and valuable species.

Just far enough east to drive it into the protected habitat of the spotted horned salamader. So then they will have to go west far enough to infringe on the territory of the night dwelling tufted earthworm.


12 posted on 03/12/2014 3:42:58 PM PDT by rlmorel ("A nation, despicable by its weakness, forfeits even the privilege of being neutral." A. Hamilton)
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To: smokingfrog

That was awesomely bad.
From the comments:
...Hippie is not a religion, it’s an advanced state of unemployment...


13 posted on 03/12/2014 3:43:45 PM PDT by Lx (Do you like it? Do you like it, Scott? I call it, "Mr. & Mrs. Tenorman Chili.")
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To: nickcarraway
Paging Julia Butterfly Hill! We've got another tree for ya!


14 posted on 03/12/2014 4:33:17 PM PDT by RightGeek (FUBO and the donkey you rode in on)
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To: nickcarraway

SMART has made the offer to let arborists take cuttings for propagation, which *sounds* good, but apparently you have to take cuttings from exactly the right areas on the tree or you won’t get the albinism in the genes. Also of course the mother tree at that point would be dead so if none of your cuttings live, or are true to the mother plant, well, sucks for you, eh?

I’m so glad our government is protecting us from rogue albino redwoods. Aren’t you?


15 posted on 03/12/2014 4:52:39 PM PDT by Hetty_Fauxvert (FUBO, and the useful idiots you rode in on!)
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To: rlmorel

I know, the temptation to spite these guys by sticking it to them on the train is strong, but...

If we can establish economic impact as precedent for a favored lib project, it becomes precedent for others, such as oil access.


16 posted on 03/12/2014 5:10:08 PM PDT by Pearls Before Swine
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To: Pearls Before Swine

I understand what you mean, but I see it this way:

There IS no such thing as a precedent in any of this. It has ALWAYS been that conservative issues simply bend over and take it up the tailpipe and ANY issue gets railroaded, sidetracked and squashed if any liberal principle conflicts with it, period.

Liberals have been doing this for DECADES to conservatives and others who wish to use ANY natural resources for any purpose whatsoever.

I personally feel that they should have their own tactics shoved down their throats until they choke and turn blue on them from lack of legislative oxygen as they have done to us, and until their faces turn red with rage and frustration at the same tactics they have used on us for decades.

I didn’t always feel that way. But I am tired of playing that game. Liberalism is a one-way ratchet for freedom of speech, freedom of commerce, and any other kind of freedom. It never works the other way. Never.

Liberals pick and choose what they will adhere to and follow to achieve their goals, AND WE AS CONSERVATIVES DO NOT. If something suits their goals, they hold it up as a guideline. If it gets in their way, they toss it aside as if it had never existed. It infuriates me, because conservatives do NOTHING OF THE SORT. We value the rule of laws and contracts, and we BIND TO THEM EVEN WHEN LIBERALS USE THEM TO BLOW GREAT BIG GIANT HOLES IN US, and they smirk at our willingness to allow it. The current occupant of the White House is a PRIME example of this, and his acolytes understand it and share in the enjoyment. And they DELIBERATELY and CALCUALTINGLY use that as a WEAPON against us. We see this with economics. We see it with trade. We see it with the Constituion. We see it with personal freedoms. The closest thing to it is the muslim concept of taquiyya...the approval of openly lying to non-muslims as a tool to achieve their ends. There is no morality attached to it, only a naked pursuit and attainment of goals (in their case, achieving the goal of everyone living in The House of Islam)

AND WE LET THEM GET AWAY WITH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As you might be able to tell, I have had it up to my ears with liberals. A pox on them, and I mean it.


17 posted on 03/12/2014 5:29:50 PM PDT by rlmorel ("A nation, despicable by its weakness, forfeits even the privilege of being neutral." A. Hamilton)
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To: RightGeek

What are those, poop buckets?


18 posted on 03/12/2014 5:38:26 PM PDT by Cyber Liberty (H.L. Mencken: "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule.")
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To: rlmorel
If something suits their goals, they hold it up as a guideline. If it gets in their way, they toss it aside as if it had never existed.

Truer words were never spoken. Example: The Endangered Species Act. They're all for shuttering businesses to protect California Condors...until it's windmills that are killing them. Then, Obastard uses his magic pen and phone to issue a 30-year exemption. How many Condors do you think will be here in 30 years?

19 posted on 03/12/2014 5:45:25 PM PDT by Cyber Liberty (H.L. Mencken: "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule.")
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To: EQAndyBuzz

The Sierra Club is more interested in the rights of illegal aliens than about anything relating to nature. But that’s what happens when you’re a liberal - racism trumps everything - and if you have to choose between the environment and not looking racist, then to hell with the environment.


20 posted on 03/13/2014 10:38:07 AM PDT by xlbrl
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