Gaia Ki

Natural Ecosystem Advocacy

Located in the eastern Cascades region of Central Oregon,
Gaia Ki embodies "think globally, act locally" covering significant
ecological issues throughout the region, helping bring cognizance
of both the local and global consequences of societal activities and
choices, while sharing information and allied action with others
across the Earth.

Trance-Formation

Public Lands Protection and Restoration

We cover the public wildlands of our region, with
particular emphasis on Central and Eastern Oregon National
Forests and adjoining BLM lands, including wildlands
connectivity and salmonid watersystems. Advocacy involves
monitoring public agency projects, participating in the National
Environmental Policy Act public process; coordinating activity
with allied conservation, recreation, tribal, and community
interests; endeavoring to protect and restore the integrity of
natural ecosystems, recover and maintain native species
biodiversity, distribution and abundance; bring greater
community awareness of ecological issues and the
interconnection of human society with wild wonderful nature.
Nature Rising
We train and coordinate volunteers in effectively survey
documenting projects of concern, utilizing area-specific information throughout the NEPA process for
public lands projects to bring needed changes, and when necessary to halt harmful projects. Efforts
addressing public lands ecology and management additionally help inform and influence the direction of
society as a whole, bringing greater awareness of both individual and societal impacts and lifestyle
choices more in balance with nature.

Biodiversity and Ecological Integrity

The ecological functioning, continuity, and integrity of our
region's ecosystems have been dramatically altered and disrupted over
the course of the past one hundred and sixty years; as have most of the
natural ecosystems across the Earth. Societal development has
fragmented once connected ecological landscapes, depleted and
degraded water resources and altered overall hydrological system
patterns. The complex interconnected web of biodiversity has been
diminished, with an overall depletion in the diversity, abundance and
distribution of native species. There are nearly two hundred
recognized species of regional concern, including federal and state
listed species within the focal region's public lands ecosystems that are
evidencing declining population and distribution trends. Achieving the
Bear Wonder recovery and long-term viability of these and other imperiled native species
requires that public lands management develop a comprehensive vision based
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upon the ecological needs of the land. Management planning must incorporate relevant scientific research,
be based upon an accurate assessment of area conditions and natural processes, monitor imperiled species
populations and status, accurately assess the impacts and efficacy of management actions, and revise
planned actions to avoid harmful impacts and achieve restorative ecological objectives.
Utilizing comprehensive compilations of existent and new research on the many species of
concern and their natural habitats, in combination with research on the interwoven roles of species,
ecological functioning, natural cycles, and ongoing climate change; Gaia Ki helps ensure public lands
projects are in better accord with credible scientific research and ecological needs. Employing thorough
project monitoring and ongoing participation in the NEPA public processes for regional projects of
significance, Gaia Ki combines relevant science with localized conditions and the requirements of
environmental policy laws. We engage in public outreach and education, NEPA comments, and when
necessary appeals and litigation to help protect and restore the ecological integrity of public wildlands.

Energy
Contemporary industrial societies across the Earth alter
and consume natural environments, referring to nature as
"resources" to be utilized in the exponentially increasing
expansion of corporate-directed societal pursuits. Considerations
of climate change and finite resources are bringing increasing
awareness of the need to reign in unchecked energy use, and
develop energy sources that are environmentally sustainable.
While the awareness of this paramount need has grown,
purported "renewable" energy methods are not absent
considerable environmental harms. Many self-proclaimed
"green" energy sources remain embedded in a technological
foundation that has yet to develop the environmentally benign or
En-Trance
harmonious production methods and reduced impact scale
requisite to be in accord with "green" renewable energy objectives. Additionally, many renewable energy
sources expand societal impacts into previously undeveloped natural environments. Issues of location,
production methods and scale, transmission routes, energy efficiency and use patterns, and cumulatively
affected resources all play important factors that need consideration. Gaia Ki utilizes information from
ongoing assessments of environmental track records and impacts, pioneering scientific research, grid
system operation and location, effective energy efficiency and use-reduction measures, and existent and
project energy needs to help influence the development of more truly "green" environmentally benign,
sustainable energy methods.
Within our focal region (as elsewhere across this Earth), unbridled energy development plans are
outpacing environmental safeguards, scientific and informed public knowledge, energy efficiency
measures, and exploration of more environmentally appropriate alternative energy methods. In pursuit of
new energy sources the overall development footprint of contemporary society continues to expand
rapidly; irretrievably altering remaining natural areas, diminishing the ecological integrity of interwoven
ecological systems. Gaia Ki endeavors to educate affected communities and our increasingly global scale
society on the actual ecological impacts and consequences of current and proposed energy sources and
use patterns; and feasible alternatives that evidence potential for ecologically sustainable energy. We
advocate for the protection of remaining natural wildlands and treasured ecological locations from
irreparably harmful development; while working towards the reduction of energy use and the
development of methods that are more truly ecologically balanced and beneficial.

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Creative Arts
Creative arts embody inspiration surpassing the limitations of
defined words, predictable intent, entrenched patterns, and expert
knowledge. Physics reveals a fledgling grasp of awareness beyond
measurable space-time continuums. Dreams and visions evidence
inherent depths of being much as the utilization of invisible energy
waves evidences dimensional complexities beyond what can otherwise
be seen and confined in objective matter. Gaia Ki encourages the
creation and enjoyment of arts that celebrate the interwoven connection
of nature and spirit. In public educational events, outreach publications,
and regional venues, we include the use and promotion of creative arts
in efforts to protect wild wondrous nature and bring society into more
harmonious balance and celebration of this living Earth.
Encouraging the creation of art, music, and creative expression
inspired by and directly related to specific imperiled places, species, Raven Triad Mandala
and natural ecosystems helps increase public awareness. Creative arts
speak to the inner depths of the human psyche, reaching broad spectrums of the public across otherwise
often entrenched societal divisions of beliefs, occupation, status, and culture.

Adventure & Wildlands Wonders

Connection with nature, awareness immersed within and part of
nature's inherent interconnected wonder, is paramount to inspiring the
changes necessary in bringing human societies towards balance and
harmony with living Earth. Urbanscapes and technological enticements
dominate the living hours and experiential parameters of many people.
Removed from spirit rejuvenating wild nature, people lose appreciation
and awareness of the myriad species and ecological systems upon which
our existence and well-being depend. Absent such innate understanding
and connection, development incrementally and exponentially spreads
the impacts of industrial technology further diminishing the natural
landscapes of Earth.
Located in an inspiring comingling of natural ecosystems
Cougar Moon spanning volcanic alpine peaks, jeweled mountain lakes, ancient wild
forests, carved river canyons, and sculpted high deserts; Gaia Ki helps
connect people and communities with wild nature, holding events,
outings, and teaching the skills necessary to effectively document
conditions and influence public lands projects and management. We
bring people to specific public lands project locations, helping people
experience directly the ecological conditions and consequences of
proposed and implemented management actions. We provide people with
opportunities to interact with nature and view the region's imperiled
species in their natural habitats.

Human Societies and Corporate Dominance

Corporations once were limited in longevity, function, and scale.
At the onset of this nation, corporations were licensed for five year
periods, and restricted to the performance on one type of enterprise, and
in operation to only the locale in which they were licensed. They could
not own other corporations and had no political legal rights. They had to No Blood for Oil
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operate for the good of the community in which they were licensed, were held accountable for any harms
incurred, and could have their corporate charter revoked for violating the well being of the community or
the terms of their license.
Coming to the fore with the removal of the absolute authority of monarchies, corporations
represented a renewed metamorphosis that over time has allowed continued concentration of wealth and
power to dominate human society. Whittling away public oversight, licensing restrictions, and regulatory
laws, today corporations exist in perpetuity - far longer than multiple human life spans. Corporations
amass financial resources and real property holdings that exceed the wealth and resources of many
nations, facilitating the direct and covert domination of local, national, and global politics. Absent
effective public oversight and regulation; corporations foment wars, degrade the natural environment,
pollute the planet with myriad carcinogenic toxic compounds, hinder and suppress public dissent and the
exercise of democratic power, unduly influence public politics and governance, and set the parameters of
education and achievable ambition that define societal choices and placement.
Yet as a species, we too are bound by the finite realities of nature and Earth. Despite corporate
financial baselines, it behooves those in positions of wealth and power to maintain sufficient solvency of
the natural environment that the viability of life is at least feasible. At present, most conservation
organizations operate within societal corporate parameters determined by what is considered reasonable
and realistically achievable. Incrementally over time, the natural environment is degraded and diminished
until a society ultimately collapses, is conquered, and/or a new one rises elsewhere in its stead. Rome
before it collapsed was concerned about deforestation and recycling, as were others before it. The rise and
fall of various nation states is ultimately tied to the abundance of natural resources within its ready grasp.
Those aware of such historical patterns, and the full circle global scale of human societies and
populations, realize that repetition of this past pattern cannot continue without dire consequences for not
only humans, but many of the other species and ecosystems with which we evolved.
Gaia Ki endeavors to candidly acknowledge the substantive changes necessary for our species. In
this era of global scale ecological degradation and rising climate change, such changes are of paramount
importance. Seemingly insurmountable challenges have incrementally achievable steps. Gaia Ki educates
on the need for proactive environmental protections. We utilize the societal legal and educational systems
to achieve measureable results across the scope of relevant issues. By helping protect the remaining pieces
of tattered nature; increasing human understanding and awareness; actively involving people and
communities; celebrating wonderful living Earth in art, music, adventure, and cause celebre`s; we join in
the societal rising tide toward an evolutionary paradigm upon which the quality of life, and ultimately our
survival as a species depends. By letting the needs of the living Earth inspire and define our actions,
instead of the ephemeral corporate-sponsored illusions of political
feasibility, we chart course towards what is actually needed in this era.
We welcome all to join as they may, for ultimately we are all
connected; there is no "us vs. them." All people - and "all our
relations" - all species of this living Earth are in this transition time of
changes together. Ultimately this is about societal evolution, a healing
change bringing harmony and balance for the generations yet to be.

Measureable Metrics
Measurable steps include:
 the extent and quality of the remaining natural
wildlands protected;
 restoration of ecological systems, continuity,
connectivity, and hydrology;
 public outreach and educational events that increase
Conversation with Eagle
awareness of projects of concern, address underlying
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 societal issues, and offer achievable solutions;
 helping empower people with the knowledge and motivation to come more fully into
their raison de etre,` and participate actively in the decisions charting the course of
democratic society;
 identifying more ecologically balanced alternatives to current societal practices,
products and needs;
 encouraging inclusive conscious awareness and ecologically balanced wisdom in
societal practices, products, resource and energy sources and use; promote local energy
efficiency, local organic agriculture, ecological restoration, ecologically responsible
economies and enterprises, and empowered informed communities;
 building effective active alliances with institutions, agencies, enterprises, arts,
organizations, and individuals helping pioneer needed changes;
 monitoring the consequences of actions, assessing alternatives, and holding
accountability to ecological goals and needs;
 celebrating our innate connection with all beings and ecosystems on this living Earth
through arts, music, education, action, adventure and creative exploration.

Immediate Threats to Wild Nature

The region hosts a number of public lands projects that are
serious threats to ecological integrity and imperiled native species.
At present, most existent financially solvent conservation
organizations in the region have become little more than ancillaries
to government agencies and/or financially-vested corporate
interests. In a growing trend, former conservation allies have
instigated, endorsed, and obfuscated the growing harms of industrial
activities degrading natural ecosystems, further jeopardizing already
imperiled native species. There exists an emphatic need for
ecological activism based not on political and financial
contrivances; but based instead as Gaia Ki - on protecting and
restoring the ecological integrity and flourishing biodiversity of the
land.
At present, over 168,337 acres of logging are planned across
Oregon's eastside public lands, directly affecting well-over 603,906
acres of forest in the focal national forests and BLM lands covered
Goshawk by our organization. The Umatilla, Malheur and Wallowa-Whitman
National Forests are developing a revised Forest Plan that will set
the direction for public lands management across these national forests' combined 5.5 million acres for the
next 15 to 20 years. Travel management plans are being developed in the Deschutes and Ochoco National
Forests, affecting ORV use and impacts across over 9,000 miles of roads and trails, and are being
contemplated in the Malheur National Forest. Livestock Grazing continues to be a major cause of
environmental degradation, including diminished habitat and biodiversity throughout most of the region's
public lands ecosystems. Excessive road densities, habitat fragmentation, and the cumulative incremental
industrialization of public lands ecosystems remains a core concern needing significant curtailment to
protect and restore the integrity and ecological functioning of nature. Among these current public lands
issues being addressed by Gaia Ki through participation in the NEPA process, community education and
involvement, judicial challenge, and/or post-project monitoring are:
 Regional logging projects:

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 o Deschutes National Forest: Ogden, Popper, Rim Paunina,
Glaze Meadows, Flank, Deadlog, Junction, West Tumbull,
Five Buttes, and EXF;
o Ochoco National Forest: Howard Elliot Johnson, Canyon,
Spears, East Maury, and Upper Beaver;
o Umatilla National Forest: Wildcat II, Cobbler II, Mirage,
Farley/Bruin, Potamus; S. George;
o Fremont and Winema National Forests: Deuce, Fort,
Coyote;
o Malheur National Forest: Soda Bear, Damon, Jane, Galena,
Dads Creek, Starr; Bear Comet Moon
o Prineville BLM: Rudio Highlands;
Together these affect hundreds of thousands of acres of forest and salmonid watersystem habitats;
 Monitoring the consequences and impacts of previous recent logging and other management
projects. By documenting the actual results of projects comparative to purported management
objectives and rationales, we can help hold agencies accountable to their stated project goals and
prevent similar harms in subsequent projects;

 Regional ORV systems and Travel Management Projects:

o Deschutes and Ochoco National Forest, and Crooked River National Grassland: the
overarching Travel Management Plan affecting over 9,000 miles of roads and trails across
the entirety of these public lands; Lava Rock (144,000 acres), Three Trails (93,000 acres),
Meadow Lakes (9,500 acres and over a dozen lakes and wetlands), and Summit (164,000
acres) proposed ORV trail systems; and ongoing ORV impacts and issues in area
recreational and community locations (McKay, Anne's Butte, etc.); the Travel
Management Plan, and accompanying proposals for additional ORV trail systems would
allow unmanageable ORV use resulting in extensive harms across much of these national
forest lands;
o Umatilla National Forest: volunteer monitoring the implementation and impacts of the
West End ORV system;
o Malheur, Fremont, and Winema National Forests: the need for Travel Management
Planning NEPA process; addressing unchecked impacts of ORVs including the lack of
effective enforcement on public lands, and needed restoration of impact harms;
o BLM: ORV impacts harms and lack of enforcement and
restoration throughout the region's public lands;

 Regional Wilderness Integrity:

o Wilderness lands are overburdened with high recreational
use due to management harms outside of limited
protected areas, a scarcity of natural trails outside of
wilderness, unmaintained and/or inaccessible wilderness
trails, and conflicts with ORV use and degradation of
natural experience outside and adjacent to wilderness;
o The need for additional wilderness designations in
ecologically significant roadless and natural areas;
o The need to provide for ecological connectivity, viable
biodiversity, and ecosystem integrity linking wilderness
Night Lynx
and adjoining public lands systems;
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 o The need for effective protection and restoration of low-land natural ecosystems to help
alleviate recreational stresses on wilderness areas, and to address the seasonally limited
accessibility of current wilderness designated areas - most of which are located in high
elevation terrain;

 Regional Public Lands Livestock Grazing: Much of the region's public lands
are grazed by livestock, causing significant harms to natural integrity,
hydrology, native biodiversity, aquatic systems, and numerous imperiled
species from salmon to rare plants;
 Roads: Ecosystem and habitat fragmentation due to excessive road densities,
poorly maintained road systems, old logging skid trails and openings,
development, and ongoing management disturbance;
 Science: Scientifically unwarranted alteration of natural disturbance patterns
by ecologically inappropriate management projects. Such projects include
excessive logging-thinning, unnatural burning, biomass removal, road
construction, foundational soil community damaging heavy machinery, and
other disruptive actions;
 Energy: Energy production inappropriately planned in ecologically Antelope Moon
significant locations, including industrial scale EGS geothermal production at the edge of
Newberry National Volcanic Monument, and a number of utility and natural gas transmission
routes proposed across roadless wildlands and salmonid waterways;
 Natural Sovereignty: The overall usurpation of the public NEPA process by federal agencies and
authorities. This effectively precludes meaningful public and community involvement,
undermining the Congressional intent of the NEPA and the ecological well-being of public lands.
The arbitrary selective misuse, manipulation, and/or exclusion of relevant scientific research by
federal agencies undermines the scientific integrity of agency projects, violates federal
environmental policy laws, and jeopardizes regional and global ecosystems, biodiversity, and the
"Gaia Ki" life force of this living Earth. Together we have the choice to aikido the domination of
corporate profits and policy above the inherent natural birthright of current and future generations
and species, bringing needed societal healing and a return to balance with this living wondrous
Earth.

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Return to Forever

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Art © Asante Riverwind, www.asanteriverwindarts.com
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