The Basics:

1) Many times forest defenders have been put intentionally at-risk by loggers – whether it’s felling trees with people on site or harassment and violence at blockades it’s important to be careful.

2) If sabotage is the way you’re headed, you’ll have to be traveling through small logging towns. Keep in mind that people in the area and industry know the locals. These places are small towns – don’t stick out and don’t bring attention to yourself by running your mouth at the local bar. Get in, get out.

3) Likewise – you’re going to be traveling on logging roads; make sure your vehicle is up for it. Make sure your driver is up for it! Have a full tank. Know the roads. If you’re getting to know the roads and they’re active, pick up a cheap forest radio or rent one – logging trucks barrelling down mains are no joke.

4) Don’t use fire in the dry season.

5) Bring large bolt cutters or an angle grinder to get through locked gates

6) Know that some very remote areas work out of logging camps. To you, that means getting turned around might result in you stumbling across a bunch of angry loggers in the middle of the night.

7) Some heavy equipment – even in remote areas – is equipped with security cameras or live monitoring. Know what you’re getting in to.

Now, for some positive notes;

Most logging areas accessible by forest road are isolated. Equipment tends to be left on site or moved to common areas. Overall, if there is no remote site monitoring, actions against logging can be low risk – and in the case of tree spiking, even an enjoyable hike.

 

Logging: Points of Resistance

 

Blockades

Get in place by sunrise and be prepared to stay!

 

Tree Spiking

Sometimes there’s controversy here. You’re going to have to make up your own mind. While the tree itself will recover from spiking, some worry about the potential human risk the spikes present to those in mills. Others argue there are milling safeguards, including the release of communiques.

Tree spiking is simply driving long metal nails/spikes into various trees in a cut block. The idea is to dissuade the company from logging the area because the wood will be of lesser value and present a risk to their employees.

 

Equipment

As mentioned, heavy equipment is often times left in the cut area or brought to a central location. These destructive beasts are vulnerable when isolated and can delay or stop logging – and cost the company a lot of money.

There are numerous ways to interfere with equipment. The Earth First Ecodefense Guide is a good place to start.

 

Infrastructure

Roads can be blocked – or even dug up if you have or can find a key to the heavy equipment in the area (and know how to operate it!). Forest road bridges can be rendered unsafe or even just marked unsafe (always mark them!), and there are plenty of associated locations outside remote forests that can be vulnerable to attack.