So, I got a few real positive report backs from the treesit on the UC
Berkeley campus.

If the oak grove wasn’t on the Univ. property, the city of Berkeley would
not allow the cutting, but  universities in this country tend to use their
’sovereignty’ to excuse reprehensible acts– UC Berkeley is no different.
[For instance, here in Humboldt, some may remember the current HSU
president (a former biotech experimenter/torturer of animals) declaring to
the Arcata City Council that HSU and it’s (bigoted) police force would NOT
respect medical marijuana laws…]

Below, there’s a good update (although it’s from almost a week ago).

Stop by if you are through or in the Bay Area.

Many students there are leaving…  There is alot of ‘mainstream’ support
for the action.  There’s a welcome table, lots of food all the time
(thanks to Food Not Bombs and others), and a possible legal halt this
Wednesday on the development plan– the cutting of the trees, which are on
the Hayward fault).  The cutting is so the univ. can build a sports gym.
It’s unfortunate that sports these days, with their big playing fields,
stadiums, etc. tend to rob/invade poor neighborhoods and/or, as being
resisted here, replace IRREPLACEABLE terrain. Today, I spoke with a friend
who is a professional athelete– and he is there opposing the cutting of
the grove.

On Saturday, there was a rally, which included Country Joe (of Country Joe
and the Fish) and Wavy Gravy.  The real heroes are those doing ground
support, sitting in the trees, and consistently keeping the vibe ‘good’.

Feel free to use the contact info in the Press Release, if you want to
talk with someone there. Location is described at the bottom.
——————————————————–
December 13, 2006
Press Release

Contact: Save the Oaks -Doug Buckwald (510) 599-0044

Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters - Karen Pickett
(510) 548-3113

Police Detain Oak Grove Tree-Sitter on UCB campus
Breaking News: Police Converging on Grove Wednesday Afternoon

Berkeley, Calif.-In the early morning hours on Wednesday, UC Berkeley
campus police detained Native American activist Zachary Running Wolf
as he was temporarily down from his perch high in a redwood tree [yes, he
was in a redwood at the time] in an imperiled grove of trees slated for
cutting by UC Berkeley.  The campus police then surrounded the redwood
tree, ostensibly to prevent Running Wolf from returning to his platform,
where he has been maintaining a presence since December 2.  They ordered
him to stay
off UCB property for 7 days.  Police had arrived this morning and
rousted support people who were staffing an information table under
tarps through the rain.  Two other oaks and a cedar tree in the
threatened grove have platforms in their branches where activists,
one per tree, have been holding  24-hour a day vigils to protect them.

UC is planning destroy this majestic grove in order to build a sports
gym covered by a concrete patio. This unique eco-system, the last
grove of coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) in the Berkeley lowlands,
is protected by municipal code. However, UC, the largest landowner in
Berkeley, says they are not obliged to obey city laws and codes.

This tree-sit action was taken after the university ignored the
concerns of residents, students, scientists, the Berkeley City
Council and many others. A lawsuit has been filed by the Panoramic
Hills Neighborhood Association to get the university to consider
alternatives, and a lawsuit has been approved by the City of
Berkeley. Community members have, for years, been frustrated by the
University’s apparent disdain for citizen input and local opinion.

Attorney for Save the Oaks Stephan C. Volker expressed concern for
the tree-sitters and other activists maintaining a protective
presence in the grove. He said of the activists, “They seek only to
exercise their Constitutionally-protected right to engage in free
speech, to peacefully assemble, and to seek judicial redress for they
what they view as an unlawful and ill-conceived and [ill]-designed
project.”

The planned cutting of the oaks has brought hundreds of alarmed local
residents and university students  to speak out against this
destruction and degradation of this . After exhausting many other
avenues, Running Wolf and other activists decided to take direct
action because UC is stonewalling community, student and even City of
Berkeley efforts to find workable solutions

The tree occupation is ongoing, LOCATED BETWEEN PIEDMONT AVENUE AND
MEMORIAL STADIUM ON THE UC CAMPUS JUST NORTH OF THE INTERNATIONAL
HOUSE AND BANCROFT WAY.

email: bach@headwaterspreserve.org

http://www.HeadwatersPreserve.org
—————————————

TAKE DIRECT ACTION FOR JUSTICE, FOR LIFE.

–Verbena