Entries by TJ Watt

East Creek Investigation Finds Clearcutting Rare Intact Old-Growth on Vancouver Island in Compliance with Laws, Highlighting BC Government Failure to Protect Endangered Rainforest

Here's a media release from our allies at Sierra Club BC about the brutal fragmentation of the East Creek Valley on far northwestern Vancouver Island on the north side of the Brooks Peninsula in Kwakwaka'wakw Quatsino territory. East Creek was one of the very last intact primary watersheds on Vancouver Island until the BC Liberal government allowed the industrial logging of the upper valley starting in 2002 and then the lower valley in 2015 and on. The valley is home to major runs of spawning salmon, as well as bears, wolves, cougars, elk, deer, and species at risk like the marbled murrelet and northern goshawk. The valley is tattered now like most ancient forests across Vancouver Island but there are still significant tracts of ancient forest there that require protection – and the BC Liberals and NDP both need to be pressured to do so. 

See the media release at: https://sierraclub.bc.ca/east-creek-investigation-highlighting-bc-government-failure-to-protect-endangered-rainforest/

April 12: Rally for Sustainable Forestry in Victoria (12 noon, Legislature)

Hey Vancouver Island friends! Come join the Ancient Forest Alliance, as we support the Public and Private Workers of Canada (PPWC – formerly the Pulp, Paper, and Woodworkers of Canada) who are organizing a sustainable forestry rally in Victoria on Wednesday, April 12 (Legislature, noon) to protect old-growth forests, ensure a value-added sustainable second-growth forest industry, and to end the export of raw logs from BC! Thanks to PPWC forestry officer Cam Shiell, president Arnold Bercov and their PPWC team for organizing this! See more details:  https://www.facebook.com/events/303689276716502/permalink/304594236626006/

Conservationists applaud Old-Growth Protection Resolution by major BC forestry union

Victoria – Conservationists with the Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) are applauding today’s resolution by the Public and Private Workers of Canada (PPWC), representing thousands of forestry workers across BC, calling on the BC government to protect Vancouver Island’s old-growth forests, while ensuring a sustainable, value-added second-growth forest industry, an end to raw log exports, and support for First Nations community development. The major forestry union joins thousands of businesses (BC Chamber of Commerce), mayors and city councils (Union of BC Municipalities), First Nations, and conservation groups across BC in calling on the provincial government to increase protection for BC’s endangered old-growth forests.

See the resolution at: www.ppwc.ca/ppwc-statement-old-growth-logging-vancouver-island/

Comment: Rising raw log exports bad for forests, workers

Here's a new Op-ed piece by Ben Parfit (CCPA), Scott Doherty (Unifor), and the Ancient Forest Alliance's Ken Wu about the record levels of raw log exports leaving BC over the past 4 years, with one-third coming from old-growth forests and over half coming from Crown lands over the past 5 years. The forestry unions PPWC and Unifor and conservation groups are calling for an immediate ban on old-growth log exports, progressively higher taxes on second-growth log exports to support domestic mills, and policies to support sustainable, value-added forestry in rural and First Nations communities. 

NEW Documentary “No Degree of Scarcity” (by Joe Callander) about Big Lonely Doug & Vancouver Island Old-Growth Logging

Check out this new 8 minute documentary, "No Degree of Scarcity" about Big Lonely Doug and old-growth logging on Vancouver Island by renowned US filmmaker Joe Callander. Callander came to Vancouver Island for a brief stint to follow Ancient Forest Alliance activists Ken Wu and TJ Watt through the clearcut around Big Lonely Doug (Canada's 2nd largest Douglas-fir) by Edinburgh Mountain and to the Walbran Valley, talked with Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce president Dan Hager, and filmed Ken writing a media release. 

SFU Slideshow on BC’s Endangered Old-Growth Forests!

Thursday, February 23, 2017
3:30 – 5:00 pm
AQ 2104
SFU Burnaby Campus

See a spectacular slideshow by the Ancient Forest Alliance's TJ Watt about the ecology, geography, and policies surrounding BC's endangered old-growth forests. Watt will show amazing photos of the Avatar Grove, Flores Island in Clayoquot Sound, Big Lonely Doug, Cheewhat Giant, Red Creek Fir, Walbran Valley, Eden Grove, Horne Mountain above Cathedral Grove, and the Echo Lake Ancient Forest.  Find out what YOU can do to help protect these ancient forests in the lead-up to the May provincial election! Hosted by the SFU Ancient Forest Committee.

THANKS to the Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC)!

THANKS to the Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) for recently supporting the Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) again most generously in our efforts to expand support among "non-traditional allies" including businesses, faith groups, forestry workers, and many others. The MEC and their hundreds of employees have been one of the great supporters of the Ancient Forest Alliance and our campaigns to protect BC's endangered old-growth forests since our earliest years! See their website at: www.MEC.ca