Into Eden…
Wow. Eden Grove, Pacheedaht territory, Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island. How can a place so inarguably sublime be so critically in danger? Still? How? I’m baffled. Old-growth forests, the best technology for climate protection we know of and down to their final few stands globally… how is this still a fight?
I finally made it out to have a look today. Very grateful for Rainforest Flying Squad, Fairy Creek Blockade, and all others standing up to protect this imperiled treasure for the rest of us. Thank you.
If you’ve found this particular issue fall off your radar amid the craziness of the last year or 2/3/4/…10, check back in. Maybe it’s been a while since I’ve walked under the canopy, but it’s definitely been too long since I let the gravity of this issue sink in. I knew things weren’t looking good for the tiny percentage of old-growth forest remaining on Vancouver Island (and BC, Canada, the planet…). Somehow though, my various news feeds hadn’t allowed the true weight of the situation sink past the countless other horrifying scenes being broadcast nonstop these last 18 months… When the BC NDP promised late last year to shape up and “fully implement” practical recommendations for sustainable and profitable forestry, I remember that one registering. “Aha, great! Finally! They’ll think about the vast implications of a fleeting cash grab on the ecological, cultural, recreational, spiritual, historical, […], legacy of our planet. They’ll make policy, and the infinitesimal amount of ancient forest left standing on BC’s coast will continue to, makes perfect sense! How did this take so long?!?!” … When that happened, it made it across my news feed and registered… A few months later, I realize we’d been hoodwinked. A lot of people had.
It’s really disgusting. How is this the situation? Lumber, it grows on trees… Yes, it’s worth a lot at the moment, but seriously. Get it from somewhere else. I understand that people need to work, that times are tough, all that registers. But ravaging what’s left really seems a self-defeating, short-sighted, and boneheaded solution.
PS — what additionally disturbs me is that it took a viral video of contention, hate, poorly-aimed rage, and physical violence on an indigenous activist peacefully protecting an endangered site for this issue to finally break into my my Facebook and Google news feeds, enter my muddled sphere of attention, and prompt me to get out into the rainforest. That’s gross. Hate is all that registers these days, and it isn’t a good sign. I’m sure my browsing/liking/other-data-generating habits are at least partly to blame… But still, it bothers me. If you are on the island and can relate at all, go out and visit Eden, see the giants and thank the heroes out there standing tall for them. If you’re on the mainland, stay put because only essential travel right now…. (but, this actually seems pretty essential…). And wherever you are: think about what’s at stake, rant about it, and do whatever else you possibly can. This is important!
https://www.ancientforestalliance.org/take-action/