The Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) is a registered non-profit organization working to protect BC’s endangered old-growth forests and to ensure a sustainable, value-added, second-growth forest industry. Founded by Ken Wu and TJ Watt in February 2010, the organization has quickly grown into British Columbia’s main organization working toward province-wide legislation to end the logging of endangered old-growth forests.
The AFA is calling on the BC government to:
TJ is a Co-Founder, Campaigner, and Photographer with the Ancient Forest Alliance. Combining his passion for conservation with professional photography, TJ works to shed light on BC’s endangered ancient forests in an effort to help see them saved.
An avid ‘big-tree hunter’, you’ll find him driving rough backroads and exploring remote regions of Vancouver Island in search of the last old-growth giants. TJ was born and raised in beautiful Metchosin, BC and graduated from the Western Academy of Photography. A life-long skateboarder, he enjoys many of the more thrilling activities that his position at AFA provides!
Joan has been growing in the understory of the AFA since 2012 as the Administrative Director where her knowledge and skills of bookkeeping and office management compliment her love of all things natural and passion to preserve big old trees and the intricate habitat that they are a part of.
From operating a children’s consignment store to managing a native plant seed company and then as office manager with the Victoria Office of the Wilderness Committee, Joan has had the opportunity to connect with people about conservation for many years which she continues within the AFA, interacting with all our wonderful supporters with the goal of protecting the incredible treasures of our natural world. When not in the office, Joan can often be found at her home in the garden with best friend, Matthew and picking flowers with her granddaughters or her new found hobby of farming at the Lohbrunner Community Farm Cooperative – she loves to eat fresh, local food!
Born in Vancouver, Ian has a lifelong passion for the ecosystems and wildlife of the coastal rainforest. A biologist by training, Ian received his Master’s Degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Windsor in Ontario.
A biologist by training, Ian received his Master’s Degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Windsor in Ontario. Ian’s work as a wildlife biologist has taken him to wild places across Canada. From the depths of BC’s Great Bear Rainforest to the boreal forests of Saskatchewan; to Seabird Island in the Maritimes, to the cloud forests of South America, and to far-flung islands in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, these journeys have instilled in him a deep love and reverence for the dwindling wild places of the world.
Ian is a passionate bird-watcher and naturalist, as well as a fanatical big-tree hunter. He is happiest when thrashing through dense underbrush, scrambling over deadfall, and wading through icy streams in search of scarce groves of undiscovered giants that still survive in the remote corners of coastal BC.
Ian’s excited to join the AFA team and looks forward to helping further the mission to safeguard BC’s most magnificent forests.
Rachel joined the AFA Team in November 2018. As someone who was born and raised on Vancouver Island, she cannot think of a better way to spend her time than to work to protect the endangered ancient forests she grew up with.
Before joining the Ancient Forest Alliance Team, Rachel completed a Bachelor of Arts Double Major degree in Environmental Studies and Geography at the University of Victoria. She has also previously worked as an interpreter, spreading the message about conservation for BC’s coastal and marine ecosystems. When she’s not working she’s likely taking her dog on adventures, singing, or attending awesome community events!
Coral fell in love with big trees after visiting the Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park when she was just out of High School and immediately decided that she wanted to be a “professional tree hugger” when she grew up. By joining the Ancient Forest Alliance Team as an Administrative and Development Assistant in 2021, she feels like she has finally reached this goal!
With a Technical Diploma in Environmental Chemistry and a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Environmental Studies, Coral has dedicated her life to preserving the natural world in a variety of educational institutions and government departments. But she prefers the non-profit sector because of the amazing folks accomplishing so much in a short time with relatively little funds.
As a Program Naturalist at a nature sanctuary for over a decade, Coral inspired a new generation of environmental stewards by sharing her love of nature. She looks forward to continuing this work by supporting the Campaigners and chatting with donors. When not working from home on the traditional territory of the Lekwungen peoples, Coral may be found exploring forests near and far with her family.
Bridging her background in journalism, creative writing and digital marketing with a passion for the natural world, Kristen has used her communications skills to advocate for the protection of the environment and the mitigation of climate change in a number of different capacities for the better part of the past decade.
Kristen’s love for trees and forests began early, having grown up in Syilx Territory, where she and her sisters and cousins would play among the Ponderosa pines that scatter the dry, grassland hills of the Okanagan Valley. She then grew an appreciation for the planet’s diverse ecosystems while travelling around and living in various countries around the world. Marvelling at the giant Kauri forests of New Zealand, northern Thailand’s sprawling banyan groves, and the beauty of Australia’s magnificent yet endangered coral reefs, it was in these places where she realized that the effects of pollution, climate change, and resource extraction are inescapable.
So, when she moved to Vancouver Island to pursue a degree in creative writing, Kristen immediately developed an affinity for the coastal, temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest and would use any excuse she could to write and talk about protecting these incredible ecosystems.
As the new communications coordinator for Ancient Forest Alliance, Kristen is extremely excited to apply her skills at a local level to ancient forest conservation full time. When she’s not copywriting, Kristen can be found wandering the beaches of southwestern Vancouver Island, thrifting, attempting to turn her brown thumb green in her garden, or tending to the unreads on her bookshelf.
Nadia is a passionate visionary who believes in making the world a better place. Beginning as a canvasser with AFA in 2018, she grew deeply connected to the organization and the cause to protect BC’s endangered old-growth ecosystems. Stepping into the Canvass Director role she is proudly working in line with her values of ecosystem justice, land stewardship, and a holistic approach to conservation.
Ken Wu is the former Executive Director and co-founder of the Ancient Forest Alliance. He has worked to protect ancient forests in BC for over a quarter century, after first seeing the Walbran Valley as a teenager in 1991.
Previously he worked as the Executive Director and Campaign Director for the Wilderness Committee’s Victoria chapter, from 1999 to 2010, and before that for a variety of small environmental groups. He graduated from the University of British Columbia’s ecological science program and has also worked as a biologist, tree-planter, math tutor, and door canvasser.
Celina has a life-long dedication to protecting diverse ecosystems. From the park behind her childhood house, to her time at the McGill School of the Environment, to her environmental work on the west coast, she is always looking to help.
She deepens this dedication by continually becoming more effective at work. And in turn, through coaching and capacity building, she supports other environmentalist to become strong change leaders. This passion has led Celina to the join the board of the AFA – offering her an opportunity to support the organization’s vital role of championing the protection of BC’s remaining ancient rainforests. When not perusing this passion, look for her off-trail, deep in BC’s wilderness.
Kerrie Blaise is a lawyer and advocate based in Ontario, Canada, passionately dedicated to environmental and public interest law. After years of volunteering with many environmental non-profits, obtaining a Masters of Science from the University Edinburgh, where she studied the marine impacts of offshore oil development; and graduating from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2016, Kerrie is honoured to join the Board of the Ancient Forest Alliance.
Kerrie continues to work in the non-profit sector, as a lawyer with the Canadian Environmental Law Association, representing clients and community groups seeking to uphold the government’s commitments on environmental protection. She frequently appears before tribunals, at conferences and in consultations with government officials on issues spanning nuclear reactor safety and environmental protection, international trade agreements, natural resource use and endangered species.
Tara Sawatsky has been on the Ancient Forest Alliance’s Board of Directors since the organization started in 2010. However, her love for big trees and ancient forests did not start there. As a young teenager new to British Columbia, she went searching for big trees in the Elaho and Carmanah valleys with her dad, armed with Randy Stoltmann’s Hiking Guide to Big Trees.
After working at the Wilderness Committee on efforts to protect ancient forests on Vancouver Island, Tara was a Corporate Campaigner at Canopy for 7 years, building corporate leadership and action over the connection between viscose fabrics and ancient forests globally. More recently, Tara is working as a Policy Analyst for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
Tara holds a Masters in Resource and Environmental Management and Planning from Simon Fraser University and a Bachelor of International Development and Environmental Science from the University of Toronto. When not at work, Tara is out sharing her love of wild places with her toddler.
Having grown up on BC’s west coast, Hannah has nurtured a passion for old-growth forests since a young age. During her years at Simon Fraser University, Hannah started and coordinated the SFU Ancient Forest Committee, engaging with students on campus about the importance of protecting BC’s endangered ancient forests.
After graduating, she joined the Ancient Forest Alliance – which had just recently been founded – as a staff member, and worked for seven years as Vancouver Grassroots Coordinator and Researcher/Writer. During the past few years, Hannah has pursued her fascination with the ocean and sailing, crewing this spring on a Pacific Ocean crossing from Mexico to French Polynesia. She is now back in beautiful BC combining work as a marine naturalist, writer and circus aerialist, and finding solace in the company of ancient trees.
