Elliott Free State - Logging Blockade

On July 6th 2009, a group of Earth First! and Rising Tide activists blocked a logging road leading to the Umpcoos Ridge timber sale. The blockade and free state stopped logging and planted the seed for more progressive forest management.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• earth first!
• rising tide
• logging
• direct action

[gohan1231234]

Native forests... Would this be considered a solidarity struggle?

Is there any communication with the native peoples whose forests you're defending?

[CascadiaRisingTide]

Thanks for this comment. The term "Native forests" is in need of being defined.

We are using native in the same way that you might when describing a plant as native. In this case it means that the forest was allowed to regenerate naturally after a disturbance such as logging or fire.

Letting a forest regenerate like this creates a healthy, fire resistant and biodiverse forest unlike the even aged plantations now seen on our public lands. These forests are future old growth.

[dalegod]

Excellent work forest defenders! I'm very proud to even know one or two of you. You did really wonderful work on the Elliott State forest--thank you for defending the priceless forest when the legal and popular avenues of action have failed. Please continue these direct actions against the corporate criminals who care not for life but only for the next quarter's profits. Thanks again folks!

[xMFALx]

"Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience. Our problem is that numbers of people all over the world have obeyed the dictates of the leaders of their government and have gone to war, and millions have been killed because of this obedience. . . Our problem is that people are obedient all over the world in the face of poverty and starvation and stupidity, and war, and cruelty." - Howard Zinn

[BlueRonsonol]

@coriandre27 believe it is from an edit song.

[norcallogger]

im wondering why there seems only to be comments for these people and non agenst is it beacuse they delete them??? why also why hide your faces if your so proud of what your doing show it dont hide

[dudemanguy60]

I heard it was hipster music...

[coriandre27]

You guys rock.

This is off topic, but does anyone know what song was used in this vid? I heard it on a tv show today but can't find the name anywhere.

[xMFALx]

There are alternatives designed to prevent soil erosion into rivers, avoid soil depletion, and promote rapid re-growth. However, respectfully, I am not a member of the groups in question, although I morally support the action, but I cannot speak for them on what they themselves perceive as the seed of progressive forest management. I would recommend that you contact them and ask them what their ideas may be. I don't want to disrespect them by taking away their wind from their sails, so to speak.

[mike198748]

better alternitives? such as?

[xMFALx]

In ecosystems where wildfires are natural & cyclical, the wildfires can be a *part* of the ecosystem, i.e. certain plant species depend on the wildfires for reproduction & growth. When wildfires are stopped in such ecosystems, the plant species diversity and density healthy for that ecosystem is disrupted. In contrast, no ecosystem has evolved harmoniously to be clear-cutted, bulldozed, & torn out. As noted in the video's info, these activists are proposing alternative, better approaches.

[mike198748]

you do have a point BUT the ecosystem can also be destroyed by doing nothing I.E forest fires and so on. it has been proven that proper harvesting helps the forest. what it boils down to isthat we, "your people and mine" need to come to a happy medium. the forest can be for recereation and harvesting. and the eco system will be fine. your talking about stopping logging all the way around. a compromise has to be met. or it is nothing but war,so to speak, follow me?

[xMFALx]

First off, "you people" is a generalization of a complex and overlapping groups of people. Second off, I know plenty of eco-activists of do mention the planting of trees, but they also mention that a forest isn't just a bunch of trees. The harvesting of the trees ravages a forest ecosystem deeply, planting new trees in their place doesn't fix this. When a forest ecosystem is destroyed and trees are planted back, it is a tree nursery there, not a forest.

[mike198748]

but what you people are failing to mention is that we replant trees as well as harvest them ,you would have the general public believe that we are not replanting and that we are all about destruction, and it isnt true. noone ever see you people show the positive side, every logging outfit I ever worked for went through pain staking efforts to protect the enviroment,