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Forest Alliance names old growth trees after Premier

Apr 23 2012/in News Coverage

The Giant Clark towers over other mighty trees in the Christy Clark Grove near Port Renfrew. In honour of Earth Day, the Ancient Forest Alliance is naming a recently found grove of near record-size old growth trees the “Christy Clark Grove.” Ken Wu with the Ancient Forest Alliance tells us the reason behind the naming.

“We’re hoping to motivate Premier Clark to protect the Christy Clark Grove. It would be unfortunate if she were to allow a grove named after her to get cut down. And, more importantly, I’m hoping that she will develop a plan to protect endangered old growth forests across BC.”

Wu says already 75 per cent of Vancouver Island’s productive old-growth forests have been logged, including 90 per cent of the biggest trees in the valley bottoms.

Original article: https://www.cfax1070.com

Eco-group hopes premier will protect ‘Christy Clark Grove’

Apr 23 2012/in News Coverage

The Ancient Forest Alliance is calling on Premier Christy Cark to protect a newly discovered and endangered old-growth forest that now bears her name.

The Christy Clark Grove — located on unprotected Crown land in the Gordon River Valley near Port Renfrew — rests 500 metres away from a sprawling swath of clearcut Douglas firs and red cedars that AFA co-founder T.J. Watt came across in early April after viewing satellite imagery of some of the last remaining old-growth forests on southern Vancouver Island.

“We’re dealing with the guts and feathers of an incredible rainforest that once covered our island,” Watt, 27, said Saturday from his home in nearby Metchosin.

“By naming this grove after Christy Clark, it helps draw the attention we need to help protect these areas,” he said.

Watt also discovered a Douglas fir with a circumference of 9.5 metres in the grove, making it Canada’s eighth-widest known Douglas fir.

Its name: The Clark Giant.

Watt said he and AFA co-founder Ken Wu are trying to pressure the provincial government into adopting an old-growth policy that will inventory ancient forests growing more scarce on Vancouver Island, the southern mainland of B.C., and the Interior.

The group also wants to see sustainable logging done to 2nd growth forests instead of logging the “biggest, best valley-bottom trees,” said Watts.

According to the AFA, 75 per cent of the Island’s productive old-growth forests have been logged, including 90 per cent of the biggest trees in the valley bottoms.

Christy Clark Grove is not far from Avatar Grove — named and brought to public’s attention by the AFA in December 2009, when some of the trees were due to be harvested.

After an increase in public pressure and an influx of tourists wanting to look at the big trees, the grove was protected by the provincial government.

“[Clark] holds the state of her own grove in her hands,” said Watt. “If she chooses to not protect the endangered Christy Clark Grove, or other old-growth forests, then her own grove will fall.”

Clark could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Group names old-growth grove after Christy Clark

Apr 23 2012/in News Coverage

An endangered forests advocacy group has named an old growth grove after Premier Christy Clark in a move to protect the greenery.

Ancient Forest Alliance said one of the giant trees is recorded as Canada’s eighth largest Douglas fir, and named it the “Clark Giant” on Sunday’s Earth Day.

The “Christy Clark Grove” is located on unprotected Crown land on Vancouver Island in the Gordon River Valley. According to the organization — which is asking the province to create an ‘old-growth strategy’ for B.C. — the ‘Giant’ measures in at three metres in diameter. A second tree, a red cedar nicknamed the ‘Gnarly Clark,’ measures in at four metres wide.

“We’re still waiting on the B.C. government to show some leadership to create a conservation legacy in B.C. for our endangered old-growth forests, and to end raw log exports,” said campaigner Ken Wu.

“We want to give credit for good things. But we’re also prepping for a potential major battle in the lead-up to the B.C. elections where there will be no prisoners taken if need be.”

Clark’s office did not return calls by press time.

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