The Ancient Forest Alliance, which brought Avatar Grove into the public eye and lobbied for its protection, has asked the Forests Ministry for permission to build a trail and boardwalk. "We want to improve accessibility and it's vital to protect the ecology and make sure the tree roots don't get worn down," said TJ Watt, the Alliance campaigner who discovered the grove.
“Those candelabra tops are a sign of ancient red cedars,” explains T J Watt, cofounder of the Ancient Forest Alliance, a nonprofit organization that seeks to protect old-growth forests and ensure sustainable forestry jobs in B.C. “When I first saw those tops, I knew instantly we’d found a treasure trove of big trees.”
There is air, there is fresh air, and then there is the brisk, briny, oxygen-thick air that rides in on wild ocean waves. That's the air you'll breathe when you round the tip of southern Vancouver Island and follow the Pacific Marine Circle Route. This 158-mile scenic drive begins in Victoria, hugs the western coastline to Port Renfrew, then travels across the island to Cowichan Bay before returning to B.C.'s capital.
Forest lovers take note: your explorations into B.C.’s wilderness could be easier than ever before, at least if those summer adventures take you to Avatar Grove. Now, a new boardwalk may guide your way.
The Ancient Forest Alliance submitted a request to B.C.’s Ministry of Forests to build an official trail and boardwalk in the recently protected Avatar Grove near Port Renfrew on May 7. TJ Watt, co-founder of the Ancient Forest Alliance, said the boardwalk will protect the ecological integrity of the grove, provide visitor safety and enable people from all walks of life to enjoy the old-growth forest.
Cameron Valley Firebreak was formerly protected as an ungulate winter range for Roosevelt elk and black-tailed deer, but lost protection in 2004 when the provincial government allowed Weyerhaeuser to remove 88,000 hectares of private managed forest land from tree farm licences.
TJ Watt, Ancient Forest Alliance co-founder, said, "The grove is just jampacked with elk signs and ancient coastal Douglas firs - 99 per cent of which have already been logged."
British Columbians are once again being treated to increased controversy about the management of our Crown land forests - whether it is the decreased role of the chief forester, new threats to remove land from forest reserves or the privatization of the forests themselves.
There’s nothing like labelling something with a name to give you that sense of ownership, but the Ancient Forest Alliance has played a clever card this week by naming one of the most at-risk, unprotected old-growth tree groves on the Island after B.C.’s premier.
A local song tells the tale of an injured mill worker and the push to ban raw log exports.
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