Forest Fest was a music festival and activist convergence that took place over the weekend of August 25 on Cortes Island, BC in response to Island Timberlands’ impending plans to industrially log on Cortes. The festival brought internationally renowned speakers and activists, many of whom live on Cortes, such as Tzeporah Berman, Zoe Blunt, and Rex Weyler. The intention was to spark a conversation about peaceful direct action in the face of huge corporate interests, and to send a message to Island Timberlands that Cortes is and always will be “socially inoperable”.
A few of the attendees of ForestFest 2012 have some words to say to Island Timberlands, an industrial logging company that is slated to begin logging Cortes this Fall.
Gleanings from newspapers
“A Cortes Island blockade of Island Timberlands went into its third day Thursday as swelling ranks of environmentalists, residents and their children maintained a human shield against the logging company’s crews and equipment.
“Zoe Miles, a member of Wildstands, says, “For more than four years, community members have attempted to work with the company to develop an ecosystem-based approach to forestry. As road-building equipment moves in, the community is now left with no choice but to stand in its path to defend these ecologically significant forests.”
“On Tuesday Island Timberlands trucks were stopped at a logging road gate at Basil Creek by two protesters lying on the ground. Company personnel filmed the protesters, likely in preparation for an application for a civil injunction, Miles told the Mirror. On Wednesday, a number of children joined the cause waving placards.” – Campbell River Mirror (Nov 29, 2012)
“The group lifted its blockade after frustrated logging crews left the island, but the company’s Director of Human Resources Mark Leitao says they are simply assessing their options. One of those options is a court injunction. Behind the scenes efforts were being made to bring the two sides together for talks.” – Campbell River Mirror (Dec 7, 2012)
Top photo credit: Tzeporah Berman speaking at Forest Fest 2012 – from the video