As summer is fast approaching, we (Elders for Ancient Trees, Stand.earth, Sierra Club BC, Wilderness Committee) ask for your continued support to keep the pressure on the BC NDP Government to follow through on its promises and work with First Nations to protect old-growth forests and implement a paradigm-shift in forest stewardship. It’s critical to continue building on the momentum created by the “United We Stand” Declaration and the February 25th Mega-Rally at the Legislature.
As you are probably aware, mid-September marks the 3rd anniversary of the Old Growth Strategic Review (OGSR) report, which set a clear three year timeline to advance its 14 recommendations. None of these recommendations have been completed. We have to seize this anniversary to ramp up public pressure and continue to hold the provincial government to its promises.
We are calling for a distributed day of creative public actions across BC on Thursday, September 14. We particularly hope to see locally-organized public demonstrations in front of MLA offices in ridings around BC. We also welcome and encourage all local initiatives from across the province with a view to generating widespread participation and media coverage.
We encourage all signatory organizations and supportive individuals to focus your energies on particular constituencies/MLAs where you have an active base of supporters. Where this is the case we may be able to help you connect with other United We Stand supporters. For our part, we will offer a tool-kit for organizers, broad messaging support and social media amplification in the weeks leading to the September anniversary and the day of action itself. Here is a draft of suggested public messaging. You may have specific local concerns that you want to highlight, and we encourage you and your organizations to take initiatives appropriate to your local circumstances and resources.
Our organizations will bottom-line several actions, and we’re hoping to add more events that you will commit to organizing to build a solid list of demonstrations before we issue a public call-out in a few more weeks.
The forests need your powerful local organizing savvy and creativity to pull this off. Please connect with folks in your area and start some early ‘conceiving’ before the holidays take over. Particularly, let us know if there are specific MLAs/ridings you wish to target.
Please let us know if you are willing/interested in organizing (or helping to organize) an event as part of the September 14th Day of Action. Send your response—and any questions you may have—to unitedforoldgrowth@
We will be back in touch with supporting materials and updates on organizing efforts.
Yours in Unity with Old Growth Forests,
United for Old Growth
Sierra Club BC
Wilderness Committee
Stand.earth
Elders for Ancient Trees