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Please Support the Ancient Forest Alliance!

Help the fledgling organization take the campaign to save BC’s old-growth forests and to ban raw log exports to a WHOLE NEW LEVEL!

Fundraising goals:
$10,000 by Earth Day, April 22
$10,000 by Summer Solstice, June 21

Donate online at: https://donate.ancientforestalliance.org/

Or send a cheque made out to the “Ancient Forest Alliance” to AFA, 706 Yates Street, PO Box 8459, Victoria, BC V8W 3S1

During our first 2 months, the Ancient Forest Alliance has made quite a splash. We’ve:

– Garnered a huge amount of media coverage for our campaigns (see https://ancientforestalliance.org/recent-news/) including in Maclean’s Magazine and the Vancouver Sun
– Directly engaged hundreds of people through old-growth hikes and slideshows
– Attracted over 6000 new supporters on Facebook
– Are now organizing a major rally in Vancouver for March 27 that will draw hundreds of people into the streets to mount pressure on the BC Liberal government over their backwards forestry policies… (see https://ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=27)

With YOUR support, we will take the campaign to a WHOLE NEW LEVEL…

We are organizing a new campaign for ancient forests and forestry jobs NEVER BEFORE SEEN in this province, including:

– Organizing in BC “swing ridings” mass awareness and mobilization campaigns. Of 85 provincial electoral ridings, only a dozen or fewer actually determine the outcome of most BC elections. That’s because in swing ridings the race is tight between the BC Liberals and the NDP – the rest of the ridings are pretty safe for either party (ie. have a large margin of support for the party candidates). There is a disproportionately strong influence on government policies from the electorate in swing ridings.

– Proliferating the number of new activists and “core organizers” in the forest protection movement by training and guiding activists to establish new “Ancient Forest Committees” (activism teams) to organize campaigns in key swing ridings and in other areas.

– Enlisting many “non-traditional allies”, particularly among faith groups and in the business community, as well as among unions, scientists, municipal councillors, and First Nations band councils. Some of these groups hold a disproportionate amount of influence on the BC Liberal government as funders or being part of their core constituencies.

-Exploring and documenting many new endangered areas filled with giant trees – or that have been recently destroyed by clearcutting. We will show the world through the first rate work of AFA photographer and “big tree hunter” TJ Watt (see photogallery at: https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=464212940556) what’s at stake and is being destroyed in this spectacular province…

And much more!

The sad fact is, if we let the status quo rage onwards without a major, politically hard-hitting challenge – which we are positioned to undertake with YOUR support – we will end up with the demise of numerous species at risk such as the spotted owl (literally only 6 left in BC’s wilds), marbled murrelet, Vancouver Island wolverine (not seen since 1992), numerous southern steelhead and coho runs, and many other life forms; ruined scenery and tourism/recreational opportunities; vast amounts of greenhouse gas emissions from the clearcutting of ancient forests; muddied watersheds and salmon streams as clearcuts and logging roads erode into them; and the collapse of most coastal forestry jobs and forestry-dependent communities.

So we’re determined that if the BC Liberal government continues along its current forest policy path for southern BC, which can be summarized as:

– Liquidate the remaining unprotected old-growth forests.
– Close the old-growth dependent mills as the old-growth stands are depleted.
– Liquidate the maturing second-growth at breakneck speeds.
– Export the raw logs to foreign mills.
– Convert the cutover lands to residential developments.

…then we’ll have them thrown out of office in 3 years time.

On the other hand, if they move to protect our endangered ancient forests, ensure the sustainable logging of second-growth forests, and end the export of raw logs, we will be glad to give credit where credit is due. It’s only fair. We truly hope they do good and right.

To build the strongest campaign we need just a fraction of the funds typically used by the larger environmental groups. Dollar per dollar we’ll guarantee that your funds will go farthest with us to build a most powerful movement and ancient forest campaign. We need funds to pay for minimal core staff requirements, travel costs, phone bills, web work, room bookings, printing costs, and more.

Our goal is to raise $20,000 by June 21. Can you help us?

Here’s how:

1. Please directly DONATE to us, whether $20 or $2000, it all adds up!

Online with your credit card through Paypal (secure) at: https://donate.ancientforestalliance.org/

You may also send cheques made out to the “Ancient Forest Alliance” at:
Ancient Forest Alliance
706 Yates Street
PO Box 8459
Victoria, BC V8W 3S1

***Note: Donations to the Ancient Forest Alliance are not tax deductible. The Ancient Forest Alliance is a registered BC non-profit society (# S0056367) but does not have charitable status (thus allowing us to be more political and effective…)

2. Get your FAMILY (parents? rich relatives?) or close FRIENDS to do the same. Send them this email and really encourage them!

3. Organize a simple fundraiser for us. This could include:
– Holding a yard sale/ garage sale.
– Selling your unneeded items on E-Bay or Craigslist and donating us the proceeds.
– Holding a benefit house party for us (charge a fee or by donation…)

THANK YOU so much for your consideration! With your help we will ensure a most powerful campaign for our ancient forests and forestry dependent communities.

For the Wild,

Ken Wu, TJ Watt, Katrina Andres, Michelle Connolly, Tara Sawatsky, Brendan Harry
Ancient Forest Alliance

Visit the Ancient Forest Alliance website at:
https://ancientforestalliance.org/

Join us on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=464212940556