Earlier this year, TEDxVictoria returned to the stage with the theme “It’s up to us.” Ancient Forest Alliance photographer, campaigner, and co-founder TJ Watt was selected as one of 12 speakers. Like the famed TED Talks, TEDx (which has over 40 million followers on YouTube!) events host a series of speakers who highlight new ideas, challenges, or perspectives, but on a local level.
In his presentation, One Last Shot to Protect Old-Growth Forests In British Columbia, TJ takes us on a visual journey of his work as a conservation photographer, big tree hunter, and National Geographic Explorer. With stunning imagery and passionate storytelling, he shares his life’s mission: helping to secure permanent protection for endangered ancient forests in British Columbia. His talk also touches on how he tracks down giant trees, recent campaign successes, and what solutions are still needed. Be sure to watch and share it below!
A Note from TJ
“I’ve done many talks over the years, but none made me as nervous as this. How do you convey a topic as complex as old-growth forests and your life’s mission to protect them in just 15 minutes? It’s a lot of pressure – especially on a stage in front of 700 people! The opportunity to share my message, photos, and story with such a large audience, including the global reach that TEDx offers, was too important to pass up on, though.
I’ve dedicated the past 15 years to exploring and documenting endangered old-growth forests in BC to help see them saved. From uncovering groves of ancient giants to trudging up steep mountainsides or slogging through soaked clear-cuts, it’s been a beautiful and, many times, heartbreaking journey. It was an honour to share this story on the TEDxVictoria stage. I hope you enjoy it. If you do, please share it with friends and family to help raise further awareness. Thanks to the TEDxVictoria organizers for including me and everyone’s encouragement along the way.”
TJ at TEDxVictoria 2024 [o] Lillie Louise Photography
Feeling inspired?
Please SHARE TJ’s TEDxVictoria talk on social media and with friends and family to help expand its reach! Link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=enF8Zf4EPNg
The old-growth forests of British Columbia are among the most magnificent, ancient, and ecologically diverse ecosystems in the world. They also need our urgent help to protect them. With Giving Tuesday (a global day where people give and celebrate generosity) just a week away, will you help us reach our goal of raising $15,000 to support old-growth protection? We’re most grateful for anything you can give. Our Giving Tuesday campaign runs from today, Tuesday, November 26, until Tuesday, December 3, 2024, and donations are tax-deductible.
Ways you can support
1. Give a monthly or one-time donation to Ancient Forest Alliance 🌲
As a small charitable organization, our work is driven by donations from individuals like you. By making a monthly or one-time donation, you’ll help us carry out critical work, including supporting First Nations partners in developing Indigenous Protected Area proposals that protect old-growth, exploring and documenting endangered forests, and building and strengthening relationships with non-traditional allies to create a broad-based movement of support for ancient forest protection.
2. Pick up some AFA merchandise for yourself or a loved one 🛍️
From our 2025 calendars to our new toque and long-sleeve tee, there are many ways to show your love for the old-growth forests of BC! As we head into the giving season, beat the rush and treat yourself or a loved one to some great gifts while helping to support our work.
*Please note: Due to the current strike, we cannot ship orders through Canada Post. A pick-up option is available if you’re in the Victoria area. Shipping via FedEx is also available. See our store at the link below for more information.
Because of YOUR support, over the past few years, we have made historic progress toward supporting the protection of old-growth forests in British Columbia. AFA’s specific campaigns helped secure the $1-billion BC Nature Agreement, which brings forth major funding for nature conservation in BC, including a $100-million BC Old-Growth Fund to protect the grandest old-growth forests. The province’s commitment to protect 30% of the land area by 2030 also sets the stage to essentially double the amount of protected area in BC over the next five years.
This past summer, the Ahousaht, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, and BC NDP government also announced 760 square kilometres of new protected areas in Clayoquot Sound. The vast expansion of protection for Clayoquot, 40 years in the making, represents the largest old-growth forest protected areas victory in BC since the Great Bear Rainforest conservancies were announced in 2006. The BC government is now in discussions with dozens of First Nations across BC to establish Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs), including in old-growth forests, totalling thousands of square kilometres.
However, our work is far from over. Going forward, your charitable giving will allow us to expand our work with key allies and First Nations, capture powerful new imagery, grow our hard-working team, and ensure we get the job done as effectively as possible. We’re most grateful for anything you can give.
Issy joined AFA in the fall of 2024 as a Forest Campaigner, leaving the hustle of London for the mountains of Vancouver to be closer to the nature she’s passionate about protecting.
Her love for the outdoors started early, exploring the woodlands of Suffolk, England, and the cedar forests of southern France growing up. This early connection led her to study Anthropology to better understand the complex relationship between people and the natural world. Her bachelor’s degree in Anthropology included a semester abroad in Sydney, Australia, gaining an appreciation for Indigenous environmental knowledge, and her master’s degree in Environmental Anthropology focused on community-led conservation approaches.
For the past three years, Issy worked in London as an environmental communications consultant, raising awareness about climate and nature-based solutions. While she loved this work, she couldn’t shake the feeling of being far from the critical ecosystems she was advocating for, which sparked the move to Vancouver.
Now, Issy is thrilled to be helping protect irreplaceable old-growth forests in BC and spending her free time exploring the beauty of these ancient ecosystems firsthand.
📩 An important update regarding the Canada Post strike as of Friday, November 15th!
Due to the strike, we cannot ship any merchandise orders through Canada Post. If you are in Victoria, in-person pick-up is available at our office at #205 – 620 View Street between 10am and 4pm, Monday through Thursday. No appointment is necessary. Alternatively, FedEx is offered as our next cost-effective shipping option if you wish to receive your orders on time.
If neither of the above shipping options works for you and you would still like to support our work this holiday season with gift giving, please consider donating toward one of our Adopt-a-Tree or Adopt-a-Grove e-certificates that can be emailed directly to your family or friends.
Otherwise, you can donate here to help protect the at-risk old-growth forests of British Columbia!
Ancient Forest Alliance is a registered charity supported by donations from our community and through our merchandise sales, with all proceeds supporting our ever-important work protecting endangered old-growth forests in BC.
We appreciate your support, and thank you for standing with us!
—The Ancient Forest Alliance team
https://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/royal-roads-big-leaf-maple-licorice-fern.jpg8001200TJ Watthttps://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/cropped-AFA-Logo-1000px.pngTJ Watt2024-11-18 12:49:592024-12-12 11:15:15Update: Canada Post Strike
I am profoundly grateful for my years as a Research and Engagement Officer at Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) both for the opportunity to help protect magnificent old-growth forests in BC and for the incredible group of people I’ve had the privilege of working with along the way. The AFA team comprises the most dedicated and passionate people, and I’m extremely proud to have been part of this amazing group.
Through my time at AFA, I’ve been privileged to explore some of the most beautiful ancient forests left on Earth and spent countless hours with some of the world’s oldest and largest living things. I came to this organization as a biologist with a deep love and concern for the wildlife and ecosystems of BC; AFA has provided me with the chance to give something back to the wild places that mean so much to me.
The human element has been no less amazing! The team at AFA is at once so heartfelt and passionate while also the most clear-eyed and pragmatic I’ve ever worked with. I’ve learned so much about change and advocacy from their strategy of carefully parsing policy and ecology to identify the exact barriers and gaps to conservation and finding the pathways through which change is possible. AFA’s dedication to community outreach and bringing people from all walks of life together to preserve these forests is unmatched. I will miss the warmth and camaraderie of the office and every staff member.
Though this work has forced me to witness the shocking devastation of these ancient, irreplaceable ecosystems, I’ve been deeply inspired and uplifted by the AFA team and the thousands of supporters helping us make historic progress for old-growth forests. This is the kind of work that humbles you and brings you close to what really matters: working with people and communities from all backgrounds and walks of life to foster a healthy living world for all the creatures that depend on it.
When I look at the scale of transformation in just the last few years – the hundreds of millions of dollars mobilized for conservation in BC and major protected areas being established or getting underway – it still stuns me how just a handful of dedicated folks in a small office in Victoria could play such a pivotal role in making our world a better place.
It is impossible to leave such an organization unchanged. I am moving on from AFA with a deep sense of hope, both for these old-growth forests that we have been at the forefront of protecting but also because I’ve seen firsthand the extraordinary power we can mobilize to safeguard native ecosystems while supporting sustainable, thriving communities.
I’m keeping a tight grip on my AFA alumnus card. Though my official role with AFA has (for the present) come to a close, I’m looking forward to supporting their work and mission in whatever ways I can and celebrating the many victories to come.
For the forests,
Ian Thomas
Ian at the base of the San Joseph Spruce, Canada’s largest spruce tree.
https://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Ian-4x5-Portrait.jpg12001500TJ Watthttps://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/cropped-AFA-Logo-1000px.pngTJ Watt2024-11-17 17:58:122024-11-19 17:58:26A Farewell Note from AFA’s Ian Thomas
As we approach the BC election on Saturday, October 19th, 2024, here’s where BC’s major political parties stand on protecting nature. Safeguarding nature is vital for our health and well-being (even breathing in the air in nature is shown by science to boost our immune systems through plant compounds known as “phytoncides”), for the economy (protected areas attract and support a large diversity of industries and skilled labour to surrounding communities), for the climate, and for the diversity of life on Earth.
Endangered Ecosystems Alliance Executive Director and AFA co-founder Ken Wu explains where each of BC’s major political parties stands on old-growth and nature protection.
🔵 The BC Conservative Party
The BC Conservatives take an extremist, anti-nature protection position.
1. They say they would “absolutely axe” BC’s goal to protect 30% of the province’s land area by 2030.
2. They would guarantee that all unprotected, productive forest lands in BC (22 million hectares) available for logging will be “managed to achieve supply chain stability in BC’s forestry sector”. That is, they will ensure that the forests at the centre of the conservation controversies, with the largest unprotected trees and richest biodiversity, will be turned into “guaranteed logging zones” that will obstruct new, fully protected areas.
4. They spread false and grossly misleading information and PR spin about the conservation and geographic extent of forests in BC — such as 30% protection would result in “30% less food production” (false: farming takes place on private lands, not on public lands where the protected areas expansion overwhelmingly occurs) and “two-thirds of BC’s forested landscape will remain in its original forested state” (deceptively failing to mention those ecosystems are mainly subalpine, rocky and muskeg landscapes with small and stunted trees of low to no timber value).
🟠 The BC NDP Party
The BC NDP is taking a strong, pro-protected areas stance and has moved protected areas policies forward on a historically unprecedented scale. However, several key policies are still missing.
1. They have committed to essentially double the protected areas system in BC over the next six years, from about 16% of the province now to 30% by 2030.
2. They have allocated and secured over $1 billion in federal-provincial funding to help make this happen, including for private land acquisition, conservation financing for First Nations, and resource licensee compensation.
4. They are in discussion with dozens of First Nations about potential Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) spanning millions of hectares, including in productive old-growth forests and endangered grasslands.
5. They have thus far failed to implement ecosystem-based targets, that is, protection targets based on science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge for each ecosystem — the ‘GPS for new protected areas’ that would ensure that all ecosystems are adequately protected. This is the most important game-changer left to ensure the protection of endangered ecosystems. The BC NDP Party have stated that they will develop “science-based protection” policies and that this may occur via the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework.
6. They have thus far failed to close conservation loopholes in designations like Wildlife Habitat Areas where logging can still occur and Old-Growth Management Areas where boundaries can be readily moved around under timber industry pressure.
🟢 The BC Green Party
The BC Greens take a strong, pro-protected areas stance, lacking some specificity.
3. They believe in prioritizing ecosystem health, which includes appointing a Chief Ecologist as a counterbalance to the Chief Forester, although do not mention ecosystem-based targets for protection and conservation, which is the actual key to ecosystem health.
— 30 —
Authorized by Ancient Forest Alliance, registered sponsor under the Election Act, 250-896-4007.
https://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/1341657734_TJinCaycusebeforeandafter.7.sized_.jpg.d55481bd88c3e32e46f48e9de21af6ef.jpg11081500TJ Watthttps://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/cropped-AFA-Logo-1000px.pngTJ Watt2024-10-07 21:59:132024-10-18 13:20:49Nature Protection: Where Do BC’s Major Political Parties Stand?
Since AFA’s inception in 2010, there hasn’t been a year that has seen more progress toward protecting old-growth forests in BC than in 2023. Click and read through our Activity Report & Financials to see how YOU helped contribute to this success and find out what we have in store for 2024!
We’re excited to announce that donations to the Ancient Forest Alliance will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $20,000 until July 21st! For the next month, when you give a gift to the AFA, it will have DOUBLE the impact!
https://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/North-Island-Twin-Sitka-Spruce.jpg13652048TJ Watthttps://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/cropped-AFA-Logo-1000px.pngTJ Watt2024-06-24 01:32:312024-09-17 09:12:48Your Donations will be DOUBLED until July 21st!
Have a special occasion coming up? Pick up your next set of greeting cards from Ancient Forest Alliance while they’re 20% off and help protect old-growth forests in BC!
Choose one of our specially curated sets of six cards for $20 or get a deal and choose two sets for $35!
Taken by AFA photographer TJ Watt, these photos feature big trees, birds, bears, flowers and fungi from locations such as Echo Lake, Meares Island, Carmanah Valley, Flores Island, and Brooks Peninsula, each card captures the beauty of the West Coast.
All cards are 5×7, blank inside and printed on 100% PCW recycled paper using vegetable-based inks. The educational descriptions on the back of the cards help to inspire others to share your love of old-growth forests.
All proceeds support the campaign to protect endangered old-growth forests in BC and ensure a sustainable second-growth industry. Offer ends August 31st or while supplies last.
All cards are 20% off! Here are some of the images you can get on your cards.
https://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/6-Pack-Cards-AFA.jpg9071300TJ Watthttps://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/cropped-AFA-Logo-1000px.pngTJ Watt2024-06-03 08:09:342024-10-10 10:40:30AFA Greeting Cards are on sale for 20% off until August 31st!
Catch Ancient Forest Alliance Photographer and Campaigner TJ Watt at the TEDxVictoria event on May 15th! Alongside 11 other diverse presenters, TJ will speak about his efforts to document and help protect endangered old-growth forests in BC.
The goal of TEDxVictoria is to bring together local experts, community organizations, entrepreneurs, start-ups, established businesses, and passionate individuals to explore the ways in which the city has evolved and changed over the past decade. With a fresh perspective, this conference will discuss the many opportunities and challenges that have arisen and celebrate ingenuity, problem-solving, and forward-thinking in Victoria.
TEDxVictoria organizers said, “It’s up to us, all the change we want to see personally, globally, and local to Victoria. This year’s TEDxVictoria will bring our community together for inspiring conversations that help us understand, explore, and motivate change. Whatever that change looks like, here’s to ideas worth spreading.”
https://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Speaker-TJ-Watt-Dark-1200x630-1.png6311200TJ Watthttps://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/cropped-AFA-Logo-1000px.pngTJ Watt2024-04-22 11:46:242024-04-22 11:46:24AFA’s TJ Watt to Present at TEDxVictoria on May 15!