Posts

A section of boardwalk damaged in the Lower Grove by a falling hemlock tree.
Oct 28 2016

Avatar Grove Boardwalk damaged by windstorm – Completion launch delayed until Spring

Damage to the famed Avatar Grove Boardwalk in the Lower Grove due to the hurricane-force winds during the October 15 storm has delayed the completion launch of the Avatar Grove Boardwalk until next spring. The Ancient Forest Alliance had literally just completed the boardwalk a week before the storm, after 3 years of hard work involving a hundred volunteers, and was about to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week to announce its completion – but now the launch will be delayed until the boardwalk can be repaired and the trail cleared, which will take several months due to the wet winter weather. The winter storm resulted in at least 30 trees crashing down over the Avatar Grove Trail in the Lower Grove, damaging sections of the boardwalk. Luckily none of the grove’s famed giant redcedars or Douglas-firs fell during the storm.

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Oct 4 2016

Avatar Grove Boardwalk Construction – Sept 2016

See the photo gallery of the latest boardwalk construction at the Avatar Grove! We've made some major improvements thanks to the help of dedicated volunteers and all those who've donated!

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Metchosin Councillor Andy Mackinnon (left) with AFA's TJ Watt and Ken Wu at Big Lonely Doug.
Sep 28 2016

UBCM Passes Old-Growth Protection Resolution

Conservationists are celebrating as the members of the Union of BC Municipalities, representing cities, towns, and regional district councils across the province, has passed a resolution with a substantial majority today at their AGM calling on the BC government to amend the 1994 Vancouver Island Land Use Plan to protect the Island’s remaining old-growth forests, which have been decimated from a century of industrial logging.

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Ancient Forest Alliance Photographer & Campaigner TJ Watt stands atop an 8ft wide old-growth redcedar stump in a recent clearcut by Teal-Jones on Edinburgh Mt near Port Renfrew.
Sep 22 2016

Old-Growth Clearcutting Fragments “Big Lonely Doug’s Mountain” as Calls for Protection Expand during National Forest Week and before UBCM Annual General Meeting

New clearcuts and roads are fragmenting Edinburgh Mountain, one of the largest contiguous blocks of old-growth forest left on southern Vancouver Island, home to the spectacular Eden Grove ancient forest (aka “Christy Clark Grove”) and Big Lonely Doug, Canada’s 2nd largest Douglas-fir tree. In addition, the mountainside above Eden Grove and Big Lonely Doug are threatened with two new planned clearcuts. Conservationists are renewing their call for the provincial government to protect Vancouver Island's old-growth forests during National Forest Week (Sept.18 to 24) and before the Union of BC Municipalities AGM (Sept.26 to 30) next week. 

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Sep 18 2016

Port Renfrew: Walking among ancient giants

Check it out! New Zealand's largest newspaper has an article about the Ancient Forest Alliance, the importance of old-growth forests for the tourism economy of Port Renfrew, and the campaigns to protect old-growth forests including the Central Walbran Valley.

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Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce President Dan Hager stands before the Emerald Giant in the Central Walbran Valley.
May 30 2016

Protecting Old-Growth Rainforests to the Economic Benefit of Tourism-Based Communities

Today, May 30, 2016, the BC Chamber of Commerce membership at their Annual General Meeting almost unanimously passed the following resolution calling on the provincial government to expand the protection of old-growth forests across the province where they have or would likely have greater economic value if left standing (this is true throughout most of the southern half of the province...):

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A climber makes his way up the towering trunk of Big Lonely Doug
Apr 12 2016

New Photo Gallery: Climbing Big Lonely Doug – Round 2!

The Ancient Forest Alliance has once again teamed up with members of the Arboreal Collective to ascend Big Lonely Doug, Canada’s second largest Douglas-fir tree near Port Renfrew! 

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Nov 2 2014

2014 Avatar Grove Boardwalk Progress and Photo Galleries

The Ancient Forest Alliance has nearly completed the preliminary phase of boardwalk construction at the Avatar Grove in essential areas such as the steep and slippery slopes, the roots around the biggest trees, and over creeks and other obstacles. More upgrades can still be done in the future but the toughest parts are almost compete. A big thanks goes out to our volunteers and donors! Fundraising for the boardwalk project will continue as we still have more work to complete in the new year.

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Jun 6 2014

Tree-Climbers Scale to the top of “Big Lonely Doug,” Canada’s 2nd Largest Douglas-fir Tree, to highlight BC’s Endangered Old-Growth Forests

“Big Lonely Doug”, the recently found, second-largest Douglas-fir tree in Canada, has been scaled by a team of professional tree-climbers. The climbers with the Arboreal Collective are collaborating with the Ancient Forest Alliance, a BC-based conservation organization, to highlight, research, and document the largest old-growth trees and grandest groves in British Columbia. Big Lonely Doug stands alone in a 2012 clearcut, hence its name.

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Apr 27 2014

VIDEO: “Big Lonely Doug,” Canada’s 2nd largest Douglas-fir tree!

"Big Lonely Doug", a recently found old-growth Douglas-fir tree standing alone in a clearcut on southern Vancouver Island, has been officially measured to be the second largest Douglas-fir tree in Canada. Last week, renowned forest ecologist Andy MacKinnon, who manages the BC Big Tree Registry run by the University of British Columbia and is also the co-author of the best-selling "Plants of Coastal British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon", measured the goliath tree.

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