In 2012, SOL joined EarthFirst! and other California environmentalists and traditional Yurok Native Americans in their struggle to prevent the clear cutting of one of California’s last unbroken Redwood Rainforests, currently “owned” by Green Diamond Timber. Outside of Eureka, California, Green Diamond has nearly 1/2 million acres of coastal forest assets that they intend to clearcut in the next 10 years. They have stated publically that any tree over 50 years old is to be cut. SOL has joined the scientists and environmentalists all over the world who recognize studies showing Redwoods are three times more efficient at carbon sequestration and storage than any other tree on Earth.

SOL Communication’s total participation with the tree-sit is partly classified but was centered around communications and raising the concerns of both the local and global community. It is the policy of the activists involved in this project not to give their true identities. 

The tree sitters in Trinidad (Tsurai is the Yurok name) courageously maintained their constant occupation of the “Strawberry Rock” area above and alongside a hiking trail that is well used by hundreds per week, though it is technically trespassing on Green Diamond’s land, and the company, of course, wants to clear-cut it down. Because of the Sit and increasing community pressure, Green Diamond had agreed to not cut along the trail. The Trinidad Tree Sit’s current status is classified and many activists there are sharing their time with activism in the Mattole and other nearby coastal forests.

Perched 100-200 feet up, the sitters had an IPAD and a cell phone with hot spot. To power their units a 75-watt panel and deep cycle battery with inverter were also airborne.  The communication station shifted between trees and operations included internet, live-stream (video), and they regularly published on facebook. The activists also created a short run once per week series of news broadcasts called Tree Top Environmental News. Positioned high up on their platforms, masked sitters delivered a global environmental newscast via their YouTube channel. Today TTEN has morphed into a Facebook page maintained by a small group of dedicated activists. Their facebook page “Trinidad Tree Sitters” mysteriously disappeared off of Facebook while in it’s third year.

SOL was the primary contact for support operations not involving direct action. SOL was also one of the sponsors of non-violent direct action training and tree sitter indoctrination. See the SOL produced PSA for this project: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjBw_45_VJ8

'Carbohydrate?, an alias name this tree-sitter gave himself, sips a cup of tea from the wooden platform he built in a 220ft giant redwood tree in Trinidad, California. Tied by his waist to the 14ft diameter trunk of the tree with climbing rope, his goal, along with other tree-sitters, is to stop logging companies from clear-cutting the forests. Nestled deep in the trees, tree-sitters cook, eat, sleep, use the bathroom, connect to the internet, and keep entertained on platforms as small as 4ft by 8ft for weeks to sometimes years at a time.
‘Carbohydrate?, an alias name this tree-sitter gave himself, sips a cup of tea from the wooden platform he built in a 220ft giant redwood tree in Trinidad, California. Tied by his waist to the 14ft diameter trunk of the tree with climbing rope, his goal, along with other tree-sitters, is to stop logging companies from clear-cutting the forests. Nestled deep in the trees, tree-sitters cook, eat, sleep, use the bathroom, connect to the internet, and keep entertained on platforms as small as 4ft by 8ft for weeks to sometimes years at a time.

Trinidad Tree Sit