A group of people in Nanaimo opposed to logging of old-growth forests escalated their activism and are now blocking the gate at a log-sort operation at Duke Point.
Extinction Rebellion Nanaimo and other “local grassroots activists” set up their blockade Tuesday afternoon.
Their activism at Teal-Jones Forest Ltd. is intended as an act of “solidarity” with blockade camps set up to prevent forestry road construction in the Fairy Creek watershed near Port Renfrew.
A press release from Extinction Rebellion referenced the B.C. government’s recently announced actions in developing an old-growth strategy, which stopped harvesting in nine areas of the province, but not Fairy Creek.
“We are responding to the inability of the NDP government to act in an appropriately urgent manner to ending old-growth deforestation during the global emergency,” said Dan Tkachuk, a co-founder of XR Nanaimo, in the release.
Extinction Rebellion says it will continue its blockade until there is an “immediate and permanent end of all old-growth logging in the province.” Protesters are also demanding the government work with First Nations on a plan for a sustainable second-growth forestry.
Teal-Jones’ local operations were called for comment.
Another photo from Extinction Rebellion Nanaimo's blockade of Teal-Jones' log-sort operation at Duke Point (📷ChrisBush/NewsBulletin) #Nanaimo pic.twitter.com/Sv5x08DTG9
— Nanaimo Bulletin (@NanaimoBulletin) September 30, 2020
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READ ALSO: Protesters in Nanaimo call for greater protection of old-growth forests
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