As we look back on our 2021 summer residency, three things have converged that have inspired us to come together on behalf of all life:
- The IPCC released its latest assessment on the state of global climate change. The need for a coordinated effort to restore and regenerate living systems has never been more clear.
- Dr. Suzanne Simard, forest ecologist, author, and environmental communicator extraordinaire delivered the 17 th annual Bateman Lecture. Her inspirational talk about the intelligence of the forest and the importance of protecting old-growth was given in dedication to Fairy Creek.
- The Indigenous land defenders at Fairy Creek marked the one-year anniversary of their blockades to protect the old-growth forest in the Fairy Creek watershed in the Pacheedaht Territory on Vancouver Island.
The Fairy Creek watershed may be small but stands as a symbol to the world that protecting our old-growth forest matters and that the people can have the power to turn things around. A committed group of land defenders have set up blockades to defend the old-growth forest at Fairy Creek.
We thank you for your contribution and hope it will serve as a lasting legacy of the combined efforts of a generation of environmental educators and communicators.
To paraphrase Dr. Simard:
This is not just about how we can save the trees.
This is about how the trees might save us.
Help us reach $1M for our legal frontlines!
Welcome to the official fundraising site of the Fairy Creek Blockades at Ada’itsx.
Help us reach our goal by donating and sharing widely! Every little bit helps - THANK YOU.
ABOUT OUR MOVEMENT
We're honoured to do this work on the unceded territory of the Pacheedaht and Ditidaht First Nations. We're here at the invitation of Pacheedaht Elder Bill Jones, whose unifying leadership, traditional knowledge, life experience and courage are at the heart of our movement.
We recognize and acknowledge the incredible work done by Indigenous youth, women and Matriarchs on the land, gathered from all nations to help support Elder Bill Jones.
We thank all those brave folx who have come to the front lines, to the forest, to stand together with Elder Bill to protect the land and trees. Without the people on the ground at camp the government would continue to #talkandlog until the last of these forests were gone.
We also thank the tens of thousands of supporters who continue to donate time and money - making phone calls, sharing posts, talking to friends and family about the importance of this issue, sending gear and writing letters to decision makers and news outlets. You are ALL needed to bring about the paradigm shift required to turn this climate crisis train wreck around.
Klecko Klecko!
ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE IMPLICATIONS
“Old-growth rainforests consist of 1,300 tonnes of carbon per hectare, compared with 1,100 tonnes in tropical rainforests, and 70 percent of that carbon is lost into the atmosphere when the forest is clear cut. Deforestation accounts for 20 percent of our carbon emissions” (Dr. Suzanne Simard, tree-scientist and best selling author).
“Old growth forests anchor ecosystems that are critical to the wellbeing of many species of plants and animals, including people, now and in the future. The conditions that exist in many of these forests and ecosystems are also simply non-renewable” ( Old Growth Panel Strategic Review , April 2020). Photo credit: Colin Smith (@colinsmithtakespics on Instagram)
In August 2021 the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) announced a “Protect Our Elder Trees Declaration”, calling for a deferral of old-growth logging and demanding First Nation engagement in any logging issue.
More than nine-in-ten British Columbians (92%) support taking action to defend endangered old-growth forests in BC. (SIerra Club B.C., 2021)
We are a volunteer driven, grass-roots collective of committed citizens standing UP to corporate greed, unjust laws, and colonial systems of oppression .
It is our collective responsibility to leave old growth forests and ancient ecosystems standing. There is no time to wait; the crisis is now and so is the solution - US!
We can only keep going with the support of people like YOU !
National Day of Truth and Reconciliation Sept 30,2021 at
Ada’itsx (Fairy Creek) Posted @fairycreekblockade (Photo credit @ruz.rose)
THE JOB IS NOT DONE
The BC NDP government has failed to take swift action and protect threatened old-growth forests across the province. Premier John Horgan promised permanent protection of old-growth forests, but provided no money or alternative resource plans - which has put First Nations in an impossible position.
The research is clear: Moving slowly is no longer an option if we hope to have any ancient forests left for the future. We must keep the pressure up on the B.C. government to provide adequate funding for Indigenous Nations and forestry workers to move to sustainable forestry practices.
WITH YOUR HELP, WE'RE WAGING THIS FIGHT ON TWO FRONTS: IN THE WOODS AND ON THE #LEGALFRONTLINES
We're currently focused on an exciting, precedent-setting case in the BC Supreme Court. On February 23, 2022, Justice Douglas W. Thompson handed down his decision to allow an Abuse of Process Application to move forward to a full hearing.
The Application is being advanced by lawyers representing Fairy Creek land defenders who feel that police misconduct was to such an extent that those who were charged with contempt should not be prosecuted .
RCMP have been accused of widespread and systemic misconduct, which will be reviewed in detail now that the hearing will move forward. The full hearing is yet to be scheduled and is likely to take place in late 2022. We hope to have over 100 people join the Application so that we can make a precedent-setting court case overturning all those who experienced abuse.
We need to give this our best shot - for the sake of the movement, to send a message to the RCMP that they are not above the law, to to avoid any future abuses this summer, and to set a precedent for how injunctions are enforced across Canada. This could help our comrades in Wet’suwet’en territories too.
Your support will help us make it happen!
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By donating today your funds will directly support:
- Legal funding for Indigenous land defenders and forest protector allies who were arrested on the frontlines of this campaign.
- Up to 40% of funds raised go to general expenses for things like satellite communications, food, camping gear, and fuel for transportation and cooking as well as for personal support for indigenous land defenders, BIPOC and activist protectors. We are also hoping to establish a legacy fund for future community initiatives.
Please help us reach our goal of $1M. Every donation helps!
Klecko Klecko!
GET INVOLVED AND JOIN OUR MOVEMENT
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Photo credit: @arvinoutside
