Ancient Forest Alliance
May 10 2010

Celebration of Nature, Music and Dance brings artists together to protect forests

"Celebration of Nature, Music and Dance" took place in a unique setting at Tzvi's Place, 1823 E 2nd Ave in Vancouver. Music and dance started last night, Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 7:30pm and ran through Sunday, May 9, 2010 at 2:00am. The event was described as "honoring our Ancient Forests with incredibly talented musicians, dancers and artists." The event was partially a fundraiser for the Ancient Forest Alliance, which is a new British Columbian organization working to protect the endangered old-growth forests of BC and to ensure sustainable forestry jobs in the province. It was founded in January of 2010 by former Western Canada Wilderness Committee activists Ken Wu, TJ Watt, and others, and by Vancouver old-growth activist Michelle Connolly. I spoke with Michelle Connolly about the groups mission to be a grassroots environmental organisation working to foster knowledge and connection to these forests, as well as to advocate politically for their protection.

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Nanoose Bay resident Helga Schmitt walks through the endangered old-growth coastal Douglas fir forest which the province has approved for logging by the Snaw-naw-as First Nation despite pleas by local governments and community groups to save the area.
Apr 30 2010

Prospect of logging in Douglas fir ecosystem above Nanoose Bay worries neighbouring municipalities

To the Nanoose First Nation, District Lot No. 33 is a prime piece of forest in the middle of its traditional territory, rich with towering old-growth Douglas firs over which the band holds legal timber harvesting rights. To neighbours, environmentalists and municipal officials throughout the region, DL 33 is a pristine example of the endangered coastal Douglas fir ecosystem found only in B.C.’s Georgia Basin and Washington State’s San Juan Islands.

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Ancient Forest Alliance
Apr 20 2010

Forest industry pays for many services

NOTE: The following letter to the editor by Dave Lewis of the Truck Loggers Association, who support raw log exports and apparently the demise of union jobs in the forest service, fails to mention that the long-term decline in the coastal forest industry over the span of 20 years is due to the depletion of the old-growth resource (the biggest, best, and most accessible trees in the lower elevations), that ancient forests are worth more standing economically when factoring in tourism, hunting, angling, non-timber forest products, and carbon storage (according to a 2007 SFU study on the Fraser TSA), and that the government's elimination of processing requirements without any incentives to stimulate investment in second-growth processing and value-added manufacturing has contributed greatly to the demise of a huge section of the industry and the workforce (ie. manufacturing - which Dave Lewis cares little about it seems...) - Ken Wu

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Waterfalls flow from streams running through towering ancient red cedars in the logging threatened Avatar Grove near Port Renfrew
Apr 18 2010

Stand up for Avatar Grove

I recently visited Avatar Grove, a spectacular area of old-growth forest near Port Renfrew. This area is not only devastatingly beautiful but also provides important wildlife habitat and is prime location for eco-tourism...

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Old-growth forest clearcut new Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island
Apr 14 2010

Expected layoffs in B.C. government’s Ministry of Forests bad timing says NDP

On the heels of issuing layoff notices to 294 public service workers Monday, the B.C. government is planning for another round of cuts in the Ministry of Forests by early summer. At a time when lumber prices are booming but the industry is far from recovering, it's either the worst time to slash jobs -- according to the leader of the Opposition -- or an opportune time to cut, according to an industry leader.

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Benna Keoghoe stands next to a giant Douglas fir measuring 6ft in diameter growing in Mount Doug Park located within the Oak Bay/Gordon Head swing riding.
Apr 10 2010

Environmental activist targets Oak Bay-Gordon Head riding to launch tree campaign

You don't have to drive hours out of Victoria to find old-growth trees or, for that matter, politicians who are hanging onto their seats by a thread.

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AFA Campaign Director Ken Wu stands beside one of the Avatar Grove's largest redcedars.
Apr 8 2010

Avatar worth exploring

I had the pleasure March 28 of joining 80 other members of the Ancient Forest Alliance to experience the small grove of old growth trees near Port Renfrew known (informally) as Avatar Grove.

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Lower Avatar Grove
Apr 8 2010

Avatar worth saving

As one of the 80 hikers who visited Avatar Grove on March 28 with the Ancient Forest Alliance, I find it somewhat ironic that the Vancouver Olympics showcased the natural beauty of B.C.'s old-growth forests.

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An ancient western red cedar growing in Avatar Grove near Port Renfrew
Apr 4 2010

Monday Hits The Road To See Avatar Grove

Last weekend, Monday hit the road with environmentalist Ken Wu and the Ancient Forest Alliance (along with 80 other curious community members) to pay a visit to what the AFA is calling "Canada's gnarliest tree".

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Waterfalls flow from streams running through towering ancient red cedars in the logging threatened Avatar Grove near Port Renfrew
Apr 1 2010

Avatar’s beauty exists in our world, too

So I finally went to see Avatar in 3-D. It was breathtaking, of course. But what struck me the most was at the end; I realized that I had viewed this epic story of environmental degradation through plastic 3-D glasses made in China.

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