Dear Friends of the Ancient Forests,
Fall is upon us. Sweet. Beautiful. Crunching leaves and intense fall colours touch our senses. Too dry. The promise of moisture is in the air as we lean towards the rainy season.
My gratitude is all wound up with grief. On this precious Earth, human and natural systems are unravelling at so many levels. Many of us feel anxious, worried, sad, angry—beyond words. With good reason. The secretary general of the United Nations introduced the new session of the General Assembly with: “We are gridlocked in colossal global dysfunction.The international community is not ready or willing to tackle the big dramatic challenges of our age. These crises threaten the very future of humanity and the fate of our planet.”
Climate Action month leading up to the next round of COP is upon us. Meanwhile the provincial government approves more pipelines while the Wet’suwet’en continue to hold strong when faced with the desecration of their territory. We’re called to urgent action, for those suffering now and for future generations of all beings.
In these times, it is critical that we show how much we can depend on each other, that we make real our capacity to build powerful unity and solidarity among us. Who keeps us safe? We do! Let us hold up even more fiercely our kinship and gratitude towards other-than-human beings of our beloved, wounded world. Let us hold close in community, in mutual care, with open-hearts and open minds.
As you know from earlier Callouts, we have shifted our attention and energies more broadly towards stopping the destruction of old-growth forests and upholding Indigenous rights and title throughout BC. We continue, we will continue, for as long as necessary, to hold the NDP government, and all governments, accountable.
We have an ambitious plan for this fall. This Callout will focus on our top priority. You have been loyal supporters throughout this struggle. Please join up with us this fall!
Yours,
Susan and Jackie
Big Action on February 25 – Declaration, March and Rally at BC Legislature
Standing up for old growth! Over and over and over…
As we reported in our last callout, over the last few months some of us have been feverishly meeting, planning, writing, phoning, cajoling, emailing and more. We have been drawing together a broad group of organizations to sign the United We Stand for Old Growth Forests! Declaration and to follow up with the largest rally Victoria has seen for years—a rally designed to shake the NDP government out of its complacency as it continously fails to stop logging of the last old-growth forests throughout BC.
The Declaration
We have been promoting the United Declaration and Rally for a few weeks now and are excited to tell you that the United We Stand for Old-Growth Forests! movement has strong momentum: over 90 groups from around BC have signed the Declaration, and we have reached out to another 150 organizations from diverse sectors and communities, many of whom have indicated they will be signing and supporting our communications and lobbying efforts. Here’s the link to the Declaration. Please have a read if you haven’t already. It is our mobilising vision and what we stand for. Share with others!
New March & Rally date: Saturday, February 25, 2023
Our original target date (November 26) conflicted, we found out, with the Santa Claus Parade route. Our organizing committee decided to move to early 2023 to give us more time to broaden our support base, do mass promotion and amplify our impact. A later date will also enable us to see how the new Eby team is performing and to better target our pressure on the BC government to deliver on their promises. Between now and February 25, we’re planning various events to help build momentum towards the Super Rally. We will have more details to share soon so stay tuned. We’re aiming for thousands!
We need your help BIG TIME! Here’s how to help.
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Get your organization(s) to sign the declaration. Let’s make it really clear that defense of ancient forests is the passionate desire of many, many folks in this province. And not just environmental organizations. Think of all the various groups in different areas of interest who might support an end to OG logging. Send them the Declaration: United We Stand for Old Growth Forests, and ask them to endorse it. Full declaration here. We want to fill the streets on Saturday, November 26, so start mobilising your organization’s participation in the March and Super Rally. If you’re a member of a group that would like to sign on, please send in their endorsement to oldfolksforoldgrowth@gmail.com
, subject line: Endorsement. -
Help us raise $10,000 to make this a rally to remember! We need funds for transportation, for high-profile speakers and performers, honoraria for Indigenous leaders, promotional materials, etc. Please send donations via e-transfer to oldfolksforoldgrowth@gmail.com
, or send cheques made out to Elders for Ancient Trees, to Susan Gage, 2-730 Sea Terrace, Victoria, BC V9A 3R6.
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Commit your Time & Talent. For example: help get signatures for the Declaration, help organize the March and Rally, offer creative/artistic ideas for the March, and more. Contact us at oldfolksforoldgrowth@gmail.com
. If you are a visual artist interested in helping create a Community Arts Project: Ancient Forest Council of Beings Paint-In, get in touch with Bobby Arbess. -
Reach out. Volunteer to reach out to schools, campuses, citizens groups, faith organisations, municipalities and more, to promote the March and Rally. We’ll develop promotional materials for you.
Our Declaration: United We Stand for Old Growth Forests
List of Demands See the full Declaration here
Our coalition is bringing a broad-based mass mobilization to the BC Legislature that reflects the majority of public will in BC for progressive solutions to the crisis in the woods. Based on the Union of BC Indian Chiefs Resolution 2022-32, and supported by independent reporting, the scientific data on old growth, and the urgency of the climate crisis, we demand that the BC NDP government:
- Immediately halt logging in at-risk old growth forests and additional areas suggested by First Nations
- Provide fulsome and immediate financial support for First Nations to implement logging deferrals and resilience planning on their unceded territories, including Indigenous conservation strategies and compensation for any lost revenues and employment as a result of deferrals
- Pursue full protection as the goal for all deferral areas, and invest to make protection the best economic option
- Fulfil its election promise to implement all 14 recommendations of the OGSR panel by September 2023, within the 3-year timeline which government promised and provide regular progress reports
- Urgently move toward the paradigm shift and resilience planning outlined in the OGSR recommendations, prioritizing ecosystem integrity and biodiversity as the highest priority of forest management and as essential in the climate crisis
- Implement a just transition for all communities while moving toward a sustainable, second-growth forestry
- Provide: regular and detailed updates on deferrals and long-term solutions to safeguard and restore at-risk old growth; communications on all forest stewardship related decision-making; and reports on timelines and progress to ensure transparency and accountability for all OGSR recommendations
- Ensure forestry related decisions are fully compliant with free, prior, and informed consent and uphold the Title and Rights of First Nations pursuant to the government’s responsibilities under the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
- Acknowledge the role of intact forests and sustainable forest practices in both limiting and mitigating climate change, and incorporate increased conservation targets into the CleanBC climate plan
Keep up MLA contact and pressure
Meanwhile, don’t forget about the politicians who decide the future of the forests. Make an appointment to see your MLA and educate them about what is happening in the woods. Try to make one phone call and/or write one letter a day to your MLA and to Ministers.
Resources to help make your points to NDP MLAs and others
As we passed the second anniversary of the NDP government’s commitment to implement the recommendations of the old growth strategic review, their failure to stop the logging of old growth has been front and centre in a number of reports and articles in the last month. Here are some key links:
STAND.earth study Tall Talk: Corporate loggers rush to cut old growth while province stalls on protection. An in-depth report on current practices in old-growth logging highlighting logging occurring in high-risk areas recommended for deferral.
BC Government old-growth Report Card. Researched by Wilderness Committee, Sierra Club BC, STAND.earth and Ancient Forest Alliance.
Sep 26, The Tyee, BC’s Big Trees Protection Is Toothless. Government Knew It.
Unsurprisingly. Andrew McLeod details how the so-called big tree legislation was meant to mislead the public, not to protect ancient trees
Sep 14, Mongabay, British Columbia delays promised protections as old growth keeps falling
Sep 9, National Observer, BC isn’t meeting its promised benchmarks to transform old-growth logging
STAND.earth, BC government misleading public about old growth. Union of BC Indian Chiefs and STAND.earth renew calls on the provincial government to immediately stop logging in the most at-risk old growth forests in light of latest investigation findings.
Sep 1, Capital Daily, Report raises alarms about logging in BC’s proposed deferral zones
Aug 30, Bowen Island Undercurrent, BC’s old-growth forests at risk despite protection from province, analysis shows.
Oct 7, 2021—An oldie but goodie—Policy Note, Five lessons from BC’s horrific wildfire season. Details the contributions of forestry policy to the climate change crisis, and the need to protect old growth forests.
Letter-writing Allies: The Forestry Group of GVAT (Greater Victoria Acting Together) writes that they have been writing to NDP Ministers about old growth logging:
“We are writing to every BC cabinet minister to explain to them why sustainable forestry practices, including old-growth protection, very much matters to their mandate, too, not just to the mandate of the Minister of Forests. We believe that right now, during the NDP leadership race when party discipline is weaker than usual, is a great window of opportunity for this tactic.”
GVAT members have also written letters to the editors of newspapers. Here’s one from the Sep 11, Victoria News, Road building threatens old growth.
Upcoming events
Friday, Sep 30, 10 am -12:30 pm, Orange Shirt Day event at Centennial Sq. Hosted by Eddy Charlie and Kristin Spray. Event link here.
Friday, Sep 30, 1-3 pm, Rock and Sign Painting Fridays (Note new time for this Friday only). Quadra Village Community Centre Art Hub, 901 Kings Rd (at the back). Must wear a mask. Children are welcome. Materials provided but $10 suggested donation to the Art Hub. (Note: Tasha is also organizing anti-colonial events like this one. If you’d like to be involved, contact Tasha.
Monday, Oct 3, 7:30 am – 12:30 pm, Join our Honourable Arrestees, BC Legislature. Groups formed at the entrances won’t stop MLAs from entering but will remind them to take action on old-growth logging and the climate crisis. A non-violent event organized by Rainforest Flying Squad, Fairy Creek Blockade and Save Old Growth. Complete information and sign suggestions here
Saturday, November 26, Time TBA, United We Stand for Old Growth Forests—March & Super-Rally. Circle this date on your calendar. Tell your friends. Prepare to take over the streets of Victoria.
What’s Up in the Courts
‘Ada’itsx/Fairy Creek
With Teal-Jones’s injunction at ‘Ada’itsx/Fairy Creek due to run out Sep 30, they applied to the court for an extension. During the court hearing held Sep 12 and 13, Justice Thompson indicated he was favouring a one-year extension, pending a written decision. He found that they were likely to continue their obstructive activity.
Teal-Jones’s primary excuse for the extension rested on unproven allegations of tree spiking and blocked culverts, along with the presence of the Sassin camp. Sassin, an Indigenous-led camp, made it clear they were independent of RFS and Save Old Growth.
On Sep 22, Judge Thompson released his written judgement, extending the injunction for another year. This Sep 23 Vancouver Sun article reported the following: “’To come to grips with the degree of likelihood that the obstructive activity will continue requires an appreciation of the motivations and commitment of those engaged in this civil disobedience campaign,’ said the judge….The climate crisis is accelerating. The important role that temperate rainforests play in mitigating global heating has come into sharp focus.”
The judge, noting he’d dealt with more than 100 protester sentencings already, included in his ruling: “I have come to understand what at first blush seems counterintuitive: the people I have sentenced value and appreciate the importance of obeying the law…Not a single person of the more than 100 I have sentenced has previously committed an offence. They are highly intelligent people, non-violent and principled by nature. They are not naïve and misguided dupes of some shadowy organization aiming to break down the rule of law. They are not trouble-makers with nothing better to do. Most are well educated with fulfilling and important jobs, often in occupations focused on helping others. Most have a notable history of volunteer service. Their motives are altruistic and compassionate.”
On Thursday, Sep 22, the Rainforest Flying Squad issued a statement highlighting the judge’s words of praise. Quoting Pacheedaht elder Bill Jones, who has welcomed protestors to join him in defending the old-growth forests on his ancestral territory, the group’s statement read: “It’s a moral victory for us. Justice Thompson’s words provide validation for the work we have taken on for the past two years.”
Argenta Face
Last Stand West Kootenay, as they struggle for the preservation of old-growth forest near Argenta at the north end of Kootenay Lake, are being told by the lawyers representing the logging company, Cooper Creek Cedar, that they must reveal the names of their website and social media managers. In the week of Sep 19, Cooper Creek Cedar applied to the courts for access to private and personal data of several personal social media accounts alleged to be associated with the Argenta Face movement, as well as Last Stand West Kootenays social media accounts, website, and FundRazr.
Cooper Creek Cedar asked for the first and last name, contact information, and IP address of the last 300 log-ins and log-outs of Facebook and Instagram accounts – a last ditch effort to bolster the charges that resulted after the slew of illegal arrests on May 17 at Grouse Camp. “They are alleging that the account has created wrongdoings related to encouraging people to breach the injunction and counsel people to cause harm to Cooper Creek,” says the lawyer for Last Stand West Kootenay, Noah Ross. “It appears they are trying to kind of intimidate people from being involved in this kind of organization.”
See Sep 28, Penticton Herald article for more information.
Social licence and the forest industry: where has it gone?
In the May 28 edition of Truck Logger BC, the TLA (Truck Logger Association) magazine, Ian McNeill recounts that Don Wright, former deputy minister to John Horgan, proclaimed during a recent TLA interview that the forest industry had lost its social licence. Here are some of the reasons he gave:
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Failure by the government and industry to make the case that forestry is essential to BC’s prosperity
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A changing population that lacks roots in the industry
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Incomplete and conflicting data about forest inventory
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Underdeveloped partnerships with First Nations
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Frayed relationships between sector partners, including workers, communities, and contractors
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Highly visible transfer of profits at the corporate level to investments outside the province
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Consolidation within the industry (5 or 6 mega-cartels hold most tenures and have most say)
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The ability of individuals and well-funded environment ENGOs to spread their anti-forestry message. (And they’ve become more social-media savvy; they’re now into “clictivism”)
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Too many stories about forestry ‘no longer paying the bills’ and it being a ‘sunset industry’ have been allowed to circulate unchallenged
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The removal of appurtenancy (the tying of wood for mills to local communities from which that wood was harvested)
Don Wright points the finger of blame at industry, saying that industry was asked to work with key stakeholders, including communities, First Nations, contractors, unions, and the value-added sector “to enhance prosperity going forward”. But—as we can see today—they didn’t take the challenge seriously.
Now the logging industry is faced with the consequences of trying to move forward against an increasing lack of social licence. An interesting quandary, from the truck loggers’ perspective, on how to move forward and win over hearts and minds to the value of the forest industry in its current form. And forest defenders and reformers can learn a great deal of what has been working for the movement, why and what more we can do. See the complete article here.
Thanks to Taryn Skalbania for inspiring this article!
More In the News
Sep 26, The Tyee, BC’s big trees protection is toothless. Government knew it
Sep 19, The Tyee, Climate Fixes: How Local Governments Matter. What local governments can do: protect watersheds, reform forestry.
Sep 14, Capital Daily, Pacheedaht FN and Teal Jones Group sign agreement to determine future of logging together
Sep 5, The Guardian, Large parts of Amazon may never recover, major study says. Lots of parallels with BC’s old growth logging
Sep 2, Rabble, Rainbow Eyes: ‘Being a forest defender is the new rock star’. A conversation, complete with video, with Angela Davidson, a.k.a. Rainbow Eyes.
Aug 30, It’s Going Down, Announcing Creeker Vol. 2/ Creeker Companion Vol. 2: A new e-zine on Fairy Creek
Aug 30, Policy Note, Will Drax’s claim that burning Canadian wood pellets is green go up in smoke? Ben Parfitt details investigations underway on the sustainability of wood pellet production.
Aug 28, Times Colonist, BC Judge slams Save Old Growth for using frontline protesters as sacrificial lambs. A judge who doesn’t believe protesters can think for themselves.
Aug 23, Cowichan Valley Citizen, letters: Stop destroying our great Mother Earth. A moving letter to the editor from Elder Bill Jones.
Greenpeace Appeal and petition, Stop logging in critical caribou habitat in Quebec.
Inspiration!
Did you see this recent put-down of forest defenders, coming from no less than Premier Horgan himself in his speech to the UBCM conference in September?
“Some do-gooder comes in with a Tilley hat and says, ‘You’re all bad people. The government needs to do this, the government needs to do that.”
Will that kind of dismissal slow us down from defending old-growth forests, something the Premier himself promised to do? Nope. We’ll keep pointing out the government’s hypocrisy and the lack of meaningful action to protect all remaining old growth.
See Sep 17, Terrace Standard, Premier tells BC municipal leaders not to expect ‘lolly,’ stresses collaboration.