Thank You to Patagonia & Patagonia Vancouver!

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The Ancient Forest Alliance would like to thank Patagonia and Patagonia Vancouver for their significant support through their grassroots environmental grant program, helping us to build an ancient forest movement across BC’s Lower Mainland!  See Patagonia’s website at: https://www.patagonia.com/ca and visit the Patagonia Vancouver store online.

B.C. suspends sale of ancient forest on Sunshine Coast identified as hot spot for bear dens

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Environmentalists who blocked construction of a forestry road on the Sunshine Coast for more than five weeks have won a temporary victory in their bid to stop logging of an old-growth forest identified as a prime spot for black bear dens.

B.C. Timber Sales won’t put the forest up for sale as planned on Oct. 1 and instead is “going to consider its options over the winter,” said Vivian Thomas, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations. The road builder, K & D Contracting, “had other jobs, so moved (their) equipment out,” she added. RCMP attended the logging site but no one obtained a court injunction to end the blockade.

“When there’s a blockade and you can’t get past it and you’re sitting there, you have to move,” said Doug Grant, a manager with K & D in Campbell River. “It cost about six weeks of productivity.” The company had barged in its heavy equipment.

A July 2014 report by consulting biologist Wayne McCrory found “very high-quality old-growth den habitat” in the Dakota Valley near Sechelt. Based on field work within two of four cutblocks proposed for sale, he extrapolated that logging of the overall 64 hectares would impact about 32 active bear dens.

The dens he investigated were within the trunk or cavity of cedar trees at elevations of 700 to 920 metres. Three-quarters of the best old-growth den habitat has already been logged in the area, McCrory observed, adding it is important to protect what little remains.

Ross Muirhead and Hans Penner, environmental campaigners with Elphinstone Logging Focus, said in an interview that they hope suspension of the sale will give the province time to consider the ecological and cultural values of the Dakota Valley — and not just timber values.

“Any delay in issuing the cutblock is good news,” Muirhead said. “It gives both sides more time to study the other features.”

Research commissioned by the province showed one old-growth yellow cedar to be 1,100 years old — a date calculated only after cutting the tree and others down rather than using less-invasive core samples, Penner said. “We find that appalling, an outrage. They killed the trees to count their age.”

Thomas said a few trees were cut to better determine if they were culturally modified, suggesting the “decay and healing” were more likely the result of “biogeoclimatic conditions.”

Thomas said BCTS discovered two cedar trees that appeared to have been recently used by bears as dens just outside the boundary of a cutblock and excluded them from the planned harvest area. She noted that black bear populations in B.C. are healthy and not a conservation concern and that nearby Tetrahedron Provincial Park provides an abundance of bear habitat.

Penner noted that a study of the logging site by consulting archeologist Jim Stafford found 33 trees thought to be culturally modified, suggesting long-term aboriginal use such as stripping off cedar bark. The province disputes the claim. Cultural modified trees that pre-date 1846 are protected under the Heritage Conservation Act.

Read more: https://www.vancouversun.com/technology/suspends+sale+ancient+forest+sunshine+coast+identified+spot+bear+dens/11385733/story.html?__lsa=fa03-0d9c

Logging protestors win temporary victory on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast

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Protesters fighting plans to log an old-growth forest on the Sunshine Coast are celebrating a temporary victory after construction of a logging road was halted temporarily.

The protesters, who have set up camp near Roberts Creek, say the area is an important bear habitat that will be destroyed if the trees come down.

Hans Penner has been taking turns blocking access to a service road in the Dakota Creek area of Mount Elphinstone, where the government has plans to auction off 53 hectares of old-growth timber, including ancient balsam, hemlock and yellow cedar.

“This is some of the last old growth forest in the world,” Penner said. “So really, the natural history, the cultural history is actually irreplaceable. It doesn't exist anywhere else.”

Penner said the area has become a sanctuary for bears. He hired biologist Wayne McCrory who identified seven likely bear dens in the one day.

Bears pushed out by logging

Penner said there are so many bears here because they've been pushed out of other areas by logging. That is why the government needs to protect what little old-growth forest remains in the province, he added.

He said he's been trying to persuade the government for years, compiling evidence, but eventually resorted to the protest in the woods.

“Blocking a road was a last resort,” he said. “We had spent over two years already doing our own studies, like the bear den report, the archaeological report, biodiversity reports, trying to convince the government that this area should not be logged.”

The protest appears to have made an impact.

Earlier this week, contractors stopped building roads and preparing the land for logging. On Saturday, the government confirmed that the road building has stopped, and the company will review its options over the winter.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/logging-protest-sunshine-coast-1.3235878

Screenshot from the new video clip which used drones to helped capture footage in the Central Walbran Valley

Drones used in BC’s Old-Growth Forest Campaigns – Walbran Valley conflict escalates

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For Immediate Release
September 22, 2015
Conservationists use Drones as BC’s Old-Growth Forest Conflict Escalates: New Technology enables Surveillance and Aerial Video Footage in Remote areas as Logging Threat Encroaches on Canada’s Grandest Old-Growth Forest, the Central Walbran Valley
SEE a new VIDEO CLIP of the Central Walbran Ancient Forest that includes recent HD DRONE FOOTAGE here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyMPXHOjlK0
A logging permit for the first of eight proposed cutblocks in the Central Walbran Valley was issued last Friday by the BC government to Surrey-based logging company Teal-Jones. The Central Walbran is Canada’s most spectacular old-growth forest, near Port Renfrew, and one of the largest unprotected old-growth forests left on southern Vancouver Island. Conservationists prepare for an escalation in the conflict.
Port Renfrew –  Conservationists are employing a new tool in the battle to protect BC’s endangered old-growth forests – remotely-piloted drones. The Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) is using a small drone equipped with a GoPro camera to monitor and document the endangered old-growth forests of the Central Walbran Valley on Vancouver Island. This has allowed the organization to capture aerial video footage of old-growth forests threatened by logging on steep, rugged terrain that otherwise would take hours to hike to. Helicopter-based logging, or heli-logging, is expected for several of the eight proposed cutblocks in the Central Walbran Valley, including the first approved Cutblock 4424 (approved last Friday by the BC Forest Service), due to the difficulty of road access in the mountains.
“Drones are a new tool in the tool box that are helping us raise the environmental awareness about remote endangered areas that are normally out of the public spotlight, where companies believe they can log with little scrutiny. Plus it allows us to get some spectacular footage of our magnificent but endangered old-growth forests from vantage points rarely seen”, stated TJ Watt, Ancient Forest Alliance photographer and campaigner who shot the Walbran videos.
The AFA’s drone cost just over one thousand dollars and has been used by Watt half a dozen times to explore and document ancient forests since he purchased it late last year. Other conservationists are also starting to use them to help document endangered areas.
“Teal-Jones and the BC government have committed themselves to an intense battle by aggressively moving to log southern Vancouver Island’s most contentious ancient forest. The logging companies have already clearcut the vast majority of the richest and grandest old-growth forests on Vancouver Island – over 90% – and now they’re complaining that they’re running out of options. They’ve boxed themselves into a corner through their own unsustainable history of overcutting the biggest and best old-growth stands – and now they’re contending that it’s the conservationists’ fault and that they must log the last unprotected lowland ancient forests to survive. The one thing the BC government must not do is to reward unsustainable practices with more unsustainable practices – but that’s just what they’ve done by granting the first cutting permit to Teal-Jones in the Central Walbran Valley. It’s a myopic government facilitating the demise of an ecosystem for a company intent to go just about to the very end. Instead they need a quick transition or exit strategy to get completely out of our last ancient forests and into a sustainable, value-added, second-growth forest industry,” stated Ken Wu, Ancient Forest Alliance executive director.
The 500 hectare Central Walbran Valley is one of the largest contiguous tracts of unprotected old-growth forest left on southern Vancouver Island (south of Barkley Sound) where about 90% of the original, productive old-growth forests have already been logged. It is home to the Castle Grove, perhaps the most extensive and densely-packed monumental western redcedar groves in Canada. The upper reach of the Castle Grove is threatened by several of the proposed Teal-Jones cutblocks. Species at risk include Queen Charlotte Goshawks, marbled murrelets (several of which were recorded by AFA campaigners near the Castle Grove in June: www.ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=906), screech owls, and red-legged frogs, while coho salmon and steelhead trout spawn in the rivers.
The Central Walbran is popular for hikers, campers, anglers, hunters, and mushroom pickers, and is located on public (Crown) lands in Tree Farm Licence 46 near Port Renfrew in Pacheedaht Nuu-chah-Nulth territory. About 5500 hectares of the Lower Walbran Valley were included in the Carmanah-Walbran Provincial Park in 1994, while about 7500 hectares in the Central and Upper Walbran Valleys were left unprotected.
Conservationists are escalating pressure on the BC government and the company through protests and public awareness campaigns, calling on the company to back off and the BC government to protect the two ancient forests. Teal-Jones Group is a Surrey-based company that logs and sells endangered old-growth forests – including ancient redcedar trees – for pulp, paper, and solid wood products.
Environmentalists are calling on the BC government to protect these areas from logging through expanded Old-Growth Management Areas (OGMAs), core Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHAs), and Land Use Orders (LUOs).
On BC’s southern coast (Vancouver Island and SW Mainland), satellite photos show that about 75% of the original, productive (moderate to fast growth rates, forests of commercial value) old-growth forests have been logged, including over 91% of the valley bottoms and high-productivity, lowland forests where the largest trees grow. Only 8% of the original, productive old-growth forests on BC’s southern coast are protected in parks and Old-Growth Management Areas. See maps and stats on the remaining old-growth forests on BC’s southern coast at: www.ancientforestalliance.org/old-growth-maps.php
In a recent Vancouver Sun and Province article (see www.theprovince.com/news/walbran+logging+permit+could+rekindle+woods+vancouver+island/11377140/story.html) the Teal-Jones spokesperson was quoted as claiming that “only 11,080 hectares of [the] 59,884-hectare tree farm licence…can be logged” – while failing to mention that tens of thousands of hectares have already been logged and thousands more are on low productivity sites (small trees) of little to no commercial value or inoperable conditions. In addition, the article stated that “…the company gave up more than 7,000 hectares to create the Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park”. In fact, the Carmanah-Walbran Provincial Park was established in 1994, while it wasn’t until 2004 that Teal-Jones acquired Tree Farm Licence 46 (where the park is) from TimberWest – 10 years after the park’s creation and for a price that already reflected the deduction of timber from the park. In addition, the province has stated that the 500 hectares in the Central Walbran is small compared to the 16,000 hectares within the Carmanah-Walbran Provincial Park – failing to provide the context (a common PR-spin technique) that about 670,000 hectares of about 760,000 hectares of the original, productive old-growth forests on southern Vancouver Island (south of Barkley Sound) have already been logged.
In addition, the BC government itself, in order to placate public fears about the loss of BC’s endangered old-growth forests, typically over-inflates the amount of remaining old-growth forests in its PR-spin by including hundreds of thousands of hectares of marginal, low productivity forests growing in bogs and at high elevations with smaller, stunted trees, lumped in with the productive old-growth forests, where the large trees grow (and where most logging takes place). “It’s like including your Monopoly money with your real money and then claiming to be a millionaire, so why curtail spending?” stated the Ancient Forest Alliance’s Ken Wu.
“The Walbran Valley was the birthplace of the ancient forest protest movement in Victoria decades ago. Logging there has repeatedly triggered protests, beginning in 1991 and flaring up regularly for more than a decade thereafter. Thousands of British Columbians love the ancient forests of the Castle Grove, Emerald Pool, Bridge Camp, Summer Crossing, and Fletcher Falls in the Central Walbran Valley,” stated Ken Wu, Ancient Forest Alliance executive director. “Both the province and the company will be held accountable for what happens in these areas.”
“Because of the ideal growing conditions in the region, Canada’s temperate rainforests reach their most magnificent proportions in region of the Walbran Valley. It’s Canada’s version of the American redwoods. Given this fact – and that virtually all of the unprotected ancient forests are either clearcut or fragmented by logging today on southern Vancouver Island – it should be a no-brainer that the grandest and one of the largest contiguous tracts here, the Central Walbran, should be immediately protected”, stated TJ Watt, Ancient Forest Alliance campaigner and photographer.
Old-growth forests are vital to sustain endangered species, climate stability, tourism, clean water, wild salmon, and the cultures of many First Nations.
The Ancient Forest Alliance is calling on the BC government to implement a comprehensive science-based plan to protect BC’s endangered old-growth forests, and to also ensure a sustainable, value-added second-growth forest industry.
MORE BACKGROUND INFO
The Walbran Valley is about 13,000 hectares in size, with about 5500 hectares of the Lower Walbran Valley protected within the Carmanah-Walbran Provincial Park and about 7500 hectares of the Upper Walbran Valley remaining unprotected. The unprotected Upper Walbran Valley is divided into two “Tree Farm Licences” (TFLs): TFL 46, held by Teal Jones, and TFL 44, held by Western Forest Products, on Crown lands in the unceded territory of the Pacheedaht Nuu-Cha-Nulth people.
The Central Walbran’s old-growth western redcedar, Sitka spruce, and hemlock forests have long been proposed for protection by the environmental movement since the early 1990’s, when the valley was “ground zero” for protests by southern Vancouver Island’s environmental movement. The early Walbran protests played an important role in supporting the build-up towards the massive Clayoquot Sound protests near Tofino on Vancouver Island in 1993.
While most of the Upper Walbran Valley has been heavily fragmented by old-growth logging, two major tracts of ancient forest remain largely unlogged there: The Castle Grove (Canada’s finest ancient redcedar forest) and the greater Central Walbran Ancient Forest (currently under potential logging threat) which abuts against the boundary Carmanah/Walbran Provincial Park, spanning about 500 hectares in extent.
While small sections of the Central Walbran Ancient Forest are protected within Riparian Reserves, an Ungulate Winter Range, and Old-Growth Management Areas, the vast majority of the area is open for logging. The Central Walbran Ancient Forest is a popular and heavily used area by recreationalists, where the main boardwalk trails for hiking, riverside camping area, Emerald Pool swimming area, and the spectacular Fletcher Falls are found.
The Central Walbran Ancient Forest, Castle Grove, and adjacent unprotected forests were designated as a “Special Management Zone” (SMZ) by the BC government in 1994. The SMZ is supposed to be managed to maintain its environmental and biodiversity values – however, numerous destructive clearcuts have tattered much of the SMZ over the past 20 years.

Tall Tree Capital: Spectacular Avatar Grove shows that environmentalism and tourism can work hand in hand

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Check out the article and photos (by the AFA's TJ Watt) on the Avatar Grove, Ancient Forest Alliance, and tourism in Port Renfrew, on pages 25 to 27 in Soar Magazine (an airport magazine in Nova Scotia): https://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?eid=1ebb79d9-5fd5-455d-9183-0bb884a1d323

New Boardwalk Construction, Old-Growth Expeditions, & Eco-Campaigns – Please Help the AFA Now!

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See new construction progress on the Avatar Grove Boardwalk from last weekend at: https://on.fb.me/1UA4yMo and see a time-lapse video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez0xdSy2xEE

PLEASE DONATE:
• Securely online.
• To the Avatar Boardwalk ($100 funds 1 metre) and Big Lonely Doug Trail and Viewing Platform here.
• Or phone us with your credit card at 250-896-4007 or send a cheque to: Ancient Forest Alliance, Victoria Main PO, Box 8459, Victoria, BC, V8W 3S1, Canada

*********

Dear Ancient Forest Alliance friend:

As the hot dry days of summer wind down, the Ancient Forest Alliance is gearing up for a busy fall season of expeditions, campaigns, and boardwalk/trail construction projects!

Recently, with the help of dedicated volunteers, we built an important section of the Avatar Grove boardwalk as we work to complete this major project by next spring (see the top link for photos!).

Over the summer we also undertook numerous photographic expeditions into several endangered old-growth forests, organized a biodiversity survey (a “bioblitz”) by biologists at the endangered Echo Lake Ancient Forest, launched a public mobilization campaign to protect the Central Walbran and Edinburgh Mountain Ancient Forests, and held numerous hikes, presentations, and news media interviews.

See a couple recent “Did you know?” pieces about Vancouver Island’s endangered old-growth forests on Shaw TV with the Ancient Forest Alliance’s executive director, Ken Wu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_TrNdJNMvY and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cZnuN5qJus

See a photo in Maclean’s Magazine of tree-climbers scaling “Big Lonely Doug”, Canada’s 2nd largest Douglas-fir tree, taken by the AFA’s photographer and campaigner TJ Watt: https://16.52.162.165/news-item.php?ID=916

See a Global TV interview about the threat to the Central Walbran and Edinburgh Mountain Ancient Forests by Ken Wu: [Video not currently available.]

We have a lot underway, but in particular we need your financial help for three major projects:

1. Completing the Avatar Grove Boardwalk and building a “Big Lonely Doug” tree-viewing platform. Due to the generous financial support of donors like yourself and the help of dedicated volunteers, we’ve constructed a first rate boardwalk in the Avatar Grove. Construction has recently begun to complete the boardwalk – see images of an incredible new section built by volunteers just this past weekend down the steep slope to the stream in the Upper Grove: https://on.fb.me/1UA4yMo The boardwalk is vital to protect the delicate understory, to enhance visitor safety, and to support the local eco-tourism economy. There are several sections that still need completion, including a boardwalk over the flooded muddy section and along parts of the new loop trail in the Lower Avatar Grove, handrails on bridges, staircases, viewing platforms, and better signage. Please DONATE at: https://16.52.162.165/avatar-grove-boardwalk-now-completed-and-open/

In addition, Big Lonely Doug, Canada’s 2nd largest Douglas-fir tree that stands alone in a recent clearcut near Port Renfrew, also needs a safe trail and a tree-viewing platform at its base to protect its roots as people flock to see this goliath tree. Please DONATE at: https://16.52.162.165/avatar-grove-boardwalk-now-completed-and-open/

2. Expanding Public Education and Mobilization Campaigns for Ancient Forests. This fall, we will ratchet-up our public education and mobilization campaigns to protect old-growth forests in the Central Walbran Valley, Edinburgh Mountain, Echo Lake, Horne Mountain above Cathedral Grove – and most importantly, to eventually achieve comprehensive, science-based legislation to protect all of BC’s endangered ancient forests. We’ll organize a torrent of public events, rallies, and media campaigns to reach millions of people. At the same time, we’ll be spending a lot of time working with key individuals and groups, including First Nations leaders, politicians, tourism operators, union organizers, scientists, faith group leaders, and civil servants to move the issue forward. Please DONATE at: https://16.52.162.165/donations.php

3. Expeditions into endangered old-growth forests. We will continue to explore and document with professional photos and videos the colossal forests throughout BC in order to bring the plight of these magnificent forests to millions of people. We aim to explore remote regions near the Brooks Peninsula, on Nootka Island, on central and southern Vancouver Island, in the southwest mainland, and various wet and dry forests of BC’s Interior. To help us document these endangered areas we are using a small drone with a GoPro camera attached! Please DONATE at: https://16.52.162.165/donations.php

These are just a few of the important projects we’re undertaking as part of our broader campaign to achieve legislation to protect endangered old-growth forests across BC and to ensure a sustainable, second-growth forest industry.

With YOUR help, our magnificent remaining ancient forests could stand for another thousand years…

For the Wild,

Ken Wu, TJ Watt, Joan Varley, Hannah Carpendale, Amanda Evans, Jackie Korn, Mike Grant

Ancient Forest Alliance

Boardwalk in the Upper Avatar Grove

New Photo Gallery and Time-Lapse of Avatar Grove Boardwalk Construction!

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Over the September long weekend, AFA’s TJ Watt and a small group of dedicated volunteers worked hard to construct a crucial new section of the boardwalk at Avatar Grove.

Photos:  https://on.fb.me/1UA4yMo
Time-lapse video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez0xdSy2xEE

In the Upper Grove, the steep slope leading down to the creek had become quite rough and slippery, so to help protect the tree roots and make it safer for everyone visiting, the group built two new platforms and sets of stairs leading down the hill. It was challenging work to say the least and lasted until nearly dark each day! The only thing left to do in that section now is add a railing on the bottom deck and stairs. 

The team also installed a beautiful bench near the Gnarly Tree so that visitors can take a break and enjoy the view at the top of the trail.

A huge thanks goes out to volunteers Scott and Nitya, Matthew and Tyrell, Max, and Sean for their long hours and excellent help. A thanks goes out as well to Slegg Lumber for providing a discount on our building supplies and to Port Renfrew Marina for hosting our camp and materials.

There’s still more work to be done though in a few sections of the trail at Avatar Grove this year – to donate towards the project ($100 sponsors 1 metre of boardwalk) please visit this link: https://16.52.162.165/avatar-grove-boardwalk-now-completed-and-open/ We’re very grateful for those of you who already have donated!!

Also, if you have some basic carpentry skills (the more the better!) and would like to volunteer in the future, please email TJ at info@16.52.162.165. We hope you enjoy the latest upgrades!

VIDEO: "Did You Know?" Ancient Trees on Shaw TV

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Here is another “Did You Know” clip by the AFA's Ken Wu on Shaw TV, this time regarding BC's largest trees (Red Creek Fir, Cheewhat Giant, Big Lonely Doug, Lynn Valley's historical giants) and the threat to the Central Walbran Ancient Forest. The AFA's Hannah Carpendale is seen walking around the largest trees in Canada.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cZnuN5qJus

Forests on the March

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Be sure to check out AFA photographer TJ Watt's photo of a sitka spruce forest near Nitinat Lake in the latest issue of Scientific American magazine! The article speaks with Dr. Sally Aitken of the UBC Faculty of Forestry on her work to help trees adapt to a rapidly changing climate. Sally has also helped with the recent revival of the BC Big Tree Registry as well!

Avatar Grove

VIDEO: "Did You Know?" Old-Growth Forest on Shaw TV

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Here is a “Did you Know?” clip on Shaw TV this week featuring the AFA's Ken Wu talking about BC's old-growth forests, their importance, and their continued endangerment on Vancouver Island by industrial logging:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_TrNdJNMvY