Tree Sitters Protest British Columbia Wilderness Logging
11/4/99
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Title: Tree Sitters Protest B.COLUMBIA Wilderness Logging
Source: Environment News Service, http://www.ens.lycos.com/
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: November 4, 1999
SQUAMISH, British Columbia, Canada, November 4, 1999 (ENS) - A man
and woman from the environmental group Friends of the Elaho are tree
sitting to protest road building by International Forest Products
(Interfor) in the Stoltmann Wilderness, an area the Canadian
Parliament is considering as a national park.
The protesters have occupied platforms hung about 75 meters above the
ground in the Elaho Valley, located about 200 kilometers (120 miles)
north of Vancouver, near the international ski destination of
Whistler.
The area, which is now contained in a timber-cutting license owned by
Interfor, has been the object of fierce anti-logging protests,
blockades, and vandalism all summer. These tree sitters are the
second group to protest logging since the September 15 attack on
logging protesters and forest conservation researchers by loggers in
trucks belonging to Interfor. The assault sent eight people to the
hospital. Three of the injured protesters are now suing Interfor.
Interfor president Duncan Davies called for a "cooling-off" period
following the conflict. "The numerous incidents of vandalism by
blockaders and by frustrated workers on September 15 should be
condemned," said Davies. "Our bottom line is that we must have faith
in democracy to settle our differences and our actions must always
respect the law. That applies to everyone -- blockaders and workers."
As a sign of good faith, Interfor decided to suspend logging in a 25-
acre area in the Elaho Valley at Lava Creek that has a concentration
of about 60 very old Douglas firs. The company has requested forest
ecologists from the University of British Columbia to study the trees
to determine their age, distribution, and condition.
The Stoltmann Wilderness is a refuge for old growth dependent species
like the long-eared bat and the Pacific yew tree. The Douglas firs in
this valley are the oldest in North America, some over 1,300 years
old, protesters contend. A bill is currently before parliament to
designate the wilderness area as a national park.
The Friends of the Elaho vow to continue their protest. The group is
seeking a moratorium on logging and road building in the Elaho Valley
until First Nations claims are settled and the national park proposal
has gone through parliament.