"In Balance with the Life Force of this Living Earth"

Helping return to balance & harmony with the ki flow of

energy of the living Earth through education, advocacy,
and empowerment.
Founded July 22, 2010 P.O. Box 5534 Bend, Oregon 97708 http://gaiaki.wordpress.com/
asanteriverwind@gmail.com 541.390.2957 winddancer.ki@gmail.com

A New Organization Begins

Upon leaving the Sierra Club in late July, I began
working with a number of ecological scientists, environmental
attorneys, and regional conservation activists exploring founding
a new ecological organization to continue the essential efforts of
protecting the natural integrity of our region's ecosystems and
help recover imperiled wildlife species.
Naming a new organization is most always a challenge.
I've co-founded 3 others before, which generally tended to have
somewhat cumbersome lengthy place-based names, such as the
Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project and the Chiricahua-
Dragoon Conservation Alliance, as well as the League Of
Wilderness Defenders; and I have worked with and helped
found a number of similar others. This time I wanted something
that's name embodied its 'raison pour etre' (French for 'reason
for being').

Often I've found that opening to dreams can bring "Gaia Ki" acrylic on canvas by Asante Riverwind
inspiring foundations for this life's visions and efforts. Three
insistent dreams each in their own way invoked the name "Gaia" - for this living Earth's interwoven web
of life of which we all are part - and "Ki" (as the "ki" in aikido, also known as "Chi" as in Tai-Chi) for the
life force of energy within all beings. These dreams were dramatically compelling and inspirationally
motivating. (One of the dream visions I recently painted, shown above.) Translated "Gaia Ki" simply
means the life force of this living Earth, with which human society must transition towards balance
and harmony for the sake of all Earth's life, and the generations yet to be.
This is our first newsletter, inviting you all to join in our efforts helping protect and restore our
region's natural wildlands, waters, and inherent biodiversity, and continue the path towards ecological
harmony by addressing core issues behind the current litany of corporate dominated societal triage,
injustice, and environmental harms. Together, joining with others across this living Earth, we can help
bring the historically significant changes necessary in these 'transition' times. For the Wild! Asante
Riverwind, Conservation & Arts Director, Gaia Ki.

Autumn Callings

Hope everyone's been taking the time to be sharing in wild nature's artistic change of seasons. From
alpine meadows to river woodlands, trees and forbes are painting the views with gorgeous sun-
shimmering colors. Wildlife are readying for the coming winter's cold, while still celebrating sun basking
playful moments of warmth and mirth; gathering sustenance from nature's bounty or preparing for their
fall migrations soon to come. Recent hikes have found river otters cavorting in Crooked River rapids, in
agile leaps from rock isles; songbirds, ducks and geese beginning to gather together; ospreys, goshawk,
red-tailed hawks, falcons, and northern harrier searching for nourishing prey, while below squirrels,
chipmunks, rabbits, mice and rodents continue to store away supplies for winter's long cold. Exploring
along the Deschutes River trails we also encountered a rather skittish but rare rich sienna and dark toned
great blue heron, with birders speculating that it may be one lacking blue pigmentation. The efforts of
helping protect wild nature and address core societal issues can often be quite challenging. It helps to
immerse oneself in the wondrous wilds of untrammeled nature, celebrating that which we so deeply
appreciate and endeavor to safeguard for the generations yet to be; emerging rejuvenated, refreshed, and
inspired for the ongoing efforts to come...

Gaia Ki's Emergence

Since being founded in late July, Gaia Ki has addressed a number
of issues across our region, including assisting organizations with
established legal standing on current public lands projects of concern. We
also have a new internet weblog-site (with a full website coming soon) at:
http://gaiaki.wordpress.com/ This site has our vision and mission focus
statements, a list of public lands projects of concern we're covering, and a
forest survey sheet that can be downloaded and used by folks in helping
survey and photo document conditions in the region's many logging and
other public lands projects. The information gathered through volunteer
surveys can help effectively protect public lands from logging and other
management harms.
"Night Lynx" pen & ink by Asante There are a number of new public lands projects across Central and
Riverwind Eastern Oregon's national forests, in addition to several ongoing projects of
serious concern. These range from large timber sales in rare remaining old growth and unroaded forest
wildlands to new proposals for ORV trail systems that would harm wildlife, waterways, and natural
recreation; to the initial phases for an eventual industrial scale geothermal power plant at the edge of
treasured Newberry National Volcanic Monument.
Since late July we've:
 Testified at Oregon's Wildlife Commission hearing in Bend in support of greater proactive
protection for returning wolves;
 Written the 187 page appeal of the Umatilla National Forest's Wildcat II timber sale (and
compiled the extensive science and legal appeal exhibits)
for the League Of Wilderness Defenders - Blue Mountains
Biodiversity Project, Hells Canyon Preservation Council
and other conservation allies;
 Assisted in Wildcat II appeal negotiations;
 Assisted in the filing of two federal lawsuits to protect
national forest wildlands:
o EXF in the Deschutes National Forest, with the
League Of Wilderness Defenders-Blue Mountains
Biodiversity Project as plaintiff. This timber sale
would log one of the rare remaining naturally intact
forest ecosystems;
o Wildcat II, Umatilla N.F. again with LOWD-BMBP
as plaintiff. This timber sale would log remote
roadless wildlands above deeply incised salmonid
EXF in October's first snowfall
waterways;
  Submitted NEPA* comments on a number of public lands projects, including:
o Mirage timber sale, Umatilla
National Forest;
o Soda Bear timber sale, Malheur
N.F.,
o Newberry Geothermal II, BLM
and DOE.
(*National Environmental
Policy Act governing federal
actions on public lands.)
 Completed additional forest surveys and
photo documentation in the Deschutes National
Forest EXF, Glaze Meadows, Newberry Geothermal, View from Paulina Peak of Newberry drill rig just
Deadlog, and West Tumbull project areas; west of Paulina Lake
 Continuing monitoring and NEPA
participation addressing proposed Off Road Vehicle (ORV) trail systems and harms in the
Deschutes, Ochoco, and Malheur National Forests. The Crescent area Three Trails ORV system if
out for public review and comment. We will be joining with allied conservation groups submitting
NEPA comments by the Nov. 15th due date.

Help Launch Gaia Ki's Effective Efforts!

We invite all those who are ecologically aware, inspired, and
conscientiously motivated to join our efforts. We are seeking volunteers,
supporters, and a few new board members who deeply care about our natural
wildlands and understand the depth and complexity of interrelated ecological
issues. Check out Gaia Ki's vision and mission focus, as well as the projects of
focal concern on the weblog-site, and please contact us if you are interested, or
know someone who is: http://gaiaki.wordpress.com/
"Cougar Moon" painting by
We will be filing for non-profit status soon, and in the interim are
Asante Riverwind running sans pay on donations alone to help cover our expenses. All donations
are appreciated, as these help build the foundation and enable the challenging
work of beginning this new organization - from the ground/Earth up!

"Nature & Spirit ~ Dreams & Visions"

Additionally, to help fund our fledgling organization, Asante Riverwind
is offering a range of art, the proceeds from which will help support Gaia Ki's
efforts. Asante is a life-long creator of fine art, specializing in paintings, pen &
ink drawings, and sculpture, many fusing Celtic design with wild nature, dream-
visions, and spirit. Born in the "Year of the Water Dragon," this fiery artist was
taught and encouraged by his artist mother as soon as he could hold a pencil.
Ten years of formal study at five universities were completed at Cornish Art
Institute in Seattle, Washington. His art has exhibited at scores of galleries,
stores, cafes, and other venues across the nation, been published in newspapers
"Raven Seer" by Asante
and magazines worldwide, and included in four published books.
Riverwind
We have a range of original fine art to choose from - - including
affordable cards and prints, (all printed on recycled or tree free papers), art on organic T-shirts; select
original art including paintings, pen & ink, drawings, sketches, and sculpture; as well as professionally
done prints tailored to fit your needs. See a few of the hundreds of art designs on the art website at
www.asanteriverwindarts.com or contact him to schedule a home art studio/gallery visit:
asanteriverwind@gmail.com, 541.390.2957. The art website will soon feature an expanded selection from
among the several hundred works existent (a 1996 logging-caused forest fire burned thousands of
Asante's previously completed art.)

New Public Lands Projects

Caught in the sorcerer's apprentice treadmill of timber
quotas tied to agency funding, the Forest Service continues to
churn out harmful logging project's across the region's public
forest wildlands. In the Deschutes, Ochoco, Fremont-Winema,
Umatilla, & Malheur National Forests we have a number of new
large-scale timber sales proposed that we will need help in survey
hiking, photo documenting forest conditions & wildlife, and
addressing during public review and comment periods to bring
the changes necessary to effectively protect our remaining natural
forests. Our well-seasoned volunteer staff working with our
scientists and attorney advisors can utilize the information from
volunteer survey documentation, helping to prevent irreparable "Nature Rising" by Asante Riverwind
logging, ORV, road building, livestock grazing and other harms.
Please see the list of projects of concern on our weblog site for those in your favorite wildland areas
http://gaiaki.wordpress.com/ and contact us to coordinate efforts.
We are also documenting the actual results of the Forest Service's and BLM's many so-called
"forest health," "restoration," and/or "fire risk reduction" logging projects. A number of these are ongoing
or have recently been completed. Several have significant changes negotiated during previous appeal
settlements. In the Bend-Sisters-Sunriver areas of the Deschutes National Forest alone, there are the West
Tumbull, Snow Fuels, Lava Cast, Glaze Meadows, Sunriver, Oz, GW Fire, Deadlog, and SAFR logging
projects. By documenting impacts during these projects' implementation, we can address harms and
hopefully hold federal agencies accountable to appeal settlements and these projects' purported ecological
goals, thereby preventing some of the otherwise severe logging and management harms that generally
result from the current slate of scientifically unfounded agency actions. We can also utilize accurate
documentation of these projects impacts and actual results - comparative to the agency's stated objectives
- to prevent newly proposed projects from taking similar harmful logging actions.
To help protect our natural wildland wonders, and give something back to wildlife and nature in
appreciation for their forested magic, please contact us. There is a list of
projects on the weblog site, and a forest survey form that can be
downloaded and printed out for your use - with many thanks for your
wildlands help!!

Though the wiles and pressures of politics, finance, and popular

perception beguile and entice - it is naught but the integrity of Nature,
of the ecosystems of this living Earth, that must guide, inspire, and
attest of our efforts.

"Winter Coyote" by Asante Riverwind