The Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) is a registered charitable organization working to protect BC’s endangered old-growth forests and to ensure a sustainable, value-added, second-growth forest industry.
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Avatar Grove Boardwalk Completed – High Quality Boardwalk Showcases One of Canada’s Most Magnificent Old-Growth Forests!
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.
Avatar Grove Boardwalk Now Completed and Open
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."
New pathway for ancient forest
“If you were to arrive at Avatar Grove, you’ll find a one-kilometre trail with hundreds of metres of high-quality boardwalk that takes you through one of the most spectacular ancient forests in the country,” said TJ Watt, Avatar Grove boardwalk co-ordinator with the Ancient Forest Alliance. The boardwalk protects the tree roots and vegetation from excessive trampling and provides safe public access to the forest, he said. “It allows people to spend more time looking at the trees and less time looking at their feet.”
Ancient forest hot spot: Port Renfrew’s Avatar Grove now accessible to public
"You're going to see some of the grandest forest left not only in Canada but on planet Earth. To have these 14-15 foot wide trees here is a very rare thing, these trees can be 1,000 years old," said Ken Wu, executive director of the Ancient Forest Alliance.
Volunteer-built boardwalk showcases protected old-growth near Port Renfrew
"Hundreds of people have come out to help, to carry buckets of gravel up through the trail, to carry heavy boardwalk planks, hammering thousands of nails and swatting a million mosquitos," said T.J. Watt, boardwalk coordinator for the group. Port Renfrew has long relied on forestry and commercial fishing as main industries. But outdoor recreation and eco-tourism are a growing part of the economy.
Avatar Grove boardwalk construction to be finished this weekend
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/
Avatar Boardwalk Nears Completion
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://ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=1128
Volunteers Needed – Avatar Grove Boardwalk Construction: July 29-30 & August 5-6-7 in Port Renfrew!
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@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!
Ancient Forest Alliance welcomes new BC Government and Cabinet
For Immediate Release The Ancient Forest Alliance looks forward to working with Premier Horgan and Ministers Scott Fraser, George Heyman, and Doug Donaldson to protect BC’s endangered old-growth forests and ensure a sustainable, value-added, second-growth forest industry. The Ancient Forest Alliance welcomes and congratulates the new British Columbia NDP government and its new cabinet after yesterday’s swearing-in ceremony at the Legislature. The Ancient Forest Alliance is working with diverse partners to protect the province’s old-growth forests and to ensure a sustainable, value-added forest industry, and is encouraged by Premier John Horgan’s picks for several ministerial positions. See our media release at: https://ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=1126
New report: BC government faces no legal or financial barriers to implementing "Pop for Parks" program for land acquisition fund
Following a growing movement of support across municipalities, recreation groups and environmental groups for a provincial land acquisition fund, a new report has been released outlining one of the ways the government could partially fund such a program. Environmental Lawyer Erin Grey has produced a report on behalf of the Ancient Forest Alliance, analyzing the AFA's proposed Pop for Parks program, which would see unredeemed bottle deposits redirected to the purchase and protection of private lands with high conservation values. The report explores the success of similar schemes to redirect unredeemed bottle deposits for environmental and other public purposes in several US jurisdictions and indicates there are no legal or financial barriers to implementing the program in BC - only a lack of political will. See the report at: https://ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/AFA-Pop-for-Parks-Report-final.pdf