Port Renfrew is home to some of the finest ancient forests and largest trees in Canada

Historic Leap for Old-Growth Forests – BC Chamber of Commerce Passes Resolution for Expanded Protection

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Media Release: Historic Leap Forward for Old-Growth Forest Conservation – BC Chamber of Commerce Passes Resolution Calling on the Province to Expand Old-Growth Forest Protections
 
The BC Chamber of Commerce passed a resolution at its annual general meeting in Kelowna yesterday calling on the provincial government to increase protection for the province’s old-growth forests. The resolution calls on the province to: “Support the increased protection of old-growth forests in areas of the province where they have or can likely have a greater net economic value for communities if they are left standing for the next generation and beyond.”
 
 
The resolution, passed almost unanimously, is a historic shift in the politics of old-growth forests in the province, where in years past the protection of old-growth forests was often thought to be detrimental to the economy and rural communities by much of the business community. The BC Chamber of Commerce’s resolution is part of a growing momentum among various Chambers of Commerce, including the Port Renfrew, Sooke, and WestShore Chambers of Commerce, and various town councils including the Victoria, Metchosin, and Tofino councils and the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC), representing 51 coastal cities, towns, and regional districts, all calling for the protection of old-growth forests in recent months. See: www.ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=1001
 
This shift in the business community in favour of protecting old-growth forests – inconceivable a decade ago in the province –  may be fostered by several factors:  A growth in old-growth forest tourism in the province; the rapid expansion of the “green business” sector (eco-tourism, clean tech, organic agriculture, etc.); the increasing economic dominance of second-growth forests for the logging industry while old-growth forests have become scarce; closer cooperation between the environmental movement and tourism businesses; and a general growth in environmental awareness among consumers and business owners alike.
 
The BC Chamber of Commerce is the largest and most broadly-based business organization in British Columbia. Representing more than 125 Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade, and 36,000 businesses of every size, sector and region of the province, the BC Chamber of Commerce considers itself as the primary voice of business in BC.
 
“The publicity about old-growth forests near Port Renfrew in recent years has brought in a flood of visitors from Europe, the USA, Canada, and diverse countries. This has especially been true since the protection of the Avatar Grove in 2012. Big tree tourism has increased the total flow of dollars spent in Port Renfrew, in our rental accommodations, restaurants, grocery stores, and businesses in general. It has also greatly increased the property values in town. Along with sport fishing, old-growth forest tourism has become a staple of our local economy,” states Dan Hager, president of the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce which sponsored the resolution. “Visitors from around the world are also coming to see old-growth forests throughout much of the province. Given that the monumental stands of old-growth trees are a scarce commodity today for tourism, it makes business sense to protect them across the province in areas where they will benefit local communities.”
 
 “The BC Chamber of Commerce’s resolution calling on the province to increase protection of old-growth forests is a tectonic shift in the province’s land use politics – it would’ve been inconceivable a decade ago. Times are changing, and so is the economy. Thanks to communities like Port Renfrew and Tofino, the narrative is quickly shifting from the belief that protecting old-growth forests is detrimental to rural communities, to the realization that protecting nearby old-growth forests greatly enhances and secures the economic future of communities”, stated Ken Wu, executive director of the Ancient Forest Alliance.
 
“Tourists are coming to see old-growth forests in BC, not clearcuts or tree plantations. Next only to the redwoods of California, the old-growth forests of British Columbia are the grandest forests on planet Earth, with trees as wide as living rooms and as tall as downtown skyscrapers. But time is running out and we need the province to break from their status quo policy of old-growth forest liquidation and to instead develop a new plan to protect our remaining old-growth forests to support tourism, endangered species, clean water, wild salmon, climate stability, and First Nations cultures, while ensuring a sustainable second-growth forest industsry”, stated TJ Watt, Ancient Forest Alliance photographer and campaigner.
 
MORE BACKGROUND INFO:
 
• See photos of some of BC’s largest old-growth trees at: www.ancientforestalliance.org/photos.php?gID=1
 
• See spectacular photos of the Walbran Valley at: www.ancientforestalliance.org/photos.php?gID=7
 
 
 
• See a recent Youtube clip using drone footage over the Central Walbran at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyMPXHOjlK0
 
• See “before and after” maps and stats of the southern coast’s old-growth forests at: www.ancientforestalliance.org/old-growth-maps.php  
 
(*** Note: News media are free to reprint and repost all photos, maps, and videos. Photo credit to “TJ Watt” if possible)
 
Port Renfrew, formerly a logging town, has been transformed in recent years into a big tree tourism destination as hundreds of thousands of tourists have come from around the world to visit some of Canada’s largest trees in the nearby Avatar Grove, the Red Creek Fir (the world’s largest Douglas-fir tree), Big Lonely Doug (Canada’s 2nd largest Douglas-fir tree), San Juan Spruce (until recently Canada’s largest Sitka spruce tree – its top broke off in a recent storm unfortunately), the Harris Creek spruce (one of the largest Sitka spruce trees in Canada), and the endangered Central Walbran Valley.
 
Across the province, tourists are coming to see old-growth forests such as Clayoquot Sound by Tofino (including Meares Island, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Flores Island), Cathedral Grove near Port Alberni, Avatar Grove by Port Renfrew, the Koksilah Ancient Forest near Duncan, the Carmanah and Walbran Valleys near Lake Cowichan, Cape Scott and the North Coast Trail near Port Hardy, the Nootka Trail near Gold River, the Elaho Valley near Squamish, Cheakamus Lake near Whistler, Sumallo Grove near Hope, the Giant Cedar Trail near Revelstoke, the Ancient Forest Trail near Prince George, the south end of Chilliwack Lake, Capilano Canyon in North Vancouver, and Stanley Park in Vancouver. Numerous other old-growth forests are on the chopping block but have tremendous economic potential if they were left standing
 
While over 60% of the province is forested, most of the province’s forests are considered to be of low to no commercial value due to the small, stunted trees growing at high elevations, on steep rocky slopes with minimal soil, in vast coastal bogs and muskeg, and in far northern cold landscapes. The productive forests with the larger trees and where most conservation battles have occurred constitute a minority fraction of the province in the warmer valleys and lower elevations – while productive old-growth forests constitute an even smaller subset of these forests after a century of high-grade harvesting.
 
On BC’s southern coast (Vancouver Island and the southwest mainland), 75% of the original, productive old-growth forests have already been logged, including over 90% of the valley bottoms where the largest trees grow. 3.3 million hectares of productive old-growth forests once stood on the southern coast (with an additional 2.2 million hectares of bog, subalpine forests, and other low productivity old-growth forests of low to no commercial value with stunted trees), and today only 860,000 hectares remain, while only 260,000 hectares are protected in parks and Old-Growth Management Areas. Second-growth forests now dominate 75% of the southern coast’s productive forest lands, including 90% of southern Vancouver Island, and can be sustainably logged to support the forest industry.  See “before and after” maps and stats of the southern coast’s old-growth forests at: www.ancientforestalliance.org/old-growth-maps.php   
 
Much of the recent momentum for protecting old-growth forests has been driven by concern over the fate of the Central Walbran Valley near Port Renfrew. The Central Walbran Valley’s old-growth temperate rainforest has long been an area of public interest since hiking trails were built in the valley in 1990. In 1994, the BC government protected the Lower Walbran Valley, about 5500 hectares, as part of the larger Carmanah-Walbran Provincial Park, but left out the Central Walbran Valley (500 hectares) and the Upper Walbran Valley (7,000 hectares) from the park. Since then, most of the Upper Walbran has been heavily tattered by logging, but the Central Walbran remains largely intact. However, eight new cutblocks are planned in the Central Walbran, of which one (cutblock 4424) has been approved by the province. The Central Walbran Valley lies on Crown (public) land in the territory of the Pacheedaht band in Tree Farm Licence 46 held by licensee Teal-Jones.
Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce President Dan Hager stands before the Emerald Giant in the Central Walbran Valley.

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

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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…):
 
PROTECTING OLD GROWTH RAINFORESTS TO THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF TOURISM-BASED COMMUNITIES 
 
Opening Statement 
 
Old-growth forests in many parts of the province are important for supporting tourism, recreation, scenery, wildlife, clean water, and wild fisheries, and enhancing nearby property values. Large numbers of tourists from around the world visit the province’s old-growth forests every year. 
 
Perhaps the grandest stand of unprotected old-growth forest in the province is the 500 hectare Central Walbran Valley near Port Renfrew on southern Vancouver Island. Port Renfrew has recently been dubbed as the “Tall Trees Capital of Canada”, and the tourism industry and numerous businesses in Port Renfrew and beyond stand to benefit significantly if the Central Walbran Valley was protected by the province as one of the world’s finest old-growth forest showcases. In many areas of the province, the local economies stand to receive a greater net economic benefit over the foreseeable future by keeping their nearby old-growth forests standing. 
 
Background 
 
Old-growth forests have significant economic, social, and environmental value as tourism resources, wildlife habitat, carbon sinks, clean water sources for fisheries, and are important parts of many First Nations cultures. Old-growth forests today are in scarce supply in much of BC, such as on southern Vancouver Island, where about 90% of the productive old-growth forests have been logged south of Port Alberni. Demand by the tourism industry is high for many remaining old-growth stands. 
 
Port Renfrew has been transformed in recent years into an old-growth forest tourism destination as thousands of visitors are coming from around the world to visit some of the world’s largest trees and grandest groves in places like the Avatar Grove, Central Walbran Valley, Red Creek Fir, Big Lonely Doug, San Juan Spruce, and Harris Creek Spruce. Visitor expenditures by tourists coming to visit old-growth forests near Port Renfrew also generate revenues in other BC communities, including Vancouver, Victoria, Sooke, Lake Cowichan, Duncan, Ladysmith, and Nanaimo. Many tourists fly, boat, or drive into BC from international destinations to see the old-growth forests. The appeal of the tall trees is attracting significant investment into Port Renfrew, including generating a boom in the real estate market as new residents and real estate investors focus their attention on the town with its surrounding natural beauty and enhanced tourism appeal.
 
Near Port Renfrew on Crown land, the Walbran Valley is 13,000 hectares in extent, of which 5500 hectares lie within the Carmanah-Walbran Provincial Park and the other 7500 hectares lie outside the park. A 500-hectare area, known as the Central Walbran Ancient Forest, is the most intact and recreationally significant portion of the valley and lies outside the park. Thousands of people have visited the Walbran Valley for recreation. The valley lies on Crown land in the traditional territory of the Pacheedaht First Nation band and is currently within existing forestry plans. The most heavily visited areas in the Walbran Valley lie outside of the park in the Central Walbran. This includes the Upper and Lower Castle Grove, Emerald Pool, Fletcher Falls, Summer Crossing, Bridge Camp, Tolkien Giant, Karst Giant, and much more. 
 
Significantly greater numbers of visitors can be expected to visit the region if the area is protected. Across British Columbia, many local communities economically would stand to receive a greater net benefit in revenues and jobs over the ensuing decades from the protection of key old-growth forests in their region. 
 
Perhaps a most vital example of the economic value of protecting the old growth forest can be demonstrated in an anecdote from our Community. Port Renfrew has for many years been known as the location on the south coast of Vancouver Island for excellent sport fishing. Fishermen come from all over North America to fish out of San Juan Bay and out to Swiftsure Banks. However, because of its exposure to the open ocean and limited marina facilities the fishing in Port Renfrew is seasonal and until recently the Community was busy only from May long weekend until mid-September. October to April in Port Renfrew was quiet. The restaurants closed or kept limited hours and people moved away for the winter to find work and other opportunities. 
 
In February of 2012, the Ancient Forest Alliance was successful in rallying the BC government to protect a spectacular ancient forest only a few kilometers from Port Renfrew called Avatar Grove. The designation by the Province gathered much media attention and by summer, visitors were flooding to Port Renfrew to see the massive trees and to hike in the pristine old-growth forest. Since that summer, local accommodation providers in Port Renfrew have reported that demand for accommodations has increased 75% to 100% year over year. What is especially noteworthy is that the off-season activity has steadily increased when sport fishing charters are not operating or operating on a limited schedule. Thanks to the trees, Port Renfrew is no longer a one-industry tourism town and has been able to successfully brand itself the “Tall Tree Capital of Canada”. 
 
In 2012 a kayaking company in Discovery Islands did an illuminating economic analysis. It calculated the economic value of 60 hectares of timber scheduled to be logged above and around the kayaking base camp across from the world-famous Robson Bight. It was determined that the value of the 60 hectares of timber was worth about $3,600,000.00. Since the regeneration cycle meant the area could be cut only once every 60 years, the yearly economic value of the timber was $60,000. The economic value to the kayaking company, however, was $416,000 per year, or $24,960,000 for the same 60-year period. In stark contrast to the approximately 300 person-days employment from logging the 60 hectares just once, the kayaking company provided 20,160 person-days of employment during the 60-year cycle. And this simple economic analysis didn’t include the employment and earnings for the 40 other ecotourism businesses using the same area. 
 
THE CHAMBER RECOMMENDS That the Provincial Government: 
 
1. Support the increased protection of old-growth forests in areas of the province where they have or can likely have a greater net economic value for communities if they are left standing for the next generation and beyond. 
 
2. Protect endangered old-growth forests by enacting new regulations such as an Old-Growth Management Area, Wildlife Habitat Area, or Land Use Order, with the intent to eventually legislate permanent protection for areas through provincial park or conservancies. 
 
Submitted by the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce 

‘Insane Damage’: Activist Accuses Logger of Breaking Disclosure Law

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An environmental activist says that for six months Lemare Lake Logging Ltd. has failed to meet the legal requirement to show him the company's plans for logging on publicly owned land in the East Creek valley on northern Vancouver Island.

British Columbia's Forest and Range Practices Act says that companies must make their site plans “publicly available on request at any reasonable time” at their offices.

“I've been asking for that for six months,” said Mark Worthing, a biodiversity and forestry campaigner with the Sierra Club of B.C. “They're barring access to us, obviously because they don't like us.”

A company official took a message from The Tyee on Wednesday, but the call was not returned by publication time.

A forest ministry spokesperson said the province is keeping an eye on the logging in East Creek and that it's being done properly.

Worthing wants to see for himself. He said he's had a representative visit Lemare's office in Port McNeill unannounced and he's tried setting up meetings ahead of time, but so far has not been shown a site plan. “We were given the run around for half a year,” he said. “In that time they've managed to log like it's 1920.”

Scrutiny needed, says activist

East Creek borders Mquqᵂin / Brooks Peninsula Provincial Park on the west side of northern Vancouver Island. Logging in the area has been controversial since at least 2003, when the Wilderness Committee campaigned to protect it.

Worthing said the area is ecologically rich, with one of the last unprotected old growth forests on Vancouver Island. It is home to northern goshawks, marbled murrelets, five species of Pacific salmon and many other plants and animals, he said.

“This is untouched rainforest,” Worthing said. “Generally speaking, logging it at all is heinous.”

But when he and others visited East Creek in October, the logging they observed wasn't up to modern standards, he said. Roads were poorly built, streams were damaged and culturally modified trees may have been logged.

“As soon as we saw it, it was pretty insane,” he said. “Everything [there] is grand in scale and so is the damage.”

Worthing tried to look further into the plans for the area, but those attempts were frustrated by the company's refusal to share the site plans, he said. “Civil society or the public can't even do their job to scrutinize what's happening on Crown land,” he said. “Without public access, there can't be public scrutiny.”

He said he complained to the government, but that they never reported back to him on what they did. A couple weeks ago he also complained to the Forest Practices Board, he said.

Ongoing inspections, says gov't

Steve Thomson, the minister for Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, was unavailable for an interview.

The minister can levy up to a $10,000 fine for a failure to provide access to a site plan under the Forest and Range Practices Act, a spokesperson said in an emailed statement. In this case, however, the ministry believed the matter had been resolved, he said.

“In January, the ministry's Compliance and Enforcement branch had discussions with the Sierra Club,” the statement said. “At that time, Sierra Club indicated that while they had initial problems getting access to the site plans, arrangements had been made with the licensee to visit with them in their office and view the plans.”

Worthing said there was a meeting arranged, but the company cancelled it and rescheduled, then cancelled again and rescheduled. “I proceeded to get the run around,” he said.

The ministry spokesperson also said that the government has been actively monitoring logging in the area. “So far in 2016, the ministry's Compliance and Enforcement branch has conducted over 10 inspections in the East Creek area including road maintenance and construction, streams and riparian reserves, culturally modified trees, timber transport and scale site inspections,” he said.

While inspectors found a few “non-compliances” with regulations for timber marking and roads, the licensee has addressed the issues, he said, adding that ministry staff will continue inspections in areas where there is active logging.

There are targets for the amount of old growth to be protected throughout the 5,012 hectare watershed, and sections of the valley are protected as marbled murrelet habitat (896 hectares, plus another 151 hectares proposed) and ungulate winter range (93 hectares), he said. There's also a 744 hectare wildlife habitat area that includes the creek itself.

Sierra Club wants science-based plan

Jens Wieting, a forest campaigner with the Sierra Club, said that for Vancouver Island there is no science-based plan for forestry like the one that was recently agreed to for the Great Bear rainforest on B.C.'s mid-coast.

“It's like night and day,” he said, noting the land use plan covering East Creek is from 1993 and outdated. “We have almost no conservation based on science on Vancouver Island.”

He said logging in East Creek, which he estimates is at about 100 hectares a year, is an “extreme example” of what's wrong with forestry on Vancouver Island. “[We are] asking the B.C. government to take action to put logging on hold in the area because it's clear there's no due diligence whatsoever.”

The Sierra Club's Worthing said that at the current rate of logging there will be no old growth forests left on Vancouver Island in another 20 years, so it would make sense for the government to act now to save what's left.

“They have no plan for the end of old growth logging,” he said. “They're literally just going to log it until it's gone.”

Read more: https://thetyee.ca/News/2016/05/27/East-Creek-Valley-Cuts/

Save the Walbran Tour Victoria

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Have fun while supporting the protection of the endangered Walbran Valley this Friday, May 27th at the White Eagle Hall in James Bay as part of the Save the Walbran Tour! There will be great local musicians as well as information booths to learn more about how you can help out! Tickets $20 at Lyle's Place. The tour is being hosted by local organizers in conjunction with several non-profits and community initiatives.  For more info see: https://www.facebook.com/events/1102443283130908/

The Save the Walbran Tour is also happening on SALTSPRING, May 28 (Featuring Kinnie Starr, Downtown Mischief, Joy District, Barefoot Theives) – see: https://www.facebook.com/events/599599783539460/

And CUMBERLAND June 3 (Featuring Mat The Alien, Downtown Mischief, Bousada) – see: https://www.facebook.com/events/1071161182925308/

Ancient Forest Alliance

ELF sets up new protest camp, wins backing from Sierra Club

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The Elphinstone Logging Focus is working to stop a BC Timber Sales (a BC government-directed logging cutblock) cutblock in the biologically rich mature forests on the slopes of Mount Elphinstone near Gibsons. You can see their website here: www.loggingfocus.org

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Elphinstone Logging Focus (ELF) is making another effort to stop, or at least delay, the auctioning of a BC Timber Sales (BCTS) cutblock on the slopes of Mount Elphinstone.

Block A87125 is in the area ELF calls “Twist and Shout Forest.” It’s also within the boundaries of what the group is hoping will someday become an expanded Mount Elphinstone Provincial Park.

ELF’s Ross Muirhead told Coast Reporter a 24/7 camp was set up last weekend on an old spur road that accesses the cutblock. He said the group plans to hold events at what they’ve dubbed “Elphinstone Forest Protection Camp” throughout the summer.

The group has backing from Sierra Club BC, which issued a statement Wednesday calling for the province to “rescind the auctioning of this cutblock and commence a comprehensive park expansion/connectivity implementation process through engagement with the Squamish and shíshálh nations and local communities.”

ELF was instrumental in getting BCTS to delay the auction of the cutblock last year.

In a Factsheet published May 18, the Ministry of Forest, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (FLNRO) said, “A87125 comprises second-growth forest on Mount Elphinstone, and specific measures incorporated into the design of A87125 that go above and beyond legal requirements include: buffering a popular mountain bike trail from harvest; placing additional setbacks on streams; and retaining veteran Douglas-fir trees that survived historical fire and logging.”

FLNRO also notes that “the province has no plans to expand the existing park,” and it’s been talking with First Nations, local governments and community groups since it added A87125 to its harvesting plan.

ELF released a statement just before setting up the protest camp, quoting a 2015 study it commissioned from biologist Wayne McCrory that concluded the area is worth preserving.

“If this cutblock is allowed to proceed it will take out approximately 30 hectares [74 acres] of prime older forests that’s already in between two former cutblocks,” ELF’s Hans Penner said in the statement. “We encouraged BCTS to look to the north outside the 2,000 hectare [4,942 acre proposed park expansion] across the Sechelt-Dakota Forest Service Road where harvesting can take place in actual tree farms. This reasonable request has been met with silence.”

The public comment period on the cutblock auction ended April 18, and the bidding is scheduled to end June 3. According to FLNRO, the successful bidder will have 11 months to start logging before the licence expires.

Read more: https://www.coastreporter.net/news/local-news/elf-sets-up-new-protest-camp-wins-backing-from-sierra-club-1.2263907

New entrance at the Lower Avatar Grove.

Photo Gallery: Avatar Grove Boardwalk 2016 – New Entrance to Lower Grove

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Over the May long weekend, a group of core boardwalk volunteers got together to complete a beautiful new entrance to the Lower Avatar Grove. This includes a 10ft wide viewing platform with an incredible view overlooking the old-growth forest as well as a safe and long-lasting set of stairs leading off the road to replace the old ones. It was a lot of hard work to say the least! 

See the photo gallery here: https://bit.ly/1ViQ2aM

A huge thanks goes out to Scott Harris for engineering the design, Matthew Varley for leading much of the build and custom fabricating the key metal supports, Ron Krachenfels for adding his knowledge, labour, and expertise, Matt Johnson and Jeremy David for their hard work, and boardwalk coordinator TJ Watt for organizing and helping build as well. 

We're on the home stretch now of boardwalk construction and aim to complete the project this summer, which will include a launch ceremony in the coming months! To donate towards the project and help us finish, please visit: https://16.52.162.165/avatar-grove-boardwalk-now-completed-and-open/ ($100 sponsors 1 meter of boardwalk). The boardwalk is neccessary to protect the grove's ecological integrity and enhance visitor access and safety. Thank you so much to everyone who has supported the project so far!! We couldn't have done it without you. Photos: TJ Watt

Ancient Forest Alliance

The WestShore Chamber of Commerce Supports Port Renfrew’s Call for the Protection of the Central Walbran Valley’s Old-Growth Forest

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For Immediate Release
May 19, 2016

Media Release: The WestShore Chamber of Commerce Supports Port Renfrew’s Call for the Protection of the Central Walbran Valley’s Old-Growth Forest

The WestShore Chamber of Commerce (https://westshore.bc.ca/), representing almost 400 businesses in the western suburbs of Victoria and across the Capital Regional District, is supporting the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce’s call to the province to protect the Central Walbran Valley’s old-growth forests. In addition, the Sooke Chamber of Commerce, the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC) representing 51 cities, towns, and regional districts, and the councils of Victoria, Metchosin, and Tofino, have also joined the call to protect the Central Walbran Valley and/or Vancouver Island’s remaining old-growth forests.

Victoria, British Columbia – Conservationists are delighted that the WestShore Chamber of Commerce, representing almost 400 businesses in the western suburbs of Victoria has issued a letter in support of the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce’s request to the province of British Columbia that it protect the Central Walbran Valley from old-growth logging.

Hundreds of thousands of tourists have come from across Canada, Europe, the USA, and jurisdictions around the world in recent years to visit some of Canada’s largest trees on southern Vancouver Island, near the town of Port Renfrew. Visitors are coming to see the Avatar Grove, Red Creek Fir (the world’s largest Douglas-fir tree), Big Lonely Doug (Canada’s 2nd largest Douglas-fir tree), San Juan Spruce (until recently Canada’s largest Sitka spruce tree – its top broke off in a recent storm unfortunately), Harris Creek spruce (one of the largest Sitka spruce trees in Canada), and the Central Walbran Valley.

The growing numbers of visitors coming to see ancient forests are supporting local businesses as they pay for meals, accommodations, transportation, entertainment, and services, including in the Victoria region, on their way to and from Tall Tree hotspots.

• See spectacular photos of the Walbran at: www.ancientforestalliance.org/photos.php?gID=7

And https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.886074168153838.1073741889.823970554364200&type=3

And https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.973573459403908.1073741896.823970554364200&type=3

• See a recent Youtube clip using drone footage over the Central Walbran at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyMPXHOjlK0

• See this 2012 video when a similar attempt to log near Castle Grove was held off, only to return recently: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHnG_sC4oms

“Our understanding is that old growth forests represent a vital part of our multi-billion dollar coastal tourism industry, and the Walbran Valley is a key area for preservation due to its spectacular beauty, gigantic trees, and accessibility. Every year tourists are attracted to the area from around the world to explore the wild west coast, including some of the tallest trees in the world. This increasing eco-tourism generates revenue every year and directly supports local businesses throughout the region as visitors pay for meals, accommodations, transportation, and entertainment on their way to and from Tall Tree hotspots. We fully expect that West Shore businesses are currently benefiting from this tourist traffic,” stated Joshua Schmidt, Projects & Relations Manager for the WestShore Chamber of Commerce.

“Our temperate coastal rainforests are home to about the greatest per hectare biomass and some of the biggest trees in the world. As old growth forests continue to be logged worldwide the local forests we preserve will only increase in demand and value. Our belief at the WestShore Chamber is that the ecological and economic value of protecting these last old growth forests far exceeds the monetary value of its lumber.”

The Central Walbran Valley’s old-growth temperate rainforest has long been an area of public interest since hiking trails were built in the valley in 1990. In 1994, the BC government protected the Lower Walbran Valley, about 5500 hectares, as part of the larger Carmanah-Walbran Provincial Park, but left out the Central Walbran Valley (500 hectares) and the Upper Walbran Valley (7,000 hectares) from the park. Since then, most of the Upper Walbran has been heavily tattered by logging, but the Central Walbran remains largely intact. However, eight new cutblocks are planned in the Central Walbran, of which one (cutblock 4424) has been approved by the province. The Central Walbran Valley lies on Crown (public) land in the territory of the Pacheedaht band in Tree Farm Licence 46 held by licensee Teal-Jones.

On BC’s southern coast (Vancouver Island and the southwest mainland), 75% of the original, productive old-growth forests have already been logged, including over 90% of the valley bottoms where the largest trees grow. 3.3 million hectares of productive old-growth forests once stood on the southern coast, and today 860,000 hectares remain, while only 260,000 hectares are protected in parks and Old-Growth Management Areas. Second-growth forests now dominate 75% of Vancouver Island’s productive forest lands, including 90% of southern Vancouver Island, and can be sustainably logged to support the forest industry. See maps and stats at: www.ancientforestalliance.org/old-growth-maps.php

Over the past few months, the Port Renfrew, Sooke, and WestShore Chambers of Commerce have spoken up for the protection of the old-growth forests in the Walbran Valley, while the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC) and the councils of Victoria, Metchosin, and Tofino have also passed resolutions for the protection of the Walbran or all of Vancouver Island’s remaining old-growth forests.

Thank You to our Supporters for April’s Benefit Events!

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THANK YOU for the many events organized for Earth Day and throughout April that supported the AFA in raising funds and awareness! Thanks to ROOT Victoria organized by Frances Lindner, Creatively United for the Planet organized by Frances Litman, Love the Earth with Sitka, Earth Day with Patagonia Vancouver, Vancouver Earth Day Parade & Celebration organized by Youth for Climate Justice Now, and All Beings Confluence hosted by Clare Attwell at Cadboro Bay United Church and co-founder Martha Cole. We are also incredibly grateful for the Vancouver screening of Hadwin’s Judgement, an amazing documentary based on the book The Golden Spruce by John Vaillant, organized as a benefit for the AFA and attended by 400 people! Huge thanks to Ariane Tisseur who organized this momentous event, Elizabeth Yake (producer) and Doug Chapman (lead actor) for supporting the event and attending as special guests, Angelina Thielmann for emceeing, the Rio Theatre, the raffle donors, and all who attended.

We are so grateful to all the passionate, dedicated organizers who are working to amplify efforts to protect BC’s endangered ancient forests!

WestShore Chamber of Commerce joins call for protection of Central Walbran Valley

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Great News! The WestShore Chamber of Commerce representing almost 400 businesses in the western communites of Victoria in Langford, Colwood, Metchosin, View Royal, and Highlands, has joined the Port Renfrew and Sooke Chambers of Commerce calling on the provincial government to protect the old-growth forests of the endangered Central Walbran Valley for tourism. Unfortunately, the link to the letter is unavailable, but please see their website here.

‘Tree Huggers’ Documentary

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Here's a new documentary by Capilano College film student Jordie Yeager, with the help of her fellow students, on the battle for Vancouver Island's old-growth forests, with a focus on the endangered Central Walbran Valley! See here: https://vimeo.com/164476946