It’s a new year, according to the dominant calendar, but the battle to expose and stop the greed and corruption that corporate and industrial capitalism imposes on all of earth’s life forms is an old struggle with a long history. On Cortes Island, the Wild Stands Alliance comprises a diverse group of environmentalists facing the looming challenge of Island Timberlands and their plans to commence logging some of the last of earth’s ancient Douglas Fir forest. Richard Andrews talks about the crisis they’re facing on Cortes Island and some of the strategies they’ve tried, with varying degrees of success, in their efforts to curtail the clear cutting monster that the BC Government only encourages. An online summary of the issue is available here, and you can sign up with Island Stance for legal observer training on Saturday, January 14. In the second half, Mark Horvath talks about his projects documenting the voices of homeless people in the USA via his InvisiblePeople.tv website, and some of what he’s learned travelling throughout the USA and Canada. (sound quality improves with listening)
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Winds of Change 
Pingback: Campaign Coverage as 2012 Commences « Wildstands
These are not ancient forest douglas fir trees… The oldest is likely 150yrs old..
Douglas fir often grows upto .75inches a year on cortes island. You can see it in trees that are cut and the old growth firewood the locals are burning.
Wildstands has a subdivision plan for the the Forest zoned properties if they can blackmail Island Timberlands into selling. Treespiking should never be condoned and the persons responsible should be turned in…
Sustainable eco-forestry requires a working forest… Converting the forestry zoned land into subsivisions or parks is not Eco-Forestry.
From the Ancient Forest Alliance – http://www.ancientforestalliance.org
1. URGENT! Cortes Island’s Threatened Forests Need Your Help! Please write to BC’s Minister of Environment Terry Lake below.
Cortes Island, a northern Gulf Island between Vancouver Island and the BC mainland, is home to some of the last 1% of old-growth Douglas-fir groves within the endangered “Dry Maritime” forests along BC’s southern coast. These are some of the most extensive remaining stands and are owned by corporate logging giant Island Timberlands.
See the beautiful NEW PHOTO GALLERY of Cortes Island’s endangered old-growth and mature forests here: http://www.ancientforestalliance.org/photos.php?gID=12
Local residents are staunchly opposed to the planned industrial logging of these ancient and mature forests and other sensitive ecosystems. The protection of these forests will take a willingness of Island Timberlands to sell their lands at a fair market value – not at an overinflated price – and for various levels of government (particularly the provincial government) and other organizations and individuals to provide the funds. For lands not purchased for protection, the company must conduct its forestry operation in line with community eco-forestry values and standards. Ultimately stronger private managed forest land regulations are needed in BC.
Please WRITE A QUICK EMAIL as soon as possible to BC’s Minister of Environment, Hon. Terry Lake at: terry.lake.mla@leg.bc.ca . Ask that the BC government help fund the purchase of endangered old-growth stands, sensitive ecosystems, and other high priority lands for conservation currently owned by Island Timberlands. ***BE SURE to include your FULL NAME and ADDRESS so they know you are a real person!
To keep up-to-date with the local activists campaign to protect Cortes Island’s forests and see photos, videos, and more, visit the Wildstands website! http://wildstands.wordpress.com
Also, please sign and circulate our petition to protect BC’s remaining endangered old-growth forests here: http://www.AncientForestPetition.com
2. Ancient Forest Alliance in the News
Monday Magazine: Ken Wu’s 2012 Environmental Predictions – http://mondaymag.com/articles/entry/2012-predictions-environment-ken-wu
Vancouver Observer: Ancient Forest Alliance confirms vital old growth in threatened Cortes Island woods – http://www.vancouverobserver.com/sustainability/2012/01/14/ancient-forest-alliance-confirms-vital-old-growth-threatened-cortes-island
Sooke News Mirror: Environmental group balances jobs with old-growth protection – http://www.sookenewsmirror.com/news/137029473.html
Sarnia Observer: Mr. Arboretum lives on – http://www.theobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3415802