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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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Media Release: BC’s War in Woods on Cortes Island needs Political Leadership
The conflict over the past week between local Cortes Island residents and Island Timberlands over the company’s contentious plans to log endangered forests has conservationists renewing their call for political leadership in BC to resolve the “War in the Woods”. Last week, local residents on Cortes Island repeatedly blocked Island Timberlands’ attempts to begin logging.
Cortes Island residents rejoice as Island Timberlands temporarily withdraws logging crew
Cortes Island forest activists and residents celebrated today as Island Timberlands (I.T.) withdrew crews and announced that they would not attempt to move forward with operations for at least a week.Tensions on the island had been rising since the residents gathered to stage a logging blockade broke at the end of last week.
Media Release: Conservationists Relieved as Forest Company Backs Away from Logging Canada’s Finest Old-Growth Cedar Grove, Vancouver Island’s "Castle Grove" in the Upper Walbran Valley
Conservationists are breathing a sigh of relief as Canada’s finest stand of old-growth redcedar trees appears to have been spared the axe – for now. The Castle Grove in the Upper Walbran Valley on southern Vancouver Island (west of Lake Cowichan) had been flagged for logging in August by the Teal-Jones Group and subsequently was the focus of an intense environmental campaign by the Ancient Forest Alliance.
Province has no plans to cut old-growth stand in Walbran, near Port Alberni
Environmental groups were preparing for another round of the war-in-the-woods after logging tape was found this summer near Castle Grove and the "Castle Giant." The western red cedar has a five-metre diameter and is listed in the B.C. big tree registry as one of the widest in Canada.
Global TV video: Logging protests on Cortes Island
Follow to the link to watch the news video coverage.
Victoria Outreach Intern Position – Apply Now!
The AFA is looking for a volunteer intern for 2 months to work at least 15-30 hours a week to staff our holiday season booth to assist in the sale of calendars, cards, and posters sales in December, and to assist in outreach to our supporters to help protect BC's old-growth forests. Interns will also gain insights about important forest policies and environmental campaigning skills. This position starts ASAP. To apply, please contact Joan Varley: joan@15.222.255.145
Echo Lake Ancient Forest – Follow-Up Letters Needed! Please WRITE!
These unprotected forests are within a Woodlot License, a smaller logging tenure on Crown lands, which the BC government states is not subject to the creation of new Old-Growth Management Areas. However, it is within the government's power to shift the Woodlot License boundaries to another second-growth forest area among the thousands of hectares of Crown lands in the region.
Human shield stalls Cortes logging for third day
A Cortes Island blockade of Island Timberlands went into its third day Thursday as swelling ranks of environmentalists, residents and their children maintained a human shield against the logging company’s crews and equipment.
Alberni groups protest McLaughlin logging
More than 80 people gathered at Echo Centre Monday for a meeting hosted by the Watershed-Forest Alliance in its quest to protect an old-growth forest at McLaughlin Ridge and in the China Creek Watershed.
Alberni-Pacific Rim MLA Scott Fraser and retired government scientist Doug Janz were guest speakers at the event.
The pair were resolute: that the forest range needs to be protected with enhanced regulations.
Cortes Island citizens prepare for logging protests
Lanky, clean cut Cec Robinson is pretty sure the RCMP has been following him on Cortes Island. What danger does this quiet oyster farmer and family man pose? He intends to defend his island from industrial logging by Island Timberlands because he thinks it is the right thing to do for his community and for the planet