Avatar Grove

Avatar Grove to be protected by province

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A grove of giant, old-growth trees near Port Renfrew, which has brought thousands of visitors to the area over the last two years, will be protected by the province.

Avatar Grove, a unique stand of centuries-old Douglas firs and red cedars, will be included in an expanded, 59-hectare old-growth management area, Forests Minister Steve Thomson said Thursday.

That means no logging or mining, but is one step short of the legislated protection of park designation.

Surrey-based Teal-Jones Group, which holds logging rights for the area around Avatar Grove, is being compensated with 57 hectares removed from other old-growth management areas.

Much of Avatar Grove, named after the movie, was slated for logging two years ago when the Ancient Forest Alliance started campaigning for its protection.

At that time only 24 per cent of the grove was included in an old-growth management area.

Ken Wu, Ancient Forest Alliance co-founder, applauded the move by the province, but said all old-growth forests on Vancouver Island should be protected.

“We do commend the B.C. government for protecting this tract of extremely rare old-growth valley bottom, as 95 per cent (of that ecosystem) has already been logged on Vancouver Island,” he said.

The Alliance wants to see an end to all old-growth logging on Vancouver Island and a sustainable second-growth forestry industry.

Read more: https://www.vancouversun.com/news/thewest/Avatar+Grove+protected+province/6164261/story.html
 

Call to write letters

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Hello friends, there is an urgent need for your voice on numerous endangered ancient forests in BC right now! Please take a moment to assist with each area – if you commit just 30 minutes, you could help each area listed below right now: Avatar Grove, Cortes Island, the Great Bear Rainforest, Flores Island, McLaughlin Ridge, and Mossy Maple Grove:

AVATAR GROVE

GOOD NEWS! The BC government this morning declared the Avatar Grove legally off-limits to logging through a new, 59 hectare Old-Growth Management Area! We’re aiming that eventually the Avatar Grove will be protected through legislation as a park or conservancy, but this keeps out the chainsaws now! The Avatar Grove campaign has been an “old-growth campaign on steroids”. Thousands of people have visited this incredible monumental stand of extremely rare valley-bottom ancient redcedars and Douglas firs near Port Renfrew in a campaign spearheaded by the Ancient Forest Alliance. The Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce played a pivotal role by joining our call for the area’s protection. Unfortunately the logging company, Teal-Jones will be compensated with 30 hectares of second-growth and 27 hectares of old-growth (57 hectares) in the area – the AFA opposes compensation since the company does not own the land nor the trees, these are public forests. Lets remember too that THOUSANDS of hectares of old-growth forests are logged

EVERY year on Vancouver Island, tens of thousands of hectares are logged across BC, and millions of hectares remain unprotected and endangered in the province – this is a campaign to end logging of ALL endangered forests and to ensure sustainable second-growth forestry in BC.

CORTES ISLAND

Over 1000 hectares of endangered “dry maritime” forests are threatened with logging by Island Timberlands. Determined local residents on this northern Gulf Island have built different teams to undertake petition and letter-writing drives, fundraising, negotiations, mapping, and potentially blockades – which may happen shortly. BC’s Ministry of Environment has responded to our first round of letters calling on them to help protect these lands that it has “no funds available”.

Let’s ramp-up the call by targeting Premier Christy Clark now at premier@gov.bc.ca (include your full name and mailing address so they know you are a real person). Write her a quick letter to let her know it is the province’s responsibility to help purchase the endangered forests, sensitive ecosystems, and rare old-growth groves on Island Timberland’s private lands on Cortes Island. Only 1% of BC’s old-growth coastal Douglas firs remain!

GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST

The central and northern mainland coast of BC is massive, twice the size of Vancouver Island and bigger than many European countries. It is home to numerous First Nations communities and the towns of Prince Rupert, Kitimat, Bella Bella, and Bella Coola. It is also home to hundreds of ancient forest valleys with grizzlies, spirit bears, wolves, cougars, and salmon. BC made headlines six years ago when the province promised to save the largest intact temperate rainforest left on Earth. Today 50% of its forests are off-limits to logging while the rest remains at risk.

  • Please SIGN ONLINE to help the campaigners to “Take it Taller” to reach their goal of 5000 supporters at: www.TakeItTaller.ca [Original article no longer available]

FLORES ISLAND

Flores Island in Clayoquot Sound is Heaven on Earth. It is one of the most extensive intact ancient rainforests left in southern BC. Located near Tofino in Nuu-cha-nulth territory, it is home to wolves, cougars, deer, and black bears on the land, and gray whales, humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, and sea otters in its marine waters. Unfortunately it is under threat from logging.

MCLAUGHLIN RIDGE

Near Port Alberni on Vancouver Island, this 400 hectare tract of extremely rare old-growth Douglas firs and hemlocks is considered to be the finest deer wintering range on southern Vancouver Island and is critical habitat for the endangered Queen Charlotte goshawk. Island Timberlands is still intransigent and won’t commit to not logging the ridge.

MOSSY MAPLE GROVE, a.k.a. “Fangorn Forest”

This unique, newly located stand of magnificent, massive mossy maple trees near Cowichan Lake on Vancouver Island is just about the most beautiful forest you could imagine – straight out of a fairy tale!

  • See NEW HD video of the grove here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzOefJnAENI
  • Watch for calls to action to ensure this forest’s protection!
  • Directions will be made available to visit the Grove in the not distant future, for all those who are asking! Please be patient.

MOST of ALL please SIGN and FORWARD our online petition to protect BC’s endangered old-growth forests and forestry jobs at: ancientforestalliance.org/ways-to-take-action-for-forests/petition/

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Support the Ancient Forest Alliance!

We are a new organization and greatly need your support.

Please DONATE securely online at https://donate.ancientforestalliance.org

Visit the Ancient Forest Alliance online at:
Web: www.ancientforestalliance.org
Email: info@16.52.162.165
Petition: https://16.52.162.165/ways-to-take-action-for-forests/petition/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ancientforestalliance
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ancient_forest
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/BCAncientForest

Ancient Forest Alliance

Canada’s Mossiest Rainforest

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This video, created by BC’s Ancient Forest Alliance, showcases the mossy beauty of Mossy Maple Grove, a forest near Lake Cowichan on Vancouver Island.

From the Forest Alliance: “This is the unprotected “Mossy Maple Grove”, Canada’s mossiest rainforest, a stand of enormous old-growth Bigleaf maple trees — some as much as 2 meters (7 feet) wide in trunk diameter — completely draped in hanging gardens of mosses and ferns… This is in the traditional territory of Cowichan Tribes who are part of the Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group.

Unlike other spotlighted old-growth forests in BC, this is an old-growth ‘deciduous’ or broad-leaf rainforest. This area has also been nicknamed “Fangorn Forest” after the forest in The Lord of the Rings.”

Link to original artlcle from The Tyee: https://thetyee.ca/Video/2012/02/09/fangorn-forest/

Ancient Forest Alliance

Canada’s Mossiest Rainforest aka Fangorn Forest

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Direct link to YouTube clip: https://youtu.be/FzOefJnAENI

Please SIGN our PETITION at ancientforestalliance.org/ways-to-take-action-for-forests/petition/

This is the unprotected “Mossy Maple Grove”, Canada’s mossiest rainforest, a stand of enormous old-growth Bigleaf maple trees — some as much as 2 meters (7 feet) wide in trunk diameter — completely draped in hanging gardens of mosses and ferns found just south of Cowichan Lake on southern Vancouver Island, BC. This is in the traditional territory of Cowichan Tribes who are part of the Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group.

Unlike other spotlighted old-growth forests in BC that have all been “coniferous” or needle-leaf trees (Douglas firs, Sitka spruce, western redcedars, etc.), this is an old-growth “deciduous” or broad-leaf rainforest. This area has also been nicknamed “Fangorn Forest” after the forest in The Lord of the Rings.

Filmed and edited by TJ Watt.
Music – “Razorback Sucker” by Tom Fahy – https://www.facebook.com/tomfahymusic/

Vehicle Donation Needed

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Do you or a family member have a vehicle that you no longer need? One that you would be willing to donate to the Ancient Forest Alliance?

If so, the AFA is looking for a safe and reliable vehicle for our door canvass to build support in communities throughout Victoria and Vancouver Island. A vehicle is key to provide an efficient means of transport for a new door canvassing crew and for volunteers who will be PIVOTAL in quickly growing the donors base and the scale of grassroots outreach of our organization. The vehicle need not be particularly stylish, but it must be one that is in good working order, will pass an inspection, and be ready for the road. An automatic transmission is required as well.

To successfully protect BC’s incredible ancient forests we will need as many volunteers as we can get on the ground to the door steps of thousands of British Columbian households in 2012 and beyond. In particular, the next year and a half leading up to the provincial election is our most critical and opportune time to greatly expand the scope of our campaign through door canvassing and hard-hitting campaign work in swing ridings that will ultimately lead to the protection of our most magnificent natural legacies.

Please contact the Ancient Forest Alliance at 250.896.4007 if you have a free vehicle for the job!

We will recognize the donor with our gratitude on our website (unless you prefer to remain anonymous) and also a signed print of our spectacular ancient forests by AFA photographer TJ Watt.

Ancient Forest Alliance

UVic Slideshow Featuring BC’s Most Spectacular Old-Growth Rainforests!

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Date: Tuesday, February 7
Time: 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Location: Clearihue Building Rm A202, UVic.
FREE!

Come for a spectacular slideshow presentation with the Ancient Forest Alliance’s Ken Wu and TJ Watt about BC’s largest trees and the newly-found “Fangorn Forest” (or “Canada’s Mossiest Rainforest”) near Lake Cowichan, Avatar Grove, Walbran Valley, McLaughlin Ridge, Cortes Island, and Flores Island. Learn about the current government policies, geography, and ecology of BC’s old-growth forests. Find out how YOU can help the UVic Ancient Forest Committee in this pivotal year of 2012!

For more info contact the UVic Ancient Forest Committee at: uvicancientforest@gmail.com

Jane Morden by an Ancient Douglas-fir in the McLaughlin Ridge

Join the Friends of McLaughlin Ridge on Facebook!

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Port Alberni residents led by local activist Jane Morden are standing up to protect the endangered McLaughlin Ridge, a 500 hectare tract of ancient Douglas-fir forest near the town that biologists have classified as both critical habitat for wintering deer and endangered Queen Charlotte goshawks. The Ancient Forest Alliance is calling on the BC government to purchase the land from Island Timberlands.

‘Like’ the Protect McLaughlin Ridge page on Facebook and “share” with friends here: www.facebook.com/pages/Protect-McLaughlin-Ridge/171349489633596
Help us reach 100+ ‘likes’ by inviting your friends to the page too!

‘Write a Letter’ guide for McLaughlin Ridge: www.ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=370
 

The Victoria Naturalist – “Canada’s Mossiest Rainforest” Found on Vancouver Island

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Check out the January/February 2012 edition of The Victoria Naturalist for the Ancient Forest Alliance’s article on “Canada’s Mossiest Rainforest”! The article is found on pages 15 and 16. Be sure to check out the other interesting and informative nature pieces as well!

AFA photographer TJ Watt stands beside two large old-growth Douglas-fir trees in the Children's Forest along James Creek on Cortes Island.

NEW PHOTO GALLERY featuring Cortes Island’s endangered forests!

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Follow the link here to see the new images: https://16.52.162.165/photos-media/

Cortes Island, a northern Gulf Island between Vancouver Island and the BC mainland, is home to some of the last 1% of old-growth Douglas fir groves within the endangered “Dry Maritime” forests along BC’s southern coast. These are some of the most extensive remaining stands and are owned by corporate logging giant Island Timberlands.

Local residents are staunchly opposed to the planned industrial logging of these ancient and mature forests and other sensitive ecosystems. The protection of these forests will take a willingness of Island Timberlands to sell their lands at a fair market value – not at an overinflated price – and for various levels of government (particularly the provincial government) and other organizations and individuals to provide the funds.

For lands not purchased for protection, the company must conduct its forestry operation in line with community eco-forestry values and standards. Ultimately stronger private managed forest land regulations are needed in BC.

Support the Cortes Island activists at: wildstands.wordpress.com
Sign the Ancient Forest Alliance’s petition to protect BC’s old-growth forests and to ban raw log exports at: ancientforestalliance.org/ways-to-take-action-for-forests/petition/

Concerned local citizen Oliver H. stands near large old-growth Douglas-fir trees in the endangered forests of Cortes Island.

Save Cortes Island’s Endangered Forests!

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URGENT! Cortes Island’s Threatened Forests Need Your Help! Please write to BC’s Minister of Environment Terry Lake below.

Cortes Island, a northern Gulf Island between Vancouver Island and the BC mainland, is home to some of the last 1% of old-growth Douglas-fir groves within the endangered “Dry Maritime” forests along BC’s southern coast. These are some of the most extensive remaining stands and are owned by corporate logging giant Island Timberlands.

See the beautiful NEW PHOTO GALLERY of Cortes Island’s endangered old-growth and mature forests here: www.ancientforestalliance.org/photos.php?gID=12

Local residents are staunchly opposed to the planned industrial logging of these ancient and mature forests and other sensitive ecosystems. The protection of these forests will take a willingness of Island Timberlands to sell their lands at a fair market value – not at an overinflated price – and for various levels of government (particularly the provincial government) and other organizations and individuals to provide the funds. For lands not purchased for protection, the company must conduct its forestry operation in line with community eco-forestry values and standards. Ultimately stronger private managed forest land regulations are needed in BC.

Please WRITE A QUICK EMAIL as soon as possible to BC’s Minister of Environment, Hon. Terry Lake at: terry.lake.mla@leg.bc.ca . Ask that the BC government help fund the purchase of endangered old-growth stands, sensitive ecosystems, and other high priority lands for conservation currently owned by Island Timberlands. ***BE SURE to include your FULL NAME and ADDRESS so they know you are a real person!

To keep up-to-date with the local activists campaign to protect Cortes Island’s forests and see photos, videos, and more, visit the Wildstands website! https://wildstands.wordpress.com/

Also, please sign and circulate our petition to protect BC’s remaining endangered old-growth forests here: ancientforestalliance.org/ways-to-take-action-for-forests/petition/