Dear Friends and Allies,
We must stop attacks on the Tongass Rainforest!
From November 11-15 a WECAN Indigenous Women's Tongass Delegation and allies traveled to Washington D.C. to advocate for the protection of over 9 million acres of ancient old-growth forest, and the continuation of the Roadless Rule, an important measure to protect Alaska's Tongass National Forest, which is under attack from the Trump administration.

The Delegation met with members of Congress, committee staff, and the Forest Service to address current threats to forest protections. They spoke at a congressional reception, where they met with Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) who co-introduced The Roadless Area Conservation Act in May 2019, which aims to prevent logging and destructive road-building in the Tongass National Forest. They also rallied and spoke alongside Jane Fonda during #FireDrillFridays, attended a public hearing by the House Natural Resources Committee, and submitted questions and comments during a Roadless Rule public meeting held by the Forest Service.

The U.S. Forest Service, under the leadership of the Trump Administration is seeking to remove the Roadless Rule from the Tongass National Forest, opening this vital ecosystem to further clear-cut logging. The Forest Service is collecting public comments until December 17. Please see the link below to join us in telling the Forest Service to keep the Roadless Rule intact in the Tongass!
The WECAN Indigenous Women's Tongass Delegation, Kari Ames, Tlingit, Alaska Native Voices Cultural Heritage Guide and keeper of traditional life-ways (center left) and Adrien Nichol Lee, Tlingit, President of the Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 12 and keeper of cultural Tlingit education (center right), alongside WECAN Executive Director, Osprey Orielle Lake (left), and WECAN Communications Coordinator, Katherine Quaid (right) during an advocacy trip to Washington D.C. from November 11-14, 2019. Photo Credit: WECAN International
WECAN is committed to protecting the Tongass and standing with the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian peoples and local communities who are calling for an end to industrial-scale logging and roads into these ancient forests. Clear-cuts are not only bad for the forest, but they decimate salmon populations, negatively affect local economies, destroy important carbon stores, and will mean cultural genocide for the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian whose life-ways are deeply interwoven with the Tongass.

We will continue to fight the Trump Administration's threats to the Tongass through 2020 and beyond. We need your support to continue this effort to protect over 9 million acres of temperate rainforest, please donate today to ensure the Tongass remains standing!
To learn more about our advocacy efforts in Washington D.C. and Alaska please read below!

WATCH THE DELEGATION VIDEO
Stand with the Tlingit and the Tongass
Stand with the forest and with Indigenous peoples and local communities by submitting a public comment before December 17, 2019, to #ProtectTheTongass!
At the Congressional Reception on November 13, WECAN Tongass Delegates, Kari Ames and Adrien Lee, spoke to a gathering of Congressional members and staff, sharing the importance of their forest homelands and calling for efforts of Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Representative Ruben Gallego (D-NM) to codify the 2001 National Roadless Rule into law.
The WECAN Indigenous Women's Tongass Delegation, Kari Ames, Tlingit, Alaska Native Voices Cultural Heritage Guide and keeper of traditional life-ways (left) and Adrien Nichol Lee, Tlingit, President of the Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 12 and keeper of cultural Tlingit education (center right), with Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) (center left) and WECAN Executive Director, Osprey Orielle Lake (right), at a congressional reception to discuss the Tongass National Forest and codifying the 2001 National Roadless Rule into law.
Photo Credit: WECAN International - Katherine Quaid
The WECAN Indigenous Women's Tongass Delegation also submitted questions and comments alongside other Alaskans and allies during the USDA Forest Service Roadless Rulemaking Public Meeting in Washington, D.C. held on November 14. The Delegates called for accountability and a seat at the table for Indigenous communities whose livelihood depends on the Tongass Forest.
Adrien Lee, WECAN Tongass Delegate questioning U.S. Forest Service representatives during the USDA Forest Service Alaska Roadless Rulemaking Public Meeting in Washington D.C. on November 14, 2019. Photo Credit: WECAN International - Katherine Quaid
On Friday, November 15, the WECAN Delegation joined hundreds of climate justice advocates for the weekly #FireDrillFriday. During the rally, the Delegation was invited onto the stage to raise their voices and stand up for their homelands. You can watch the live-stream of the action here.
WECAN Tongass Delegates, Adrien Lee (center right) and Kari Ames (center left), with Osprey Orielle Lake (second from left) rallying for environmental and climate justice alongside Jane Fonda (right) at #FireDrillFridays On November 15 in Washington D.C.
Photo Credit: WECAN International - Katherine Quaid

During #FireDrillFriday, Osprey Orielle Lake, Executive Director of the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) International, was arrested along with other allies on Capitol Hill standing up for Climate Justice and frontlines communities!

WECAN Delegates included:

  • Kari Ames - Tlingit, Alaska Native Voices Cultural Heritage Guide and keeper of traditional life-ways

  • Adrien Nichol Lee - Tlingit, President of the Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 12 and keeper of cultural Tlingit education

  • Along with Osprey Orielle Lake - Executive Director of the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) International.


WECAN has been working in the Tongass for over three years, and this is the second time we have had the honor to organize a delegation of Tlingit women traveling to the U.S. capital to fight for the protection of their forests. We are thankful to the environmental law firm, Earthjustice for their support in Washington, D.C.
This Delegation is part of the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network "Women for Forests " program, which is engaged in an ongoing campaign and project in the Tongass with the leadership of Wanda Culp, Tlingit activist, and WECAN Tongass Coordinator.
It is critical that we continue elevating the leadership of Indigenous women in the fight for the Tongass and the National Roadless Rule.
Please consider donating to our 'Women for Forests' campaign today!
IN HOONAH, ALASKA
WECAN TONGASS DELEGATES
SPEAK OUT FOR THEIR FOREST HOMELANDS
On Left: Wanda Culp, Tlingit activist and WECAN Tongass Coordinator starts the USDA Forest Service Roadless Rulemaking Public Meeting in Hoonah, Alaska with a song. On Right: Rebekah Sawers, WECAN Tongass Delegate, reads out her public comment during the meeting in Hoonah, Alaska. Photo Credit: Lisa Szybura
On November 14, Rebekah Sawers and Ernestine Hanlon-Abel, led by WECAN Tongass Coordinator, Kashudoha Wanda Culp, took over the local U.S. Forest Service offices during the Roadless Rulemaking Public Meeting in Hoonah, Alaska. The Delegates started the meeting with song and then shared their perspectives on the current request, by Alaskan Congressional members, to exempt the Tongass Forest from the 2001 National Roadless Rule. They submitted testimony during the public meetings and called for the U.S. Forest Service to transcribe all verbal testimony for public meetings.
"Nothing will replace the trees that have been cut down. Only standing trees are a forest...We stand in solidarity with the Tongass WECAN delegation testifying today in Washington, D.C. We seek our indigenous sovereign voices at the planning tables – for the first time in history. This is a matter of mitigation, our place is at the planning table. When our grandchildren come into the forest, the trees will witness their presence, as will their grandchildren. This is our vision."

Kasy yeh gei, Ernestine Hanlon-Abel
Weaver and WECAN Tongass Delegate
WATCH AND SHARE this powerful video, "Breathe"!
"The Tongass National Forest has always been critical for our survival.
But now we know its value to the planet.” 
Kashudoha Wanda Culp
Tlingit artist, activist, and WECAN Tongass Coordinator


Breathe
We are proud to release the ‘Breathe’ video with our partners SalmonState and SeaLegacy, created by Pioneer Studios— featuring Indigenous activists, WECAN Tongass Coordinator Kashudoha Wanda Culp (Tlingit) and Rebekah Sawers WECAN Tongass Delegate (Yup’ik, living in the Tongass with her Tlingit husband and daughter.)
For the Tongass, the Earth, and All Generations,
The Women's Earth and Climate Action Network
(WECAN) International Team
S T A Y C O N N E C T E D