The People Save The Forests From The Timber Pirates - Again

Beware the timber pirates - they want the trees... and the land as well. 

Beware the timber pirates - they are coming for our trees. How much of them do they want? 100%, and no less. Oh, they want the land the trees are on as well, and they are willing to wage an epic battle to get all the booty and plunder that they are after.

However, as might and muscle always does, they underestimate the power of the little people, the every day citizens that are willing to fight back and halt the pillaging of our public resources.

Yes, the forest-loving people of British Columbia have successfully defended the trees once again.

The biggest, most recent battle was over who controls our coveted public forest lands. The government would love to give (yes, give) the land to pirate companies to use as they wish in tree farm licence roll overs. The people said, "No", and for good reason.

There was nothing in the proposed land grab that would benefit the pubic interest, ecological integrity, or a move to a sustainable forest industry.

Thousands responded to a call for action and contacted their elected representatives in the legislature to tell them that the forest give-away was a bad idea that would not be tolerated.

The provincial Liberals, currently the official representatives of a variety of unsustainable resource extraction industries, were forced to back down.

Their disappointed pals sailing along in their New York ghost towers must have had to drink copious amounts of rum and sing raucous songs to deal with their disappointment.

Lamenting their failed plans of corporate pirate domination of Vancouver Island's last wild places, they dry their tears with extra-plush, pillowy soft, pirate-strength tissues made from 100% old growth trees.

The little people have joined together to win yet another battle in the ongoing war in our woods. But beware! The pirates are only regrouping, and will again sail into theses harbours with more lobbying, more bribe money, and more lame promises.

We are the only thing standing between the pirates and the treasure chest full of timber and land doubloons. We will win future battles, and ultimately, we will win the war.

We will end the logging of old growth, the degradation and takeover of our public lands, raw log exports, and disappearing jobs.

I celebrate the current victory, while preparing for the next battle.