Forest Council

Heartwood Forest Council in Ohio

Save the Date for the 18th Annual Heartwood Forest Council, Memorial Day Weekend, May 23-26, 2008, to be held at Boy Scout Camp Oyo in the Shawnee State Forest near Portsmouth, Ohio.

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We would like to invite you to the 18th annual Heartwood Forest Council, to be held Memorial Day weekend, May 23-26, 2008, at Boy Scout Camp Oyo in the Shawnee State Forest near Portsmouth, Ohio. Hosts for this years event include Heartwood, the Buckeye Forest Council, Save Our Shawnee Forest, Voices for the Forest, Meigs Citizens Action Now!, Protect Biodiversity in Public Forests, and EarthWatch Ohio. The theme of this year's Forest Council is "Burning Issues: Climate is a Forest Product."

What is the Heartwood Forest Council?

The Heartwood Forest Council is the largest annual gathering of citizens from across the Eastern, Midwestern, and Southern United States who care about the health and well-being of our nation's forests. This will be the second time this event has taken place in Ohio, the first being at Camp Oty Okwa in 1992. We will focus on threats to our region and to human and community health, in an atmosphere of collaboration designed to form stronger personal and organizational connections. While addressing the issues we face and celebrating the work that we do, the Forest Council offers participants an opportunity to identify lasting solutions and proven action steps that will move us as a community toward a shared vision of a healthy, just, and sustainable society.

The program will begin the afternoon of Friday, May 23, and continue through mid-day, Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day), and will be interspersed with ample social time, leisure, lively local music, dancing and great food. The Forest Council will be family friendly - kids of all ages are encouraged to attend.

This year's Forest Council will explore how we can nurture sustainable local and regional networks and a culture of cooperation and care. Together we will identify viable alternatives to the dominant economy and its toxic legacy of waste and prepare ourselves with the knowledge and tools to protect ourselves, our communities, and our planet. The program will consist of three days of workshops, discussions, keynote speakers, and field trips. Key program elements will include:

• Forest Issues: public lands management, roadless and other special areas, prescribed burning on state and national forests, genetically modified trees, sustainable forestry and low impact logging, land certification, and land management strategies and opportunities including the value of non-timber forest products.
• Coal, air, energy and climate issues: coal mining and processing, including mountaintop removal, room and pillar, and longwall mining, coal-fired power plants, air pollution and global climate change. We will also talk about resurgent efforts to promote nuclear power, the alternatives to fossil fuel such as wind, solar and hydropower, and the connections between forests and energy production including cellulosic ethanol and biomass.
• Sustainability issues: creating viable communities and taking responsibility for our own future; localized economies, permaculture, local and regional food production and distribution, alternative energy and transportation, traditional uses of plants and their preservation, religion and environmental protection, alternatives to the corporate control of food and seed supply; and how to sustain our minds, bodies and spirits as we seek environmental justice and transformational change.

We hope you can join us.

Heartwood Forest Council co-sponsors

Buckeye Forest Council (OH), Voices for the Forest (OH), Save Our Shawnee Forest (OH), Meigs Citizens Action Now! (OH), Protect Biodiversity in Public Forests (OH), Portsmouth/Piketon Residents for Environmental Safety and Security (OH), Appalachian Ohio Group of the Sierra Club (OH), Ohio Sierra Club (OH), EarthWatch Ohio (OH), Ohio Environmental Council (OH), Cincinnati Wildflower Preservation Society (OH), Southwest Ohio Green Party (OH), Get Out! magazine (OH), Full Circle Soil (OH), Trader Joes (Columbus, OH), Clintonville Food Coop (OH), Integration Acres (OH), The Village Bakery (Athens, OH), Annette McCormick (OH), Kentucky Heartwood (KY), Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (KY), Blue Grass Sierra Club (KY), Alliance for Appalachia (regional - KY), Concept Zero (regional - KY), Karst Environmental Education and Protection (national - KY), www.voiceyourself.com (international - KY), Coal River Mountain Watch (WV), Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition (regional - WV), West Virginia Highlands Conservancy (WV), Citizens Coal Council (national - PA), Allegheny Defense Project (PA), Protect Our Woods (IN), Indiana Forest Alliance (IN), GreenFire Consulting (national - IN), Permaculture Activist (international - IN), Knob and Valley Audubon Society (IN), www.BloomingtonAlternative.com (IN), Shagbark (IN), www.smalltownphotographs.com (IN), Apple Press (IN), Branches Magazine (IN), www.sustainableeconomics.org (international - IN), Regional Association of Concerned Environmentalists (IL), Missouri Forest Alliance (MO), Confluence (MO), Black Bear Bakery (MO), Newton County Wildlife Association (AR), Bean Mountain Farms (AR), Flora (AR), Wild Virginia (VA), Virginia Forest Watch (VA), Virginians for Appropriate Roads (VA), Living Education Center for Ecology and the Arts (VA), Appalachian Voices (regional - NC), Dogwood Alliance (regional - NC), Environmental Paper Network (national - NC), Northwoods Wilderness Recovery (regional - MI), Superior Wilderness Action Network (regional - WI), RESTORE: The Northwoods (regional - MA), Global Justice Ecology Project (international - VT), www.lowbagger.org (international - MT), ForestEthics (international - CA), Wild Wilderness (national - OR), Save America's Forests (international - DC), The Wilderness Society (national - DC), Big Wildlife (international - BC, Canada),

Cosponsor the Forest Council!

We need your help to organize this important event, and hope that you will be willing to lend your name and financial support as a co-sponsor of the 2008 Forest Council. As a co-sponsor, you or your organization or business will be listed in all applicable promotional materials and have the option of setting up a display table with merchandise and information at the event. Individuals may also co-sponsor and co-sponsors may choose to remain anonymous.

Co-sponsorship also entitles you to a one year organizational membership in Heartwood with full member benefits. Funds raised will be used to underwrite the event and make it affordable for those who might otherwise be unable to attend.

For groups and organizations, we offer the following general guidelines based on annual budget:

Annual budget	Suggested donation
under $25,000	$25
$25K-$100K	$50
$100K-$250K	$100
$250K-$500K	$200
$500K-$2million	$250-$500
over $2million	$1000

To cosponsor, make checks payable to “Heartwood,” and send to: Heartwood Forest Council, PO Box 1011, Alton, IL 62002-1011. Please make sure to include your name and contact information, and a notation that your donation is to cosponsor the Forest Council.

for more information, please contact:

David Maywhoor, Executive Director
Buckeye Forest Council
614-487-9290, 1-866-OH-TREES

Andy Mahler
Heartwood
(812) 723-2430