Community Members Stop Post-Fire Logging Operations in Protest on Hwy. 126

In midst of state-wide controversy around grievous mismanagement of hazard tree removal, community members put their bodies in the way to halt operation. 

MCKENZIE BRIDGE, OR – Monday morning, community members occupied log decks along Highway 126, stopping active post-fire logging operations for an hour. The action comes amidst growing controversy over the Oregon Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) mismanagement of the hazard tree removal. 

For months now, concerns have been mounting about ODOT falsely marking and over-logging healthy, living trees and standing dead trees that pose no public risk along the scenic route and across the state. Recently, during a Senate hearing those fears were confirmed by expert whistleblowers (source link). However, the excessive cutting has not been stopped, despite calls from prominent state Senators. Within the fire boundary along Highway 126, piles of timber including old growth can be seen, directly next to living trees marked with blue paint to be logged. 

Troubled by the scene, four community members entered the site where a helicopter was yarding logs hoping to halt the work, in an act of nonviolent direct action. Two of them got on the already decked logs, while one person put themself in the mouth of the log loader. Waving at the helicopter that was actively moving a log, they attempted to catch the attention of the pilot in order to safely stop the yarding process. The helicopter stopped yarding and hovered, empty, for a period of time. 

At this point, the loggers on the ground were unable to continue work. In response to the work pausing, employees from Mason, Bruce & Girard [MBG] told the community members that their actions caused thousands of dollars in profits lost for the logging corporation. 

As two community members continued to occupy the log decks, two more followed to where the helicopter was then working. Despite this, Joel Zeni from Suulutaaq, Inc allowed the helicopter to continue yarding logs on the occupied worksite.

Clover, a community member, said: 

“By labeling post-fire logging as ‘hazard tree removal,’ ODOT contractors are using the fires from last summer as an excuse to make record profits under the guise of community safety and at the expense of taxpayers. Now is the time for all of us to take a role in protecting what’s left by stopping this irresponsible and destructive logging.”

Jesse, a community member, said: 

“We have nothing against the individual workers doing their jobs; we want ODOT, MBG and Suulutaaq, the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to stop exploiting this disaster by ending all post-fire logging. We urge others to join us.” 

Lane County sheriffs and state patrol were called to the scene. Once work had been stopped for an hour and the demands were made clear, the community members left the site peacefully.

Contact:

Cascadia Forest Defenders, 541-357-6531 cascadiaforestdefenders@protonmail.com

Humboldt forest defense

Our friends down south have been working incredibly hard all year staying vigilant against Humboldt Redwood Company’s plans and hired goons. They recently sprung into action to stop logging on a Sierra Pacific Industries project and could use your support… they’ve fucking earned it.

Throw em a few bones

https://www.gofundme.com/help-support-front-line-forest-defenders

Read more-https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2018/11/18/18819249.php

Get in touch & go “hang out”!

https://www.instagram.com/blockade.babes/

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Climb Camp, April 23-29, 2018

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videos of attack on blockade

Non-Violent Protesters Assaulted While Being Cut from their Blockade by Loggers Sub Contracted by Seneca Jones Timber.

Mckenzie Bridge, OR– Just after dawn on Wednesday (10/25) morning, Cascadia Forest Defenders (CFD), who were occupying and supporting a road blockade preventing access to the Goose timber sale, were woken to the sounds of loggers disassembling their blockade. A line was cut, risking the life of a protester in the trees and the 2 vehicles which were anchoring a platform in a tree with a person on it, were towed away by workers’ trucks. One man physically assaulted two protesters; once with an open-handed swat to the face, and once by grabbing a different protester by the neck and throwing him to the ground. No law enforcement was present.

Four men were present during the dangerous forced disassembly of the blockade and the two assaults. They are thought to be subcontracted by the company Seneca Jones to cut the Goose timber sale, which has been the focal point of a forest defense campaign and tree sit since May. The loggers who did this have so far been identified as follows: Joe Johnson, resident of Evergreen CO drove a white and green truck with California plates (CA 09130D2) to tow the anchor vehicles out of the road. An older man- possibly Sonny Weddle of Kamiah, ID, driving a truck with Idaho plates (3L 13905) assaulted two protesters during the attack on the blockade while two other unnamed workers (one thought to be the owner of the CA truck) looked on.

“This is a very disturbing turn of events, and something that we have not seen before from workers during a non-violent protest on public land,” says Matthew Hawks, a Cascadia Forest Defender for the past decade. “Usually workers will allow law enforcement to do their jobs and extract protesters safely, instead of taking matters into their own hands and extracting them with no regard for their civil rights, civil liberties or safety.” The majority of the incident was videotaped by Cascadia Forest Defenders, footage in which you can clearly see that the workers were told, multiple times, that cutting lines and dismantling the anchor could risk the life of the person in the tree. In the video they acknowledge that they know this fact, and continue to do so anyway.

This incident comes right on the tails of a different assault on a different protester, which happened Monday on an abandoned logging road below the blockade. It involved someone brandishing a gun and threats to the protester’s life. “We have to speak out about these attacks. They are happening in the woods, with few or no witnesses, away from the presence of law enforcement. We want to see some accountability,” says Eric, another member of CFD. He goes onto say, “As an organization we are saddened that this violence has come from workers. We never meant to protest loggers themselves, instead take issue with timber companies such as Seneca Jones profiting off the cut of old growth trees on public land. We want people to know that we support workers going to their jobs and providing for their families. We know it is not them behind this type of environmental destruction.”

Members of CFD and their supporters can’t help but draw parallels to Charlottesville and the increase of bullying and violence towards protesters under the Trump administration. “We stand behind our First Amendment rights, and will continue to non-violently speak out for what we believe is right,” says another member of CFD.

The non-violent protesters sustained minor injuries, they are filing police reports and pressing charges today. Reports will be made to OSHA and the requisite insurance companies.