🚀 go-pugleaf

> Path: news.igc.apc.org!cdp!earthfirst
> From: Earth First! <earthfirst@igc.apc.org>
> Newsgroups: ef.general
> Subject: Re: LOCKDOWN AT THE SPHYNX TIMBER SALE
> Message-ID: <APC&1'0'51ca1f01'add@igc.apc.org>
> References: <APC&1'0'51ca1f00'6c2@igc.apc.org>
> Date: Mon, 07 Apr 1997 07:43:29 -0700 (PDT)
> X-Gateway: notes@igc.apc.org
> Lines: 59
> 
> From: Earth First! Journal <earthfirst@igc.apc.org>
> 
> for immediate release:  April 7 @ 7:30 a.m.
> 
> Southern Willamette EF!  <earthfirst@igc.apc.org>
> contact:  Jim Flynn
> (541) 741-9191
> 
> Cascadia Forest Defenders  <mickey@efn.org>
> contact:  Dean
> (541) 343-7305
> 
> LOCKDOWN AT THE SPHYNX TIMBER SALE
> 
> Earth First! and the Cascadia Forest Defenders occupy the Sphynx timber
> sale area and blockade the logging of the ancient forest.  Protestors set
> up camp this morning in the actual timber sale units and put their bodies
> in the path of tree felling. Two women locked their necks to the gate in
> snowy conditions.  Parish Creek Road is cutoff by a snow blockade and FS
> Road 2265 is blockaded by bodies.
> 
> Originally named the "Sphynx" timber sale, now called "Cloudy," "Sunny
> View,"  and "Lynx Ridge," the deforestation plan calls 400 acres of Douglas
> Fir, Noble Fir, Western Hemlock and other coniferous species to be cut
> starting this week.  Known Northern Spotted Owl habitat, the US Forest
> Service is allowing Frank Lumber Co. of Lyons, Oregon, to clearcut some
> areas and leave only 15% of the trees in other areas.  In their own
> wildlife surveys, the Forest Service documents the Sphynx area as being
> habitat for endangered Townsend Big-eared Bats, Bald Eagles, Harlequin
> Ducks, White-footed Voles, Red-legged Frogs, Bull Trout and numerous
> sensitive plants and invertebrates.
> 
> In clearcut double-speak, the Forest Service has labeled the harvesting
> methods as "Regeneration Harvest," "Partial Cut Harvest," Shelterwood
> Harvest," "Overstory Removal Harvest'" and "Salvage Harvest." All these
> "harvesting" methods result in the removal of all the trees over a short
> period of time.  No ancient forest will be left in this area if this timber
> sale is completed, and Spotted Owls and other species have been proven to
> be ancient forest dependent.  This sale is plainly just an extinction plan
> for the owls and the other inhabitants of the rare ancient forest.
> 
> The Sphynx timber sale plan was protested by the Salem City Council because
> it will further degrade the quality of Salem's drinking water.  After two
> long spells of water rationing last year due to siltation from previous
> logging, the citizens and officials of Salem have asked the Forest Service
> to stop destroying their water supply.  The Forest Service has ignored all
> appeals to stop this project.
> 
> In response to the Forest Service's disregard to the citizen's demands,
> people from Portland, Salem, Eugene, Bend and also Washington and
> California are on hand to stop the cutting of the ancient trees by putting
> their bodies between the saws and the trees.  A base camp has been set up
> in the area since March 29 and was moved into the path of logging today.
> As of 6:30 a.m., the logging crews were locked out.
> 
> Interviews, news releases, photos and video will be available to the press
> as the action unfolds.

-- 
It was the year...

  of fire                of rebirth            of a new age
  of destruction         of great sadness      of the end of history
  we took back           of pain               everything changed
    what was ours        of joy
                                            (J. Michael Straczynki)