Aren't there enough wineries in Northern California? Do we really need another? Especially when it could mean the death of a redwood forest? As the LA Times reported in August, Codorniu’s Artesa Napa Winery and Premier Pacific Vineyards plan to build two new wineries in Annapolis will "clear-cut over 1,900 acres of these redwoods." In addition to killing off a forest in the process of replenishing itself (the area was hit hard by the logging industry), it would also be built on the burial grounds of the Kashia Pomo tribe (where they still live and worship) and possibly harm the Gualala River, "home to endangered salmon and other at-risk wildlife."

You can help by signing this petition, if the mood should strike. The goal is simple, according to Marie Casias, the petition's creator.

We are calling on Codorniu to withdraw the Artesa project proposal, as stated in a recent letter by a coalition of local organizations. If Codorniu takes this action, it can set a precedent for the much larger Preservation Ranch project to reconsider its proposal.

In addition, we call on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to take a stand that they do not support cutting down irreplaceable forests to develop wineries in their jurisdiction. An early statement of their position will go a long way in stopping these destructive projects.

To learn more, please visit change.org.