Blog Archive Layout

Design AFA’s Next T-Shirt and Help Protect Old-Growth Forests!

May 15 2026/in Announcements

Ancient Forest Alliance is excited to launch our first-ever T-Shirt Design Contest! The winning design will be printed on our next t-shirt for our merchandise, with all proceeds supporting the protection of endangered ancient forests.

Whether you’re a painter, illustrator, graphic designer, doodler, or nature-loving creative, we hope you will consider creating art inspired by ancient forests in BC!

What we’re looking for:

We’re looking for a shirt design that is visually strong and reflects the beauty and grandeur of old-growth forests.

Designs should be bold, graphic, and suitable for one-colour printing (e.g. line-based or high-contrast styles rather than detailed paintings).
Must include only flora and fauna native to BC. We especially encourage iconic old-growth species such as western redcedar, Douglas-fir, Sitka spruce, and other plants found in coastal temperate rainforests.
Themes like big trees, famous trees, grand scale, biodiversity, human scale/connection with nature, and the value of standing forests are welcome.
If you feel inclined to include text, you may include simply “Ancient Forest Alliance” or other inspired text. We do, however, have specific language we use in our campaigns, and we reserve the right to edit/change/remove text if it doesn’t fit AFA’s style/tone.

Looking for inspiration?

Explore our design resources, including AFA logos, a moodboard, past merchandise designs, and imagery of old-growth. Our Old-Growth 101 and Educational pages are also great resources!

What you’ll win:

Your design printed on the next shirt to be added to AFA’s merchandise collection
Artist credit on the product page and relevant posts or newsletters
A thank you feature in our newsletter and social media
A free shirt and AFA merchandise bundle

Timeline

May 15, 2026: Submissions open
June 15, 2026 at 11:59 pm: Submissions closed
July 6–10, 2026: Winning design announced

Submission Requirements

Vector file (AI or SVG) required for final selection
No AI-generated designs
Max one colour, submitted with a black vector and a white one
Transparent background
Include a short (150-word max) artist statement
Confirm design is original work

Contest Terms & Conditions

By submitting a design, you confirm that:

The artwork is your original creation and does not infringe on any copyright, trademark, or intellectual property rights.
The artwork was not generated by artificial intelligence (AI).
You are 18 years or older (or have parental/guardian consent).
You grant Ancient Forest Alliance permission to display your submission for promotional purposes related to this contest & future merchandise.
Ancient Forest Alliance reserves the right to adapt artwork for print production (size, colour adjustments, minor formatting changes).

If selected as the winning design, you agree to:

Grant Ancient Forest Alliance exclusive, perpetual rights to reproduce, distribute, and sell the design on AFA products for fundraising for the campaign.
Provide a high-resolution production-ready file.
Allow your name to be used for artist credit (unless anonymity is requested).

Submissions are open from May 15, 2026 and close on June 15, 2026 at 11:59 pm. The winner will be messaged directly and announced the week of July 6–10, 2026.

Email your final design to the AFA team at info@ancientforestalliance.org with the subject: [Name] – T-Shirt Design 2026. Our team will shortlist top designs, with a potential public vote to help select the winner.

Earth Day: AFA Staff Hike Eden Grove and Big Lonely Doug!

May 6 2026/in Photo Gallery

For Earth Day this year, AFA staff stepped away from our desks to spend time in the forests we advocate for every day.

Travelling to Port Renfrew in Pacheedaht territory, we explored the incredible Eden Grove, one of the finest remaining unprotected tracts of valley-bottom old-growth forests on Vancouver Island. As we hiked through the grove, we enjoyed soaking in the early signs of spring: trillium emerging at the base of forest giants, budding salmonberries and huckleberries, the sweeping neon greens of fresh ferns, and the energetic call of a Pacific wren bouncing around the forest. The ancient forest is home to black bears, black-tailed deer, elusive cougars, threatened bird species, and more creatures big and small.

Of course, we also had to say hello to Big Lonely Doug next door – the iconic symbol of both the beauty and destruction of old-growth forests in BC. Before the forest around Doug was logged in 2011, this area was connected to the rest of Eden Grove and would have been one of the most impressive groves in existence.

Though many of these irreplaceable forests have been lost, we still have the chance to protect places like Eden Grove and the diverse wildlife that depends on them. Its exceptional beauty and proximity to Port Renfrew, Canada’s Tall-Tree Capital, could make it a world-renowned destination.

? See our Port Renfrew Hiking Guide for details on how to visit these areas.

? Join us in calling on the BC government to proactively work with First Nations to help secure the permanent protection of forests like these for our and future generations.

Thank you to these amazing business supporters!

May 5 2026/in Thank You

We’re deeply appreciative of the many creative ways our supporters help advance the movement to protect endangered old-growth forests in British Columbia. From monthly giving to donating a portion of their sales to workplace matching programs, there are so many ways to make a difference!

Thank you to:

Townline Homes and its employees, whose participation in a matching gift program resulted in a gift to Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA).
Nathan Hutchinson, who donates 100% of sales from his book, Evergreen, to environmental organizations, including AFA.
Kootenay Wildcrafting Company, which is a generous monthly donor.
ZULA Jewelry + Design, which donates a portion of sales of its Cedar Collection to the old-growth campaign.
Wild Life Illustration, which is 1% for the Planet contributor.
Living Forest Campground, which has been a dedicated supporter for the past half-decade.
Crag X Climbing, which featured AFA’s work in its Spring Fling Comp Thing campaign.

Your support and dedication have been paramount to AFA’s campaign success, and we’re extremely grateful! If you’re part of a business or foundation that shares our vision and would like to get involved, we’d love to hear from you. All business donations are tax-deductible. Contact us at info@ancientforestalliance.org or (250) 896-4007 to learn how you can support our efforts.