ELF and Living Forest Institute launch summer program in The Clack Creek Forest
PRESS RELEASE
June 13, 2019
Elphinstone Logging Focus (ELF) is pleased to announce a new initiative called ‘Living Forest Institute’ (LFI) to connect the people of the Sunshine Coast to their forest home. We see Mt Elphinstone as a treasure trove of flora and fauna, but also a living inspiration for art and community and one we seek to protect for future generations. The forest in immediate need of protecting is the ‘Clack Creek Galley Forest’. This forest was referred early on a ‘gallery’ as the visual qualities here are spectacular and to acknowledge the creative input from the community when 3 years ago many residents expressed their relationship to this forest through art hung on the trees.
The Living Forest Institute offers Art and Nature education often in combination. All workshops, walks, concerts and art lessons are held in the Clack Creek Gallery Forest within the proposed Elphinstone Park expansion area and are by donation, to be accessible to all.
These all-ages activities can include forest treks, outdoor sketching, live music, guided meditation, plant and bird identification, environmental art, forest bathing, storytelling, vision quests, yoga, nature photography, children's filmmaking and more depending on the available talent in each community. Our goal is that, through these activities, participants will develop stronger connections with key local forests and understand their
importance in their communities’ and the world’s well-being.
The LFI web site outlines a full summer calendar of offerings and bios of each workshop facilitator, or featured artist. Events are held each summer Sunday in July and August from 1-4pm Booking will be done on-line with a suggested donation of $10 to be collected onsite. Fall course scheduling is underway, and LFI invites facilitators and artists to pitch events.
“ELF is delighted that the Living Forest Institute will extend our ongoing work by inviting people to get to know this natural forest before its potentially lost to clearcut logging.” says Ross Muirhead, ELF’s Forest Protection Campaigner and Founder. “I’m very excited to see LFI’s events taking place in this beautiful Clack Creek Forest and the creative energy
that will be inspired by it. We remain hopeful that through these kinds of positive initiatives this forest will be permanently protected as part of an expanded Mt. Elphinstone Provincial Park.”
The LFI web site is www.livingforestinstitute.ca.
The Clack Creek Forest is situated on unceded shishalh First Nation lands and is currently planned as a BC Timber Sales Cutblock A93884.
For further information contact:
Ross Muirhead
604-740-5654
Loggingfocus@gmail.com