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For Earth Day this year, AFA staff stepped away from our desks to spend time in the forests we advocate for every day.

Travelling to Port Renfrew in Pacheedaht territory, we explored the incredible Eden Grove, one of the finest remaining unprotected tracts of valley-bottom old-growth forests on Vancouver Island. As we hiked through the grove, we enjoyed soaking in the early signs of spring: trillium emerging at the base of forest giants, budding salmonberries and huckleberries, the sweeping neon greens of fresh ferns, and the energetic call of a Pacific wren bouncing around the forest. The ancient forest is home to black bears, black-tailed deer, elusive cougars, threatened bird species, and more creatures big and small.

Of course, we also had to say hello to Big Lonely Doug next door – the iconic symbol of both the beauty and destruction of old-growth forests in BC. Before the forest around Doug was logged in 2011, this area was connected to the rest of Eden Grove and would have been one of the most impressive groves in existence.

Though many of these irreplaceable forests have been lost, we still have the chance to protect places like Eden Grove and the diverse wildlife that depends on them. Its exceptional beauty and proximity to Port Renfrew, Canada’s Tall-Tree Capital, could make it a world-renowned destination.

🥾 See our Port Renfrew Hiking Guide for details on how to visit these areas.

🌲 Join us in calling on the BC government to proactively work with First Nations to help secure the permanent protection of forests like these for our and future generations.