Posts

Recent old-growth logging by Island Timberlands on McLaughlin Ridge near Port Alberni.

Island Timberlands Rips into the Heart of one of British Columbia’s Finest Old-Growth Forests

Conservationists are raising the alarm as Island Timberlands has rapidly undertaken a road-building and logging spree into the heart of one of BC’s most ecologically significant old-growth forests at McLaughlin Ridge near Port Alberni. Last week conservationists were greatly dismayed to discover that the company had logged a couple hundred meter wide swath of old-growth trees, traversing almost the entire span of the previously intact section of McLaughlin Ridge’s old-growth forest.

Media Release

Earth Day Conservation Vision: Conservationists Propose Expanded Protection around World-Famous Cathedral Grove as Island Timberlands Poised to Log Mountainside Above Park

Conservationists call on BC government to expand protection around Cathedral Grove, including Mount Horne, the scenic Cameron Lake, the Alberni Summit Highway, and the Cameron River Canyon, as Island Timberlands is poised to log Mount Horne above the world-famous old-growth forest.

Media Release

Ground Zero: Island Timberlands

Government scientists Darryn McConkey and Erica McClaren stated "negotiations ceased because we could not agree on the management regime within these boundaries. Island Timberlands wanted to extract timber resources from within UWRs [Ungulate Winter Ranges] and WHA 1-002 [Wildlife Habitat Area for endangered Queen Charlotte Goshawks]
and Ministry of Forests could not scientifically rationalize how the quality of these areas could be maintained." Ministry scientists go on to say that Island Timberlands's proposed management "did not incorporate any input from the Ministry of Environment" and "is not supported by the best available science."

News Coverage

SFU Slideshow: The Campaign to Protect BC’s Endangered Ancient Forests!

Friday, Feb.7, 2014
4:30 to 6:00pm
West Mall Center rm 3253, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby

Join Ken Wu of the Ancient Forest Alliance to learn about the politics and ecology of BC’s endangered ancient forests, and find out how to help ensure their protection!

Announcements
Ancient Forest Alliance

EVENT: Battle for the Trees – Monday, Dec. 2 in Victoria!

DATE: Monday, December 2, 2013
LOCATION: Ambrosia Event Center, 638 Fisgard St.,Victoria
TIME: 7:00-9:00 pm
Drinks! Snacks! Silent Auction of Goodies! Presentations! New AFA calendars and shirts!

Announcements
Ancient Forest Alliance

Cathedral Grove, Canada’s Most Famous Old-Growth Forest, Under Threat as Island Timberlands Moves to Log Adjacent Old-Growth Mountainside

Port Alberni, Vancouver Island – Cathedral Grove, Canada’s most famous old-growth forest, is under threat as one of the province’s largest logging companies, Island Timberlands, began falling a new logging road right-of-way last week towards a stand of old-growth Douglas-fir trees on the mountainside above Cathedral Grove. Cathedral Grove is in the 300 hectare MacMillan Provincial Park, an area smaller than Vancouver’s Stanley Park, located along the Cameron River at the base of Mount Horne where the planned logging would occur.

Media Release
Ancient Forest Alliance

Groups protest logging in Qualicum Beach watershed

Extremely rare groves of oldgrowth Coastal Douglas-firs, of which only 1% remain, constitute much of these contentious forest lands, they say.

"These corporate private lands were previously regulated to public land standards for over half a century in exchange for the BC government's granting of free Crown land logging rights to the companies," said Ken Wu, executive director of the Ancient Forest Alliance. "What has happened is that the regulations on private lands were removed recently, while the companies were still allowed to keep their Crown land logging rights."

News Coverage
Ancient Forest Alliance

Protesters target old-growth logging on Island

"Protesters from the Ancient Forest Alliance, the Port Alberni Watershed-Forest Alliance and several other groups unfurled a banner reading 'Hands off old growth' and handed leaflets to visitors stopping at Cathedral Grove on Highway 4.
Conservationists are calling on Island Timberlands to suspend plans to log old-growth forests while asking the provincial government to restore a park acquisition fund, and earmark $40 million a year for a decade to go into the fund."

News Coverage
Ancient Forest Alliance

Conflict Escalates with Island Timberlands as Conservation Groups Rally in Cathedral Grove in Solidarity

Island Timberlands’ recent expansion of logging operations in multiple endangered old-growth forests on Vancouver Island has prompted diverse community conservation groups to call on the company to immediately back-off and for the BC Liberal government to be responsible and protect these lands.

Media Release
Ancient Forest Alliance

RALLY: Island Timberlands – Hands Off our Old-Growth Forests! Tuesday, Oct. 22

Join a diverse collaboration of community groups standing together to stop Island Timberlands' ongoing and planned logging of high conservation value forests on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast. Hold a sign, help leaflet tourists to raise awareness, or just come out to show your solidarity!

• When: Tuesday, October 22, 2013
• Time: 12:30 - 1:30 pm
• Where: Cathedral Grove parking lot

Announcements