May 11, 2010
On a cold December morning, the Klamath Justice Coalition blockaded logging operations that were causing ongoing damage to Karuk sacred sites. The Orleans Community Fuels Reduction plan, or OCFR, had included an agreement between the Forest Service and the Karuk Tribe to protect the sites, but the Forest Service failed to communicate that to their logging contractors. The contractors were cutting oaks that were supposed to be left, and cutting towering old conifers outside of the approved logging areas. This is just one of a series of incidents in which Forest Service activities have led to the bulldozing of Karuk ceremonial and cultural sites.
In February, I was invited to the Klamath Justice Coalition's action camp on the Klamath River near the small town of Orleans. Just about all I knew of the Coalition came from this snippet of one of their press releases:
Who we are:
The Klamath Justice Coalition is an ad hoc group of Klamath Basin Residents from all walks of life. We are Indians, non-natives, mothers, fathers, workers, hippies, youth, and elders. Our goal is to ensure that the cultures and ecosystems of Klamath Communities are protected and enhanced.
I was asked to come to the camp to share tree-climbing skills and discuss the various types of forest defense actions that have been used in the mountainous and heavily forested slopes of this region.
I learned a lot listening to presentations and stories told by Coalition members, and we watched a documentary about past campaigns and actions by the Karuk to defend ceremonial sites from extensive Forest Service logging road construction.
Though it was raining off and on, many people learned knots and got a chance to climb. Later, we did a role-play to simulate what it might be like if Sheriffs or Forest Service law enforcement were to show up at a remote logging road blockade.
So far, the disputed logging operations have not resumed. However, the direct action skills shared at the camp may be required if the Forest Service resumes logging around Orleans before a resolution is reached.
Solidarity!
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TOC for Forest & River News, Spring 2010