The Bureau of Land Management proposes to clear about 400 acres in the Fall Creek Project planning area. The tree-sits, which are part of the Oregon First Ancient Forest Defending Tree Village, were deployed as part of the campaign. The spotted owl and ancient trees are fighting back against this plan of corporate corruption, and the BLM has ignored all formal protests in the process.
The campaign began over a decade ago, when environmental activists attempted to occupy Sugarloaf Mountain, Oregon. The timber-farming company, Maxxam, had been fighting against the protesters for over a decade. The “Rider from Hell” law (a provision of the 1994 Crime Bill) mandated logging thousands of acres of old-growth forests. The United States Forest Service declared an exclusion zone of 30 square miles in southern Washington and Oregon, and arrested anyone who attempted to enter the zone. More than one hundred federal agents were involved in the arrests, and the protesters were thrown into jail.
The first ancient forest defending tree village in the Pacific Northwest was established at the Cape Perpetua site in 2008. The location contains the only intact ancient forest watershed on the Oregon coast. It is home to sitka spruce trees, ferns, and moss. Its rich soil receives a good amount of rain in the long winter months. The community also has several protected areas in the Siuslaw National Forest.
The Oregon First Ancient Forest Defending Tree Village of Cascadia was established in 2009. This is the first of its kind in Oregon, and is the only ancient forest defending tree village in the country. The project is a joint effort between the Department of Environment and Conservation, the University of Southern Oregon, and the University of Portland. The mission is to protect the trees and protect the owls.
The Oregon First Ancient Forest Defending Tree Village of Cascadia is an annual event that brings together local and national activists to protect the state’s forests. The group’s goal is to save the ancient forest, which is vital to the recovery of owls. However, the current situation of the Oregon forests is not stable enough to support a successful occupation.
Until recent years, the Oregon First Ancient Forest Defending Tree Village has been one of the most active and successful Oregon forest defenders. The event has become an annual tradition in Oregon. In June 2009, the village was organized by Earth’s First!, and the project was a successful result. The community has protected the region’s forests for over 50 years.