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Control copyright icon Hello Ancientforestalliance! Your additions to Ancient Forest Alliance have been removed in whole or in part, as they appear to have added copyrighted content without evidence that the source material is in the public domain or has been released by its owner or legal agent under a suitably free and compatible copyright license. (To request such a release, see Wikipedia:Requesting copyright permission.) While we appreciate your contributions to Wikipedia, it's important to understand and adhere to guidelines about using information from sources to prevent copyright and plagiarism issues. Here are the key points:

It's very important that contributors understand and follow these practices. Persistent failure to comply may result in being blocked from editing. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please ask them here on this page, or leave a message on my talk page. Thank you. Tenshi! (Talk page) 11:35, 24 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

January 2025

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Your account has been indefinitely blocked from editing because it has been used for advertising or promotion, which is contrary to the purpose of Wikipedia. Also, your username gives the impression that the account represents a business, organisation, group, or website, which is against the username policy.

If you intend to make useful contributions instead of promoting your business or organization, you may request unblock and a username change. In your reasons, you must follow all these steps:

  1. Disclose any compensation you may receive for your contributions in accordance with the paid-contribution disclosure requirement; and
  2. Convince us that you understand the reason for your block and that you will not repeat the kind of edits for which you were blocked; and
  3. Describe in general terms the contributions that you intend to make if you are unblocked; and
  4. Provide a new username.

To do this, insert the text {{unblock-spamun|Your proposed new username|Your reason here}} at the bottom of your talk page. Replace the text "Your proposed new username" with your new username and replace the text "Your reason here" with your reasons to be unblocked.

Please note that the new username you choose cannot already be taken and in use by another account. You can search to see if the username you'd like to choose is available. If the search returns that no global account with that username exists, that means it is still available.

Appeals: If, after reviewing the guide to appealing blocks, you believe this block was made in error, you may appeal it by adding the text {{unblock|reason=Your reason here ~~~~}} at the bottom of your talk page. Replace the text "Your reason here" with the reasons you believe the block was an error, and publish the page. Hey man im josh (talk) 14:13, 24 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]
This user is asking to be unblocked to request a change in username.

Ancientforestalliance (block log • active blocks • global blocks • contribs • deleted contribs • filter log • creation log • change block settings • unblock • checkuser (log))

Requested username:

Request reason:
I’m writing to respectfully request that my account be unblocked.

I understand that my account was blocked due to concerns regarding promotional editing and a violation of the username policy. The username "Ancientforestalliance" was created 15 years ago in the belief that it would help show legitimate changes to the page. I now understand that this may have created a conflict of interest (COI) and violated Wikipedia’s guidelines.

My intention in editing was not to promote the Ancient Forest Alliance, but to correct outdated or inaccurate information about the organization. I realize that my edits may have inadvertently appeared promotional, and I recognize the importance of maintaining a neutral tone and adhering to Wikipedia's COI policies.

If my account is unblocked, I will use the edit request process to propose factual, neutral, and well-sourced updates to the Ancient Forest Alliance Wikipedia page. I also wish to request a username change to "bigtreebc" to comply with Wikipedia's policies.

Thank you for your time and consideration

Administrators should consider discussing any unblock with the blocking administrator (see the blocking policy).

Administrator use only:

If you ask the blocking administrator to comment on this request, please replace this template with the following:

{{unblock-un on hold | 1=blocking administrator | 2=bigtreebc | 3=I’m writing to respectfully request that my account be unblocked.

I understand that my account was blocked due to concerns regarding promotional editing and a violation of the username policy. The username "Ancientforestalliance" was created 15 years ago in the belief that it would help show legitimate changes to the page. I now understand that this may have created a conflict of interest (COI) and violated Wikipedia’s guidelines.

My intention in editing was not to promote the Ancient Forest Alliance, but to correct outdated or inaccurate information about the organization. I realize that my edits may have inadvertently appeared promotional, and I recognize the importance of maintaining a neutral tone and adhering to Wikipedia's COI policies.

If my account is unblocked, I will use the edit request process to propose factual, neutral, and well-sourced updates to the Ancient Forest Alliance Wikipedia page. I also wish to request a username change to "bigtreebc" to comply with Wikipedia's policies.

Thank you for your time and consideration | 4=~~~~}}

If you accept the unblock request, replace this template with the following:

{{unblock-un reviewed | 1=bigtreebc | reason=I’m writing to respectfully request that my account be unblocked.

I understand that my account was blocked due to concerns regarding promotional editing and a violation of the username policy. The username "Ancientforestalliance" was created 15 years ago in the belief that it would help show legitimate changes to the page. I now understand that this may have created a conflict of interest (COI) and violated Wikipedia’s guidelines.

My intention in editing was not to promote the Ancient Forest Alliance, but to correct outdated or inaccurate information about the organization. I realize that my edits may have inadvertently appeared promotional, and I recognize the importance of maintaining a neutral tone and adhering to Wikipedia's COI policies.

If my account is unblocked, I will use the edit request process to propose factual, neutral, and well-sourced updates to the Ancient Forest Alliance Wikipedia page. I also wish to request a username change to "bigtreebc" to comply with Wikipedia's policies.

Thank you for your time and consideration | accept=Allowing username change to requested username. Please select an option from [[Wikipedia:Changing username]] and file a request as soon as possible to avoid re-blocking. ~~~~}}

If you decline the unblock request, replace this template with the following, replacing {{subst:Decline reason here}} with any specific rationale. If you do not edit the text after "decline=", a default reason why the request was declined will be inserted.

{{unblock-un reviewed | 1=bigtreebc | reason=I’m writing to respectfully request that my account be unblocked.

I understand that my account was blocked due to concerns regarding promotional editing and a violation of the username policy. The username "Ancientforestalliance" was created 15 years ago in the belief that it would help show legitimate changes to the page. I now understand that this may have created a conflict of interest (COI) and violated Wikipedia’s guidelines.

My intention in editing was not to promote the Ancient Forest Alliance, but to correct outdated or inaccurate information about the organization. I realize that my edits may have inadvertently appeared promotional, and I recognize the importance of maintaining a neutral tone and adhering to Wikipedia's COI policies.

If my account is unblocked, I will use the edit request process to propose factual, neutral, and well-sourced updates to the Ancient Forest Alliance Wikipedia page. I also wish to request a username change to "bigtreebc" to comply with Wikipedia's policies.

Thank you for your time and consideration | decline={{subst:Decline reason here}} ~~~~}}

Ancientforestalliance (talk) 00:26, 1 March 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Hi there! Can you explain what you mean when you say your username was "created 15 years ago"? This account was created 3 December 2024. Significa liberdade (she/her) (talk) 04:10, 1 March 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Hi! In 2010, we created a Wikimedia Commons account under the name “ancientforestalliance”. We recently started using this username for Wikipedia as well, which is why it says this account was created on 3 December 2024. Ancientforestalliance (talk) 20:41, 5 March 2025 (UTC)[reply]
@Significa liberdade: Special:CentralAuth confirms this account was active on Wikimedia Commons starting 1 April 2010.
@Ancientforestalliance: Did you verify your account on Wikimedia Commons? Because if you didn't, then you also violated that project's username policy (commons:Commons:Username policy) as well. --Drm310 🍁 (talk) 17:21, 6 March 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Hi, the original account was setup by a friend helping us get started as an organization way back then. I cannot speak to the verification as it was a long time ago now. If that name needs to be changed as well, please feel free. We have not actively used it since. Ancientforestalliance (talk) 19:34, 14 March 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you for your reply. I noticed you use the pronoun "we". Can you tell me how many people have access to this account? Significa liberdade (she/her) (talk) 17:23, 6 March 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Sorry for the confusion. I was using "we" in reference to the organization as a whole. This account is managed by one user. Ancientforestalliance (talk) 19:36, 14 March 2025 (UTC)[reply]
To help us respond to the request, please do the following:
  1. Review Wikipedia's payment disclosure and conflict of interest policies and guidelines, then explain how those apply to your block.
  2. Describe the types of edits you would like to make if you were unblocked.
Thank you!Significa liberdade (she/her) (talk) 03:34, 15 March 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you for your response.
In accordance with Wikipedia’s disclosure requirements, I would like to disclose that I am employed by the Ancient Forest Alliance, a BC-based non-profit organization. While my original intention in editing the article was to correct outdated or inaccurate information, I now understand that doing so directly and under a username associated with the organization created a conflict of interest and gave the impression of promotional editing.
I have since reviewed Wikipedia’s paid-contribution disclosure and conflict of interest policies. I recognize the importance of maintaining a neutral, verifiable, and encyclopedic tone. I also understand that editors with a conflict of interest should not edit affected articles directly, but instead use the article's Talk page or the edit request process to suggest changes in a transparent way.
If unblocked, I would like to propose factual, neutral, and well-sourced updates to the Ancient Forest Alliance article. These may include updating outdated information about the organization’s founding, leadership, programs, and campaign focus areas; correcting inaccuracies; removing outdated or no longer relevant campaign details; and adding citations to reliable secondary sources. Any suggestions I make will follow Wikipedia’s content guidelines and be submitted through the proper edit request process.
I would also like to request a username change to "bigtreebc" to comply with Wikipedia’s username policy.
Thank you for your time and consideration. Ancientforestalliance (talk) 22:09, 4 April 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Please don't write to us with an AI(93% certain according to zeroGPT). We want to hear from you directly, human to human. Talk page posts are not expected to be grammatically and stylistically perfect. Just talk to us.
I'm a bit concerned that you said "a friend set up this account". I realize it's been a long time, but only one person should have had access to this account. If multiple people have had access, even if only one does now, that would mean this account is technically compromised. We can potentially allow you to create a new account for your own use, but I'm not sure we can rename this one. 331dot (talk) 10:22, 5 April 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Significa liberdade What do you think? 331dot (talk) 10:27, 5 April 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Especially given that the message is AI-gen, I'd want to see a few specifics, such as how they will go about proposing updates. Additionally, if they could provide the payment disclosure from WP:PAID, we could add that to their userpage before unblocking. Significa liberdade (she/her) (talk) 16:23, 5 April 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Hello and thank you for your response. I hope I can clarify things below. Yes, I wrote my previous reply and then asked ChatGPT to help me clean it up. I’m new to Wikipedia, learning on the spot, and trying to get things right. However, I’m happy to reply more candidly if that’s what you’re looking for.
Regarding a friend setting up the account, they no longer have access to it. In 2010, the Ancient Forest Alliance was a new non-profit organization, and someone said, “You should have a Wikipedia page!”. Fast forward 15 years, and almost everything on the page is wildly outdated, irrelevant to the org’s current work, and/or is just flat out wrong (will provide a few examples below). My approach until now was to say, oh well, it’s pretty evident that the information there has never really been updated, so hopefully no one sees it and uses it as an educational resource. However, AI tools now reference Wikipedia pages as a source, Google cites it, and I’ve seen write-ups about the organization pulling information from the page. So, it started to seem like it might be time to correct things and make the information more accurate and relevant to 2025 instead of 2010.
Here are just a few of the many, many areas that need attention:
1. It currently says, “Although the Ancient Forest Alliance is registered as a non-profit society in British Columbia, they have declared that they will not register as a charitable organization.[7][10] The lack of charitable status makes fundraising more difficult, because they can not issue tax receipts for donations.[10]” Instead, we have now been a charitable organization for years, which also changes much of what is written elsewhere on the page.
2. “Membership: 7000”. The org doesn't technically have members, just supporters, and the number would be much different today.
3. “The Ancient Forest Alliance was founded in January 2010 by former Western Canada Wilderness Committee activists Ken Wu, TJ Watt, and Tara Sawatsky, along with old-growth activists Katrina Andres and Brendan Harry from Victoria and Michelle Connolly from Vancouver.” Incorrect. The Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) was founded in February 2010 by Ken Wu and TJ Watt in Victoria, British Columbia.
4. “The Alliance helped to publicize the issue of clearcutting of old-growth forests on Vancouver Island with a September 2016 article by Harley Rustad on their web site about that same Red Creek Fir tree, which by then, had been named Big Lonely Doug and declared to be Canada's second largest Douglas-fir tree.[21]”.  The dates are wrong, and no, those are two separate trees; one was not renamed.
5. More generally, many (but not all) of the ‘campaigns’ listed were small events within the first year of the organization’s history. Much more important events have since taken place that would make sense to include.
In response, I spent a lot of time figuring out the changes needed to bring the page up to speed and how to cite everything accurately. I am now aware of the username and COI issues and the need to be extra cautious about tone. I would happily use a different username and suggest my edits beforehand, if that is the best approach. My only goal here is to help make the page accurate and useful for people. The alternative is that the page continues to contain mostly inaccurate and unhelpful information, which I feel is the opposite of Wikipedia’s goals.
Thank you for listening. Ancientforestalliance (talk) 21:20, 17 April 2025 (UTC)[reply]
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