Encampment Within Arcata Community Forest Faces Eviction (Day 1/2)

Is this camp on public or private land? If on private, does the land-owner permit the camp to continue? If on public lands, is long-term camping allowed and are any permits required? Also, is if this is public lands and not permits for long-term camping were obtained, what is the basis that a select group of people can decide how the public's land should be used for personal gain (in this case, a potentially nice home in the woods).

3/27/08
We are protesting our eviction from the last place there is to live in the area, this is the Arcata Community Forest and we are just expanding the community to the woods, I've lived here since the end of December and this isnt just another squatter camp, there is a core group that has been here for a while (as far back as september) and we are trying to live in peace without taking up space on the streets and where our stuff is safe.
What we are trying to do is just either have the city leave us alone (or maybe help) or for them them to find us a suitable location to set up a semi/permanent home, alot of people that come through this area are just passing through and that is what the townfolk see as the "homeless" population, the people that come through town and sleep under your stairway is what we are classified as but we are mail-receiving residents of Arcata and we just choose to live outside.

any support is greatly appreciated, the houseless population needs to stop running.
come to the park!!!!

UPLOAD YOUR IMAGES, ETC TO THIS WEBSITE, NOT PHOTOBUCKET
thanks.

We support you from the Heartland.

What are Arcata police trying to prove? That expending resources (taxpayer salaried police labor) to hike out into the forest to evict some campers is a needed part of their jobs? Needed for what??

The people camping out there in the community forest are safer than in town, and probably can sleep better in the forest also. Getting enough sleep is important for houseless people and travelers who are often sleep deprived from being chased by police, and their health suffers as a result..

All the housing developments in the Humboldt foothills are creating far worse problems for the ecosystem as the developers cut down the trees and cause erosion on the steep slopes. At least the forest dwellers sleep inbetween the trees, leaving them alive and their roots in place to hold onto the soil. This should also be taken into consideration before attacking houseless folks who sleep in the forest..

Statement of the Kids in the Woods

We shall live as Free people in a community of our own; willing to work with the city and the people to provide a safe place for those who have a need for an alternative working, living situation. We will not be made to move or herded around. We are the Kids in the Woods. We have worked for months to clean up, salvage and recycle what we can. We have offered to work with the park to help maintain and rehabilitate with little to no response. Therefore, we will do as have been, while standing and fighting. This is our home. We need the support of the people, shared resources and knowledge, and our spot to designated as a safe, legal zone.

fight to the death

None of the people with masks were part of the encampment. They were community activists who went in to see what was going on and observe the expected police raid. And the masks have nothing to do with being ashamed--it has to do with protecting their identity from the cops who spy on and repress activists.

As for trash, the camp is pretty clean considering how many people are living there. Most of the people in the camp have been doing what the can to try and clean up and keep their camp in decent shape. And would you rather the kids be leaving trash in the streets of Arcata? How about on your lawn?

The forest belongs to the entire community, not just you. These kids (and even the masked activists) are part of the community too, whether you like it or not.

Folks,

I met the "kids in the woods" and they're very sweet. I sympathize with their not wanting to be part of Babylon's downward spiral.

And yet, true community has to do with respecting the will of the people, which passed anti-camping laws. The reason they did this was that if anyone and everyone can go live in the Arcata Community Forest, eventually it won't be a forest.

Of more immediate concern: two Spotted Owl nesting pairs have returned to the ACF after a long absence. As you may know, the spotted Owls are a threatened species, and lately have come under more pressure by invasive and aggressive Barred Owls.

The Spotted Owls are very sensitive to loud noise, especially at night. So it was distressing to hear the campers blasting trumpets and beating drums, screaming etc. They said that at night, they have big jams. Kids, whatever else you do, think about the meek little owls.

Thanks,

Kevin

Trampling of habitat and discarded litter is frequently blamed on houseless people, though there are occasions when unknown others have dumped litter around homeless campsites to give police reason to force their departure. Keeping a clean campsite is also important for the mental health of the campers themselves, as they are most effected by accumulated litter in their forest homes. Some trampling of plants is a part of any large mammal moving through the forest, including bears, deer, possums, etc.. and could be considered natural. Over time the trampled campsite will be a blank slate of soil surface for native plants to reoccupy..

Another thing is that even with heavy foot traffic a campsite within a greater forest ecosystem can heal rather quickly, especially when compared to the permanant intrusions of subdivisions and suburban sprawl mansions with their monocultura lawns that are popping up all throughout the hills. This is not housing for lower income folks either, these are elitist developments that also contribute to economic decline by overpricing homes. You would think that will all the wood being cut from forests everywhere, they'ld save a few boards for higher density lower income housing? That is not the case, we're seeing all that forest wood being turned into more mansions and suburban sprawl condos everywhere, and a minimal of low income high density housing..

Then we wonder why so many are wandering around the U.s. without housing and the entire economy is on the verge of recession? It's called letting the wealthy capitalist bullies get away with too much deceitful bullshit for too long without having a working class revolution like France, Russia, Cuba, and many other countries have had when their kings, czars, slaveholders, etc.. went too far and took too much. The anarchists and the communists can sort out their differences afterwards, for now we need to team up and oust the current manifestation of the ruling elite under GW Bush regime. Changing the mentality of people who choose to scapegoat the houseless and other lower income populations is another matter for reeducation of the ingrained levels of poverty needed to sustain capitalism. How to do this is a matter of using ALL the tools in the toolbox, depending on your choice of methods..

All the critics of the houseless no doubt take up space in some urban or suburban or even rural environment, and their presence of concrete, wood, or bricks and mortar shelter units are far more intrusive to the ecosystem than some temporary shelter that can be relocated every few months to a different site, letting the old site heal. Moving one's campsite to a different location periodically also prevents constant harrassment from police once they are aware of the campsite's location..

Police primarily exist to chase houseless people around town and country, arrest recreational drug users and defend the mansions and vehicles of the super wealthy elite. Good luck trying to get back any stolen personal items, the police can't do that very well. Nor can they protect people from being shot, either randomly or willfully. However, the police make sure that no lower income people tresspass on the lawns of the wealthy elite's mansions..

Mansions add insult to injury by taking up large swaths of land for their multiroomed house that only they themselves occupy, and then put up "no tresspassing" signs on their monocultured lawns as if they "owned" the land by their own services to the indigenous peoples. This also prevents the constant harrassment from police once they are aware of the campsite's location..

Nobody plans to occupy this site for all eternity, though backing away from the police now would be caving in to the fascist authoritarian power structure. People should feel free to relocate to another campsite when they are prepared, and give each campsite some time to decide this for themselves. By the police making an issue out of it and forcing instant relocation, there is greater chance of prolonged resistance coming from the campers and thereby causing them to stay in this site longer..

Other occupation campsites needed; Since Humboldt residents will all be effected by the coming changes from the PL bankruptcy trial in Texas, this could be a good time to begin reoccupation of the Pacific Lumber property and prevent any further logging by either Maxxam/PL OR the Mendocino Redwoods Corporation (MRC) as neither of these corporate logging outfits are desired. The regions of PL land ready for occupation nearest to Eureka are also being claimed by the Bear River Tribe, though the bankruptcy court in Corpus Christi, TX is ignoring the Bear River Tribes request and proposed plan, even though it was submitted to Judge Schmidt and is a viable option for the community..

So if the Arcata police succeed in breaking up this community forest campsite (realistically, they have more resources), there are additional options for camping from contacting forest defenders to establish long term occupations of PL land east of Eureka. This would also address land rights and rights of landless people by establishing a long term occupation of corporate claimed land, and also beginning restoration of the land damaged by said corporation. Food will be provided by forest defense organizers. No specifics of location will be given over the internet, there are people in town that would explain further details..

The only problem with occupation of PL land would be transportation for people who need to get into town. This could be worked out somehow, though remains an obstacle. In addition, forest defense organizers are difficult to locate and are often unable to give specifics. There is a considerable degree of uncertainty, though most long term forest occupations are without any real difficulties, as the basics (food, water, tarps, etc..) are usually available. In other terms, it is frowned upon for forest defenders to recruit from the houseless populations, though often many treesitters and forest defenders are homeless themselves, so the tree and the forest becomes their new home!!

I had the privilege of being welcomed into this community for a short while, and these people deserve and need all the help they can get to win this struggle against rich private property supremacists. They area dynamic counter-cultural force standing strong in the face of oppression. Their lifestyle is significantly less harmful to the environment than any other human living space in the area. It is absolute bunk to accuse them of interrupting the lives of wild animals when you consider the impact of cities, streets, corporate and private pollution. Furthermore, it is positively hypocritical of anyone that resides in a house to accuse them of invading an animals' natural habitat.

The homeless, houseless, unemployed and underemployed hold the highest risk health factors for disease, and they have to go through the most hassle to get any modicum of health care. Shame on anyone who complains of their existence, for they more than likely have no idea what it is like to exist in such a grueling way as to live without a house.