Entries by TJ Watt

Canada’s Gnarliest Tree – Save the Avatar Grove

The 50 hectare stand of lush old-growth temperate rainforest on public (Crown) lands near Port Renfrew has become a major attraction due to the ease of access to its giant, alien shaped redcedars and enormous Douglas-firs. Yet, despite requests for protection from all corners, the BC government has not stepped up to the plate to ensure that the area is spared from logging by the Surrey-based Teal-Jones Group.

Searching for the ‘sweet spot’ in the carbon debate

The valuable contribution intact forests make in conserving natural carbon stores to help in the fight against climate change has been largely overlooked in BC. Like a bank account that can store carbon away for hundreds of years, the service of keeping carbon in the ground and out of the atmosphere, is provided free of charge by our intact forests.

Film series turns eye to Youbou closure

Its goals from 10 years ago remain strong today, according to group stalwart Ken James.

"With over 200 paid up members we continue to work with other groups, often behind the scenes now, to promote our ideas of sustainable, profitable, forestry that will leave a standing forest behind for future generations," he said this week.

The Death Of A Sawmill

The Cowichan Citizens’ Coalition will screen the documentaries Stump To Dump, and Raw Log Exports made by Lake Cowichan Secondary School students.

Discussion will involve Youbou Timberless Society members, plus Ken Wu and T.J. Watt of the Ancient Forest Alliance.

The closure of the Youbou Sawmill, 10 years later

The Youbou TimberLess Society (YTS) will be hosting a film screening of their documentary videos Stump to Dump, and Log Exports, produced by Lake Cowichan Secondary School students, at the Duncan United Church Hall, Jan 20, at 7 p.m.

Interview with TJ Watt – Photographer and Environmentalist

"My work focus’s mainly on the threats to BC’s endangered old-growth forests and often times I am taking photos where less than and a handful of people have stood, if any at all. The dense rainforests of Vancouver Island are largely unexplored so it’s amazing to share images from these virtually unknown places. If you can’t bring the 4 million plus citizens of British Columbia to the woods then you need to bring the woods to them and now, with the power of GPS mapping and Google Earth, you can extend that concept to the entire world."