19th Annual Heartwood Forest Council

This in via e-mail describing last years event:

Just days after the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division Of Forestry revealed plans to initiate major burning in the Shawnee State Forest , local, state and regional environmental groups announced the convening of the 18th Annual Heartwood Forest Council. The event, which will take place, Memorial Day Weekend, May 23-26, 2008, is to be held at Boy Scout Camp Oyo in the Shawnee State Forest near Portsmouth, Ohio. The theme of this year's Forest Council is "Burning Issues: Climate is a Forest Product."

The Heartwood Forest Council is the largest annual gathering of citizens from across the Eastern, Midwestern, and Southern United States who care about the health and well being of our nation's forests. This will be the second time this event has taken place in Ohio, the first being at Camp Oty Okwa in 1992.

“We are expecting more than 200 participants from communities in Ohio and nearly two dozen other states,” said Andy Mahler of Heartwood. “We had hoped to showcase the beauty and splendor of the Shawnee State Forest. With the threat of these burns, we are not sure what we will encounter in the Forest."

“We will focus on threats to our region and to human and community health, in an atmosphere of collaboration designed to form stronger personal and organizational connections,” Said David Maywhoor, Executive Director of Buckeye Forest Council. “While addressing the issues we face and celebrating the work that we do, the Forest Council will offer participants an opportunity to identify lasting solutions and proven action steps that will move us as a community toward a shared vision of a healthy, just, and sustainable society.”

The program will begin the afternoon of Friday, May 23, and continue through mid-day, Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day), and will be interspersed with ample social time, leisure, lively local music, dancing and great food. The Forest Council will be family friendly - kids of all ages are encouraged to attend.

“This year's Forest Council will explore how we can nurture sustainable local and regional networks and a culture of cooperation and care,” said Mr. Mahler. “Together we will identify viable alternatives to the dominant economy and its toxic legacy of waste and prepare ourselves with the knowledge and tools to protect ourselves, our communities, and our planet.”

“Since the 2003 ice storm, Shawnee State Forest has been devastated with nearly 7,000 acres of logging and now an open-ended experimental prescribed burning plan which could last decades.” said Cheryl Carpenter, Voices for the Forest. “In the first five years alone, 7,868 acres are scheduled to be burned. This Forest Council will bring this issue front and center nationwide.”

“This Council has something for everyone, environmentalist or not.” Ms Carpenter continued, “On Friday, Dr. Andrew Feight, Shawnee State University Associate Professor of History will be sharing the history of the Scioto River Valley and Dr. Tula Cora Watters, Chief of the Shawnee Nation, Blue Creek Band, will be speaking on the Shawnee Nation. Additionally Jenny Richards and Kevin Bradbury, Shawnee State Park, will offer a colorful presentation on the flora and fauna of Shawnee State Forest. On Saturday, there is an array of talented, local musicians including Steve Free, John Simon & Band and Mothman. And one of Ohio’s best naturalists, John Howard will lead a hike on Sunday.

The program will consist of three days of workshops, discussions, keynote speakers, and field trips. Key program elements will include:

Forest Issues: public lands management, roadless and other special areas, prescribed burning on state and national forests, genetically modified trees, sustainable forestry and low impact logging, land certification, and land management strategies and opportunities including the value of non-timber forest products.

Coal, air, energy and climate issues: coal mining and processing, including mountaintop removal, room and pillar, and longwall mining, coal-fired power plants, air pollution and global climate change. We will also talk about resurgent efforts to promote nuclear power, the alternatives to fossil fuel such as wind, solar and hydropower, and the connections between forests and energy production including cellulosic ethanol and biomass.

Sustainability issues: creating viable communities and taking responsibility for our own future; localized economies, permaculture, local and regional food production and distribution, alternative energy and transportation, traditional uses of plants and their preservation, religion and environmental protection, alternatives to the corporate control of food and seed supply; and how to sustain our minds, bodies and spirits as we seek environmental justice and transformational change.

Hosts for this year’s event include Heartwood, the Buckeye Forest Council, Save Our Shawnee State Forest, Voices for the Forest, Meigs Citizens Action Now, Protect Biodiversity in Public Forests, EarthWatch Ohio, Sierra Club, Ohio Chapter and Ohio Environmental Council.

This year's event will be held at:

We would like to invite you to the 19th annual Heartwood Forest Council, to be held Memorial Day weekend, May 22-25, 2009, at Camp McKee near the Red River Gorge in Appalachian Kentucky. The theme of this year's Forest Council is Defending the Earth, Sustaining Ourselves.

Camp McKee, is a great location just seven miles south of Mt. Sterling, with over 800 acres of forests and trails, a large lake, and sits adjacent to Pilot Knob State Nature Preserve and just a stone’s throw from the beautiful and unique Red River Gorge.

Visit www.heartwood.org/forestcouncil for more information and how to sign up.