Entries by TJ Watt

Ancient Forest Alliance commends the BC Government and Forests Minister Pat Bell for taking a step forward to protect some of Vancouver Island’s Old-Growth Forests

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Yesterday the BC government announced the protection of 38,000 hectares of old-growth forests on central and northern Vancouver Island in a series of Old-Growth Management Areas. On Vancouver Island there are 400,000 hectares of productive old-growth forests outside of protected areas, with another 200,000 hectares in parks and Old-Growth Management Areas.

Old-growth protection boosted

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The province is almost doubling the amount of Vancouver Island old-growth forest protected from logging and development.

More than 38,700 hectares on northern and north-central Vancouver Island will be designated as old-growth management areas, meaning the trees cannot be cut.

Saving Our Forest Giants

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Port Renfrew is the furthest outpost of my riding. It is a land of extraordinary beauty with mountains that hug a rugged coastline, rivers that run through deep valleys, and a land that harbours significant biodiversity. This area also contains some of the oldest and most majestic living things on our planet. In the area of the Gordon River Valley and further north in the upper Walbran Valley are some of the largest trees on the planet. A few weeks ago, I went into this remote area with a small team from the Ancient Forest Alliance to document these giant Western Red Cedars, Sitka Spruce and Douglas Fir that jut out of the surrounding valley floors like spires from cathedrals.

Seymour Valley Old-Growth Forest Hike

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Join the Ancient Forest Alliance and Ancient Forest Committees to see an amazing stand of old-growth forests (including massive Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, and redcedar), next to the Seymour River in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve!

Avatar Grove Hike – Sunday July 25

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On Sunday, July 25, join the Ancient Forest Alliance’s forest campaigner + photographer TJ Watt and communications director Brendan Harry to visit the magnificent but endangered “Avatar Grove”. The grove is home to dozens of ancient redcedar trees, many of which are at least 13 feet across, centuries old, and covered in massive alien-shaped burls! Rare old-growth Douglas fir trees, of which 99% of have been logged, are also found in the grove. Avatar Grove is currently flagged for logging despite its potential to become a major tourism destination, the “Cathedral Grove of Port Renfrew”, and important ecological value.

New Images of Massive Trees and Giant Stumps on Google Earth

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Ancient forest campaigner and photographer TJ Watt has been steadily uploading new shots of BC’s biggest trees and most massive stumps to Google Earth, a popular global satellite-imaging program. This allows users around the world to view ancient forest photographs on both Google Earth and Google Maps.

Organise a Fundraiser for the Ancient Forest Alliance

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July has arrived and we are just two weeks away from our $30,000 July 31 fundraising deadline. The recent slew of highly successful community-organised benefits events has gone a long way toward our target, and it would be wonderful to maintain this level of momentum.

Saving Our Ancient Forests- Slideshow and Talk

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Join TJ Watt, Hannah Carpendale and Michelle Connolly from the Ancient Forest Alliance to learn about the ecology and politics of BC’s ancient forests and find out how YOU can get involved in the growing movement to save them!

Thursday July 29th
7pm-8:30pm
Burnaby Public Library, McGill Branch
4595 Albert St. (near Hastings & Willingdon)

MP Keith Martin wants to expand Pacific Rim park

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The Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) is supporting Member of Parliament (Esquimalt- Juan de Fuca) Keith Martin’s proposal to extend Pacific Rim National Park Reserve’s boundaries to protect adjacent endangered forests, including the grandest stands of old-growth trees in Canada.

Endangered forest turns into Island battleground

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The fate of a small patch of endangered Vancouver Island forest has put local residents and politicians at odds with the province and a First Nations band.

The Snaw-naw-as First Nation has been issued a one-time forest licence by the province to cut 15,000 cubic metres of wood west of Nanoose Bay to raise much-needed cash — even though the rare remnant of endangered coastal Douglas fir forest contains endangered plants and animals.