Old Growth Forests – Logging Versus Tourism on Vancouver Island

Here is an article in Municipal World magazine detailing the expansion of mainstream support in BC to end the logging of endangered old-growth forests. 

A ship loaded with raw logs sits docked in Port Alberni on Feb 24

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. 

Ancient Forest Alliance

Ahousaht First Nation applauded for logging ban

Here's a video and article in CHEK News about the Ahousaht First Nation's recent announcement of their land use plan vision in their territory.

‘No’ to industrial mining and logging, say Ahousaht Ha’wiih

Here is a key article about the recent Ahousaht land use plan vision in the Nuu-cha-nulth newspaper "Ha-shilth-sa"!

This First Nation Just Banned Industrial Logging and Mining from Vancouver Island Territory

Here's a story in DeSmog Canada about the Ahousaht First Nation declaring over 80% of their territory for protection in their land use plan vision - the largest leap forward for old-growth forest protection in decades on Vancouver Island!

Seven Iconic Canadian Trees

Canadian Geographic has listed "Canada's Gnarliest Tree", the burly redcedar in Avatar Grove, and the San Juan Spruce near Port Renfrew, which the Ancient Forest Alliance have popularized, as two of the most iconic trees in Canada! Take note that the San Juan Spruce is no longer the 2nd largest spruce in Canada in timber volume, as a large part of its main trunk broke off in a severe storm not long ago. Nonetheless it is still a spectacular tree worth visiting!

Comment: Tla-o-qui-aht demand protection of ancient forest

Here's an amazing article by Tla-o-qui-aht band members Tsimka and Gisele Martin, speaking on behalf of the Tla-o-qui-aht Initiative for Interconnected Community Health, calling for the protection of the remaining old-growth forests in Tla-o-qui-aht territory in Clayoquot Sound and focused on concerns about logging at the Kennedy Flats (near the highway on the way to Tofino) and potentially at Tofino Creek. Photo taken at Kennedy Flats courtesy of Gisele Martin. Their territory also includes the famous Meares Island, home to some of the largest trees on Earth, the Clayoquot Valley, Kennedy Lake, and Kennedy Valley.

Bring On the Drones

Here's a new article in The Tyee about the Ancient Forest Alliance's use of drone videos to highlight the beauty and destruction of old-growth forests in BC, specifically the new drone video about climbing Big Lonely Doug (Canada's 2nd largest-known Douglas-fir, surrounded by an old-growth clearcut by Teal-Jones in 2012).

Echo Lake’s Old-Growth Forest and Eagle Roost Under Threat!

Here's a new article written by the AFA's Ken Wu for the Footprint Press, a naturalist/ environmental magazine serving the eastern Fraser Valley, about the endangered Echo Lake Ancient Forest east of Mission. While the south and west sides are protected by an Old-Growth Management Area, the north side and also the central "ancient redcedar valley" with the largest old-growth trees are all open for logging. So far the road-building has not begun, but many of the ancient trees have been spray-painted and surveyed for future cutblocks. Photos by the AFA's TJ Watt.

Avatar Grove boardwalk damaged by windstorm

"Hurricane-force winds ripped through the area on Oct. 15 resulting in 30 trees crashing down over the Avatar Grove Trail in the lower grove area, damaging sections of the boardwalk.  None of the grove’s famed ancient Western redcedars or Douglas fir fell during the storm.  The Ancient Forest Alliance completed the boardwalk a week before the storm, in a project that took three years and involved hundreds of volunteers."