Hello from the Redwoods of California

Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 04:12pm by David Askaripour in Forest Defense

Hey MindPetalers,

I’ve been out here is Northern California, Humboldt County, for 4 weeks now. As you saw from my video, I came up here to help save and protect our Ancient Forests which are currently threatened by greedy corporations who only speak one language: Money.

It’s been fun. Intense. Rough. Exhilarating. And a an immense learning experience thus far. I wish I could name names, but the people I have linked up with are absolutely awesome. We have formed what is known as an Affinity Group, which is essentially a group without any hierarchy… each person being the leader of their own campaigns, but uniting together to make decisions through a consensus process.

I’ve been busy since the moment I arrived — organizing, intense hiking into private land to locate old-growth trees (hundreds to thousands of years old), reaching out to the community of Arcata, and fundraising among other things.

It’s amazing — and shocking — to see how much support we get from the community up here. People seem to truly love and respect Forest Defenders. I hear things such as: “Keep on doing what you’re doing” “Thank you so much for protecting the trees” “You guys rock!” “I really respect what you guys are doing, please don’t stop. We support you” “What can I do to help” etc… These responses fuel what we do on a daily basis and make sure to keep us sharp and motivated.

Wow… there’s such much to say. I’ve been meeting all sorts of people out here. People from all over the world who pass through this area. If I was to define the overall vibe I get from the community out here, it would be: Happy. People do a lot of smiling and saying hello out here. This is such a nice break from the cut-throat mentality of NYC. Just the other day I extended my hand to say hello to someone and they rejected my hand and came in for a huge, long, warm hug. And I said to myself: “wow, this is truly the fundamental difference between places like this and other parts of the US where people aren’t so friendly.” Don’t get me wrong, there will be nasty and unfriendly people wherever you go, no doubt, but I’ve never been to a place where there’s such a high concentration of love and peace such as this. And I’m honored to be a part of that love.

Ok! So…. yup, we’ve been busy. Mostly organizing and getting shit straightened out and in motion — getting the ball rollin’! We’ve had several informational gatherings and are preparing for an action camp where people will learn things such as tree-climbing, backwoods training (how to get through the woods safely, set up camps, shitting in the woods, hiding in the woods, tracking, etc..), how to resupply tree-sitters, et al. things such as that.

I’ve been doing a lot of writing as well. Wow, I’ve had so many new and wonderful thoughts since being here. Inheriting a new spirit of the woods. A new spirit of nature. I’ve seen bears, foxes, snakes, deer, coyote, and just the other day a rare and endangered Spotted Owl granted me the privilege of walking within 3 feet of it without flying away — what an experience!

Well, thanks for tuning in. I’ll try to keep you all posted. Please send your positive energy and love our way. I have full confidence in what were are doing and trees / animals will be saved in our actions. Actions that I can’t go into full detail, but suffice it to say, actions to keep Mother Nature alive and growing. Non-violent, loving actions

The ancient trees that I’m doing all I can to protect out here really need our help. Old-Growth trees range from 200 - 3000 years old. They are the largest living organisms in the world. They offer habitat to millions of various animals, some of which are going extinct: Northern Spotted Owl, Red Vole, Salamanders, and others… My affinity group and I have been building Tree-Sits (for people to live in the trees to get in between the chainsaws and the trees), making flyers and organizing events to spread awareness, and going on recon missions to survey the private timer lands to locate and protect old-growth trees.

A few things that can really help us:

• climbing rope
• any sort of climbing equipment
• wool clothing
• synthetic clothing
• food (dry)
• letters (write us!)
• money
• love

Unfortunately, all of this costs money. If you would like to help us protect these Ancient Forests and the animals that call those places a home, please make a paypal donation
[payment@mindpetals.org ]. Or head on over to Humboldt County, California and join our movement in the Defense of Mother Earth. Anyone can help in a myriad of ways. You can help by offering your passions to us and doing whatever you love doing in a way that can help protect the trees. Find a way to help — look into your heart and you’ll know what to do.

Love and Peace,
Dave

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