[I wasn’t sure which category is the most appropriate for this information so I chose this one based on content]
I received the quarterly EarthJustice magazine recently, and thought others here in the AODA community might be interested in it, and in the legal battles they wage (and win) to fight anti-conservation policies.
The cover story is about the EarthJustice legal efforts to help preserve Tongrass, referred to as “the Northern Lung of this planet,” by Mike Jones, president of the Organized Village of Kasaan, in Alaska.
EarthJustic is online at facebook.com/earthjustice, and on X, Instagram, and TikTok as @earthjustice.
Enjoy!
The Tongass [no r] is an amazing place. I spent a summer there around 2005/06 working with a survey crew, laying out the proposed road from Juneau to Skagway. Thankfully, the road turned out to be unfeasable, but the experience was very formative.
One moment in particular still stands out in memory 20 years later. We came across a cedar tree stump that was so large 4 of us couldn’t wrap our arms around it. It still showed the scars from the spring boards the loggers used to cut it down. Growing out of the top of the stump was a cedar tree I probably couldn’t wrap my arms around, if I could have climbed up to it. While it was sad to see the remnants of the ancient giant, I, to this day, have been inspired by the power of Nature to persevere. Those strong roots overcame and the tree continued to grow. It showed me, if left alone the planet can heal herself.
The Tongass is a magical wonderful place. The air is so fresh it feels green. It’s also a water factory, it rained on us for 21 days straight. When the sun finally came out the entire crew stopped working and basked in the sun on rocks like lizards.
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Great story and pictures!
