[Imc-newsroom] MEDIA RELEASE YELLOWWOOD TREE-SIT

[BLACK WIDOW]

NEWS RELEASE
********************** For immediate release
**************************

Contact:  812-340-5164 for directions and information
on photos
Date:  December 9, 2001

YELLOWWOOD TREE-SITTERS LEAVE THEIR NEST FOR THE
HEALTH OF THE FOREST 
AND THE COMMUNITY AND AS ACT OF GOOD FAITH TOWARDS
PROGRESS ON STATE FOREST ISSUE

Brown County, - At sundown on Sunday, supporters of
the Yellowwood Tree 
Sit gathered on Dubois Ridge to ceremonially and
intentionally dismantle 
The tree platform that has been the wild seed of the
public lands logging 
Debate for the past 8 months and 9 days.   As the
platform and the last 
tree-sitter came down, activists vowed to continue to
pursue the goal of gaining
protections for this site and ending commercial
logging on Indiana’s 
state forests.

STATEMENT OF THE YELLOWWOOD TREE-HUGGERS

For the last eight months and nine days, Prometheus,
the mighty red oak 
That hosts the Yellowwood Tree Sit, has been a pillar
of strength, pride, 
And wild nature.  We would like to honor Prometheus
and the rest of the 
Forest life on Dubois Ridge for bearing our weight,
sharing in the struggle, 
And  blessing us with natural wonders.   Our community
has sacrificed as 
well, and few understand the dedication and resolve
required for a peaceful,
extended  demonstration of this sort.  This community
feels proud and
successful  because every person that was educated or
inspired about 
public lands protection was a victory.  Moving the
debate on state forest 
logging into the homes and minds of people statewide
was a meaningful victory.  
And every subtle shift in consciousness of, connection
with and respect 
Towards the natural world was a victory.  Now, like
the change in the seasons, 
Our community of activists has decided to pursue with
equal or greater
commitment the specific goals of this campaign through
different 
peaceful strategies.

Our frustration with the Division of Forestry is
significant and 
justified. With no public process available to
citizens, and only after years of
hitting brick walls, did a peaceful but direct action
of this sort come 
into being.  Over the past months our efforts at
dialogue with the Division 
of Forestry have born little fruit.  Despite our
frustration, we vacate 
the tree platform today or the first time in over
eight months as a 
symbolic act of our good faith and reasonable nature. 
We want what is best for the 
human and natural communities we live in.  We want
dialogue, understanding, 
and progress.   We call on everyone in the community
to call the Yellowwood
State Forest office and ask them to protect water and
wildlife and let
Prometheus and the trees on that steep slope live. 
Join us in our 
Active hope.  We call on the Division of Forestry to
match our act of good 
Faith and meet with activists immediately to make
solid progress in this 
matter. The campaign to end commercial logging on
Indiana’s state forests goes 
on strong.



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