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A large group of hikers crowd around the massive redcedar dubbed "Canada's Gnarliest Tree" during an Ancient Forest Alliance led public hike to the Avatar Grove in summer 2010.

BREAKING NEWS: AVATAR GROVE might get SAVED – Please WRITE a LETTER now!!

Yesterday BC’s Forests Minister Pat Bell announced that he is considering protecting the endangered Avatar Grove near Port Renfrew, and is also looking at developing new legal tools to increase protection of exceptional ancient trees and old-growth stands in BC. This would be an important step forward!
Announcements
Avatar Grove

Forest Practices Board Report – BC’s Ancient Forests Need More Protection

In response to a complaint filed about ancient redcedars up to 16ft in diameter being logged near Port Renfrew, BC, the Forest Practices Board, a third party government-appointed watchdog, has concluded that there is 'strong public interest' in seeing giant trees and unique stands of old-growth forest protected and that the BC government has the tools to do so.
Announcements
The highly endangered Spotted owl. An estimated 5 individuals are thought to exist still in the wild.

B.C. needs endangered species legislation

Super, natural British Columbia is awesome, with more than 4,373 known forms of life. At more than double the size of the state of California, B.C. is breathtaking.
News Coverage
Hikers gather around the largest alien shaped cedar in the Lower Avatar Grove

BC Government considers protecting "Avatar Grove"

"Certainly we have been hearing the message for some time from different organizations that we should be considering some tools, perhaps new tools that we could use when particularly unique trees are identified. They may be individual tees or small areas like the Avatar Grove that provide incremental value over and above the timber resource value," Bell said.
News Coverage
AFA Campaign Director Ken Wu stands beside one of the Avatar Grove's largest redcedars.

Times Colonist – Thumbs Up To the Forest Practices Board

Voluntary efforts by forest companies answerable to shareholders aren't enough, but the report is a start toward real protection for trees with historic significance every bit as real as ancient ruins.
News Coverage
Flagging tape marked "Falling Boundary" in the lower Avatar Grove when the forest was initially surveyed for logging.

BC Government considers protecting the Avatar Grove and Ancient Trees

Forests Minister Pat Bell’s statements comes on the heels of a new Forest Practices Board report released on Thursday that calls on the BC government and industry to seek “creative ways” to save ancient trees, that the land-use policy framework exists for the BC government to readily protect the Avatar Grove
Media Release
A massive redcedar in the endangered Avatar Grove near Port Renfrew

Group Optimistic About Government Considering Protection of Old Growth Forests

The forest practices board made a recommendation that BC should find creative ways to protect monumental trees and ancient forest stands. This is the government's watchdog. They appointed the body to review forestry in BC and now their own watchdog is saying we need to move farther to save our old growth forests
News Coverage
Liberal MP Keith Martin stands on top of a massive

Forestry Watchdog Concludes Strong Public Interest for Saving Ancient Forests and that BC Government can Readily Protect Avatar Grove

This report brings the welcome conclusions that there is 'strong public interest' in protecting our extremely rare, monumental stands of coastal ancient forests like the Avatar Grove, and that the BC government has the legal mechanisms to quickly protect them – if they have the political will
Media Release
The stump of a 14ft diameter old-growth redcedar freshly cut in 2010 found along the Gordon River near Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island.

Companies urged to conserve ancient trees

"This complaint highlights the strong public interest in seeing more ancient trees and forest stands preserved to live out their natural lives and functions, and managed as a social, economic and ecological asset to the public and surrounding communities," said board chair Al Gorley.
News Coverage
Avatar Grove

Forests minister to protect ancient trees

The minister's acknowledgment that more needs to be done to protect monumental trees is not exactly a revelation. Environmental groups, particularly the Ancient Forest Alliance and the Wilderness Committee have been pushing for it for years.
News Coverage