Protect Our Woods hosting benefit concert featuring Hoosier artists/activists
First “Protect OUR Woods” Benefit Concert Features Hoosiers Writer Angelo Pizzo, Author Scott Russell Sanders, Folk Singer Tim Grimm, and Comedian Stephanie Lochbihler
Activists urging for a more conservative approach to land management have received bipartisan support, with Governor Braun himself writing two letters to the US Forest Service asking them to consider the “Citizens’ Alternative,” focused on eco-tourism and education; now, illustrious Hoosiers add their support
Protect Our Woods announced their first benefit concert, which will feature speeches by highly accredited screenwriter and director Angelo Pizzo (writer of Hoosiers, Rudy) and Wilderness Plots author Scott Sanders, with music from award-winning folk musician Tim Grimm. Comedian Stephanie Lochbihler will emcee the event on Saturday, June 28, at Wilstem Wildlife Park.
In addition to working on films, Pizzo has served on the board of the Indiana Film Commission and now sits on boards of the Heartland Film Festival and the New Harmony Writers’ Project. The recipient of the Thomas Hart Benton Award as a Distinguished Indiana University Alumnus and of the Governor’s Arts Award for contributions to the arts, Mr. Pizzo was also named a Sagamore of the Wabash, the highest civilian honor given to a resident of Indiana.
With music that often focuses on nature, Grimm has been called “an Indiana treasure” by critics. Scott Russell Sanders has dedicated his life to nature and education, and is a recipient of the Mark Twain award for his writing.
The “Protect OUR Woods” Concert will benefit the legal and grassroots battles being fought by nonprofits to halt logging and other proposed management practices in the publicly owned Hoosier National Forest (HNF).
This star-studded event will include an auction and be held indoors at popular tourist destination Wilstem Wildlife Park, with Protect Our Woods thanking Jerry Fuhs and his team for their generosity. Wilstem Wildlife Park is located at 4229 US State Road 150, Paoli, Indiana, about halfway between Paoli and West Baden/French Lick.
The Protect OUR Woods concert will begin at 6 pm, with doors opening at 5 pm. The concert will be held indoors with substantial appetizers provided by Paoli Co-Op included in the ticket price. General admission is $20, seniors and students $10, and children under 12 are free.
This Protect OUR Woods concert will be the first of many, organizers hope: “We are working with numerous groups to get the word out about what’s happening on public lands that should be protected, and we are looking to singers, writers, public speakers, and all artists to use their voices in creative ways to bring attention to this critical issue,” said Steven Stewart, who heads up the “Save Hoosier National Forest” campaign.
In April, the US Forest Service began prescribed burns near the shores of Lake Monroe, in spite of being in active litigation with the Indiana Forest Alliance, Hoosier Environmental Council, Friends of Lake Monroe, and the Monroe County Commissioners Board, with Judge Tanya Walton Pratt presiding. They were acting on a twenty-year old plan which, activists say, has not been revised in spite of repeated attempts and contributions during the public comment period.
In two letters addressed to the US Forest Service, Governor Mike Braun has called for a new plan for The Hoosier. In a collaborative effort, members of Protect Our Woods and the Indiana Forest Alliance have drafted the “Citizens’ Alternative,” which focuses on the booming eco-tourism market, expected to reach $224 billion in 2025 (Statista), and asks policy makers and business leaders to explore ways for Hoosiers to capitalize on the incredible natural resources.
“Every song that is sung, every word that is spoken to protect our woods, brings the promise of reaching more and more people who will want to preserve our precious land, water, and air for future generations,” said Stewart. “We are so grateful for our creative voices for stepping up to support this truly crucial cause.”
For tickets to the Protect OUR Woods concert, please visit savehoosiernationalforest.com or CLICK HERE.
