HELP SAVE OUR SANCTUARY
To Donate and for Updates Click Here. Thankyou!

The womyn of Rainbow's End and RavenSong (aka Rainbow's Other End) want to let you know that the beloved forested land that rises above us are in danger.

A large timber company owns part of the cliffs behind our homes. They have notified us of their intention to clearcut their 160 acres within the next 5 to 10 years. The beautiful forest sanctuary that has graced our lands for 31 years will be reduced to bare earth and rock.

As of this spring, the timber company plans to poison with herbicides all hardwood trees on their property. This includes the oak, madrone and choke cherry trees on which wildlife depend. The plan to kill the hardwood trees is to improve the final clear cut yield, as hardwoods are competition for the marketable conifers.

The good news is that we are in negotiation with the timber company to sell us a buffer. This is not a common practice among timber companies, and they are only willing to consider selling 330 feet along the boundaries of our lands, which translates into 17.5 acres. Without this buffer, the clearcut would come within 100 feet of the farm buildings, the well for Rainbow's End, and and the spring that is the water supply for RavenSong.

The womyn of RE and RS need to raise approximately $88,000 to save 17.5 acres of the beautiful hardwood trees and conifers, and to provide a sanctuary for the elk, bear, cougar, peregrine falcon, and other creatures that call these cliffs home. The residents of these lands have already committed $60,000 of our own personal money.

You are invited to join us in protecting these 17.5 acres of beautiful forested land that is home to many other creatures.

Above: Some of the acres we want to buy contain old growth oak and madrone trees.
(On right, see how close Rainbow's End house is). Other acres include the creek and second-growth conifers.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

* Make a donation ($5, $5,000, $50,000 ... or?!..)

Every dollar will help save trees. Make your check out to Rainbow's End. Mail to SOS, c/o Karen Beesley, P.O. Box 703, Roseburg, Oregon 97470.

* Make Magic

When you get this letter, light a candle. Envision the cliffs green. Visualize abundance.

* Updates on our progress

As of June 15, 2007: We made an offer in late May. The timber company made a counter offer on both parcels (acres above Raven Song and 10 acres above Rainbow's End). We finally agreed on a total price of $105,000, including land and timber values. We have found the money (from ourselves and loans) for everything except for $18,000. We need to find another $18,000 before mid August, 2007, the proposed closing date.

July 2007: We have procured agreements for all our loans. Many women donated money. THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY for your magic and money.

August 2007: The closing date with the Timber Company on August 31 was pushed back by the Timber Company. We complained, but the best thing to do was to agree to a two week extension because they had not done their paper work.

September 2007: We closed on September 14. The land is officially OURS!! Hurrah! We hope to have a party in October to welcome her into our fold of protected lands. There is still opportunities to donate to this land purchase to help us reduce our debt load so we can continue with land improvements instead.

* Ways to contact us

Write to Save Our Sanctuary, c/o Karen Beesley, P.O. Box 703, Roseburg, Oregon 97470

Call:
Francis E. (541) 643-1309; francis @ umpquawatersheds . org

Talk with Annie O., Karen B., Jenny C., Francis E. or Valerie S. who also live on Rainbow's End and RavenSong.

For more pictures of the land we are asking your help to buy, CLICK HERE.

Above are two pictues showing the incredible cliffs behing our lands, owned by the timber companies. Buying 17.5 acres will save the old growth hardwoods from death this spring, and in 5-10 years, push the clearcuts 330 feet further away from our lives.

For more pictures of Rainbow's End, CLICK HERE.

For pictures of what clearcuts look like after they are clearcut, CLICK HERE.