Dysart Defenders hold rally

by Danielle Pizmoht
FOR THE POST

Dysart Defenders continued their efforts to save Dysart Woods by holding a rally yesterday outside of the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium on Ohio University's College Green.

"The Dysart struggle concerns anyone with an appreciation for that which is unique and precious," said Sarah Radke, an OU senior and Dysart Defenders member, during her speech at the rally.

Radke was among many defenders at the rally who are dedicated to preserving one of Ohio's last ancient forests.

"Dysart Woods is a piece of history," she said.

Speakers talked about the importance of saving the forest. Almost 100 students and community members attended the rally, either to learn about the woods or how to support the defenders.

Dysart Woods is among the last .004 percent of remaining ancient forests in Ohio. It also is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world. The forest is a National Natural Landmark. This is the reason the Dysart Defenders are working to protect the forest, according to the Dysart Defenders Web site, (http://www.dysartwoods.org).

Many coal-mining companies have threatened Dysart Woods, including the Ohio Valley Coal Company, which has a pending permit to mine underneath the forest. A watershed buffer zone was implemented, but it is growing smaller and smaller, giving the OVCC more land to mine under, Radke said.

Protecting the woods from coal mining has been the group's goal for almost three decades. Chad Kister, Dysart Defenders coordinator, said the purpose of the rally was to get more people involved in saving the forest.

According to a news release, Dysart Woods was taken off the threatened list in 1996. Dysart Defenders is trying to get the U.S. Department of the Interior to re-list Dysart Woods as threatened.

Kister has made several attempts in the past two years to contact someone at the U.S. Department of the Interior but said he has received no response. He said that because the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Department of the Interior receive campaign contributions from OVCC and other coal companies, these agencies have been slow to respond.

Another goal for the rally was to get OU, which owns Dysart Woods, to intervene in the defenders' court appeals to protect the forest, Evans said. He said he thinks OU has helped but that more can be done.

More than 1,000 petition signatures have been collected, in addition to those gathered from rally attendees. Kister encouraged people to get involved in the cause by signing petitions and joining the defenders' list serve, which provides updates on meetings and rallies.

The Dysart Defenders know that the only way to get anything accomplished is by making efforts such as the petitions, Kister said. The defenders' goal is to testify before Congress and to sway the government's support from the OVCC to Dysart Woods, Kister said.

It takes a strong grass-roots effort to compete with large organizations like the OVCC, Kister said.