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Announcements
Sep 27 2023

San Jo’s Smiley, Canada’s Largest Sitka Spruce Tree

Sep 27 2023/Announcements

Canada’s largest Sitka spruce tree stretches toward the night sky as a full moon rises over northern Vancouver Island. Located near the San Josef River outside of Holberg in Quatsino territory, the San Josef Spruce, aka “San Jo’s Smiley,” measures 255 ft (77.8 m) tall and 14.3 ft (4.36 m) in diameter. Standing at the base of the tree is akin to being a bug beside the foot of a giant elephant (Ian pictured here is 6’4 for scale). Apart from the region’s high annual rainfall and relatively mild year-round climate, the tree in part owes its monumental size to the limestone or ‘karst’ substrate it grows on. Karst ecosystems are commonly more productive than similar forest sites growing on different kinds of bedrock (such as granite), due to the well-drained soils and nutrient cycling associated with limestone.

Sadly, the forests that would have once supported the growth of the very biggest trees in the country have now been reduced to single-digit percentage points after more than a century of overcutting, with the fragile karst forests being especially hard-hit. This particular tree grows on private lands managed by Western Forest Products and currently has no legal protection (though the company has a voluntary big tree policy that should leave it standing). A significant portion of the surrounding old-growth forest was cut in 2012 though, fragmenting what would have been one of the most impressive remaining stands of monumental Sitka spruce in BC. And given that these trees and forests can take upwards of a millennium or more to grow, we get one chance and one chance only to keep them standing. The small town of Port Renfrew on the coast of southern Vancouver Island is a great example of how big tree tourism can majorly bolster the local economy, providing a path for other coastal communities to follow.

So, take a moment to reflect on the significance of our forest friends and send an instant message calling for their protection.

Photo of Canada’s largest spruce tree by AFA’s TJ Watt, using a Canon 5D MKIV, with a 15mm fisheye, 30-second exposure, headlamp + moonlight, and a little bit of magic.

A man in a blue jacket who is 6'4" stands beside a towering Sitka spruce. The spruce is lit up by a torch at its base and stands against a background of other dark green trees and a magnificent starry sky.

AFA’s Ian Thomas (who is 6’4″!) stands beside Canada’s largest Sitka spruce — the San Josef Spruce.

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https://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/1.jpg 640 1280 TJ Watt https://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/cropped-AFA-Logo-1000px.png TJ Watt2023-09-27 12:51:002024-08-30 15:45:07San Jo’s Smiley, Canada’s Largest Sitka Spruce Tree
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  • Western TrilliumApr 10 2025
  • SOLD OUT: AFA’s 15th Anniversary Celebration and Fundraiser on May 1st!Apr 9 2025
  • What are Ecosystem-Based Protection Targets, and why does BC need them?Apr 2 2025
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SOLD OUT: AFA’s 15th Anniversary Celebration and Fundraiser on May 1st!

Apr 9 2025
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https://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/AFA-15-Year-Event-Collage.jpg 1215 2160 TJ Watt https://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/cropped-AFA-Logo-1000px.png TJ Watt2025-04-09 17:16:432025-05-01 15:48:44SOLD OUT: AFA’s 15th Anniversary Celebration and Fundraiser on May 1st!

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https://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/coastal-old-growth-forest-productive-1.jpg 1000 1500 TJ Watt https://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/cropped-AFA-Logo-1000px.png TJ Watt2025-04-02 15:09:242025-04-02 15:18:23What are Ecosystem-Based Protection Targets, and why does BC need them?

Thank you to our corporate matching donors!

Mar 5 2025
The ability to receive vital funding through corporate matching programs is another positive aspect of becoming a registered charity.
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https://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Camas-Flowers-Spring-2024-8.jpg 1365 2048 TJ Watt https://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/cropped-AFA-Logo-1000px.png TJ Watt2025-03-05 14:00:222025-03-05 14:00:22Thank you to our corporate matching donors!

Ancient Forest Alliance – Best of 2024!

Dec 23 2024
See Ancient Forest Alliance's top highlights from 2024, including photos, videos, news stories, and more!
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https://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Redcedar-Ferns-Jan-2024.jpg 1365 2048 TJ Watt https://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/cropped-AFA-Logo-1000px.png TJ Watt2024-12-23 08:30:412024-12-20 17:03:13Ancient Forest Alliance – Best of 2024!
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Ancient Forest Alliance

The Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) is a registered charitable organization working to protect BC’s endangered old-growth forests and to ensure a sustainable, value-added, second-growth forest industry.

AFA’s office is located on the territories of the Lekwungen Peoples, also known as the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.
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  • Home
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    • Videos
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      • Parthenon Grove
    • Mainland
      • Echo Lake
      • Kanaka Bar IPCA Proposal
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      • Day Road Forest
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      • Roberts Creek Headwaters
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