Operation Redwood

by S. Terrell French

  They nodded uncertainly.

  “Julian, I want to make sure that you concur with these conditions.”

  Julian looked at her, puzzled. “Sure,” he said.

  “In that case, it’s settled.” Gram put down her note pad.

  There was another long pause. Julian was starting to feel that his new grandmother was a little too fond of mysteries.

  “What’s settled?” he finally asked.

  “The board has already approved the sale.”

  “For ten million dollars!” As soon as he blurted it out, Julian realized that it wasn’t polite to mention what people paid for things.

  “Oh, my no! I believe that Sibley’s profit estimates turned out to be, shall we say, somewhat inflated. The acreage of old-growth on the property is really quite small. Mr. Elder checked it all out for us.”

  “You talked to Bob?”

  “Of course, it was all quite rush, rush. That’s the way it is in the business world. In light of all the controversy, I think IPX got quite a fair bargain.”

  “But I thought you didn’t want a California redwood forest,” Julian said. Everything was moving so fast his head was starting to spin.

  “That’s correct.” Gram gave Julian another piercing look. “I’ll have the lawyers draw up the papers for you to sign as soon as possible.”

  “Me?” Julian looked at his grandmother in astonishment.

  “Him!” Sibley shouted. “You don’t mean to tell me you’re transferring the property to—to Julian?” He stared at his mother in outrage.

  “With a conservation easement protecting the trees in perpetuity,” she said calmly. “Of course, the easement will reduce the property value. He won’t be able to cut down the redwoods later, if he has a change of heart.”

  “I won’t have a change of heart!” Julian said, but his voice was drowned out by Sibley, who roared, “Well, of all the low tricks!” He had risen out of his chair and was pacing up and down the room. Then, abruptly, he unclenched his fists and changed his tone. “Mother, please consider what you’re doing. You don’t even know this boy. This is a major financial decision.”

  “If you had shown Julian the least kindness, none of this would have happened in the first place.”

  “Julian,” Sibley said, “is an ungrateful little liar, just like his father.”

  “All right, Mr. Carter! Now you’ve crossed the line!” Bob strode to the kitchen door in a fury and opened it wide. “I think it’s time for you to go!”

  Silence filled the room. It was so quiet, Julian could hear the kitchen clock ticking.

  “You will apologize to Julian at once,” Gram said in a low voice.

  Sibley’s mouth was open, his breathing was heavy, his cheeks were flushed and sweaty. “I was out of line,” he finally said.

  Gram gave him a steely look.

  “My apologies,” Sibley said, with the pained expression of a person undergoing an uncomfortable medical procedure. Then, abruptly, he straightened his shoulders, picked up his briefcase, and began taking short side steps toward the door. “I can’t stay any longer, I’m afraid. I have an important meeting to attend. Mother, let me know the board’s decision. I will facilitate to the extent feasible. Preston, I’ll see you back in the city.” He gave a quick nod to the room and, averting his face from Bob’s angry glare, he ducked out of the door.

  The children looked nervously from one to another.

  “Well!” Gram took a deep breath. “Where were we?”

  Robin was looking in bewilderment at Gram. “I don’t understand what’s going on. Are you saying you’re giving away the Greeley property? To Julian?”

  “You know, my dear,” Gram said, turning to Julian. “Once we found out Billy had a son, Jack talked about providing for you. He would certainly have been proud of what you did. It’s a pity he’s not here to see it.”

  “Dad? Is that what she’s saying?” Robin asked.

  Julian looked up and saw Bob watching him with a wide grin. “Apparently, that’s the plan.”

  Robin started shrieking, “I can’t believe it!” She jumped out of her chair and threw her arms around Julian. “You’ll be our next-door neighbor!” She started dancing around the room. “Can you believe how lucky we are? Isn’t it lucky that I sent that e-mail? And Julian found it? And Operation Redwood worked! I can’t believe it! We saved Big Tree!” She ran over to Gram and gave her a huge embrace, which she accepted with somewhat flustered dignity. “Oh, thank you, Mrs. Carter. Thank you a thousand times!” And Robin ran out the door and started ringing the bell again and again.

  With the pealing of the bell, everybody started talking at once. Danny gave Julian a high five. The girls all shrieked and hugged each other. Preston leaned against Gram’s leg, smiling at all the hullabaloo.

  Nancy came up behind where Julian was sitting and put both hands on his shoulders. “You kept saying a way would open,” Julian said, looking up at her. “I told my grandmother that—before I knew who she was. I told her a way would open and it turned out she was the way!”

  Nancy burst into laughter and gave him a hug. “I just keep remembering the day I met you. When you looked so frightened and hungry and Bob kept going on about how you might be some kind of felon. And look what you’ve done! Look what you all have done for Big Tree!”

  veryone spent the next day preparing for the celebration. The four operatives trekked happily together to Big Tree Grove, while Preston and Molly ran ahead, swinging Jo-Jo between their arms. When they reached Big Tree, Julian said grandly, “This is it, Preston! A real old-growth forest—just like in your report!”

  Preston stood looking up at the giant trees. “You got my wish!” he said. “But you got even more than six redwood trees. You got a whole forest!” He peered through the trees. “Are there any fishers here?”

  “Well, I don’t know if you’ll see a fisher today,” Julian said. “But I can take you up in the tree house. I’ve been wanting to show it to you forever.”

  Preston walked solemnly around the tree house, examining Julian’s freshly carved initials, the storage boxes, the interior of the cabin. Down below, Danny and Robin cleared away the scattered branches on the forest floor and cleaned out the old fire ring. Ariel taped streamers to the giant trunks and Molly blew up the balloons.

  As the shadows lengthened, Nancy and Bob trooped in on the Greeley Road trail, carrying folding chairs and card tables, then returned home to haul more supplies. Gram had spent the morning in town, tracking down a “fah-bulous” cake, which arrived in splendor, borne high by two men in white coats, with CHILDREN’S EVERLASTING REDWOOD GROVE written in green cursive over chocolate frosting.

  Bob and Nancy returned later in the day, with Popo, Luciana, and Eduardo trailing behind them. They all carried an unbalanced assortment of bowls and pots and, like everybody who entered the grove for the first time, they stopped for a moment, peering up at the treetops. The boys ran over to help them unload.

  “Oh, thank you!” Luciana said as she set a heavy pot of beans on the table. She was dressed festively in a flowered dress and red sandals. “Papa and I couldn’t stay away from the party! Oh, you must be so excited!” she said, wrapping her arms around Julian. “We’re so proud of you. Ooooh, and you too, Danny.” She gave him a brief inspection, before squeezing him tightly. “I saw your picture in the newspaper. They hung the article on the bulletin board at work! You guys are like little heroes!”

  The two boys stood grinning sheepishly as she hugged them again.

  “Now, Danny, you come with me,” Luciana said, pulling him by the arm. “Help Papa and me set up all the food.”

  Popo smiled proudly at Julian. “So, your protest worked. Not exactly how you intended, but even better. That doesn’t happen too often!”

  “Thanks for sending Bruce!” Julian said. “You saw the article?”

  “It’s in my scrapbook,” Popo answered. “And I e–mailed a copy to your mother. I thought you might want to tell her th
e end of the story yourself.”

  Julian imagined how surprised his mom would be when she saw the picture of him and Danny up in the tree house. And she wouldn’t even know the half of it.

  “If we hadn’t been in the newspaper, none of the other stuff would have happened,” Julian said. “The protestors and the board getting upset and Gram coming out . . .” He turned to Gram, who had just arrived and was fussing over the cake.

  “Gram,” he called out, “do you know my grandmother, Eleanor Li?”

  “Abigail Carter,” Gram said, taking a few steps toward them and casting an appraising eye over Popo. “Unfortunately, we never met. But I’m sure we won’t be strangers for long. We appear to have something very significant in common.”

  Julian stared at the two grandmothers. Gram stood tall and aristocratic in her red suit. A smile played on her lips as though she were contemplating some private joke. Popo peered through her glasses with a journalist’s exacting gaze, her dark eyes taking measure of everything she saw. It suddenly struck Julian how strange it was that he should be descended from two such different people, how weird and improbable that their DNA would end up mixed together in his own body.

  “So, Julian,” Gram said, “Preston and I have a little tradition where he comes to visit me in Cape Cod for the last week in August. If you came, the two of you could amuse each other.”

  He would fly at last! Julian turned to Popo. “Do you think I could?” he asked.

  “Well, your mother will be back on the first of September, so we’ll have to check with her,” Popo said. “And I was hoping you’d help me go house hunting. I’ve put in for a transfer to the San Francisco office.”

  Gram smiled tightly. “You’re moving to San Francisco?”

  “I’m starting to miss the fog,” Popo said. “And I wouldn’t mind being closer to Julian and his mother.”

  “Of course,” Gram said. “Though we’ll have to discuss Thanksgiving. I’d love to have my two grandsons together. Thanksgiving is a big tradition in the Carter clan.”

  “Don’t forget, Julian is my only grandchild,” Popo answered.

  Julian watched his grandmothers in astonishment. Beneath their courteous veneer, the two of them were practically fighting over him.

  “Well, Eleanor,” Gram said, with a laugh, “it looks like we’ll have to determine how to share Julian. He may end up with quite a few frequent flyer miles.”

  “Julian! Julian!” Jo-Jo was calling from the pulley seat. “Take me up! Take me up in the tree house!”

  Julian shifted Jo-Jo into his lap and hoisted him up to the top where he walked about happily, slamming the lids of all the bins. The three girls sat chatting together on the cabin roof. Danny and Preston were playing rummy. Below them, Big Tree Grove stood transformed. The ancient trees were festooned with green and gold streamers and balloons and every square inch of the tables was covered with food. Luciana was handing out little glasses of grape juice and champagne.

  Julian heard a sharp clinking sound and looked down to see Gram tapping a spoon against her champagne glass.

  “Good afternoon,” she announced in her grand voice. “I would like to officially welcome you all to the unofficial dedication of Big Tree Grove. And to thank you all for responding so generously to my call for a little celebration.” She looked about the gathering with a patrician air. “Welcome.”

  Gram’s eyes rested on Popo. She hesitated a moment, then said graciously, “There’s one person here today who shares with me the honor of being Julian’s grandmother, and I would be most appreciative if she would start us off with a toast.”

  Popo looked surprised, but she took a step forward and stood for a moment, gathering her thoughts. “To the children!” she said, in a surprisingly loud voice. “May they continue to know what’s worth fighting for. And may they continue to explore new places and make new friends. They fought hard to protect this beautiful place. I know their future will be bright!”

  “Hear! Hear!” the children shouted from the tree house, and Nancy called out, “When we first met Julian, he kind of washed up on our doorstep.” She gave him a fond nod. “But since then, he’s won our hearts. We hope he’ll come back next summer and every summer! He’s like part of the family now!”

  “And here’s to the rest of them too!” Bob said, lifting his glass to the tree house. “We’ve watched Robin and Ariel grow up to be the outstanding young ladies they are. And Julian and Danny are pretty terrific too. I knew Ed Greeley all my life, and it would have broken his heart to see these trees cut down. And these four kids—nothing could stop them. Even me!” he said with a grin. “So I would like to give a toast to four fabulous kids!”

  “And Molly!” Robin yelled down from the tree house. “She did as much as any of us!”

  “And Preston!” Julian called. “Our best fund–raiser!”

  “To all the kids, then,” said Bob, raising his glass to the tree house. Everybody cheered again and sipped from their glasses.

  “Attention! Attention, please!” Danny called out from the tree house deck. “I would like to make a toast to Julian, the new heir to Big Tree Grove! He’s been my best friend since kindergarten! He’s never let me down! What can I say? He’s awesome! He’s brilliant! He made me do some things I didn’t want to, but I forgive him! Three cheers for Julian! Hip-hip-hooray!” And then from all around, cries of “Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray!” lifted into the air.

  After the cheers died down, everybody looked around for the next toast.

  Finally, Gram stepped forward again. “If everybody has had a chance to speak, I will take my turn.” She cleared her throat abruptly. “It gives me enormous pleasure to dedicate Big Tree Grove to the young people of this great country.” She raised her glass to Julian in the tree house.

  “Not so long ago, I lost a son. I almost lost my grandson as well.” Her proud voice cracked for a moment, and she hastily wiped at her eyes. “But through his actions, he reached across a continent and found me. I hope it is not too late for us to have many fine years together.”

  The forest glowed in the late afternoon sun. Gram took a deep breath and looked about at the majestic trees, the arching ferns, the tree house perched in midair. “There is no greater legacy I could leave Julian than to preserve and protect Big Tree Grove. It is an extraordinary place. I find my grandson and his friends extraordinary as well—extraordinarily courageous, extraordinarily farsighted, extraordinarily clear-thinking. May they have these qualities always.”

  The glasses were raised again. Julian drank the sweet grape juice and looked at the faces of the friends and relatives gathered around.

  “To grandmothers!” Robin cried out.

  “To friends!” Ariel raised her glass high in the air.

  “To Big Tree Grove!” Julian called exuberantly from the tree house. “May it stand forever! And now, let the feasting begin!”

  The celebration lasted well into the evening. There was all the food to eat. There was a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a formal tree planting, both hastily organized by Robin and Ariel. Then, there was the cake. Julian got the first piece, filled with chocolate and coffee and cream and bits of toffee—every bit as fabulous as Gram had promised.

  Nobody wanted to leave. Cups were refilled. The last of the cake disappeared. The pulley seat creaked up and down. As the light faded, the children began gathering wood for a fire. Gram asked to see Julian’s pocketknife, and he went to the tree house to retrieve it.

  From the top, he could see everybody assembled and he climbed onto the roof for a better view. Standing with a foot on each slanted side, he stretched the happy stretch of a boy filled with chocolate cake, and his fingers grazed a branch above him. With surprise, he realized that by standing on the very tip of the roof, he could just reach his hands around the branch. He hoisted himself up and swung one leg over, and then the other. Now, the slender branches led up and up like a staircase, and Julian climbed until he was high above the ground, high above the
tree house, higher even than some of the treetops. The bark was rough and sticky under his hands. In the twilit space between the branches, a distant star blinked into view. Far below, the campfire was shining, and he could hear the sound of singing rising up toward him.

  Soon, he would climb down and warm his hands over the bright, smoky fire. But for the moment, Julian stood with a glad heart among the whispering branches, feeling the light wind rocking him to and fro and watching the almost full moon rise in the evening sky.

  hile Operation Redwood is a work of fiction, the true history of the battle over California’s redwoods is a fascinating story of money, courage, greed, protest—and even a few tree-sitters.

  In 1848, when gold was first discovered in California, two million acres of redwood trees blanketed the northern coast. Most of this land was bought up (sometimes fraudulently) by large timber companies. The companies proceeded to chop down trees as fast as they could, first using axes and cross-cut saws, then moving on to chain saws and giant machinery. By the 1960s, most of the original redwood forest had been cut down.

  One company, Pacific Lumber Company, took a more long-range approach. It had been in the logging business since 1863 and owned more than 200,000 acres of redwood forest along California’s northern coast—an area about the size of New York City. While other companies clear-cut their land, removing every tree over hundreds of acres, Pacific Lumber practiced selective logging—leaving up to 30 percent of the trees in the harvest area standing. By the 1980s, the largest groves of ancient redwoods left on private land (“the Headwaters”) were owned by Pacific Lumber.

  All this valuable timber caught the eye of an investor from Texas named Charles Hurwitz. His company, Maxxam, Inc., was one of the richest and most powerful in the world. In 1985, he hired consultants to fly over the Pacific Lumber lands. They concluded that the trees were worth a fortune. He began quietly buying shares of stock in Pacific Lumber until Maxxam was ultimately able to take control of the whole company. But there was a cost—$750 million dollars. To make enough money to pay off this debt, Pacific Lumber began chopping down trees twice as fast as it had before. And it began plans for cutting down the Headwaters.