UPDATE 5:00PM – Day 6 Comes to Close — Construction Has Stopped For the Day
UPDATE 3:30PM – Tree Clear-Cutting Machine Retreats! — Returns to Widening Its Path
After about five very tense encounters our teams of ground blockaders were able to successfully force the clear cutting machine from thrashing its way toward our friends in the trees. It has retreated and the tree blockade appears to be safe for another day. Unfortunately, the machinery went back the way it came from the south and continues to cut a wider swath of destruction in the forest.
UPDATE 3:00PM – Blockaders Repeatedly Stop Clear-Cutting Machine From Reaching Tree Blockade
The clear-cutting machine repeatedly returned to thrash its way through the forest toward the tree blockade. To defend the safety of their nine friends that have been living in 80 feet trees for the last six days, blockaders on the ground repeatedly approached the heavy machinery and stood in its way, preventing it from advancing further toward the tree blockade. Brave blockaders stopped the machine about five times. The blockader in the tree a mere 50 feet away yelled loudly and blew a horn to deter the menacing machine.
UPDATE 2:30PM – Blockaders Approach Clear-Cutting Machine and Force It to Stop
A large tree clear cutting machine, known commonly as a feller buncher, began eating its way through the forest en route to the tree blockade. To defend their friends in the trees blockaders on the ground approached the machine in hopes of turning it back from its destructive path. They got about 30 feet from the machinery and it switched off its engine. The sheriff arrived and blockaders left the scene to avoid arrest.
UPDATE 1:30PM – Feller Buncher, Tree Clear-Cutting Machine Heard South of Tree Blockade
UPDATE 1:00PM – Bulldozer Approaches Tree Blockade From the South – Blockaders Hold It Off
Over the last week TransCanada has clear-cut a 110 foot wide scar from a nearby highway just north of the tree blockade. Moments ago a bulldozer was spotted plowing through the underbrush on the south side of the blockade. Five blockaders went to hold them off and successfully got the bulldozer to retreat. Now a TransCanada worker and the Sheriff are approaching from the south. Follow more updates on facebook and twitter.
UPDATE 12:45PM – TransCanada’s Heavy Machinery and Sheriff Have Left North Side of Tree Blockade
UPDATE 11:00AM – Tree Blockaders Prepare For Thunder Storm
A light rain has made for a dreary scene overlooking the massive scar of fallen trees that TransCanada has slashed toward our nine friends in the tree blockade. A thunders storm and heavier rain is approaching from the south as blockaders “batten down the hatches” in preparation. As you can see in the photo below their main protection from the rain is a large blue tarp hung over the top of their tree platform. Support our blockaders with a contribution to get them more supplies to weather the storm and continue their sustained blockade.
UPDATE 10:00AM – TransCanada’s Clear-Cutting Crews and Sheriff Have Moved 100 Yards North
After an early morning clear-cutting operation came within 100 feet of the tree blockade TransCanada’s workers and the sheriff have moved onto work 100 yards away. Now that they have cut down almost all of the forest the workers have begun moving the fallen trees onto a large timber forwarder truck.
Update: 9:00AM – TranCanada and Sheriff Threaten Tree Blockaders
This hanging platform is anchored with a rope to a nearby tree about 20 feet in front of the timber scaffolding. If TransCanada cuts the tree and/or rope, the platform will fall and seriously endanger the safety of the blockader on it. This morning TransCanada workers where nearby this critical anchor tree clearing out other falled trees with the accompaniment of the Sheriff. A blockader called down to them from the timber scaffolding and warned them that if that tree was cut human beings lives could be endangered. One of them replied “I hope its you!”
Suspended platform anchored to a nearby tree.
UPDATE: 8:00AM – TransCanada Workers and Sheriffs Arrive at Tree Blockade and Begin Clear Cutting
There’s never a moments rest for our friends in the trees. TransCanada’s clearing crews are up early and felling trees 100 feet away from the tree blockade. The weather is dreary and rainy as our brave blockaders look out over the devastation.
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Today marks the sixth day that our nine blockaders have successfully held their tree blockade against Keystone XL clear-cutting crews. They intend to remain in the trees as long as it takes to halt this dirty, dangerous pipeline.
Yesterday was another high intensity day with clear-cutting crews operating dangerously close to the timber scaffolding. Wood County Sheriffs Department drove around with 4 wheelers to accompany the clear-cutting crews.
Get the skills to defend your home from multi-national polluters. Join us at our Direct Action Training Camp, October 12-13. We need dozens of people to help defend the tree blockade and stand up to Keystone XL.
These photos taken yesterday begin to visually tell the story of those ready to do what it takes to defend their homes from this toxic pipeline. More photos here.
This photo taken from the ground amidst the clear-cut where TransCanada’s heavy machinery was operating a dangerous distance of 40 feet from human beings on the timber scaffolding. Despite warning clearing crews continued to operate so close that if a tree fell the wrong way it could have seriously injured our blockaders.
Devastation 40 feet in front of timber scaffolding.
Blockader and his new home in the trees. He is protected by a series of ropes tied to nearby trees, unless of course TransCanada moves to cut them down.
Majestic tree village 80 feet off the ground.
