Earth First!

Earth First! Logo

Earth First! is a far-left environmental group founded on April 4, 1980 by Dave Foreman, Mike Roselle, Howie Wolke, Bart Koehler, and Ron Kezar.

Earth First! members have committed numerous acts of violence and sabotage (also referred to as eco-terrorism and eco-sabotage).

Kieran Suckling, founder of the Center for Biological Diversity worked with Earth First!

Their publication is the Earth First! Journal.

Background

On February 12 2002, Federal Bureau of Investigation's James F. Jarboe, Domestic Terrorism Section Chief, Counterterrorism Division testified in part before the House Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health:

"Disaffected environmentalists, in 1980, formed a radical group called Earth First! and engaged in a series of protests and civil disobedience events. In 1984, however, members introduced "tree spiking" (insertion of metal or ceramic spikes in trees in an effort to damage saws) as a tactic to thwart logging. In 1992, the ELF Earth Liberation Front was founded in Brighton, England, by Earth First! members who refused to abandon criminal acts as a tactic when others wished to mainstream Earth First!.

Earth First! Speakers Bureau

The Earth First! Speakers Bureau includes:

• Earth First! Journal
• Everglades Earth First!
• The Civil Liberties Defense Center
• Root Force
• Karen Coulter
• Tre Arrow
• Karen Pickett
• Panagioti Tsolkas
• Usnea Longissma
• Leah Rothschild
• Russell McSpadden
• Ana Rodriguez

1987 Earth First! Directory

The following was published at the Earth First! Journal in 1987:

"Earth First! The Radical Environmental Journal is an independent entity within the international Earth First! movement, and is not the newsletter of the Earth First! movement. It does, however, provide a forum for Earth First!ers around the work! This directory is provided as a service to independent EF! groups. If you would like to be listed as a contact or as a group, please contact Bob Kaspar...Bob acts as coordinator for local EF! groups for the EF! movement.

General/International

• Earth First! Journal
• Earth First! Foundation
• EF! Rainforest Action
• Bay Area Earth First!
• EF! GRIZZLY BEAR TASK FORCE Missoula, MT
• AUSTRALIA John Seed Rainforest Information Centre Australia
• JAPAN Rick Davis
• MEXICO J. Banks
• SCOTLAND Grant Collie
• ARIZONA EARTH FIRST!
  • Roger Featherstone
  • Ned Powell Tucson, AZ
  • Mary Sojourner Flagstaff, AZ
  • Vaugn Croteau Scottsdale, AZ 85261
• BRITISH COLUMBIA Paul Watson Vancouver, BC

United States

California Earth First! Groups

• CHICO EARTH FIRST! Michelle Miller Chico, CA
• DAVIS EARTH FIRST!
  • Susie Rodriguez-Pastor
  • Jennifer Wachter Davis, CA
• EASTERN SIERRA EF! Sally Miller Lee Vining, CA
• GRASS VALLEY EARTH FIRST! Dakota Sid Clifford Grass Valley, CA
• LOS ANGELES EARTH FIRST! Peter Bralver Sherman Oaks, CA
• MONTEREY EF!
  • Rob Burton
  • Kim Burton Pacific Grove, CA
• NORTHCOAST EF! GROUPS
• ARCATA EF! Bill Devall Areata, CA
• HUMBOLDT/MENDOCINO EF!
  • Darryl Chemey S. Humboldt Action Center Garberville, CA
  • Betty Ball &
  • Gary Ball Ukiah, CA
• SONOMA EARTH FIRST! Greg King Guerneville, CA
• WILLITS EF! Don Morris Willits, CA 95490
• PALM SPRINGS EARTH FIRST! Rod Coronado Palm Springs, CA
• SAN FRANCISCO BAY EF! GROUPS EAST BAY Karen Pickett Canyon, CA
• MARIN COUNTY Tim Jeffries Fairfax, CA
• SAN FRANCISCO Jolie Velazquez San Francisco, CA
• SAN DIEGO EARTH FIRST! Claude Mathis Encinitas, CA
• SANTA BARBARA EF!
  • Larry Davidson Isla Vista, CA
  • Tom Dudley Santa Barbara, CA
• SANTA CRUZ EF! Karen DeBraal Santa Cruz, CA
• STANISLAUS EARTH FIRST! Bill Curless Oakdale CA
• YOSEMITE EF! Tom Skeele Yosemite, CA

Colorado

• COLORADO EARTH FIRST!
  • Eric Holle Boulder CO
  • Scott Sala Denver CO 80218

Florida

• FLORIDA EARTH FIRST! Ronnie Hawkins Gainesville, FL 32604

Idaho

• NORTH IDAHO EARTH FIRST! Georgie Sarvis Coeur d’ Alene, ID

Maine

• MAINE EARTH FIRST! Gary Lawless Gulf of Maine Books Brunswick, ME

Massachusetts

• MASSACHUSETTS EF!
  • NICA Athol, MA
  • Ben Gordesky Somerville, MA

Montana

• MONTANA EARTH FIRST!
  • Randall Restless Bozeman, MT
  • John Zelazny Missoula, MT
  • Rose Zechman Missoula, MT

New Mexico

• NEW MEXICO EARTH FIRST!
  • Steve Marlatt Las Cruces, NM
  • Brad Lagorio Albuquerque, NM
  • Ron Mitchell Santa Fe, NM
  • Kathy Chaney Roswell, NM

Ohio

• OHIO EARTH FIRST!
  • Jerry R. Welch Akron, OH
  • Dev Weiss Novelty, OH

OHIO VALLEY EF!

• Brian Hagemann Cincinnati, OH

Oregon

• OREGON EARTH FIRST! Ric Bailey Joseph, OR

Texas

• TEXAS EARTH FIRST!

• • Barbara Dugelby Austin, TX
  • Sedge Simons Houston, TX
  • Leah Averett Ft. Worth, TX

Vermont

• VERMONT EARTH FIRST! Erik Sohlberg East Corinth, VT 05040

Virginia/DC

• VIRGINIA/DC EARTH FIRST!
  • Robert F. Mueller Staunton, VA
  • Martha Slover Blacksburg, VA

Washington State

• WASHINGTON EARTH FIRST!
  • George Draffan Seattle, WA
  • Fred E. Foiler Wenatchee, WA

Wyoming

• WYOMING EARTH FIRST!
  • Hiroshima Svendsen Jackson, WY
  • Vistara Parham Sheridan, WY

Wisconsin

• Midwest Headwaters EF!
  • Bob Kaspar Madison, WI
  • Hank Bruse Wisconsin Rapids, WI
  • Jim Veller Ashland, WI
  • Steven Spickerman
  • Landis Spickerman
  • Ike Walton Lac du Flambeau, WI

Illinois

• Hal Lupinek Chicago, IL
• Elaine Vercruysse Fox River Grove, IL
• Paul Rechten Harvard, IL

Minnesota

• Chuck Varani St. Paul, MN

Local

• ARKANSAS NCWA Jasper, AR
• ALASKA Michael Lewis Sitka, AK
• IOWA Bruce Espe Dexter, IA
• KENTUCKY Al Fritsch Livingston, KY
• LOUISIANA Stephen Duplantier Abita Springs
• MARYLAND Leonard J. Kerpelman Baltimore
• MICHIGAN Stan VanVelsor Ann Arbor, MI
• MISSOURI Sue Skidmore Springfield, MO Laurie Britz O’Fallon, MO
• NEVADA Karen Tanner Reno, NV
• NEW HAMPSHIRE Vicki-Lyn Melisi Somersworth, NH
• NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY Debbie Malkin Tenafly, NJ
• NEW YORK Van Howell/Marsha Slatkin Setduket, NY
• Learning Alliance New York City

"The Alliance hopes to involve environmental activists from all over the East. The day will include presentations on envisioning and understanding an ecological society; celebrations of Earth; and will involve Earth First!, Greenpeace, Sea Shepherd, local bio-regional and green groups and All Species folks. To offer help or obtain information, contact: David Levine, Learning Alliance

• TENNESSEE Brian Lee Hickok
• UTAH Julien Puzey Salt Lake City, UT 84105
• WEST VIRGINIA JR Spruce Ridgeley, WV 26753
• The Sonoran bioregional meeting hosted by Earth First!, held January 18, drew 25 participants, most of whom hope to form a network “to bring together people who desire to further the ecological needs of the Sonoran Bioregion.” A second meeting is tentatively scheduled for February 22. Contact Jean Eisenhower
• Earth First! Benefit concert by John Circus and Steve Clark
• Earth First! WESTERN ROAD SHOW. Contact Mike Roselle
• PENNSYLVANIA John McFarland David Hafer Lewisburg PA, Antoinette Dwinga Carnegie, PA
• CALIFORNIA Rodney Coronado starting a new Earth First! chapter in Palm Springs. "Rod plans to join other EF!ers to confront trapping and other issues."
• MONTANA: Montana Forever Wild! Rally Americans for Wilderness is sponsoring a grand show of support for Montana’s remaining wild and roadless areas on March 2 in Missoula
• MONTANA RENDEZVOUS by Linda Wolf by treasurer Randy T. Restless.

"As befits a group with no formal structure, the role of Earth First! in Montana was the first topic of discussion....Mike Bader presented a slide show on the Badger/Two Medicine area, after which Woody Kipp of the Blackfeet Tribe added his concerns for the spiritual value of the land. That night, the party started with Walkin’ Jim’s inspirational musical slide show and Greg Keeler’s witty environmental songs...On Sunday, discussion of the soon-to-be-introduced Montana wilderness bill led to the idea of organizing a huge “near-riot” in Missoula on March 2nd. Phil Knight talked about the rainforest situation. Before leaving, everyone formed one last circle to wrap up the rendezvous with Walkin’ Jim’s “Power Song.” And we all agreed, “For the Earth Now We Must Stand!”

• NEW MEXICO: Round River Rendezvous ’87 by Barbara Dugelby Requests or inquiries should be sent to Gena Trott
• The following is drawn from a January 19 press release of Friends of the Earth Limited, 377 City Road, London, ECI. Bob Phillips
• Today, 19 January, Friends of the Earth International issued a statement condemning proposals by Coca-Cola Foods Ltd...
• Page 13 Earth First! February 2,1987 "Battle of Four Notch Continues" by Lah Weaselman
• Page 7 Earth First! March 20, 1987 by Karen DeBraal
• Page 23 Earth, First! May 1, 1987 The End of American Wilderness by Morgan Sherwood