Recent News

Flagging tape marked "Falling Boundary" in the lower Avatar Grove when the forest was initially surveyed for logging.

BC Government considers protecting the Avatar Grove and Ancient Trees

Forests Minister Pat Bell’s statements comes on the heels of a new Forest Practices Board report released on Thursday that calls on the BC government and industry to seek “creative ways” to save ancient trees, that the land-use policy framework exists for the BC government to readily protect the Avatar Grove
Media Release
A massive redcedar in the endangered Avatar Grove near Port Renfrew

Group Optimistic About Government Considering Protection of Old Growth Forests

The forest practices board made a recommendation that BC should find creative ways to protect monumental trees and ancient forest stands. This is the government's watchdog. They appointed the body to review forestry in BC and now their own watchdog is saying we need to move farther to save our old growth forests
News Coverage
Liberal MP Keith Martin stands on top of a massive

Forestry Watchdog Concludes Strong Public Interest for Saving Ancient Forests and that BC Government can Readily Protect Avatar Grove

This report brings the welcome conclusions that there is 'strong public interest' in protecting our extremely rare, monumental stands of coastal ancient forests like the Avatar Grove, and that the BC government has the legal mechanisms to quickly protect them – if they have the political will
Media Release
San Juan Spruce tree and the Red Creek Fir - some of the Canada's largest trees found right nearby!

Naturalists set to meet Island forests

This spectacular and informative slide show and talk by TJ Watt of the Ancient Forest Alliance will be at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 15, at the Freshwater EcoCentre in Duncan.
Announcements
Avatar Grove

Forests minister to protect ancient trees

The minister's acknowledgment that more needs to be done to protect monumental trees is not exactly a revelation. Environmental groups, particularly the Ancient Forest Alliance and the Wilderness Committee have been pushing for it for years.
News Coverage
The stump of a 14ft diameter old-growth redcedar freshly cut in 2010 found along the Gordon River near Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island.

Companies urged to conserve ancient trees

"This complaint highlights the strong public interest in seeing more ancient trees and forest stands preserved to live out their natural lives and functions, and managed as a social, economic and ecological asset to the public and surrounding communities," said board chair Al Gorley.
News Coverage
A giant 14ft diameter old-growth redcedar stump sits among dozens more in the clearcut near Port Renfrew

Watchdog wants big trees protected

The watchdog board investigated a complaint about massive old-growth trees being cut near Port Renfrew and concluded that, although the forest company -Teal Cedar Products Ltd. -did nothing wrong, government and forest companies should pay more attention to trees of exceptional size, form, age or historical significance.
News Coverage
Standing beside a massive 16ft diameter redcedar stump is Hans Tammemagi

Call for Port Renfrew Foresters not to chop down ancient trees

The Forest Practices Board (FCB) said the trees in question, cut by logging company Teal-Jones, were between 500 and 1,000 years old. Logging the trees was legal, but the board in a report released Thursday called for foresters and land managers to get “creative” about conserving trees of exceptional size, form, age or historical significance.
News Coverage
Old-growth clearcut near the Avatar Grove in the Gordon River Valley.

Photo of Old-Growth Clearcut on Vancouver Island Takes Top Prize

“As a photographer working for a cause you’re always looking for that elusive shot that truly captures both the emotional and the factual aspects of the issue in one image. It’s difficult to get both together but this picture is quickly proving to have done just that. Of the hundreds of thousands of photos I have taken, as sad as it is, this is the one I am most proud of,” notes Watt.
News Coverage
Old-growth clearcut near the Avatar Grove in the Gordon River Valley.

Photograph of Vancouver Island clearcut wins national competition

Ancient Forest Alliance photographer T.J. Watt took first place in Outdoor Photography Canada magazine's "Human Impact" photo contest with an image taken in the Gordon River Valley near Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island.
News Coverage

Get in Touch

Phone

(250) 896-4007 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)

Address

205-620 View Street
Victoria, B.C. V8W 1J6

Privacy Policy

Ancient Forest Alliance

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.
Copyright © 2026 Ancient Forest Alliance • All Rights Reserved
Earth-Friendly Web Design by Fairwind Creative

> Scroll to top