LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 9-1-2011

Editor: Does anyone remember when “Redwood Empire” was replaced
with “Wine Country”? This was a deceptive PR move by insiders that
indicate the values that are being forwarded – wine over redwoods.
So when it comes to getting important news in Sonoma County on
environmental or socio-economic impacts of vineyards and wineries,
one has to get it from the L.A. Times, the N.Y. Times, actually any
Times or news source other than the Sonoma County’s own (daily
newspaper).
It is not a minor story that the largest conversion of redwoods
to vineyards in recent history is taking place in our Sonoma County
coastal area or that most Russian River tributaries are being
sucked dry by grape to wine production. The so-called media of
record is not covering these stories. Instead, (it) regularly
covers stories on individual wineries’ successes and wine/food
pairings, etc.
The conversion of redwoods and redwood forest watersheds to
vineyards and the drying up of fish bearing streams is a travesty
most reasonable people would recognize.
To get the news of historic redwoods conversions or turning
rivers into wine here, you will have to go to our local independent
newspapers or newspapers outside of the county like New York, at
www.nytimes.com, or Los Angeles at www.latimes.com.
Larry Hanson
Forestville