Seasons of the Eel Coffee Table Book by Jason Hartwick & Shane Anderson
The Eel River has a long history of boom and bust economic cycles based on uncontrolled resource extraction. A commercial salmon fishery fished to near extinction followed by a timber boom that reduced old growth redwoods to a miniscule percentage of their original expanse. Today it’s pot, a multibillion dollar underground industry and driver of the North Coast economy. While it’s resuscitated communities, it’s come with a heavy environmental cost; dewatered streams, clear-cut grow sites, and tons of pesticides dumped into Eel tributaries. Pot is here to stay, but responsible growing practices and adequate enforcement can make a real and meaningful difference. The decisions we make today will determine the Eel’s future for decades and beyond.
