TJ Watt stands beside a giant redcedar in Jurassic Grove on a foggy day.

Photos: Jurassic Grove in the Fog

/in /by

A mystical day in the woods at Jurassic Grove near Port Renfrew in Pacheedaht territory. Exploring this incredible grove of old-growth redcedar trees was like stepping back into prehistoric times.

On this particular day, the fog was so thick it felt like you could swim through it. Shimmering water droplets dripped from the dark green needles while the sound of ocean waves softly filtered through the forest. The odd raven call only added to the magic of it all.

We often have to hustle through the forest, trying to quickly capture images of a place we might not see again. This day, it was nice to slow down and soak up the scenery. A rainforest really feels like a rainforest this time of year.

If you’re looking to visit old-growth forests on Vancouver Island, see our Ancient Forest Hiking Guides for Victoria and Port Renfrew. As always, be sure to tread lightly.

You can also help us protect old-growth forests like this one by making a charitable donation to Ancient Forest Alliance this holiday season.

 

camas flowers bloom in a garry oak meadow in uplands park

Camas Lily

/in , /by

The emblem of an endangered ecosystem, of deep cultural significance, and simply gorgeous, the camas lily is one charismatic plant. This flower, native to the Garry oak ecosystem of southeastern Vancouver Island is instantly recognizable for its glorious blue-purple flowers that can blanket whole meadows in springtime.

There are two species of blue camas on Vancouver Island — the common camas and the great camas — separated by size and the arrangement of the petals, which on the great camas twist together. Neither should be confused with death camas though, a white flowering species with bulbs that can be lethal to consume.

For the Coast Salish people, camas have traditionally been no mere ornament but a way of life. Indeed, it was considered second only to the all-important Pacific salmon in its importance in trade on the coast. This is because the rich, starchy bulb of the camas is a fantastic source of carbohydrates, traditionally filling the role of potatoes, bread, or rice in other cultures. Camas bulbs would be cooked in pit ovens for 24–48 hours to allow the complex starches to become sweet and easily digestible.

purple camas close up.

Traditionally, Indigenous camas harvesters have not been passive consumers of a wild plant, but instead active cultivators of camas meadows, including carrying out controlled burns to maintain the oak savannahs where camas thrive. Archaeological research suggests that Indigenous people in North America have been cultivating camas ecosystems for at least 3500 years, a legacy of care and stewardship that has helped maintain this biodiverse ecosystem and all the creatures that depend on it.

Today, due to development for housing and agriculture, Garry oak ecosystems are among the most threatened habitats in Canada.

To see some of the best camas displays this spring, visit one of the beautiful meadows at Uplands Park, Summit Park, or Beacon Hill in Victoria (late April/early May are the best times). Here, one can still wander among the fields of flowers and be reminded of the interwoven human relationship that goes back thousands of years 💜

 

 

 

Totem Pole Ceremony – Opitsaht, Meares Island

/in /by

Last summer, members of the House of Ewos from the Tla-o-qui-aht Nation, and many invited guests, raised a totem pole at the ancient village of Opitsaht on Meares Island for the first time since 1993. Prior to colonization, each house in the village, located just across from Tofino, would have had up to four totem poles in front of them. Today, with the addition of this new pole, three now stand in total in the village.

The pole was created by Tla-o-qui-aht master carver Joe Martin and a team of helpers. The top crest is a female thunderbird, representing female ancestry & connection to the supernatural. Eagle down was placed in the talons and could be seen blowing in the breeze.

The totem also bears four ominous skulls representing the multiple pandemics and losses the Nation has faced. These include COVID-19, tuberculosis & smallpox, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples, and the Residential School System and the children who never came home from them.

The population of Tla-o-qui-aht Nation was about 10,000 strong when the first Europeans arrived. In the year 1900, there were only 122 survivors. Without their consent, colonial governments used this to take control of the wealth of natural resources on their unceded territory.

Today, the logging industry has destroyed well over 90% of the old-growth forests with the biggest trees in BC and continues to aggressively target old-growth cedar in particular. Without monumental cedars, it’s impossible to make canoes and totem poles, resulting in a loss of Indigenous culture.

Known as the ‘Tree of Life’, there are thousands of ways cedar plays a role in the lives and culture of First Nations people. Trees would never be felled during spring or summer months as great respect was paid to any nesting birds or denning animals in the area.

Ensuring that old-growth forests are protected, while still allowing for select trees to be used for cultural purposes, will help preserve the diversity of life — both human and non-human — that depend on them.

? TJ Watt with support from the Trebek Initiative

Nahwitti Lake Old-Growth Trail

/in /by

On the shores of Nahwitti Lake between the towns of Holberg and Port Hardy in Tlatlasikwala & Quatsino Territory stands one of the loveliest little old-growth trails on Vancouver Island. This gentle path winds through a lush old-growth forest and features massive Sitka spruce trees that soar majestically from enchanting fields of ferns before ending at the shores of the lake. In a landscape that’s been almost entirely cleared of its ancient giants, it provides a stunning glimpse into the grand forests that once grew here.

This big tree trail could also be a major ecotourism draw – similar to Avatar Grove in Port Renfrew – and should be added to the list of must-see north island wilderness destinations such as San Josef Bay and the North Coast Trail.

To visit the trees, find the recreation site trailhead in a small parking area just off Holberg Rd on the east end of Nahwitti Lake (50.697842, -127.812370). Be sure to support the local business community as well, helping them benefit from big tree tourism.

Photos: White River Provincial Park

/in /by


Nicknamed “The Cathedral Grove of the North Island”, White River Provincial Park is a protected old-growth jewel on Vancouver Island.

After over a century of relentless logging, old-growth Douglas-fir stands like this one have become exceedingly rare in British Columbia. However, in a strange twist of fate, this ancient forest still stands thanks, in part, to three loggers who refused to fell the trees here in the 1990’s.

If you’re looking for an adventure, make this slice of old-growth heaven a must-see and be sure to support the local businesses in town.

1,000-year-old Douglas-firs tower above the forest floor in this protected old-growth forest on Vancouver Island.

Photos: Spruce Bay Old Growth Trail – Port Alice

/in /by


Located roughly 23 km from Port Alice along the shores of Victoria Lake and in the territory of the Quatsino First Nation, is Spruce Bay and the little-known Spruce Bay Old Growth Trail and Recreation Site.

Photo gallery: Spruce Bay Old Growth Trail

This easy 3.1 km loop passes through glade after glade of monumental old-growth Sitka spruce trees and winds through a second-growth stand that was logged in the 1960s. Massive spruce stumps dot the forest, a haunting memorial to a forest whose trees likely exceeded the largest Stika spruce trees growing today.

While Port Alice is promoting itself as the “sea otter capital of Canada”, this magnificent old-growth forest could be another major tourist draw, helping the community transition into an ecotourism destination.

Spruce Bay Old Growth Trail near Port Alice.

Photos: Vernon Bay

/in /by


This past summer, AFA had the privilege of exploring stunning ancient forests along the shores of Vernon Bay in Barkley Sound. Home to the Uchucklesaht and Tseshaht First Nations, TJ Watt and Ian Illuminato measured monumental redcedar trees up to 12 feet in diameter.

Photo gallery: Vernon Bay

Despite the area’s significance, the BC government has granted approval for the logging company, Interfor, to cut a total of 55 hectares of rare, intact ancient forests. However, due to the recent 2.6 million hectares of potential old-growth deferrals announced by the province, some stands have been identified for immediate deferrals.

These forests are now at imminent risk of being logged unless the local First Nations and the province immediately enact these deferrals. Speak up now! Demand the BC government commit conservation funding to support Indigenous-led protection of at-risk old-growth by sending a message.

See our media release for further details.

Overlooking the unprotected ancient forests of Vernon Bay in Barkley Sound in Uchucklesaht and Tseshaht nation territories. 33 logging cutblocks have been approved in this region, some overlapping with the newly recommended deferral areas.

Photos: Eldred River Valley

/in /by


Located in Tla’amin First Nation territory, outside the town of Powell River, the Eldred Valley is legendary among rock climbers for its towering granite peaks while also supporting some of the last vestiges of old-growth forest in the region. These magnificent groves are home to monumental western redcedars and Douglas-firs, and provide critical habitat for wildlife in the valley.

Most recently, the BC government has identified a number of at-risk ancient groves in the Eldred Valley for potential logging deferrals, including some of the forest pictured here. Significant funding for First Nations is now urgently needed to make these deferrals possible.

Photo Gallery: https://16.52.162.165/photos-media/eldred-river-valley/https://16.52.162.165/photos-media/eldred-river-valley/

Send a (NEW!) instant message to the BC government to demand funding for conservation solutions here: https://16.52.162.165/funding-send-a-message/

Photos: Mount Freda Ancient Forests – qathet Region

/in /by


Located in the territory of the Tla’amin and shíshálh First Nations, and close to the town of Powell River, Mt. Freda is home to some of the oldest trees in Canada. 

Photo Gallery: https://16.52.162.165/photos-media/mt-freda-ancient-forests/

Currently, the logging of the remaining ancient forests of Mt. Freda has paused thanks to the leadership and initiative of the Tla’amin First Nation who requested a temporary halt to any old-growth logging in their territory. Most recently, the BC government has identified a number of at-risk ancient groves on Mt. Freda for potential logging deferrals, including some of the forest pictured here.

Send a (NEW!) instant message to the BC government, demanding they must step up and commit at least $300 million dollars in provincial funding to support Indigenous Protected Areas to permanently protect old-growth forests and sustainable economic alternatives for First Nations communities across BC: https://16.52.162.165/funding-send-a-message/

Logging in the Klanawa Valley: “World’s best forestry practices”?

/in /by

These recent images from the Klanawa Valley highlight the brutal impacts of clearcut logging on Vancouver Island.

Until recently, this mountain was one of the last largely intact stands of unprotected old-growth in the valley. Now a sprawling 30-hectare cutblock, a web of roads from Western Forest Products scar the hillside here in Tree Farm Licence 44, north of Nitinat Lake in Ditidaht and Huu-ay-aht territory. This is what ‘talk & log’ looks like.

Speak up! Send a message to John Horgan and the NDP, demanding they take action to protect endangered old-growth forests in BC.