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Wed

26

Oct

2011

Watching an Island Disappear in Real Time
written by Zoe Blunt
 
New Website Tracks Vancouver Island Clearcuts in Real Time
by Zoe Blunt
A top concern of local residents who responded to our opinion survey was clearcut logging. This week, we started tracking clearcuts and raw log exports from southern Vancouver Island in real time.
 
San Juan Valley, Port Renfrew, July 2010. Shayn McAskin
 
Please send your reports of logging trucks on the highways and intel about who's doing what, where. Which forests are getting nuked by logging companies right now? Who's getting the timber after the trees are cut and hauled away? As a community, how should we stand up for the land and for the elk, deer, mink, eagles, and owls who need forests to survive?

Answers to some of these questions are posted at http://clearcuts.blogspot.com. Please add your own thoughts and observations.

- Five foreign cargo ships are loading raw logs at Vancouver Island ports this week. View maps, locations, photos, and details about the vessels.

- Queesto, the new logging partnership with Canadian Overseas Group and the Pacheedaht band council, has started logging in second growth forest across the highway from China Beach campground. View maps of the logging area and the new Tree Farm License west of Jordan River.
 
Hi folks; the last six months were brilliant. Thank you! The Juan de Fuca resort proposal is gone, and it looks like our legal bills will be covered. The grant from West Coast Environmental Law was $3825. The victory party benefit earlier this month raised $528. Other donor contributions came to over $1000. Beating an unethical developer -- priceless.
We have a bit of seed money left over and two new projects on the go.

One bonus from the controversy over the Juan de Fuca resort proposal was getting to know  Pacheedaht environmentalists. They've found a community that welcomes their input and values their participation. We've benefited from their knowledge and insight.

These members have big differences of opinions with the band council. Logging and development are just the most recent issues to divide the band. The situation on the reserve has been unsustainable for years. Resource extraction has not brought jobs or income to most of the people.

Elderly band members say they get little support from the band. They don't get home repairs, community living visits, or firewood deliveries. Their tap water is undrinkable and they must buy and haul all their water in 5-gallon bottles. They're looking to start an Elders and Helpers circle and we're giving all the help we can.

More info about the situation in the Pacheedaht First Nation is here: http://wildcoast.ca/pacheedaht

To get involved with these projects, or to help out in any other way, please get in touch.

Thank you!

Zoe
--
PS - Alanda Carver is a yoga teacher and president of the Muir Creek Protection Society. She's running against Mike Hicks for Juan de Fuca director in the November 19 election. Help her out! http://alandacarver.com
--
Contact us:
Zoe@wildcoast.ca
www.WildCoast.ca
250-813-3569 anytime  
 

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