Anonymous submission to Unsalted Counter Info.
The forest that stretches through so called iron county on the edge of Mishkiiziibii (Bad River Reservation) and near the southern shore of Gitchigami (Lake Superior) is home to some of the largest giizhik (cedar) ive ever seen. The forest floor there is damp and rolled over with moss and leaves and fallen trees. Mossy holes and roots reaching around stones, giizhik (cedar), mitigominzh (oak), ookwemin (cherry), and aninaatig (maple). This is also the site of Enbridges proposed line 5 reroute. A small group of us recently walked the eastern half of the proposed easement. With anger, sadness, and love in our hearts we spiked dozens of the trees who make up this forest. We did this because we want to stop Enbridge. We did it because we hate them and all that they come from. We did it because we hate the world that they build. We did it because we could. The forest held us and hid us and Enbridge could do nothing about it. We walked all over their easement and we’ll be back.
Today we send them a warning:
“Horrible Morning Earth-killers, Enbrdige and otherwise –
This is a warning to stop any logging activity on the proposed line 5 reroute. Many dozens of trees that live along the pipeline easement and adjacent access roads have been spiked.
Multiple types of materials were used, including steel, aluminum, and ceramic. The spikes are various widths and lengths, they were placed at various heights ranging from the foot of the trees to 10’ off the ground, in random groupings, and at random distances from one another. They span the entire eastern half of the proposed easement. They were placed inside our relatives – giizhik, mitigominzh, ookwemin, and aninaatig.
While some of these spikes pose you no threat and will simply waste your time, others are large enough to damage or destroy your logging machinery, or milling equiptment as well as risk hurting workers. Our intention with this action is not for harm to come to anyone, hence this warning. Instead we wish for you to stop construction completely.”
Enbridge claims it will start construction on the Bad River reroute on the 3rd of November. They don’t need long. Consider this your invitation. Enbridge is everywhere, but this reroute and the machines that build it and the people that operate the machines are especially vulnerable.
The stars were very bright over head there in the forest, you could hear the woodcocks and owls at night. The streams had baby craw-fish in them and were cold and clear. As we moved through the forest, the wind blew leaves that covered our tracks and the rain wash them away completely. The shapes of the forest disguised us as we moved quietly through the trees.
May these spikes slow and stop Enbridge construction. May the forest have a break from the grinding and beeping of the machines even if only temporary. May you, who are reading this, act swiftly and defiantly.