Earth First! Activist Dies

AP ^ | Thu Oct 10, 3:39 PM ET | AP

[klpt]

A logging protester with the Earth First! environmental group has died after a 50-foot fall from a redwood tree, Santa Clara County officials said Thursday.

The man, who was not identified, was found by loggers who heard moans in an area where a group of tree-sitters has been camped since August, Earth First! said. It was unclear how long the man had been on the ground.

The man was taken by helicopter to a San Jose hospital, but the county coroner's office said he had died.

The group said the man had been living in the tree 20 miles south of San Jose for several weeks but had never "tree sat" before. Tree sitters can spend months camped on platforms in old-growth trees to call attention to the environmental effects of logging.

Earth First! has protested logging by Redwood Empire in the area for more than two years. Redwood Empire issued a statement saying its employees were saddened by the death.

[Glutton]

There are at least two, possibly three threads on this FYI. Happens to the best of us. ;-)

[Hugin]

One less eco-terrorist. Done in by a tree.

[Glutton]

Err........ Think the ground and gravity did him in, Hugin. The tree is merely a material witness.

[South40]

That just goes to show---sometimes it can rain idiots.

Now cut down that tree. My backyard needs a new deck.

[South40]

Think the ground and gravity did him in, Hugin. The tree is merely a material witness.

Actually, it was stupidity that did him in. I get along with the ground and gravity just fine.

[Deb]

We prefer to think the tree spit him out.

[anymouse]

Someone forgot to tell him that nuts fall from trees all the time. :)

[South40]

Someone forgot to tell him that nuts fall from trees all the time. :)

So do fruits.;)

[gr8eman]

Where's the " Hold my Zima" alert?

[MissAmericanPie]

Earth First Activists don't die, they compost away.

[Glutton]

When I was a paratrooper, I thought all those dang refresher training rituals we did before jumping were redundant to the point of idiocy. But now I see the results of not doing so indeed kills.

Apart from the issues concerning the dissent, the need to be safer and train better better become part of the tree-sitter mantra, or potential recruits to do this sort of thing might become hard to come by.

The most dangerous period of time motorcyclists pass through is the point where they become overconfident after a month or so of riding beyond their actual abilities as a bike handler. Seems that this guy became too over confident too.

I would dare a guess he also had never gone through Army Paratrooper training too.

[Glutton]

...and I thought they merely beamed up to the Earth Mother Ship in the sky with Ed Abbey working the transporter controls. Shows what I know. ;-)

[Slyfox]

Did he have a casket made of wood?

[A CA Guy]

Those Earth First types NEVER wear their seat belts!

[Nick Danger]

found by loggers who heard moans

Dammit, I've been waiting years to find out whether, if a tree hugger falls in the forest and no one hears him, does he make a sound. So it finally happens, and wouldn't you know there was somebody there to hear it.

[c-b 1]

About a year ago I attended an event with Earthfirsters present, they kept repeating, "humans are a blite on the face of the earth, if humans were removed the earth would be a perfect place." I refrained from commenting, I don't start arguments with idiots. My first thought was why don't you set an example by offing yourself.

Maybe this guy decided to do just that.

[Hugin]

The tree is merely a material witness.

But I hear it's not talking.

[Lizard_King]

Ah, another commie shaped hole in the ground. Good riddance.

[Jimmy Valentine]

If an eco-freak falls in a forest and no one is near...does he make a noise?