Support Cascadia Forest Defenders as They Defend an Oregon Forest from Logging

by Cascadia Forest Defenders / Earth First! Newswire

The famously clear, cold waters of the McKenzie River watershed (home to several endangered salmon and trout runs, and drinking water for Eugene) will be affected by the proposed logging of approximately 2,500 acres of the Willamette National Forest of Oregon. We’re fighting a sale called the Goose project which has been in the works for 8 years. Environmental lawsuits have bought us time, and Cascadia Forest Defenders continues to wield a diversity of tactics, legal and direct action. The campaign has been active in the woods since May and we will continue to do everything we can to save this beautiful ecosystem.



In May 2017 Cascadia Forest Defenders put up two platforms 110 feet up in Douglas fir trees—named Libre and The Witness—on the site of a proposed helicopter logging pad. We’ve been tying in trees up in the canopy to prevent logging since felling them could harm loggers, sitters, and other trees. We are gathering data on the ground about springs, preparing to escalate, and pursuing potential legal delays related to sensitive and endangered species that would be affected. We’ve had over sixty visitors out to the forest and trained over a dozen of them how to climb safely.

The sales are already sold to Seneca Sawmill and contractors have been resurfacing the old logging roads in the area to prepare for logging beginning as soon as November.

The Forest Service (FS) claims that this sale, which will aggressively log 2,452 acres total and includes a good amount of Doug fir forest older than 80 years, will enhance forest health but makes a poor case and contradicts recommendations for conservation by the Northwest Forest Plan and other government documents. The FS claims that logging will help this forest develop into old growth. But in moist areas, mature forests need time to develop into old growth, not logging. The FS also fails to adequately address the effects of this timber sale on endangered species, water quality, carbon emissions, economics, and social factors.



This is neither the largest nor the most egregious timber sale going on, not even in the local region, but it is emblematic of business as usual. We chose this sale because it has already been through a lawsuit and is easily accessed by public transportation.

We’ve hosted a public hike, held two benefit shows, tabled weekly at the market, picked mushrooms, done four radio shows and one print interview, found a cast iron pan and a metal wood stove and other useful miscellania at our local dump, dumpstered food, and climbed trees. We’ve seen a cougar and several owls and heard spotted owl calls in the night, and seen all kinds of other forest critters like salamanders, voles, chipmunks, and deer, too, of course.

We need more people who are willing to stay out in the forest as the weather turns and our tactics escalate. Tactical advice from experienced activists would be appreciated. We need some pieces of gear—tarps, wall tents, cold weather sleeping bags. Of course $ helps, and so does media coverage.

As of today, we’ve had a continuous woods presence for 135 days!

Deforestation is a climate issue, a water issue, a biodiversity issue, an ecosystem integrity issue, an issue of human and planetary survival. We cannot afford to cut any more intact forest ecosystems anywhere, and in Cascadia it is a constant battle. Forest defense is a hella fun way to stick it to the man, and build relationships with the earth and each other.

Contact Cascadia Forest Defenders to get involved, or donate to support their campaign.