Blog Archive Layout

Redwood Sorrel

Jul 4 2022/in Educational

Looking like an oversized clover, the redwood sorrel (oxalis oregana) is one of BC’s loveliest and rarest rainforest plants, found only in a few scattered sites on Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii.

Because they have adapted to live on the shady forest floor, these plants are actually light-sensitive and will fold their leaves to protect themselves from intense sunlight. When the late afternoon sun creeps into a sorrel colony, the lucky observer will see thousands of leaves folding to ward off the glare.

On Vancouver Island, these exceedingly rare old-growth sorrel gardens reach their most magnificent expression in the Klanawa Valley in Huu-ay-aht territory. In these enchanted groves along the banks of the Klanawa River, delicate carpets of sorrel flowers and fairybell lilies are braided with wildlife trails made by Roosevelt elk, black bears, and coastal wolves, giving the impression of a manicured garden and trails deep in the rainforest. The idyllic forest scenes here are among the most beautiful we have ever encountered.

Canada’s fourth-widest tree located in North Vancouver, estimated to be over 1000 years old

Jun 28 2022/in News Coverage

June 27, 2022
City News
By Monika Gul

A tree recently located in a remote and rugged area of Lynn Headwaters Regional Park may be the fourth widest in Canada. The western redcedar is well over 1,000 years old and 5.8 metres wide, according to a preliminary measurement.

One of the widest trees in Canada was found in the Lynn Valley area of North Vancouver.

The tree, nicknamed “The North Shore Giant”, was located by Colin Spratt, a Vancouver big-tree hunter, and Ian Thomas of the Ancient Forest Alliance.

Thomas said he was completely awestruck when he came across the ancient western redcedar in the Lynn Headwaters Regional Park.

“It really resonates with you, for me, at least deeply spiritually to encounter one of the these ancient beings that has survived over the centuries,” says Thomas.

“It’s sort of a deep spiritual reverence, I would say, as well as a total kind of giddy excitement to be able to be in the presence of something like this.”

Thomas said the tree is measured at 5.8 metres (19.1 feet) and they are “very confident (it is) over 1000 years old.”

He added that the measurements are tentative, and an official measurement will be done in the future.

Thomas said while the North Shore Giant is in a safe place, redcedar all over BC are in danger without protection from being cut down.

“The lion’s share of my work is really looking for these unprotected groves and working to try and protect them.”

Thomas said they are calling for the government to invest around $300 million to help ensure the safety of the trees.

“They’re incredibly important for the climate, for the ecology of the wide variety of local species, as well as for tourism and culture. And so what’s really important is that the government invests in protecting these forests.”

According to the Ancient Forest Alliance, 90% of the high productivity old-growth forests with the biggest trees and over 80% of the medium productivity old-growth forests have been logged in BC.

Read the original article.

CBC News Vancouver: North Shore Giant

Jun 28 2022/in News Coverage

CBC News Vancouver has featured AFA’s Ian Thomas and Vancouver big tree hunter, Colin Spratt on their recent finding of a record-sized western redcedar nicknamed the “North Shore Giant”. See 20:20 in this video clip: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2047159363721/

Thankfully, the tree and the ancient forest surrounding it, are protected in the remote reaches of Vancouver’s Lynn Headwaters Regional Park in the territory of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations and not at risk of being cut down. But unprotected ancient forests all over BC aren’t as lucky.

In order to help protect forests still at risk, the BC government must establish a dedicated fund of at least $300 million to support Indigenous-led protected areas initiatives and land-use plans that protect at-risk old-growth forests, Indigenous Guardians programs, and the sustainable economic diversification of First Nations communities in lieu of old-growth logging. Budget 2023 would be a perfect opportunity for them to allocate these funds.

➡️Send a message to the BC government calling for this critical funding: https://staging.ancientforestalliance.org/funding-send-a-message/

Read our full Media Release: https://staging.ancientforestalliance.org/north-shore-giant-canadas-fourth-widest-tree/

Ian Thomas of the Ancient Forest Alliance beside the North Shore Giant, the 4th widest tree in Canada, newly identified in a remote corner of Lynn Valley in North Vancouver. Photo Credit Colin Spratt.