We are sad to announce that well known Wilderness Committee spokesperson Ken Wu has stepped down this month from his position with the Wilderness Committee to pursue other interests.

And, we are pleased to announce big plans to expand the Wilderness Committee's campaign activity on Vancouver Island.

And last but not but not least - don't miss out on our huge moving sale at our Wilderness Committee store at 651 Johnson Street, Victoria. Everything must go. Great prices on calendars, posters, books, cards and more!

Ken Wu has worked for over 10 years for the Wilderness Committee in various capacities including as campaigner and canvass director and will be greatly missed. Ken has expressed a desire to learn more about the workings of other conservation organizations, and has recently announced that he is heading up a new organization to continue to work for an end to oldgrowth logging on Vancouver Island. We wish him the best of luck and success in his new directions.

While working for the Wilderness Committee Ken lead successful efforts that helped, in cooperation with other environmental groups, to:
 

• Defeat the “Working Forest Initiative”, a BC government proposal to turn all of the province’s public forest lands into a guaranteed logging zone for corporations and that would facilitate Crown land privatization
• Stave off coastal oil and gas drilling in BC. The BC government originally planned to have oil rigs operating in BC’s coastal waters by the time the 2010 Winter Olympics were underway. Clearly that won’t happen!
• Stop the proposed expansion of the Malahat highway through the ancient forests of Goldstream Provincial Park.
• Stifle or slow down the sale of Crown lands in BC.
• Push the local government to enact a parkland acquisition fund to purchase private forest lands in the region for new regional parks, including in the Sooke Hills.
• Launch a new campaign to establish large, no-take marine sanctuaries in BC’s waters.
• Launch and build up the campaign to end old-growth logging and raw log exports on BC’s South Coast. Tens of thousands of British Columbians from diverse backgrounds (including many forestry workers)  attended giant rallies, events, trips, and spoke out their concerns to the decision-makers.

With Ken leaving the Wilderness Committee we know that we have some big shoes to fill!

We have exciting plans to increase our campaigns on Vancouver Island. We are hiring a new outreach coordinator and a new campaigner. In subsequent postings we'll be introducing our new team and letting you know how you can join in the wilderness saving activities out of the Wilderness Committee office in Victoria.

We are closing our Victoria store, and moving to a better office space location nearby, more suited to our wilderness preservation campaign needs. Consequently we are having a huge sale of our entire store inventory. Come on down to 651 Johnson Street and get a great deal on some of our calendars, posters, books, cards and more!

When we move into our new digs we'll be having a wild party and you are invited! Expect to hear we've moved in sometime in March. We'll let you know the date of our moving in celebration.

In 2010 there will be some awesome battles to end the logging of Vancouver Island oldgrowth forests, protect the south coast's wild rivers from private hydro power developers and to get salmon farms off our coast once and for all - just to name a few. Stay tuned - its going to be a wild ride!

Joe Foy | National Campaign Director
Wilderness Committee