Comrades from the Cascadia Forest Defenders have released these statements:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 10/19/17
LANE COUNTY OREGON: Logging has begun at the Goose Timber Sale in the Willamette National Forest north of McKenzie Bridge and highway 126. The Cascadia Forest Defenders (CFD) have maintained a tree sit protest inside the Goose Timber Sale since late May and CFD first observed evidence of logging on Tuesday October 17th.
The Forest Defender tree sit was searched and extensively photographed Wednesday October 18th by Lane County Sherriff’s Deputies and Forest Service Officers with a promise to “see you tomorrow”, says one Forest Defender. This is the first contact CFD has had with law enforcement since the tree sit protest began six months ago.
Cascadia Forest Defenders are making a general call to action to all activists and organizers in the Pacific Northwest to help stop the Goose Timber Sale. CFD will maintain a presence inside the Goose Timber Sale that will force Seneca Jones Timber Company and the U.S. Forest Service to abandon logging of public lands.
Logging has begun along forest road 704 near the entrance to the Frissell Trail. CFD asks all participating volunteers, activists, and media to access forest road 705 at the intersection of Highway 126 and McKenzie River Dr. Lane Transit District bus route 91 intersects with forest road 705 at Stop ID: 09086 near mile post 49 on Highway 126.
The Cascadia Forest defenders are committed to ending logging on all Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Services public lands. In the spirit of legendary American naturalist Edward O. Wilson, CFD wishes to keep half of Oregon wild, just as E.O. Wilson believes half of Earth must remain wild to maintain a livable biosphere. The Goose Timber Sale borders the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest and has a high concentration of mountain springs that feed the McKenzie River. The McKenzie River is the primary water source for Eugene/Springfield and a crucial Bull Trout habitat.
“This action is not just about saving ancient forests or the McKenzie River, it’s about preventing human extinction and all the suffering to come,” says veteran activist Shannon Wilson.
For more information visit: forestdefensenow.com
Contact: forestdefensenow@gmail.com or keepgoosewild@protonmail.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10/23/2017
Back to the forest… where we are going, we don’t need roads…
On October 23, Cascadia Forest Defenders erected a road blockade at the entrance to the W Timber Sale. Taking direct action against Seneca Sawmill’s plan to destroy thousands of acres in the McKenzie River watershed, the blockade consists of large slash piles, multiple cars, and a refrigerator – all serving as an anchor for an occupied platform suspended 80 ft up a Douglas fir tree.
“We’re protecting drinking water, biodiversity, a stable climate, and – ultimately – our own survival,” said Scrimshaw Forest, of Cascadia Forest Defenders,“We oppose resource extraction and deforestation.”
Today Forest Defenders effectively halted logging and will continue to save an estimated 50-100 old growth trees each day the blockade remains. Forest Service ranges visited the blockade this morning but no arrests have been made.
The sale is part of the 2000+ acre Goose Project in the Willamette National Forest. Logging began on October 16.
Contact Cascadia Forest Defenders
phone: 541-554-2519
email: keepgoosewild@protonmail.com
