About Me
THE FERNGULLY TREE-SIT: One of the last sits in Northern California.
We are a small, yet highly effective, affinity group of dedicated, radical and passionately non-violent individuals working to protect a small grove of ancient Redwood, Sitka Spruce and Douglas Fur trees in Northern California. The section of forest that we are defending, THP (Timber Harvest Plan) #01-446, is a three-acre grove of trees above the impaired Freshwater Creek and watershed. The THP contains some of the last remnants of a once sprawling and mighty forest that has been almost entirely wiped off the planet (with only a shocking 2 percent left). When our THP was first activated, almost 4 years ago, activists quickly sprang into action and erected a tree-village high in the tree's canopy. The tree-sit soon became known as, Ferngully, in relation to the early 90's children's film and to the many lush ferns that blanket the forest floor. Ferngully sits on an extremely steep slope and is directly above an elementary school (Ferngully's sitters often hear the sounds of playing children in the valley below). Pacific Lumber (the local logging company) has plans to cut down most of the old growth trees that hold that unstable slope together. Cutting these trees would pose a very dangerous threat to the residents and children that live underneath the THP.
Tree-sitting is the practice of literally nesting hundreds of feet up in a endangered tree to keep it from being cut down. Activists occupy the trees day and night, seven days a week, 12 months a year, rain or shine. They experience both the hardships of gale force windstorms, frigid temperatures and heavy rain but they also enjoy the beauty and the peace that only an ancient forest could provide. They do this in a concerned effort to thwart the logging companies plans to turn this priceless and rare ecosystem into just another clear cut. Activists not only occupy the trees but also employ an elaborate and well planned out system of non-violent defenses that further aid in the protection of the trees. Trees within the vicinity of the THP are "tied into each other" by connecting long traverse lines from tree to tree. This not only disables the loggers from cutting the trees (unless the lines are removed) but it also allows activists to move from tree to tree without touching the ground! A connected network of multiple trees create a tree-village that can be occupied by multiple activists at once and effectively protect whole acres of trees from destructive logging.
Ferngully is absolutely NOT opposed to logging. We understand that logging is an industry that helps put food on the tables of many hard-working American families. We are, however, adamantly opposed to destructive and unsustainable logging practices that not only destroy the planet but destroy future jobs for loggers. We have four main points of sustainable logging which we are working towards. If these points are ALL met, all opposition to the logging company will cease:
1. No logging on steep slopes
2. No cutting of old-growth trees
3. No clear cutting
4. No usage of herbicides
Ferngully is whole-heartedly non-violent. All hopeful recruitments to this village will first need to pass through a series of rigorous trainings in, both, non-violence and climbing safety. The practice of non-violence does not only include the refrainment from the obvious, physical forms of violence but also its less tangible forms. In that regard, we do not look down on or judge anyone... this includes loggers. We do not view any one person as our enemy and understand that we are merely struggling against the ideals of greed and oppression, which are destroying the planet. We wholly stand against the actions of environmental groups
who choose to use destructive and violent actions in their form of resistance. We also have strictly banned such radical practices as; Tree-spiking, cat and mousing, equipment sabotage and any other form of property destruction.
We believe that by fearlessly and lovingly putting our hearts and souls into what we believe in, we can achieve any goal no matter how hard it might seem.
We would like to extend an invitation to anyone out there ,who would like to get involved in the movement, to contact us. If you are a sane, competent, peaceable, humble, compassionate, dedicated person who has a desire to resist environmental oppression then you can be of use, not only to Ferngully, but to the entire forest defense movement here in Humboldt county.
We are also in need of financial support, so any donations would be much appreciated. We are a legitimate , non-profit organization with our own bank account so checks can be made out to "Ferngully" and sent to our P.O box in Arcata, California. Just send us a message if you would like to give some support.
Check back often, as this website is a work in progress and will have frequent blogs and photos added. In the mean time, check out these great sites.
(www.ferngully.org)
(http://humboldtforestdefense.blogspot.com)
(www.spoonerdirect.org)
(http://saveancientforests.blogspot.com/)
(http://www.wesavetrees.org/)
(http://groups.myspace.com/treesit)
