Tag Archives: Bill Jones

Forests

High-stakes fight over old growth trees intensifies as police make seven arrests

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By Nora O’Malley, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The 15-foot wooden cougar sculpture erected this summer to block forestry workers from accessing the Upper Walbran Valley in Pacheedaht First Nations territory is a pile of cold ashes on the dirt road. 

Pacheedaht elder Bill Jones, 85, has been a constant advocate for the old growth forest within Pacheedaht lands. He says his prayer hut and guest cabin were also torched during enforcement of the court-ordered injunction that was granted to C̕awak ʔqin Forestry (Tsawak-qin), which is 35 per cent co-owned by Huu-ay-aht First Nation and 65 per cent co-owned Western Forest Products (WFP), began on Nov. 25.

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Forests

Hibernation hits Fairy Creek blockade camps, but hunt continues for missing defenders

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Fairy Creek old-growth blockade is heading into winter hibernation mode but the search remains ongoing for two activists missing in the remote region on southeast Vancouver Island.

The Rainforest Flying Squad — the grassroots coalition behind the old-growth blockades — recently broke down the last of its publicly accessible camps due to extreme winter conditions.

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Forests, Weather

Fairy Creek: Roadside camp closes down; Elder Bill Jones given environmental award

Roadside, one of the last remaining Forest Defender camps at Fairy Creek, officially closed down yesterday. In the end, it was severe weather rather than police actions that brought this about.

An unknown number of Indigenous folks remain at a nearby watch camp.

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Forests, Indigenous Nations, Justice

Update From Fairy Creek: interview with Kathleen Code

[Kathleen Code is is a spokesperson for the Rainforest Flying Squad and other land defenders attempting to protect old growth areas at Fairy Creek. She founded the legal team, and is also a member of their media team. Since joining the effort in August, 2020, she’s worked closely with elder Bill Jones to understand the situation of the Pacheedaht First Nation, in particular their interactions with industrial forest company Teal Jones and the NDP government. I interviewed Kathy on December 3rd 2021, asking her for an update to round out the “Cortes At Fairy Creek” story. This is a lightly edited transcript of that interview.]

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Forests, Indigenous Nations, Justice

The RCMP returned to Fairy Creek

The RCMP returned to Fairy Creek last Friday, October 16. A post on the Fairy Creek Blockade Facebook page states 7 cars drove up, and 15 officers wearing blue standard-issue rain gear walked into the Forest Defender Headquarters.

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