The community galvanised their collective effort and gathered along road junctions to begin demonstration to support ecological efforts in Ghost River Valley. They expressed opposition to clear-cut forestry and contribute their individual skill (i.e. environmental management) to the community group – Ghost Valley Community (previously known as Stop Ghost Clearcut).

To reduce the anticipated grief of the loss of timber harvest, residents acted by getting involved as a community. Community meetings act as a mechanism for them to build trust and strategise – dedicating hours to gather knowledge by writing letters, managing social media or taking pictures. About 400 out of Valley’s 500 residents expressed their support for the community’s actions.

Despite the community effort, they faced opposition from the local government and rallied against the government’s decision to give in to the clearcut harvest. As the clearcutting began, so did the expression of grief among the residents. The manifestation of troubling emotions in residents stemmed from their sense of connection to Ghost Valley. The residents of Ghost Valley also lamented by assigning blame to the logging company, past governments and the current government.

 

‘You get really angry, and you want to find a person or an entity where you can focus that anger on. And it’s really hard in things like this, because there’s just so many factors.’ – Kelly (pseudonym), 2016.

 

In relation to the events in the valley, residents felt a sense of guilt and a loss of identity.  To make sense of the loss from the clear-cutting harvest, residents change their understanding and purpose of life. The sadness and anger felt spur efforts to continued efforts to care. As the timber harvest began, the residents gather as a community to grieve and render support to one another. The grief they felt can be attributed to a sense of loss (ecological grief) which lead up to lamentation, action or hope.

 

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