Earth First!
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.[1]
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![2]
Their publication is the Earth First! Journal.[3]
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!.[4]
Earth First! Speakers Bureau
The Earth First! Speakers Bureau[5] includes:
1987 Earth First! Directory
The following was published at the Earth First! Journal in 1987:[6]
- "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 First1ers 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.
EARTH FIRST! JOURNAL SUBSCRIPTIONS & TRINKETS Earth First!
POB 5871 Tucson, AZ 8^ l(f$
(602)622-1371
EARTH FIRST! FOUNDATION POB 50681 'Dicson, AZ 85703
EF! RAINFOREST ACTION Bay Area Earth First!
POB 83
Canyon, CA 94516
EF! GRIZZLY BEAR TASK FORCE POB 7572
Missoula, MT 59807
AUSTRALIA John Seed
Rainforest Information Centre POB 368, Lismore New South Wales 2480 Australia
JAPAN Rick Davis
400 Yamanashi-ken, Kofu-shi Saiwai-cho, 18-11 Kofu, Japan (0552) 33-6017
MEXICO J. Banks Apto Postal Box 381
Guaymas, Sonora Mexico
SCOTLAND Grant Collie Box 86
43 Candlemaker Row Edinburgh, EH1 2QB Scotland
LOCAL GROUPS
ARIZONA EARTH FIRST!
Roger Featherstone Ned Powell POB 5871 T\icson, AZ 85703 (602)622-1371
Mary Sojourner OCSR #14 Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (602)774-8601
Gristle POB 1525 Prescott, AZ 86302
Vaugn Croteau POB 5597
Scottsdale, AZ 85261
BRITISH COLUMBIA Paul Watson POB 48446 Vancouver, BC V7X 1A2 CANADA (604)688-SEAL
CALIFORNIA EARTH FIRST! GROUPS
CHICO EARTH FIRST!
Michelle Miller POB 5625 Chico, CA 95927 (916)345-4746
DAVIS EARTH FIRST!
Susie Rodriguez-Pastor Jennifer Wachter 510 Arthur St. #208 Davis, CA 95616 (916)758-7425/753-2568
EASTERN SIERRA EF! Sally Miller POB 29
Lee Vining, CA 93541 (619)647-6360
GRASS VALLEY EARTH FIRST! Dakota Sid Clifford 15440 St. Hwy 174 Grass Valley, CA 95945 (916)273-7186
LOS ANGELES EARTH FIRST! Peter Bralver 13110 Bloomfield St.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 (818)784-6176/905-0583
MONTEREY EF!
Rob & Kim Burton 505 11th St.
Pacific Grove, CA 93950 (408)372-2426
NORTHCOAST EF! GROUPS ARCATA EF!
Bill Devall POB 21
Areata, CA 95521 (707)822-8136/826-3551
HUMBOLDT/MENDOCINO EF! Darryl Chemey S. Humboldt Action Center 814 1/2 Redwood Dr.
Garberville, CA 95440 (707)923-2931/2913
Betty & Gary Ball 429 N. State St.
Ukiah, CA 95482 (707)462-3053
SONOMA EARTH FIRST!
Greg King POB 1825
Guerneville, CA 95446 (707)874-9964
WILLITS EF!
Don Morris POB 1551 Will its, CA 95490
PALM SPRINGS EARTH FIRST!
Rod Coronado
711 S. Riverside Dr. #3
Palm Springs, CA 92262
(619)322-2252
SAN FRANCISCO BAY EF! GROUPS EAST BAY Karen Pickett POB 83
Canyon, CA 94516 (415)376-7329/548-2220
MARIN COUNTY Tim Jeffries 22 Claus Circle Fairfax, CA 94930 (415)456-7433
SAN FRANCISCO
Jolie Velazquez
2237 Filbert St
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415)397-6880(W)
SAN DIEGO EARTH FIRST!
Claude Mathis POB 311
Encinitas, CA 92024 (619)942-8069
SANTA BARBARA EF!
Larry Davidson 6609 Sabado Tarde #B Isla Vista, CA 93117 (805)685-3836
Tom Dudley POB 14124
Santa Barbara, CA 93107 (805)968-0128 961-4203 (W)
SANTA CRUZ EF!
Karen DeBraal POB 344
Santa Cruz, CA 95061 (408)724-1916
STANISLAUS EARTH FIRST!
Bill Curless POB 901
Oakdale, CA 95361 (209)258-8339
YOSEMITE EF!
Tom Skeele POB 272
Yosemite, CA 95389 (209)372-4441
COLORADO EARTH FIRST!
Eric Holle
1126 James Canyon Dr.
Boulder, CO 80302 (303)442-5518
Scott Sala 1141 Emerson Denver, CO 80218 (303)831-6093
FLORIDA EARTH FIRST!
Ronnie Hawkins POB 13253
Gainesville, FL 32604 (904)495-9203
NORTH IDAHO EARTH FIRST! Georgie Sarvis POB 422
Coeur d’ Alene, ID 83814 (208)667-4678
MAINE EARTH FIRST!
Gary Lawless Gulf of Maine Books 61 Main St.
Brunswick, ME 04011 (207)729-5083
MASSACHUSETTS EF!
NICA POB 597 Athol, MA 01331
Ben Gordesky 121 Museum St. #2 Somerville, MA 02143
MONTANA EARTH FIRST!
Randall Restless
Box 6151
Bozeman, MT 59715
John Zelazny POB 7153
Missoula, MT 59807 (406)549-0346
Rose Zechman 816 Cooley Missoula, MT 59802
NEW MEXICO EARTH FIRST! Steve Marlatt c/o 3957 Westview Las Cruces, NM 88005 (505)526-9380
Brad Lagorio 2405 Meadow Rd SW Albuquerque, NM 87105 (505)873-0299
Ron Mitchell
144 E. De Vargas #11
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Kathy Chaney 504 S. Michigan Roswell, NM 88201 (505)624-2856
OHIO EARTH FIRST!
Jerry R. Welch 1150 McIntosh Ave.
Akron, OH 44314 (216)848-1979
Dev Weiss
8293 Chagrin Mills Rd Novelty, OH 44072 (216)338-3589/338-5383
OHIO VALLEY EF!
Brian Hagemann
727 Dixmyth Apt. 502 West
Cincinnati, OH 45220 (513)961-3660
OREGON EARTH FIRST!
Ric Bailey POB 605
Joseph, OR 97846 (503)432-1015
TEXAS EARTH FIRST!
Barbara Dugelby POB 7292 University Station Austin, TX 78713 (512)467-1404
Sedge Simons 4018 Turn berry Houston, TX 77025 (713)669-0733
Leah Averett 1518 Owasso Ft. Worth, TX 76107 (817)731-6348
VERMONT EARTH FIRST!
Erik Sohlberg RR1, Box 80-A East Corinth, VT 05040 (802)439-6266
VIRGINIA/DC EARTH FIRST! Robert F. Mueller Rt. 1 Box 250 Staunton, VA 24401 (703)885-6983
Martha Slover 1512-A Meadowbrook Dr. Blacksburg, VA 24060 (703)552-6548
WASHINGTON EARTH FIRST! George Draffan POB 95316 Seattle, WA 98145
Fred E. Foiler POB 3566
Wenatchee, WA 98801
WYOMING EARTH FIRST! Hiroshima Svendsen Box 2166
Jackson, WY 83001 (307)733-4793
Vistara Parham 32 Redpoll Lane RR 3 Sheridan, WY 82801 (307)6744795
LOCAL CONTACTS
MIDWEST HEADWATERS EF! Bob
Kaspar
305 N. Sixth St.
Madison, WI 53704 (608)241-9426
Hank Bruse KA9TIF (short wave)
235 Travis Drive
Wisconsin Rapids, WI 5441M
(715)423-5636
Jim Veller Northland College POB 209
Ashland, WI 54806
Steven & Landis Spickerman^
3670 Darling Lane I ^ ^ j i^>
Ike Walton Lake S' $ * *
Lac du Flambeau, WI 54538
Hal Lupinek 5014 N. Harding Chicago, 1L 60625 (312)341-0800 (day)
Elaine Vercruysse 105 Galdys
Fox River Grove, IL 60033 (312)639-8631
Paul Rechten 7405 Shields Rd.
Harvard, 1L 60033 (815)943-4178
Chuck Varani 355 Bates St. Paul, MN 55106 (612)771-7920
(707)459-4715
ARKANSAS
NCWA
POB 189
Jasper, AR 72641
ALASKA Michael Lewis 105 Cedar Beach Rd. Sitka, AK 99855
IOWA
Bruce Espe RR 1, Box 54 Dexter, IA 50070 (515)743-2798
KENTUCKY A1 Fritsch POB 298
Livingston, KY 40445
LOUISIANA Stephen Duplantier POB 512
Abita Springs, LA 70420
MARYLAND Leonard J. Kerpelman 2403 W. Rogers Baltimore, Ml) 21209 (301)367-8855
MICHIGAN Stan VanVelsor 3173 Chelsea Circle Ann Arbor, MI 48104
MISSOURI Sue Skidmore 1364 S. Plaza Springfield, MO 65804 (417)882-2947
Laurie Britz 1258 Whitehawk O’Fallon, MO 63366 (314)281-3952
Page 12 Earth First! Fefcn,tanj 2, 198.7
NEVADA
Karen Tanner
50 Berrum PI.
Apt. B
Reno, NV 89509 (702)827-1518
NEW HAMPSHIRE Vicki-Lyn Melisi 20 Walnut St. #1 Somersworth, NH 03878 (603)692-5370
NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY
Debbie Malkin
c/o 47 Willow Lane
Tenafly, NJ 07670
(201)567-0528
NEW YORK
Van Howell/Marsha Slatkin POB 2063 Setduket, NY 11733 (516)862-9450
Special Events
for EF!ers
- ECOFEMINIST PERSPECTIVES:
CULTURE, NATURE, AND THEORY, March 27-9, 1986, U of Southern Califor- nia, Los Angeles. The purpose of this conference is to open dialogues among different communities who are dealing with problems of domination and plan- etary survival. For information call 213- 829-2533 or 213-743-7722.
♦CALIFORNIA MOUNTAIN LION HEARINGS — The California Fish & Game Commission will begin a series of 3 hearings starting on February 6 on a proposed trophy hunting season on Mountain Lions. California Mountain Lions were protected by a legislatively mandated moratorium on trophy hunting since 1972, but this protection expired on January 1, 1986, because Governor Deukmejian vetoed legislation in 1985 that would have continued protection for lions. This year lions were given a reprieve as enormous public opposition to the reinstitution of a lion hunting sea- son and the political climate of an up- coming election forced the Fish & Game Commission to defer a hunting season for one year. The one year deferral is almost over and, as with the hearings held in 1986, the Commission will again hear proposals from “sportsmen” urging a statewide hunting season on Mountain Lions.
Your participation is needed at any of the following public hearings: Feb. 6; March 6 — Redding, 9 AM, City Council Chambers, 1343 California St.; April 3
— Sacramento, 9 AM, Resources Build- ing Auditorium, 1416 Ninth St. If you cannot attend the hearings, but would like the Commission to consider your views, write to the California Fish & Game Commission, 1416 9th St., Sac- ramento, CA 95814. For more informa- tion, call 213-457-LION (s CA) or 916- 442-2666 (n CA). To contribute to the educational work of the Mountain Lion Preservation Foundation, please send a donation to: Lion Preservation Fund, POB 1896, Sacramento, CA 95809.
♦HOW FAR IN DEFENSE OF THE EARTH, a day long event organized by the Learning Alliance, tentatively scheduled for May 2 in New York City. The Alliance hopes to involve environ- mental 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. The Alliance needs names, addresses, and phone numbers of EF! activists in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. To offer help or obtain information, contact: David Levine, Learning Alliance, 339 Lafayette St., NYC, 10012 (212-473-3689).
♦COLORADO RENDEZVOUS, Memorial Day, details in next issue, con- tact a Colorado contact (see Directory) for info.
♦CLEARCUTTING SUPPLEMENT
— We hope to produce a four-page sup- plement on clearcutting for a future issue of Earth First! The articles are forthcoming, but we still' need photos of clearcuts, and diagrams and maps relating to areas clearcut. We invite donations of such graphics.
♦THIRD ANNUAL KLAMATH- SISKIYOU BIOREGIONAL CON- FERENCE: RIVERS FROM THE SKY, WATERSHED AWARENESS VS. BUSINESS-AS-USUAL; April 24- 26, 1987, Humboldt State U. Campus, Areata. The HSU Department of Sociology and the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology (CCAT) have joined the Siskiyou Regional Education Project to co-sponsor a weekend-long
TENNESSEE
Brian Lee Hickok
POB 202
Maryville, TN 37803 (615)856-6525
UTAH
Juiien Puzey June Fulmer 864 Roosevelt Ave.
Salt Lake City, UT 84105 (801)484-7344
WEST VIRGINIA JR Spruce Box 222-A, RR 1 Ridgeley, WV 26753 (304)738-2212
event to encourage bioregional thinking.
The conference will provide students,
faculty and community members, as
well as government and corporate rep-
resentatives, with an interdisciplinary
educational opportunity not usually
available at HSU. Women’s and Native
American perspectives will be integral
to the conference.
The Klamath-Siskiyou Bioregion may be thought of as stretching from the Mendocino coast, north to the Umpqua River in Oregon and across the Coastal and Klamath-Siskiyou Mountains to the Cascades. It includes Humboldt, Del Norte, Siskiyou, Trinity and Mendocino counties of California; and Jackson, Josephine, Curry, Coos and Douglas counties in Oregon. It encompasses the watersheds of the Klamath, Trinity, Rogue, Umpqua and coastal rivers; and the Coast, Klamath and Siskiyou moun- tain ranges.
The conference will focus on the bio- geography, resources and culture of the bioregion — and will include workshops on reinhabiting damaged ecosystems; appropriate technologies, sustainable agriculture, rituals, ways of life and the art of our bioregion, and developing a sense of dwelling in place.
Registration is $35 for new Siskiyou Project members, $25 for those already members. Make checks payable to Bio- regional Conference. For information or to register, contact Nina or Jude, CCAT, Buck House 97, HSU, Areata, CA 95521; 707-826-3551.
♦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 ecolog- ical needs of the Sonoran Bioregion.” A second meeting is tentatively sched- uled for February 22. Contact Jean Eisenhower, 720 E University, Tucson, 85719 (602-622-451 2) for info.
♦EARTH FIRST! BENEFIT CONCERT BY JOHN CIRCUS AND STEVE CLARK; Feb. 28, 9 PM; Cafe Ole, 121 E Broadway, Tucson; $2 cover charge. John and Steve are environmen- tal musicians who will provide us with an evening of “dangerous and unpredict- able” political folk music. Circus’ album has been called “one of the best indepen- dent albums of 1985.” Clark has been called one of the best political song- writers. John’s album was favorably re- viewed in EF! by Lone Wolf Circles. Proceeds from the evening benefit EF!
♦EARTH FIRST! WESTERN ROAD SHOW. Work is in progress for a West Coast/Southwest road show to include many key EFJers. It will start in Washington, Earth Day week; go down the coast; swing back up through the Southwest; and end at the Grand Canyon for the RRR. The show will bring musicians, poets, speakers, movies, workshops, kids shows, and actions; and will focus on rainforest, uranium mining and local issues. If you are interested in hosting the road show in your area or need information, contact Mike Roselle at POB 83, Canyon, CA 94516.
PENNSYLVANIA
John McFarland
POB 179
Pt. Pleasant, PA 18950
David Hafer
c/o Otzinachson Group
POB 65
Lewisburg, PA 17837 (717)523-3107
Antoinette Dwinga 842 Library Ave. Carnegie, PA 15106 (412)279-8911
RONARD THE BERSERKER WILL
START EF! CHAPTER
Having completed his studies in
deep ecology on foreign seas, and hav-
ing declined an eager invitation from
the Icelandic government to be guest
again in their fair land, Rod Coronado
has returned to California, where he
is starting a new Earth First! chapter
in Palm Springs. Rod plans to join
other EF!ers to confront trapping and
other issues. Those interested in join-
ing the new EF! chapter, and not fear-
ing extradition by the US government,
should contact: Rodney Coronado, 711
S Riverside Dr #3, Palm Springs, CA
92262 (619-322-2252).
Montana Forever
Wild! Rally
Come to Montana and march for wilderness! Americans for Wilderness is sponsoring a grand show of support for Montana’s remaining wild and roadless areas on March 2 in Mis- soula, beginning on the University of Montana campus at noon and march- ing to various offices and the Federal Building along the way. The day will build up to a high energy rally that evening with various speakers, poets, and musicians contributing.
We can’t stress enough how impor- tant this march is! Montana’s shrink- ing wild lands (both BLM and Forest Service lands) are threatened by a soon-to-be-released wilderness bill. The new bill, which will be sprung on the unsuspecting public by a congres- sional delegation controlled by the timber industry, will exclude millions of acres from consideration as Wilder- ness. All those who believe in keeping the wild lands wild, whether they be- long to conservative, moderate, or rad- ical camps of the environmental spec- trum, are encouraged to show their support for roadless areas. We want to show the politicians, Forest Ser- vice, and national media that all of these lands should be saved, and that there is a strong population of folks who think so!
Be there! We need you; we need bodies; we need your energy! This demonstration will be the largest of its kind in US history. If you’ve ever walked Montana’s wild country or dreamed of it, Earth needs your voice now! March forth on March 2nd! For more information call Mike: (406) 549- 0263.
MONTANA
RENDEZVOUS
by Linda Wolf
January 16-18, Montana Earth Firstlers started 1987 with a fun-filled weekend rendezvous at Boulder Hot Springs. About 35 people gathered to talk about issues and share information within an informal discussion and work- shop structure. Friday witnessed the meeting and greeting of people from as far as East Glacier to as close as Helena. That night people mingled, enjoyed the pools and listened to a group of skillful musicians.
Saturday we got down to business with the announcement of the opening of a new account 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. While allowing respect for traditional methods of fighting the sys- tem, the conclusion reached was a reem- phasis of the unpredictable, radical and uncompromising attitude of EF! Other areas explored that day included the press, Dogmeat on the Fishing Bridge issue, and monkeywrenching. 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. The fun con- tinued far into the night.
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. The rally will be held to protest the in- adequacy of the political system for pro- ducing a respectable bill for wilderness protection. At the hot pool, the group discussed legal methods for fighting political and industrial moves to develop our wildlands. To top off a great weekend, 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!”
Round River Rendezvous ’87
by Barbara Dugelby
Plans are already under way for the 87 Round River Rendezvous, to be held July 6-10 on the spectacular North Rim of the Grand(mother) Canyon. Some of this planet’s most recondite eco-war- riors, including activists, poets, musi- cians, and artists will make their pre- sence known at workshops, campfires, hikes and the like.
The 87 RRR Committee is consider- ing problems with workshops, campfires, merchandise, the Rally, etc., encountered at the 86 RRR. No final decisions have been made, so if you have questions or suggestions please send them to us in the next few weeks. (For more info about what we are consider- ing, see the Open Letter to the 87 RRR Committee in the Samhain edition.)
VOLUNTEERS — The Committee is desperately seeking volunteers for many tasks. As soon as possible, we wish to begin collecting names for re- gional carpool coordinators, as well as someone to coordinate these coor- dinators. We are seeking coordinators for parking, water and a stage. We also need volunteers on these committees: childcare (ideas and extra hands), trash, merchandise, and a greeting table.
ART — The Committee is consider-
ing allowing artists to display their
artwork during the RRR. In order for
artists to do this, however, they must
first get an OK from the Committee.
We want the exhibiting artist to already
be a contributing Earth First !er and for
the. work to somehow reflect the EF!
message or show appreciation for wild
nature. Requests or inquiries should be
sent to Gena Trott, POB 652, Reserve,
NM 87830. No artwork can be shown
without prior arrangement.
WORKSHOP IDEAS — What work- shops or other (organized) activities would you like to see at this year’s RRR? More specifically, would you like to lead a workshop? Contact Barb.
T-SHIRT — We need a design for a Round River Rendezvous t-shirt. Illus- trations should be sent to Barb before March 31. If you have ideas about colors of the design or the shirt, include them.
MONEY — Yes! We are already ac- cepting donations to the 87 RRR fund. There are so many hidden expenses for this wonderful event, including porta- potties (ok, not so hidden), insurance, etc. Contributions should be sent to the Earth First! Foundation, POB 50681, Tucson, AZ 85703, earmarked for the RRR fund.
If you can help in any way with the
Rendezvous, let us know. Everyone
start gearing up for a hootin’, howlin’,
definitely unforgettable week under the
full moon in the Grand Canyon!
ob Phillips at 86 RRR.
CocaCola
Against the
Rainforest
The following is drawn from a January 19 press release of Friends of the Earth Limited, 377 City Road, London, ECI.
B
- 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
References
- ↑ Earth First! A Founder’s Story, accessed April 8 2017
- ↑ No People Allowed, accessed April 8 2017
- ↑ accessed April 8 2017
- ↑ , accessed April 8 2017
- ↑ Individuals, Projects & Collectives that the Earth First! Speakers Bureau collaborates with:, accessed April 8 2017
- ↑ Foreman, Dave, et al., eds., Earth First! 7, no. 3 (2 February 1987) Republished by the Environment & Society Portal, Multimedia Library http://www.environmentandsociety.org/node/6882, accessed April 10 2017