Another old-growth solidarity event is happening in Revelstoke, this time on Canada Day. The Revelstoke March for Old Growth is happening on July 1 at 9 a.m. Participants will march from Grizzly Plaza to the Revelstoke Courthouse, where they will hang signs and have a short demonstration.
To accommodate for the predicted high temperatures, the march will be brief and “to the point.” Organizer Emma Atkinson also hosted the previous old-growth rally on May 30, which saw approximately 100 attendees. This march will be a continuation of the movement sparked at the previous event.
Read about the previous rally against old-growth logging here:
Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding Canada Day celebrations, this demonstration stands in solidarity with Indigenous communities and residential school survivors. A moment of silence will be held for the children recently discovered at former residential schools across Canada.
Continuing solidarity with the Fairy Creek blockade protesters is the main focus of this march. However, organizers also highlight the importance of protecting Revelstoke’s own old-growth forests. Since May, approximately 260 protestors have been arrested in the Fairy Creek logging blockades.
Background
Forestry policy has dominated the headlines in British Columbia this year. The Government of British Columbia has received criticism for their updated forestry policies, released in June in response to the Fairy Creek blockades. These criticisms particularly surround the lack of clear action on old-growth logging.
Read more about the province’s response to old-growth logging movements here: