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Located on the Southern tip of Vancouver Island, not far from Port Renfrew, a group of peaceful protesters are camping out, and have been doing so in the area since August of 2020. This movement has been dubbed the “Fairy Creek Blockades”. These climate activists are calling for an end to logging in the area- one of the last old-growth valleys on Vancouver Island. These ancient cedars are being logged by the Teal Jones Ground, who boast the status of the “largest privately held forest products company operating on the West Coast of Canada.”
Demonstrations on the island are not unheard of, and have been ongoing for decades: the most famous being the Clayoquot Sound Protests in 1993, which were organised by the Wilderness Committee, Friends of Clayoquot Sound, Sierra Club, and the Tla-o-qui-aht and Ahousaht First Nations. According to the Wilderness Committee, this is one of the ‘longest lasting’ campaigns they have organised yet.
The blockades at Fairy Creek have been organized by a group named the Rainforest Flying Squad, an organisation which is “committed to protecting the last stands of globally significant ancient temperate rainforest”, and consider themselves “a volunteer driven, grassroots, non-violent direct action movement”. The group utilises its Instagram handle (@rainforestflyingsquad), to share updates and news about various nature spots located in Vancouver Island. It appears the group is gaining much traction in the media; their follower count has swelled to an impressive 31.7k. Another Instagram account (@fairycreekblockade), which seems to be directly affiliated with the Rainforest Flying Squad, gives daily update posts; often containing numbers of arrests, police updates, and calls to action. These posts are most frequently positive, almost colloquial in tone. “Cozy Sunday vibes on the frontlines today.” captions a picture of campers seated together, as well as a photo of a giant hollow tree titled “Fairy Grove”.
There are currently five blockades and one camp in the area. “Walbran Camp” was set up for legal observers to watch the logging take place while avoiding arrests. All blockades go by the general name “Fairy Creek”, though the first “Fairy Creek Blockade” was located at a spot named “River Camp”- 20 kilometers away from Port Renfrew.
The situation in Fairy Creek is not as simple, however, as simply leaving the ancient trees to grow, as they have for some 2000 years. While the British Columbia government and the environmentalists have received the lion’s share of media coverage, the First Nations of the area hold significant power over the fate of the valley. BC Premier John Horgan has instituted a two-year deferral of old-growth logging in the area, as requested by the hereditary and elected leaders of three First Nations. The Pacheedaht, Huu-ay-aht, and Ditidaht First Nations want to use the two years to practise sustainable logging, with consent from the communities, as it is the First Nation’s traditional territory.
Blockaders, however, are not satisfied with the deferral; it is seen as an interruption: not a guaranteed end to old-growth logging in the area. Some First Nations members have “sided” with the protesters as well, causing further complications as BC decides who has the final say. Put simply, protesters are now protesting against the Pacheedaht First Nation’s wish to log in the valley, though it is widely recognised as the native people’s land.
To further complications, First Nation communities depend heavily on the logging industry. According to Chief Councillor Jeff Jones, “Pacheedaht feels there’s a long-term benefit for the simple reason that it does provide long-term employment opportunities.” The Pacheedaht people have their own sawmill, and can also work as loggers, who are unionized. Deals with logging companies, such as Teal Jones, have brought the community many opportunities. By earning money from large corporations who pay to log on First Nation traditional territories, the nation has bought a market, gas station, and lodge which is now run by Pacheedaht members
Currently, 233 protesters have been arrested, according to the @fairycreekblockade Instagram account, which is one of the sole platforms to give daily updates on the situation. The Rainforest Flying Squad released a statement following the government’s announcement of the deferral, affirming that “protesters will remain in the Fairy Creek area.” Protesters will stay at the camps, until a larger deferral is agreed upon. The current deferral protects very small portions of the valley, protecting only 14.6 hectares of forest, as opposed to the full 21.6 hectares approved for old-vgrowth logging