Old-Growth Logging Starts

Clearcut logging of old-growth trees resumed Monday in the Olympic National Forest and two people were arrested at the closed cutting site, rangers said.

“We had two people inside the closed area,” said Quilcene District Ranger Ben Kizer. They were taken to the Jefferson County Jail on criminal trespass accusations.

Kizer said he could not identify the two people. A deputy at the sheriff’s department said that because of the Presidents Day holiday, no one was there with authority to release their names.

Groups active in protests at the site said they had no immediate word on Monday’s arrests.

On Saturday, 101 people were arrested during a protest rally at the cutting site.

There was no group demonstration Monday, Kizer said.

Buse Timber of Everett, which bought the rights to clearcut a 55-acre stand of centuries-old trees at Rocky Brook Creek, had loggers at the site Monday, Kizer said.

“My estimate is that it will take five or six weeks to cut that sale,” Kizer said. Crews have been working at the site for a week.

The site was closed in part because of concerns that protesters would complicate logging.

Most of the protesters arrested Saturday were cited for criminal trespass, but one woman was booked into the county jail for investigation of felony assault on an officer and another person for obstruction, Forest Service spokesman Joe Iozzi said.