Entries by TJ Watt

The Week, August 12-18

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Despite the presence of ancient Red cedars and evidence of karst formations under the forest floor, the provincial forest ministry appears to see no need to protect the stand of trees north of Port Renfrew dubbed Avatar Grove.

The ministry recently rejected a proposal by the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce and the Sooke Regional Tourism Association to protect the grove in its entirety, arguing that 24 percent of the grove is in an old-growth management area, and that is sufficient protection.

B.C. environmentalists fight to preserve Avatar Grove

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When two forest activists were rooting around for ancient trees along southwest Vancouver Island’s logging roads in December, the pair made an unexpected discovery.

Just a five-minute walk from the road, centuries-old hemlocks, red cedars, firs and an identified evergreen that’s been dubbed Canada’s “gnarliest tree,” stood untouched in a 10-hectare setting, about a 15-minute drive from the village of Port Renfrew.

Zoe Miles comes to Toronto to save B.C.’s ‘Avatar Woods’

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This protest by Cortes Island activist Zoe Miles and MTV’s Buried Life in downtown Toronto had an Avatar theme, and their focus was on saving the old-growth forests of BC with a particular emphasis on the old-growth Douglas fir stands of Cortes Island (which they dubbed the "Avatar Woods", not to be confused with the "Avatar Grove" near Port Renfrew). We thank them for doing this! – Ancient Forest Alliance

VIDEO: MTV and Avatars follow Zoe Miles to Brookfield Asset Management

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A flash mob of mostly young women inspired by Cortes Island resident Zoe Miles gathered in front of Brookfield Asset Management on Bay Street in Toronoto today to try to stop logging in one of the islands most beautiful and wild forests. The company owns 2,700 acres of the area around Carrington Bay, at centre of Cortes. Miles told the Vancouver Observer she came to Toronto "to have a conversation with Bruce Flatt, CEO of Brookfield Asset Management, who own 2700 acres of old growth on Cortes Island, threatened by clearcut logging."

Old Forests Get Protection

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While the provincial government has sectioned off thousands of hectares to protect old-growth forests, none are located in the Alberni Valley.

The government sectioned off two types of old-growth forest on Crown land to preserve the natural trees and forestation. On the east side of the Island, about five kilometres were sectioned off to preserve the Coastal Douglas Fir Ecosystem, which is a rare type of ecosystem that only covers a small portion of the Island. Other parts of the Island in the northern central area and southern areas were also protected from future logging and land management.

Sending a message to Brookfield Asset Management on Bay Street, "Hands off BC’s last old growth trees."

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The message is simple "Hands off the last of the Coastal Old Growth in BC".

On Friday morning, Young "Avatars" (giant blue folk – like in the recent movie) will storm Bay Street in a flash mob protest against the logging of the last of the coastal old growth in BC. The protest has caught the eye of MTV and will be featured in an upcoming documentary on the hit show The Buried Life.

VIDEO: Fight to save local landmark going international

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It’s the best, worst-kept secret on Vancouver Island.

A 100-hectare forest wonderland: pristine, untouched and about a thousand years old.

But there are real and imminent fears this space may not be long for this world.

It is de facto owned by logging company Teal Jones.

The firm hasn’t applied to the provincial government for a logging permit yet, but activists with the Ancient Forest Alliance claims the company is making plans to cut.

Thumbs up/ thumbs down

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To the provincial government, which says enough old-growth trees have been protected in the area between Sooke and Port Renfrew. That does not bode well for the trees in an area near Port Renfrew, nicknamed Avatar Grove, which are under threat of a harvest. The Forests Ministry says 24 per cent of the grove will be protected, and that is enough.

Avatar Grove, the Cathedral Grove of Port Renfrew, under increasing threat due to BC Government intransigence

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The BC Ministry of Forests and Range recent rejection of the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce’s and the Sooke Regional Tourism Association’s request that the Avatar Grove near Port Renfrew be spared from logging has the Ancient Forest Alliance preparing for a ramped-up battle. The organization already has over 2000 members on its “Save the Avatar Grove” Facebook Group and 7000 members on its main Facebook Groups, and will be working to ramp-up membership in the Avatar Grove Group in preparation for a future “Ancient Forest Week of Action” of protests, events, and rallies (dates to be announced) at various BC government offices in numerous communities.