Tumwater man climbs tree in Capitol Forest to protest logging in the area
This story has been updated to reflect new information.
State Department of Natural Resources spokeswoman, Bobbi Cussins, said the following on Sunday.
“The person is still in the tree and the apparatus and derelict car remain undisturbed,” she said. “The area remains closed. Again, safety of all involved remains our top priority. It’s an active investigation, so not much more to add.”
A three-person protest that started last week in Capitol Forest over plans to log in the area is now just one person — a Tumwater man who has climbed a Douglas Fir and is perched 75-80 feet off the ground.
“I feel safe and comfortable, and I feel like I can do this,” said the man, who used the name “John Barksdale” on Thursday, which apparently is not his real name.
The man declined to say whether he has done this before.
“Barksdale” is opposed to a plan to log timber in the area. The state Department of Natural Resources oversees land put into trust, including at Capitol Forest, and the agency has regular timberland auctions to raise revenue for the state, including school construction.
The recent sale in Capitol Forest, the proceeds of which are for Thurston County, was to a wood products company in Grays Harbor County, DNR spokeswoman Bobbi Cussins said. The timberland had the sale name of “Chameleon” and was valued at $3.3 million, DNR information shows.
The protest began Sept. 30, a day before the Grays Harbor County business was set to construct a road to access the property, Cussins said.
A negotiator is at the scene to work with Barksdale after DNR law enforcement and Thurston County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the site Wednesday afternoon. Two of the protesters packed up their stuff and left, she said, leaving “Barsksdale.” He has been issued a verbal warning, she said.
Berms in the road to block construction have been removed, but a vehicle that apparently has been filled with cement and is anchoring “Barksdale’s” tree platform, is still on site, Cussins said.
DNR has not disturbed the vehicle, despite claims to the contrary on social media. “Safety is our top priority,” she said.
If the vehicle is moved, it could cause “Barksdale’s” platform to collapse, “Barksdale” told The Olympian.
“It’s not a safe thing to mess with,” “Barksdale” said.
The Tumwater man said Thursday he is opposed to industrial logging and believes strongly in the environmental powers of older trees and carbon sequestration. He also called logging an ongoing act of colonialism.
“Resource extraction is a continuation of basically the theft of native lands,” he said. “To me, it’s disgusting.”
“Barksdale” said he wasn’t sure how long he would be in the tree. He wants to reach some kind of agreement with DNR not to log in the area.
“It’s a very small space, but I have lots of provisions,” he said.
Cussins emphasized that DNR wants the protester to come down.
“It’s about safety,” she said. “ We need everyone safe.”
This story was originally published October 8, 2020 at 3:52 PM.
