Elizabeth Rieke, in her role as an adviser to government agencies and an instructor, has studied environmental conflicts across the country for nearly 30 years. She said for there to be hope for resolution on the North Coast, environmental activists and timber companies must be willing to step back from dangerous confrontations like the one that led to Chain's death. Rieke said solutions arise only when participants are willing to come to the table and start fresh. At that point, leadership is crucial. And the best leadership is usually homegrown.
People have to be willing to take risks, to listen to the other person and find a common ground.
It's not easy. It's not often successful. But it can be done. For this dangerous period to end, people on the North Coast must come to the table. HeadwatersForest.org is presented by Bay Area Action and the Headwaters Sanctuary Project .