🚀 go-pugleaf

        CAMPAIGN TO SAVE THE CLAYOQUOT RAINFOREST FROM LOGGING
       (AREA AROUND TOFINO - W.Central COAST - VANC. ISLD., BC)

WHY GET INVOLVED ?
I've been finding that more people would readily participate (& climb out
of the apathy hole) when they realize some of the facts regarding this issue.
The BC government is spending $6 mill. of taxpayers money on a publicity
campaign to convince the public (internationally) that all is well w/ BC
logging.  The two large companies, Mac.Blo. & Inter.For. could easily afford 
this on their own.  The propaganda that the government just mailed out on 
their Clayoquot Decision (you may of seen it) is loaded w/ 1/2 truths, & 
false claims. For example, while they claim 33% of the LAND AREA is saved 
they don't mention that much of this AREA is bog, NOT OLD GROWTH FOREST (see 
the Clayoquot Sound Info. Sheet by the Sierra Club of Western Canada -  I
could mail or fax you a copy - an excellent guide to decipher the propaganda 
paper).  As this info. sheet illustrates, the Clayoquot situation is even more
alarming when put in context with the rest of Vanc. Isl. -ONLY 35% OF OLD 
GROWTH LEFT, ONLY 3.4% (of the total island) is PROTECTED.  Out of about 90 
watersheds on Vancouver Island, the Clayoquot Sound area consists of 6 of the 
last 9 that are still pristine.  No complete study has been done that deter-
mines how much area is required to actually preserve the old growth ecosystem.
However, the Clayoquot area under dispute is deemed to be one of the few areas
(the only one on Vanc. Isl.) large enough to fully preserve the ecosystem of 
the temperate old growth rainforest.  Half of the trees logged since 1914 were
cut within the last 14 years.*  What is left of Vanc. Isl. old growth 
will disappear w/in the next 10 yrs. if B.C.'s atrocious logging practices are
not brought under control now!  
(**Sources:  Sierra Club of Western Canada Mapping Project,
           * Canada's Future Forest Aliance, Brazil of the North (newsprint))

THE INDUSTRY'S "STRONGEST" ARGUMENT - JOBS:
Both the government and the corporations have the general public believing
that jobs and the environment are contradictory when in reality (esp. in the
longterm) jobs depend on the environment.  The argument of job loss due to
environmental protection is a scam.  These large mutinational corporations 
easily cost BC  nearly 2 orders of magnitude more jobs than saving 
Clayoquot Sound would.  In fact the BC logging industry generates the fewest 
jobs per cut in the developed world.  Here are some statistics from a 15pg. 
booklet by the Pulp, Paper & Woodworkers of Canada (PPWC) (i.e. the unions).
The U.S. forest industry overall generates 3.4 times as many jobs /cubic m of 
timber logged than in BC. That's not to say that the US has a fantastic 
record, however, this difference equates to 66,000 jobs!  The BC industry 
exports at least 2500-4000 jobs by sending timber overseas to be processed 
(this number is based on BC's incredibly low 1 job/1000 cubic m of cut); 
then they buy it back!

Value Adding:
"B.C. timber managers do less w/ more (both wood quality and wood volume) than
any other part of Canada or any developoed timber management country around 
the world" (Hammond, Seeing the Forest Amoung the Trees, quoted in the PPWC 
policy report).  Even some of the largest trees (good quality wood) are 
chipped and pulped.  A significant amount of useable wood is left on the ground
and burned.

Anyway there's much more information in this report (mostly on jobs that could
be created through better forest management w/ much less waste).  To obtain a
copy contact the PPWC at:  
      National Office
      201-1184 W. 6th Ave.
      Vancouver, BC V6H 1A4      PH:  (604)731-1909, Fax 731-6448
OTHER important ENVIRONMENT DEPENDENT INDUSTRIES are FISHING (incl. shellfish),
TOURISM, and RESEARCH (particularly marine biologist Jim Darling's proposed UN
Clayoquot Biosphere Project).  Of course there are plenty of environmental 
reasons why Clayoquot Snd. should be set aside (some of these covered in the 
Sierra Club's Clayoquot Info. Sheet), but I'll spare you on this for now 
(they're more obvious I think).  Many people are apathetic because they think
the economy needs the jobs.  In general old-growth logging can be reduced & 
the number of forest industry jobs increased with sustainable logging, more 
value-added industry and incentives to not waste wood.

.....

THE PLAN:   (What You Can Do - More Details can be mailed or faxed)

  1.  Urge people to attend rallies and peaceful protests against logging
Clayoquot.  On July 1, Canada Day, rallies and protests were held throughout
Canada, the U.S. and at Canadian embassies in over 20 countries.

 2.  The WCWC began building a witness trail (April'93'). (about 30 km)
into the disputed area (just as was done w/ the Stein and Carmanah).
Volunteers are needed to help build the trail.  At least 1 week is required on
the trail.  Donations in the form of money or supplies are also needed and may
be sent to WCWC (see address & phone number below).

 3. BLOCKADE:  Hundreds of Canadians and citizens from other countries have
made a commitment to come to Clayoquot Sound this summer and peacefully 
oppose the logging.  If you can`t be there in person you can still help by 
donating equipment and funds.  Blockaders need camping equipment, VHF radios,
boats and non-perishable food.  Donations are tax deductable.  Contact The 
Friends of Clayoquot Sound (see below).

  4. SPREAD THE WORD.  I am distributing info. posters, fliers, and mailing
information to anyone interested.  A package I'm distributing contains a copy 
of a Democratic Networking Call to Action. This one pg. gives some facts to 
include in a hand written letter to Premier Harcourt.  The idea is to deluge 
him w/ letters. I will also include a few pages of additional very useful info.
Contact me if you want this or other information.
     ** WRITE LETTERS:  If your letter covers a number of related topics, 
perhaps you could break it into separate letters (hand written is most 
effective).  Send aadditional copies to other politicians listed below, such
as Charest.

  5.  OFFICIAL FEDERAL PETITION (Non Canadians see #7** below).  Obtain a copy 
of the official petition from the WCWC (can be faxed), and distribute copies 
to your recruits.  Ask people you meet throughout your day (on the street or 
anywhere) to sign.  About 90% will sign, esp. with some explanation of the 
situation.

  6.  AVOID BAD PUBLICITY (Spiking, Property Damage, etc.)
Often the press loves to sensationalize any physical confrontation to portray 
the "radical emotionally unstable environmentalist-terrorist" image.  This is 
very effective at ALIENATING the GENERAL PUBLIC.  An ACTIVE public concern, 
not alienation, is essential to this campaign's success. Currently, much of 
the press coverage is negative.  A recently well publicized example, occurred 
at the parliament building in Victoria just prior to the announcement on 
Clayoquot.  The WCWC was staging a demonstration.  Some outsiders instigated 
the storming of the parliament building during which a window or 2 was broken 
and a security guard injured.  The government used this incident & the press 
to help justify their decision.  The general public does not want to be asso-
ciated w/ a bunch of "extremist crazed environmental types."  Most of the 
press failed to give the full story and to mention that the WCWC immediately 
offered to pay for damages.

  7.  FOREIGN SUPPORT (BOYCOTTS):  Pass a copy of this call to action to all 
your friends, especially your contacts in Europe (esp. UK, & Germany), Japan, 
and the U.S. (esp. Calif.).  These countries are some of the primary customers
of BC wood & paper products and can help greatly by boycotting wood 
and paper products from BC &/or Canada. Citizens of foreign countries can write
their politicians and corporations urging them to boycott.  On the PERSONAL 
LEVEL, boycott products from MacMillan Bloedel (Mac.Blo.) and International
Forest Products (Inter.For.) & possibly businesses that sell or use these 
products.  Informing the business (distributor) that you are doing so may help
them decide to impose their own boycott in order to reclaim their customers.
      ** POST CARD CAMPAIGN: (An Alternative to the Petition for Non Canadians)
Organized by Greenpeace & The Friends of Clayoquot Sound, a postcard is being
distributed in a dozen countries by environmental groups.  The card contains a
simple message directed at MacBlo CEO Bob Findlay.  In 12 languages it states,
"I will not buy wood or paper from Clayoquot Sound."  Some participating
organizations include:  GREENPEACE in Australia, Austria (& GLOBAL 2000),
Finland, Germany (& BUND), Italy, Netherlands, USA; FRANCE NATIONAL ENVIR. 
in France; JATAN in Japan, THE WOMEN'S ENVIRO. NTWRK. in the UK., & the
RAINFOREST ACTION NTWRK. in the US (LA,CA).  Other participating countries are:
Belgium, Brazil, Costa Rica, Malaysia, Scotland, and Sweden.


I've never taken an active role in any sort of protest before, but I find this
case is exceptional and an EMERGENCY. The Clayoquot rainforests can be saved
if enough people get involved.

                Thanks for your time and concern,
                                                   - Rob
-----------------
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

The Friends of Clayoquot Sound
     Box 489, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0
     (604)725-4218, Fax (604)725-2527

Clayoquot Biosphere Project
     Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0
     (604)725-2001, Fax 725-2433

Vancouver Temperate Rainforest Action Coalition  (604)251-3190

Greenpeace
     1726 Commercial Drive, Vanc. BC V5N 4A3
     (604)253-7701, Fax (604)253-0114
     computer bulletin board 430-8080

Western Canada Wilderness Committee
     20 Water Street, Vanc. BC  V6B 1A4
     (604)683-8220, Fax (604)683-8229

Sierra Club of Western Canada
     314-620 View Street, Victoria, BC
     (604)386-5255  Fax (604) 386-4453


-----------------
WRITE CALL OR FAX:
BC politicians who made the decision to log Clayoquot Sound
  -c/o The Parliament Buildings, Victoria, BC V8V 1X4
  (tell them how they're losing your vote on this one)

Premier Mike Harcourt:  (604)387-1715,  Fax 387-0087

Hon. Dan Miller,  Minister of Forests:  (604)387-6240, Fax 387-1040

Hon. John Cashore, Minister of Environment, Lands & Parks
     (604)387-1187, Fax 387-1356

Hon. Darlene Marzari, Minister of Tourism, (604)387-1683, Fax 387-4348

Hon Glen Clark, Minister of Finance & Corporate Relations
     (604)387-3751, Fax 387-5594

Hon. Colin Gabelmann,   Attorney General:  (604)387-1866, Fax 387-6411

----------
** Federal politicians who could designate Clayoquot Sound as a Tribal Park
WRITE CALL OR FAX:
    - House of Commons, Ottawa, Ont.  K1A 0A6

Hon. Jean Charest, Minister of the Environment:  (613)997-1441, Fax 995-0364

Hon. Frank Oberle, Minister of Forests:  (613)997-1694, Fax (613)4446

---------------------------

Express your views in your local newspaper, and radio.

Pass on effective ideas.