Photos: White River Provincial Park

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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

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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

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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

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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://staging.ancientforestalliance.org/photos-media/eldred-river-valley/https://staging.ancientforestalliance.org/photos-media/eldred-river-valley/

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

Photos: Mount Freda Ancient Forests – qathet Region

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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://staging.ancientforestalliance.org/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://staging.ancientforestalliance.org/funding-send-a-message/

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

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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.

Photos: Lower Caycuse River

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These ‘before’ photos were captured last week in the Lower Caycuse River in Ditidaht territory. Teal-Jones has plans to log 31 hectares of mature and old forest, virtually the last remaining unlogged remnants along the river.

Scattered throughout this forest are ancient, giant western redcedar and Sitka spruce trees slated for destruction if the pending cutblock applications are approved by the BC NDP. Despite promising a paradigm shift to protect endangered old-growth forests, the BC government is still delaying action, defending the status quo, and have failed to commit any substantial funding to support First Nations-led old-growth conservation.

Send a message to BC government decision-makers now to demand swift action to save these forests before it’s too late.

Photos: Caycuse Logging From Above

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Aerial images captured in June 2021 highlight the brutal impact of old-growth logging in the Caycuse watershed in Ditidaht territory. The original 33 hectare-clearcut from Teal-Jones, where the now-famed ‘before & after’ images were taken, stands out on a shocking scale.

Photos: Bugaboo Ridge Ancient Forest

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New photos from June 2021 show at-risk ancient forests along the ridgeline of Bugaboo Creek near Port Renfrew in Pacheedaht territory.

Large red and yellow cedars, along with hemlock and amabilis fir, abound. Trilliums, berry bushes, and hellebore carpet the forest floor where animal trails from bear, deer, and cougar wind through.

Teal-Jones has approved road permits in this forest, the construction of which was partially completed before being blocked by independent activists but could resume soon. Though no cutting permits have yet been issued, “falling boundary” flagging tape can be seen throughout the forest, which falls outside the recently announced deferral areas, leaving it open for logging.

Photos: Fairy Creek From Above

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The emerald-green ancient forests of the Fairy Creek Valley in Pacheedaht territory from above. Last week we took to the skies to document old-growth forests and logging across the west coast of Vancouver Island and, when you’re in the air, it’s clear just how incredibly rare a sight this is – a roadless valley free from clearcuts. But how long will it remain that way?

Independent blockaders have prevented further road construction into the valley headwaters for 10 months now, sparking what has become the longest running blockade movement in BC’s history with thousands of people involved. However, RCMP recently breached their Waterfall Camp and road equipment from Teal-Jones is once again headed towards Fairy Creek.

Premier John Horgan and the BC NDP government must intervene and enact immediate logging deferrals so that conservation solutions can be found. They must also adopt the Canadian government’s national protected area target of 30% of land and waters by 2030 and embrace federal funding to protect places like Fairy Creek and endangered old-growth forests across BC.

Send a Message today!! ? https://www.endangeredecosystemsalliance.org/news/bc-protected-areas

First Nations and forest-dependent communities need funding for Indigenous Protected Areas and sustainable economic diversification in order to supplant the revenues from logging these irreplaceable ecosystems.