This morning, Clallam County residents joined forest & climate activists across the PNW in hanging banners calling for forest protection as key to mitigating the worst impacts of climate change.
A local hike in Clallam County took place on Saturday as part of the region-wide Week of Action for Forests & Climate.
On the Anniversary of the 2021 Heat Dome, PNW Communities Mobilize for Massive Week of Forest and Climate Action
PORTLAND, OR – Today, on the two year anniversary of the 2021 Heat Dome, communities throughout the Pacific Northwest are mobilizing a massive week of action to shine a spotlight on the significance of forest defense as climate defense. From the Rogue Valley in southern Oregon, to Bellingham, Washington and out east to the Rockies, communities are holding events to call on elected officials — from the White House and Forest Service to governors and state forestry agencies — to protect PNW forests as a vital strategy to mitigate the worst climate impacts, create jobs restoring lands and waters, and ensure forests and communities thrive for generations to come. The week of action comes just days after Multnomah County filed Multnomah v. Exxon, a bold lawsuit seeking to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for the Heat Dome which caused more than 100 deaths in the state of Oregon.
Brenna Bell, Forest Climate Manager for 350PDX says, “It is beyond time for all levels of government to treat the climate crisis like the emergency it is. I am heartened by Multnomah County’s bold action last week to hold Big Oil accountable for their role in creating the climate crisis. Now, governments need to recognize that Big Timber has also massively profited off clearcutting Oregon’s best defense against climate chaos and act quickly to protect and restore our forests.”
To kick off the week of action, today activists hung 20 banners that called for forest protection over highway overpasses across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana in a coordinated action to highlight the growing grassroots movement to protect forests for climate mitigation. This action coincided with the release of an open letter from more than 30 organizations to the Biden Administration and federal leaders, calling on them to:
Protect federally-managed old-growth and mature forests in the Pacific Northwest as foundational to protecting our communities and a livable climate;
Listen to, resource, and support communities on the frontlines of the climate crises;
Support rural economies by redirecting federal subsidies away from the extractive timber industry and towards sustainable restoration and reforestation jobs;
Start acting like the climate crisis is the emergency that it truly is, and be a bold and decisive leader in protecting both the current and future generations.
“Protecting our remaining mature and old growth forests is crucial to mitigating the climate crisis and creating thriving climate-resilient communities,” says Madeline Cowen, Steering Committee member with the PNW Forest Climate Alliance. “Our forests have tremendous capacity to absorb and store carbon — we must prioritize safeguarding them for community benefit over short-term corporate profit.”
“We’re calling on our elected officials–from the White House and Forest Service to our Governor–to stand with our communities and protect our forests as a core part of meaningful climate action,” says David Perk, of 350 Seattle. “In Washington, we call on the Commissioner of Public Lands to follow through on her commitment to propose and implement an improved policy for the preservation of our remaining mature forests.”
Residents and organizations from around the region see a significant need to raise awareness around the need to protect PNW forests – some of the most carbon-rich in the world – as a key pillar of climate action and connect the dots between destructive logging and catastrophic climate impacts. They believe that these must be managed for community benefit, not to maximize profits for Wall Street corporations and shareholders. The actions will focus on the climate, water, wildfire, biodiversity, and economic impacts if their elected do not act now to protect PNW forests.
Dozens of actions are planned in 18 towns and cities across the PNW.
For the full list of actions visit: forestclimatealliance.org/weekofaction
The PNWFCA is a network of organizations and activists working at the intersection of forest defense and climate justice.
Filed under: Environmental Activism, environmental education, Environmental Protection, Events |
