Come welcome the Buffalo Field Campaign Road Show to the Bay Area Friday, Sept. 26!

Join us at 7 pm at the Ecology Center, (2530 San Pablo Ave. between Dwight & Parker in west Berkeley) for what promises to be an inspiring show.

The show features storytelling and video from the land of the buffalo with campaign co-founder Mike Mease, plus the amazing Native Music of Goodshield Aguilar and Mignon Geli.

The Buffalo Field Campaign (BFC) is the only group working in the field, every day, to stop the slaughter and harassment of the last wild buffalo. Founded in 1997, the group uses video documentation, non-violent direct action, education and lobbying to change archaic laws targeting buffalo. Volunteers from around the world spend every day, from sunrise to sunset, monitoring and documenting threats to the buffalo, running patrols on skis, snowshoes and cars to defend buffalo on their traditional winter habitat and advocate for their protection.

You can call us for info at 510-548-3113 or visit BFC’s website at www.buffalofieldcampaign.org. There, you’ll find listings of other BFC shows in their west coast road show tour, including San Jose on 9-22, SF State on 9-23, Sacramento on 9-25, Santa Cruz on 9-28 and Fairfax on 9-29.

 

Stops and Starts for Caltrans on Willits Bypass While Native Site Protocol is Scrapped

A Temporary Stop Order issued in August had prevented Caltrans from excavating fill from a questionable site, but the court failed to grant a Preliminary Injunction continuing that action on Sept. 8. Meanwhile the Coyote Valley Band of Pomos has been petitioning the Army Corps of Engineers to consult with the Tribes. At issue is Caltrans’ non-compliance with the 404 permit issued by the Corps. A condition of that permit specifically references the protection of archeological sites and references the National Historic Preservation Act. The Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, whose members include lineal descendants of the Little Lake Pomo people aim to prevent any further destruction of known ancestral archeological sites. More collaborative action is planned with Bypass activists and Native Americans, including the Pomos from Coyote Valley and elders and spiritual leaders from the American Indian Movement.

“What good does it do for Indian People to record our history in some books and store our cultural artifacts in boxes in a Caltrans warehouse, then to destroy the site anyway by pouring tons of dirt, concrete and asphalt over it?” asked Priscilla Hunter, tribal representative for Coyote Valley.

Most demands at this juncture focus on the oversize nature of the northern exchange of the Bypass, being built for 4 lanes when the Bypass is 2 lanes. Proposals made to Caltrans, the Army Corps of Engineers, elected representatives and other agencies make the case that downsizing the northern exchange would prevent destruction of significant portions of wetlands and archeological sites now slated for destruction and burying.

Check out the newest issue of Forest & River News, published by the Trees Foundation in Humboldt County. We have a short update on Caltrans in the magazine, and a photo of the AIM Spirit Run drummers stop in Willits is on the cover. It’s a great publication for news from the north coast!

You can join our mailing list (low volume, pertinent updates) on the front page of this site or check out updates from the activist group in Willits at Save Little Lake Valley.