Hi everyone,
This is an important one. It’s a pair of interviews I conducted just over a week ago with Elder Bill Jones of the Pacheedaht First Nation and Will O’Connell, who have both been key figures in defending ancient forests being logged as you read these words on Vancouver Island.
This is a cross-post from the organization that I work for, the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund. That organization can be found at Truth and Reckoning. I cross post some of the material we post there to Biocentric, but not all of it. You don’t want to miss the recent piece about John Brown, shared as Luigi Mangione stands trial, so subscribe there if you want to follow the rights of nature movement and my work in community resistance and resilience.
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In this episode, we speak with Elder Bill Jones of the Pacheedaht First Nation and Will O’Connell on the frontlines of old-growth forest defense
First we’ll hear from Will O’Connell, a 34-year-old science and math teacher who has been on the front lines of these protests and joins us from his car at the protest camp, then from Elder Bill Jones from the Pacheedaht First Nation, two leaders in the forest defense movement currently taking place in Vancouver Island in western Canada.
Elder Bill is 85 years old. For decades, he has welcomed people into the forests to stand with him in defense of the last old-growth trees on his territory. At Fairy Creek, his invitation sparked one of the largest acts of civil resistance in Canadian history. Now, Western Forest Products has filed a civil suit against him, seeking an injunction that would make it illegal for Bill to be on his own land. If this injunction is granted, police will be authorized to arrest and detain those protecting the old growth.
Bill’s grandfather once told him: “Sonny, go out into the forest. That is where you will find the Great Mother. In the forest. It is a place of worship.” Today, that sacred place is under threat as logging companies push to cut what remains.
On the day before we recorded this interview, Monday December 8th, Will had been wrongfully arrested by the RCMP, the Canadian federal police, while on-site in the Walbran, and loggers had been able to pass the blockades and begin logging ancient forests again - towering 2,000 year old western red cedars, ancient firs and hemlocks.
A dozen people or more have been arrested over the past week or so, with more every day. They need support on the front lines, so if you’re near Vancouver Island, please go. And if you’re not, we need you elsewhere.
This conversation explores the ongoing efforts to protect the Walbran Valley’s ancient forests, highlighting the role of community activists, including Elder Bill Jones, and the challenges posed by law enforcement. The discussion delves into the tactics used by forest defenders, the historical context of forest defense movements, and the personal experiences of activists on the front lines. It emphasizes the importance of solidarity and the need for continued action against ecological devastation.
Message from Walbran forest defenders
COME TO CAMP We are currently in Kaxi;ks (the Upper Walbran) Valley, fighting for an end to old growth logging. NEW CAMP: 48.75088, -124.50931
Links and Resources
The YouTube version of this podcast will be shared here shortly.
Topics Covered
Walbran Valley, old growth forests, forest defense, RCMP, direct action, community mobilization, environmental activism, Elder Bill Jones, logging, climate change, anthropology, empire, civilization, food supply, population pressure, extraction, and the preservation of wild places and forests as a source of life for future people.
Takeaways
The Walbran Valley is home to ancient forests that are under threat from logging.
Elder Bill Jones plays a crucial role in the movement to protect these forests.
The RCMP has been using heavy-handed tactics against forest defenders.
Direct action tactics, such as cantilevers, are being employed to block logging roads.
Historical forest defense movements have shaped current activism strategies.
Solidarity among activists is vital for sustaining the movement.
The legal landscape is complex, with injunctions leading to police action.
Community mobilization is essential for effective forest defense.
The fight for the Walbran Valley reflects broader ecological issues.
Activists are determined to continue their efforts despite challenges.
About the Truth and Reckoning Podcast
In this show, we learn from front-line organizers and communities fighting against environmental destruction. We explore different perspectives and innovative strategies for movement building, the potency and potential of rights of nature, and effective action in defense of our communities. And, we share inspiring stories of people working towards right relationship with the land and each other. The show is hosted by CELDF Community Resistance and Resilience Program Co-Director Max Wilbert.
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About CELDF — Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund
CELDF is a nationwide community of organizers, lawyers, and partners who educate, agitate, and organize to confront systemic injustice and restore humanity’s reciprocal relationship with the Earth. For over 30 years, we’ve helped communities resist corporate exploitation, reject regulatory false promises, and assert their right to self-govern through systems grounded in ecological balance and collective power.
