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After four years of work, the boardwalk at Avatar Grove is officially finished and ready to be enjoyed by the public. On Thursday, the Ancient Forest Alliance held a grand opening ceremony in Port Renfrew in celebration of the effort put in to building the boardwalk. 

Now it's open the Ancient Forest Alliance's Ken Wu says it's been great for eco-tourism. "That is a message for other rural communities to stand up for the ancient forest in your area. Maybe take a page out of Costa Rica's book and  take a step towards a sustainable economy and instead log second growth forest sustainably instead of logging the last of our ancient forests as well."

After 4 years of hard work, with the support of hundreds of volunteers and supporters, the Avatar Grove boardwalk near Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island has finally been completed by the Ancient Forest Alliance. The boardwalk protects the tree roots and vegetation from excessive trampling, enhances visitor safety, and supports the booming eco-tourism economy in the region by providing public access to one of the grandest old-growth forests in North America.

This weekend the boardwalk in the Avatar Grove will finally be finished construction after four years.

For the finishing touches, volunteers with the Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) will be building a new platform, stairs, steps, and walkways, and install signage, on the major project.

“The Avatar Grove’s real significance is that it serves as an example to other communities that protecting old-growth forests benefits the economy by hugely bolstering local businesses and jobs,” said Ken Wu, executive director of the Ancient Forest Alliance.“In helping to revitalize Port Renfrew’s economy, it has clearly counteracted the old, false narrative that saving old-growth forests harms the local economy. The Avatar Grove and its boardwalk have been the most important catalyst for B.C.’s ancient forest movement in recent times and have helped to shape the fate of endangered forests across the province.”

See full article in the Sooke News Mirror: https://www.sookenewsmirror.com/news/avatar-grove-boardwalk-construction-to-be-finished-this-weekend/

For Immediate Release

After 4 years of hard work, the Avatar Grove boardwalk near Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island is expected to be completed by the end of this coming long weekend. 

This weekend a team of volunteers with the Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) will undertake a final stint of boardwalk construction in the Avatar Grove. Volunteers will build a new platform, stairs, steps, and walkways, and install signage, finishing the major project. Located only 20 minutes from Port Renfrew, the Avatar Grove is home to one of the most spectacular and easily accessible stands of monumental old-growth trees in BC and has become among BC’s most popular old-growth forest tourism destinations, featured in numerous national and international media outlets. The completion of the boardwalk will enhance the public’s ability to explore the incredible ancient forest that helped the town rebrand itself as the “Tall Trees Capital of Canada.”

See a photo gallery showcasing the boardwalk construction from this past weekend: https://bit.ly/2vkskEN

See our media release at: https://staging.ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=1128

Volunteers Needed for Avatar Boardwalk Construction! 
July 29-30 & August 5-6-7 in Port Renfrew

The Ancient Forest Alliance is looking for dedicated, considerate, and capable volunteers to help finish constructing the Avatar Grove boardwalk. Volunteers must be able to follow instructions accurately, be in good health to do the work, and act safely and respectfully without exception. Activities may include carrying boardwalk planks, hammering nails, bucketing gravel, digging soil, moving rocks, etc. as well as having fun 🙂 Construction experience not necessary but those with building skills are an asset and we hope you can join us! 

If this sounds like you, please send an email with the subject line 'Boardwalk Volunteer - [your name & dates available]' to Boardwalk Coordinator TJ Watt at info@staging.ancientforestalliance.org 

Please include:
1) Your contact information (phone number)
2) Any relevant experience you may have
3) If you need a ride to Port Renfrew or can offer one
4) Any health limitations we should be aware of

Thanks!