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AFA campaigner and photographer TJ Watt presents at a previous AFA slideshow.

AFA Slideshow at Nanoose Library Hall – Thursday, Oct. 10th, 7pm.

Sep 28 2013/in Announcements

When: Thursday October 10th, 2013
Time: 7:00-8:30 pm
Where: Nanoose Library Hall. 2489 Nanoose Rd. Vancouver Island.

Join the Ancient Forest Alliance’s TJ Watt for a slideshow presentation on the current status, ecology, wildlife, and related policies that affect BC’s old-growth forests and how we can work to ensure a sustainable, value-added, second-growth forest industry. Updated photos and maps from BC’s coastal old-growth forests.

Thank you to the Nanoose Naturalists for hosting us: www.nanoosenaturalists.org

Anti-logging blockade aims to protect Chilcotin moose

Sep 28 2013/in News Coverage

Members of the Tsilhqot’in First Nation have set up a blockade to stop logging southwest of Williams Lake, saying they’re worried about declining moose populations in the Chilcotin.

Chief Joe Alphonse, chair of the Tsilhqot’in government, says an area known as the “Big Meadow” was once an ideal moose habitat covered with lush forests of pine.

Now, the land has grown bare and the habitat has become fragmented due to the effects of mountain pine beetle infestation, and also due to logging.

“You fly over that area and there are not much trees left… there’s just little pockets here and there where moose can hide,” Alphonse said. “And you can potentially have ten hunting camps around every pile of bush left out in the Chilcotin, and that’s no way of preserving animals.”

Recent estimates by the province puts the moose population decline at 20 to 60 per cent throughout the Cariboo-Chilcotin region.

The B.C. government says it’s working with the Tsilhqot’in on implementing a number of conservation initiatives including updating hunting policies, revising the design of logging cutblocks and deactivating unused forestry roads.

View the original article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/anti-logging-blockade-aims-to-protect-chilcotin-moose-1.1871745

Ancient trees, historic sites at risk in Roberts Creek Headwaters Forest

Sep 26 2013/in News Coverage

Local environmental groups are calling on the BC government to establish an ecological reserve on approximately 15 hectares of endangered old-growth forest located on public (Crown) land at the headwaters of Roberts Creek. BC Timber Sales (BCTS) has applied to log DK045, the mid elevation old-growth yellow-cedar forest, located about seven kilometres northeast of Roberts Creek village. The group contends the forest’s proximity to Highway 101 makes it a high potential eco-tourism destination. With the sale of the block delayed until March, 2014 as BCTS awaits the results of an ecological and cultural survey by Ministry of Forest researchers.

“The proposed cutblocks, located between two designated Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHAs) created to protect threatened Marbled Murrelets, would split this habitat in half,” stated Ross Muirhead of Elphinstone Logging Focus (ELF), a Sunshine Coast forest protection group. “BCTS Planners must acknowledge that connectivity of existing WHAs is an important land-use objective and protect it either as a WHA extension or better still as an ecological reserve.”

The cutblock, located on Squamish First Nation traditional territory, falls within the area known as the Roberts Creek Headwaters Ancient Forest. The cutblock was first put up for sale in 2010. In July, 2012 after receiving photos from ELF members of what appeared to be culturally modified trees (CMT) within the block, the Archaeological Branch of BC requested the sale be halted. Professional archaeologists Jim Stafford and John Maxwell, contracted by ELF, visited the site in 2013 and confirmed the existence of 17 CMTs within the block. After the Archaeological Branch mapped out seven protected Archaeological Sites within the proposed cutblock, BCTS then applied for, and was granted, a ‘site alteration permit’ to cut down the CMTs.

Subsequently, ELF identified an exceptional stand of over 350 old-growth dependent Pacific Yew trees growing near the bases of yellow cedars. Gary Fletcher, of the Friends of Ecological Reserves, visited the site and nominated the Roberts Creek Headwaters Ancient Forest to the government as an Ecological Reserve to highlight this outstanding example of the old-growth dependent Pacific Yew.

Ancient Forest Alliance campaigner and photographer T.J. Watt states “This forest is regionally important to the Sunshine Coast. The BC government must set aside this forest and stop all logging of rare, endangered old-growth forests across the Province.”

Old-growth forests are vital for supporting endangered species, unique biodiversity, tourism, recreation, the climate, clean water, wild salmon, and First Nations cultures.

View the original article: www.thelocalweekly.ca/ancient-trees-historic-sites-at-risk-in-roberts-creek-headwaters-forest/