Our History
For a comprehensive history of the evolution of Friends of Clayoquot Sound as an organization, check out our bio on Wikipedia.
Below are some of the milestones and significant successes in the history of FOCS and our ongoing mission to protect Clayoquot Sound from industrial exploitation:
Timeline
1988
FOCS discovers illegal logging road in Sulphur Pass; 35 arrested during summer-long blockade. Road is stopped, thus allowing large Megin Valley wilderness to remain intact (Megin and adjacent intact valleys were designated provincial park in 1993). FOCS is first to call for an end to clearcutting and initiates a local “sustainable development” planning process (which is taken over by province and dissolves in disagreement in 1992).
1993
International campaign takes off with ad in New York Times and FOCS trip to Europe. FOCS and allied environment groups call for boycott of MacMillan Bloedel and other companies. Largest peaceful civil disobedience in Canadian history is sparked by BC government’s decision to log 74% of Clayoquot Sound’s productive ancient forest. FOCS opens Peace Camp at “Black Hole” clearcut. Daily blockades and arrests begin at Kennedy River Bridge. 856 arrested and charged and 12,000 participate during Clayoquot Summer ’93.
1999
FOCS helps to negotiate Memorandum of Understanding between four environment groups and Iisaak Forest Resources (the First Nations/MacMillan Bloedel joint venture logging company that replaced MacBlo). MOU commits Iisaak to protecting intact (unlogged) valleys in its portion of Clayoquot Sound. FOCS does not sign MOU in order to maintain its independent watchdog position.
2000
Markets Initiative, a joint project of FOCS, Sierra Club and Greenpeace, begins a market campaign to shift North American companies, including book and magazine publishers, to using paper that is free of ancient and endangered forests fibre. The organization becomes independent and later changes its name to Canopy.
And no doubt more to come!