The Ancient Forest Alliance is calling for the provincial government to establish a BC Old-Growth Protection Strategy that would ensure comprehensive, legislated protection for BC’s ancient forests on public/Crown lands. The science-based plan would incorporate timelines to immediately end old-growth logging in “critically endangered” forests, and quickly phase out old-growth logging where there is a “high risk” to biological diversity and ecosystem integrity.
A Provincial Land Acquisition Fund will allow for purchasing and protecting BC’s most endangered ecosystems on private lands to sustain wildlife, clean water, recreation, and tourism. Many of BC’s most endangered and biologically rich ecosystems, including ancient forests, are found on private lands, which make up 5% of BC’s land base—Coastal Douglas-fir and Dry Maritime forests on BC’s southern coast; Ponderosa Pine forests; and more.
Learn about Conservation Financing, a critical and successful approach to supporting biodiversity conservation and tackling the climate crisis. Through innovative funding, we can protect old-growth ecosystems and support Indigenous sustainable economic development in areas like tourism, clean energy, and non-timber forest products.
Home to some of the most endangered and diverse old-growth forests in BC, the T’eqt’aqtn Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) proposed by Kanaka Bar encompasses the Kwoiek and Four Barrel Watersheds and adjacent parts of the spectacular Fraser River Canyon. T’eqt’aqtn means ‘the crossing place’—in reference to two opposing whirlpools that enable the Fraser to be crossed here with just four paddle strokes.
Home to wild salmon, ancient rainforests, stunning beaches, coastal wolves, and a host of other wildlife, the west coast of Vancouver Island between Muchalaht Inlet and Esperanza Inlet is an ecological jewel. It is also home to the famed Nootka Trail, one of the most beautiful hiking trails in Canada. The salmon-bearing watersheds at the heart of this network of proposed protected areas are the ecological cornerstones of the region.
Just a half hour drive from Cathedral Grove is an ancient forest that is just about as impressive – the Cameron Valley Ancient Forest or “Firebreak.” This area is a valley-bottom-to-mountain-top old-growth Douglas-fir forest that was originally left as a moist, old-growth rainforest firebreak to stifle the spread of forest fires raging through the dry clearcuts.
The Central Walbran Valley on southern Vancouver Island is one of the grandest old-growth rainforests in Canada. Stands of ancient redcedar and Sitka spruce tower into the air while waterfalls and emerald pools wind their way through the woods. The Walbran has been a major focus of conservation efforts on southern Vancouver Island since the early 1990’s and today we are one step closer to potentially seeing it permanently protected.
Echo Lake is a spectacular, partially protected, lowland ancient forest near Agassiz, BC, in a region where virtually all of the valley bottom old-growth forests have been logged. It’s thought to be the largest night roosting site for bald eagles on Earth. As a result of our campaigns, roughly half the old-growth forests around Echo Lake were protected in an Old-Growth Management Area in 2013. However, logging still threatens the unprotected portion today.
Eden Grove, the most spectacular part of the unprotected Edinburgh Mountain Ancient Forest is found on its southwestern side. The area is home to elk, deer, bears, wolves, cougars, and some of the finest, unprotected valley-bottom ancient redcedar stands left on Earth.
Katlum Creek is home to endangered ancient Douglas-fir stands, as well as old-growth hemlock, amabilis fir, and cedars in the Alberni Valley towards Comox Lake.
The McKelvie Valley is the last intact watershed in the Tahsis region. It is home to rare, ancient Douglas-fir stands, provides high-quality habitat for the endangered marbled murrelet, ensures clean water for the town of Tahsis, and is an important spawning ground for wild salmon.
McLaughlin Ridge is a roughly 400-hectare tract of ancient Douglas-fir forest near Port Alberni that biologists have classified as critical habitat for both wintering deer and nesting endangered Queen Charlotte goshawks.
The unprotected ‘Mossy Maple Rainforest’ is a several kilometer-long stretch of enormous old-growth Bigleaf maple trees – some as much as 2 meters (7 feet) wide in trunk diameter – completely draped in hanging gardens of mosses and ferns found along a creek just south of Cowichan Lake on Vancouver Island.
Canada’s most famous old-growth forest, Cathedral Grove, has been visited by millions of people around the world. Sadly, due to inaction by the BC government, the mountainside above this world-famous grove, Horne Mountain, has been clearcut by Mosaic (previously Island Timberlands). This has fragmented extremely rare and endangered ancient Douglas-fir stands, of which 99% have been logged on BC’s coast, and will likely adversely impact the park below through increased erosion and siltation.
Home to monumental and centuries-old trees, a variety of wildlife including old-growth dependent species (such as the marbled murrelet), and supporting significant salmon and steelhead spawning runs, the Nahmint Valley is one of the largest tracts of remaining old-growth forests on Vancouver Island outside of Clayoquot Sound. A popular destination for hikers, campers, and anglers, and hosting remarkable ancient forests, lakes, rugged peaks, and swimming holes with gorgeous turquoise water, the area is considered by many to be one of the most scenic places in BC.
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