Louisa Willcox, Senior Wildlife Advocate, Livingston, Montana

It has taken me a while to process the many photos I took at the Nov 6, 2011 Keystone XL pipeline protest that involved encircling the White House, but I got a few good ones that I would like to share. What amazed me was the diversity of people — young and old — who stood in solidarity against the construction of a pipeline that would carry some of the world’s dirtiest fuels through some of the precious and vulnerable lands in the US and Canada. A cadre of Montanans, including my good friend Frances Stewart and the actress Margot Kidder, made the long trip to DC to join in the fray. Margie was especially excited to be back in Lafayette Park, where she and many others were arrested last summer in another protest against the pipeline.

Montanans, including myself, walked shoulder to shoulder with ranchers from the Sand Hills of Nebraska and others from Canada and the Midwest who would bear the brunt of the impacts of this ill-conceived pipeline. I was proud of the major turnout of NRDC staff and members too who, with 12,000 others, took time that day to encircle the White House not just once, but several times.  

The day was a joyous celebration of special landscapes, and an unequivocal expression of opposition to a pipeline that represents everything that a sane energy policy should strive to avoid: the industrialization of ecologically unique places, major climate change effects, a high likelihood of accidents and spills, disruption of communities, and subsidies for big business to create a mess that future generations will have to deal with. While the Obama administration has since delayed the permitting of the pipeline, we have many miles to go to stop its construction. 

As the debate continues, in the meantime I thought you might enjoy a few photos that captured some of the spirit of the day.  

This young man was perched on his father’s shoulders to better see the crowd.

I could not resist the bear photo: who better to tell the story of climate change pollution?

My good friend Frances Stewart who lives along the Yellowstone River in Montana – a river that could be harmed if crossed, as planned, by the Keystone XL pipeline.

One of many handmade signs.

My colleague Josh Mogerman of NRDC (left) tweeting about the protest.

 A human-powered facsimile of the pipeline also encircled the White House.  

The end of a long day of training in democratic action.