David Chain

David Nathan "Gypsy" Chain (June 17, 1974 – September 17, 1998) was an environmental activist. He was killed by a falling tree in suspicious circumstances during a protest in California Redwood Forests against the Pacific Lumber Company.

Background Chain was a member of the Earth First! environmental advocacy group and was engaged in a campaign of tree sitting in order to stop what they considered was illegal logging, in breach of California Forest Practices Act, in the Headwaters Forest, north of San Francisco, near Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park. Headwaters was the largest private holding of old-growth forest in the world. Following a hostile takeover of Pacific Lumber Co., the Murphy family (the largest minority stock holders at the time) and countless previous stockholders, mostly company employees, were relieved of their stock by Charles Hurwitz and his Maxxam, Inc. corporation of Texas. Between a desire to turn a higher profit and the need to start paying off the debt incurred from acquiring the company, Hurwitz's Maxxam replaced the sustainable growth policy of the previous owner-managers with one of clearcutting. The new practices led to the so-called Redwood Summer campaign by environmentalists, and ultimately forced the 140-year-old company to declare bankruptcy. He was killed instantly and died of massive head trauma. In response to his death, a Pacific Lumber Co. spokesperson said their logging crew did not see anybody in the area and were unaware of Chain's presence. Earth First! said that the loggers had been deliberately felling huge trees, in a perpendicular manner rather than downhill, in the protesters' direction. One of the protesters also noted that the tree fellers were fully aware that they were there, as the activists had been "yelling at them, walking towards them, telling them 'Don't fell this tree'".

Based on the local sheriff's probe, Humboldt County district attorney Terry Farmer decided not to press charges, concluding Ammons had not knowingly aimed a tree at any of the protesters.

Consequences Soon after Chain's death, it was revealed that the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection had charged Pacific Lumber with at least 250 violations of the California Forest Practice Act between 1995 and 1997. These violations continued to accumulate in 1998, and in November of that year, Pacific Lumber became the first company ever to lose its logging license in California.

As a condition of reinstating their license, Pacific Lumber agreed to the creation of the Headwaters Forest Reserve. It received $380 million of public funds in return for the purchase. A Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) was also developed and approved to allow limited logging on the remaining of Pacific Lumber Company timberland.

Memorial scholarship A memorial scholarship for high school seniors and first-year university students has been set up in Chain's name. It is intended to support students with a demonstrated passion in environmental conservation.

In popular culture Local Humboldt County based songwriters Karrie Jesse Manzanita Wallace & Juli Palmer wrote a song for him titled "A Chainsaw For A Gun (For Gypsy)" (c)1998

Singer-songwriter David Rovics dedicated a song to him, titled The Death of David Chain.

Seattle singer/songwriter Jim Page also wrote a song about David Chain entitled "Gypsy".

Writer John Burnside wrote a poem called "Earth" in memory of David Chain.