Posts

Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce President Dan Hager checking out the ancient trees in the Lower Avatar Grove.
Aug 10 2017

Avatar Grove Boardwalk Completed – High Quality Boardwalk Showcases One of Canada’s Most Magnificent Old-Growth Forests!

After 4 years of hard work, with the support of hundreds of volunteers and supporters, the Avatar Grove boardwalk near Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island has finally been completed by the Ancient Forest Alliance. The boardwalk protects the tree roots and vegetation from excessive trampling, enhances visitor safety, and supports the booming eco-tourism economy in the region by providing public access to one of the grandest old-growth forests in North America.

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Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce President Dan Hager
Aug 10 2017

Avatar Grove boardwalk finally complete

After four years of work, the boardwalk at Avatar Grove is officially finished and ready to be enjoyed by the public. On Thursday, the Ancient Forest Alliance held a grand opening ceremony in Port Renfrew in celebration of the effort put in to building the boardwalk. 

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AFA Boardwalk Co-odinator TJ Watt carries materials along the new trail.
Aug 9 2017

Volunteer-built boardwalk showcases protected old-growth near Port Renfrew

"Hundreds of people have come out to help, to carry buckets of gravel up through the trail, to carry heavy boardwalk planks, hammering thousands of nails and swatting a million mosquitos," said T.J. Watt, boardwalk coordinator for the group.   Port Renfrew has long relied on forestry and commercial fishing as main industries. But outdoor recreation and eco-tourism are a growing part of the economy.

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Aug 4 2017

Avatar Grove boardwalk construction to be finished this weekend

This weekend the boardwalk in the Avatar Grove will finally be finished construction after four years. For the finishing touches, volunteers with the Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) will be building a new platform, stairs, steps, and walkways, and install signage, on the major project. “The Avatar Grove’s real significance is that it serves as an example to other communities that protecting old-growth forests benefits the economy by hugely bolstering local businesses and jobs,” said Ken Wu, executive director of the Ancient Forest Alliance.“In helping to revitalize Port Renfrew’s economy, it has clearly counteracted the old, false narrative that saving old-growth forests harms the local economy. The Avatar Grove and its boardwalk have been the most important catalyst for B.C.’s ancient forest movement in recent times and have helped to shape the fate of endangered forests across the province.” See full article in the Sooke News Mirror: https://www.sookenewsmirror.com/news/avatar-grove-boardwalk-construction-to-be-finished-this-weekend/

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7. Avatar Boardwalk Coordinator TJ Watt and volunteers Matthew Varley
Aug 2 2017

Avatar Boardwalk Nears Completion

For Immediate Release After 4 years of hard work, the Avatar Grove boardwalk near Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island is expected to be completed by the end of this coming long weekend.  This weekend a team of volunteers with the Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) will undertake a final stint of boardwalk construction in the Avatar Grove. Volunteers will build a new platform, stairs, steps, and walkways, and install signage, finishing the major project. Located only 20 minutes from Port Renfrew, the Avatar Grove is home to one of the most spectacular and easily accessible stands of monumental old-growth trees in BC and has become among BC’s most popular old-growth forest tourism destinations, featured in numerous national and international media outlets. The completion of the boardwalk will enhance the public’s ability to explore the incredible ancient forest that helped the town rebrand itself as the “Tall Trees Capital of Canada.” See a photo gallery showcasing the boardwalk construction from this past weekend: https://bit.ly/2vkskEN See our media release at: https://ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=1128

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Jul 24 2017

Volunteers Needed – Avatar Grove Boardwalk Construction: July 29-30 & August 5-6-7 in Port Renfrew!

Volunteers Needed for Avatar Boardwalk Construction!  July 29-30 & August 5-6-7 in Port Renfrew The Ancient Forest Alliance is looking for dedicated, considerate, and capable volunteers to help finish constructing the Avatar Grove boardwalk. Volunteers must be able to follow instructions accurately, be in good health to do the work, and act safely and respectfully without exception. Activities may include carrying boardwalk planks, hammering nails, bucketing gravel, digging soil, moving rocks, etc. as well as having fun :) Construction experience not necessary but those with building skills are an asset and we hope you can join us!  If this sounds like you, please send an email with the subject line 'Boardwalk Volunteer - [your name & dates available]' to Boardwalk Coordinator TJ Watt at [email protected]  Please include: 1) Your contact information (phone number) 2) Any relevant experience you may have 3) If you need a ride to Port Renfrew or can offer one 4) Any health limitations we should be aware of Thanks!

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One of several monumental western redcedars located in Jurassic Grove
May 25 2017

Ancient Forest Alliance Featured in Vancouver Island’s Chinese-Language Newspaper

Vancouver Island's Chinese-language newspaper has run a story about the Ancient Forest Alliance, the Jurassic Grove, and our campaigns to protect old-growth forests, including using our big tree and stump photos. Take note that our Mandarin old-growth ecology walks are just getting underway in the Lower Mainland for the half a million Chinese-language speakers there, but sometime in the future, we hope to get it going on Vancouver Island too. See the article: https://issuu.com/viweekly/docs/vi_weekly_170524_-_015_-_online_ver

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One of several monumental western redcedars located in Jurassic Grove
May 12 2017

Stunning grove of unprotected old-growth trees located near Port Renfrew

Here is a new article about the spectacular Jurassic Grove, a stunning old-growth redcedar forest between Jordan River and Port Renfrew not far off Highway 14 in Pacheedaht territory on Crown land. While much of the grove's 130 hectares is protected within a Marbled Murrelet Wildlife Habitat Area, there is an unprotected 40 hectare tract of giant redcedars (no logging plans for now), and the grove would be a natural protected area addition to buffer the existing Juan de Fuca Marine Trail Park and as a vitally important, extremely rare lowland old-growth stand in its own right.  See the article from Sooke News Mirror: https://www.sookenewsmirror.com/news/stunning-grove-of-unprotected-old-growth-trees-located-near-port-renfrew/

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One of several monumental western redcedars located in Jurassic Grove.
May 6 2017

Stunning Grove of Unprotected Old-Growth Trees Located near Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island – Conservationists Hope “Jurassic Grove” will become “Jurassic Park” one day!

For Immediate Release The Ancient Forest Alliance has located an impressive grove of unprotected, monumental old-growth trees which we've nicknamed the "Jurassic Grove" for now (and which one day might become the "Jurassic Park" if protected). It is only a 90 minute drive west of Victoria between Jordan River and Port Renfrew. Spanning a 3 kilometer stretch alongside a portion of the 48 kilometre Juan de Fuca Marine Trail Provincial Park, it lies mainly on Crown lands adjacent to the provincial park and its popular coastal hiking trail not far from Highway 14 in the traditional unceded territory of the Pacheedaht. While most of Jurassic Grove’s 130 hectares of old-growth is protected within a Marbled Murelet Wildlife Habitat Area that is off-limits to logging, about 40 hectares is on unprotected Crown lands. As it abuts against a popular provincial park for hiking, it would be a natural addition to the park. See our media release at: https://ancientforestalliance.org/photos-media/jurassic-grove/

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One of several monumental western redcedars located in Jurassic Grove.
May 5 2017

Avatar Grove, the sequel: Introducing Jurassic Grove

Check out the latest Times Colonist article about an unprotected ancient forest we've nicknamed "Jurassic Grove" (which one day might become "Jurassic Park" if it is protected)! The area includes some of the finest old-growth redcedar stands anywhere. While most of its 130 hectares is protected by a Marbled Murrelet Wildlife Habitat Area, there is a 40 hectare unprotected section as well, and it all lies adjacent to the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail Provincial Park in Pacheedaht territory on Crown lands between Jordan River and Port Renfrew. The article includes interviews with the AFA's Ken Wu and TJ Watt, the Soule Creek Lodge Owner Jon Cash, and veteran BC forest activist Vicky Husband.  See the article from the Times Colonist: https://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/avatar-grove-the-sequel-introducing-jurassic-grove-1.18540489

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