BREF! Protests Staples in Its First Action

In solidarity with other environmental groups around the country, the newly-formed Blue Ridge Earth First! (BREF!) came out to protest Staples, an ‘office superstore,’ this afternoon. At approximately 1:15 P.M., some BREF! activists dropped a banner reading “STUMPS: we’ve got that!” from the Staples roof, obscuring the all-too-familiar STAPLES logo. Others, surrounded by tree stumps, held signs and chanted in front of the entrance. Although there were police on the scene, they did not arrest anyone, and the most vocal opposition to the protest came from a group calling themselves “Tree Keepers,” who stood at the edge of the parking lot. Most shoppers, and even STAPLES employees, seemed to be in agreement with the message brought to them by BREF! ...

Mattaponi Tribe Calls For Campaign

The Mattaponi Indian Tribe has called for a month-long campaign in opposition to a proposed reservoir, culminating in a ceremony at the Bell Tower on the Capitol Square in Richmond on February 19.

The King William Reservoir has been rejected by the Army Corps of Engineers, as well as four independent government and private studies, on the basis that the City of Newport News, which requested the construction of the dam, does not need the water it would produce...

Blue Ridge EF! Founded

Blue Ridge Earth First! was founded by seven forest activists at the Virginia National Forest Protection Conference in Charlottesville on October 22.

Since its founding, BREF! has grown exponentially. It now has affiliates in Buckingham, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, Hopewell, Lovingston, Lynchburg, Roanoke, Waynesboro, and Williamsburg...