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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!!

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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!

Click here for the Vancouver Sun article. [Original article no longer available]

The Avatar Grove is a truly exceptional and easy to access stand of ancient trees which the Ancient Forest Alliance has been campaigning hard to protect for over a year – and we may get there soon if you SPEAK UP NOW!
See our new Youtube clip (1 minute) on the Avatar Grove at:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_uPkAWsvVw

We need progress for saving endangered ancient forests at all spatial scales – monumental trees, whole stands (like the Avatar Grove), and landscape level old-growth protections like valleys and regions. Starting with trees and stands is certainly a welcome beginning. Let’s make this happen!!

This will take just 5 MINUTES! Your letter counts!

PLEASE WRITE to Pat Bell, Minister of Forests, Lands, and Mines at pat.bell.mla@leg.bc.ca

Let him know that you:

– Support him moving forward to protect the Avatar Grove near Port Renfrew. Let him know if you have visited the area.
– Support the protection of monumental ancient trees and stands of ancient trees.
– Want all old-growth protections to be legally-binding, not voluntary.
– Encourage him to also undertake a much larger Provincial Old-Growth Strategy to protect endangered old-growth forests across regions where they are scarce, such as on Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, southern Interior, etc. and to ensure sustainable second-growth forestry instead.

Be sure to include your home mailing address so he knows you are a real person!

Also please SIGN our PETITION and get as many of your friends and family to as well at:
https://16.52.162.165/ways-to-take-action-for-forests/petition//index.php#sign

***MORE BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Forests Minister Pat Bell’s statements comes on the heels of a new Forest Practices Board (FPB) 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, and that there is a “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.” See the report at: https://www.fpb.gov.bc.ca/IRC174_NEWS_RELEASE_Complaint_highlights_public_value_of_ancient_trees.htm
and recent news articles about the FPB report on our website at:  https://16.52.162.165/

The Ancient Forest Alliance is calling on the BC government to undertake a Provincial Old-Growth Strategy that will inventory and protect old-growth forests in regions where they are scarce, such as on Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, southern Interior, etc.  The AFA is also calling for the sustainable logging of second-growth forests (which now constitute most of the forests in southern BC) and for a ban on raw log exports to foreign mills.

An effective BC Old-Growth Strategy would necessarily entail legally-binding (not voluntary) old-growth protections at various spatial scales, including on the level of individual trees, stands, and landscapes:

Individual Trees – This is particularly important in regions where scattered “veteran” old-growth trees left behind by the original logging now constitute much of the remaining old-growth remnants, such as in the Coastal Douglas Fir zone on eastern Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, and around some of the Lower Mainland. This would also be important for saving ancient trees of exceptional size and importance for environmental, tourism, historic, and cultural purposes. Individual old-growth trees also provide sources of lichens and arthropods to colonize surrounding second-growth stands and are often “wildlife trees” for birds, bats, salamanders, bears, small mammals, and invertebrates as they age and die. Protected old-growth veterans should have a significant buffer of protected trees around them.

Stands – Much of southern Vancouver Island consists of scattered “pockets” of old-growth stands dozens to hundreds of hectares in size in the sea of surrounding clearcuts and second-growth tree plantations, such as the 50 hectare Avatar Grove near Port Renfrew. Old-growth stands are important as refugia for both small and larger wildlife (eg. deer wintering range), and can provide high quality nature experiences for tourists and for environmental education and research initiatives. The Cathedral Grove near Port Alberni is perhaps the most famous old-growth stand of high tourism and ecological value in North America.

Landscapes – Protecting the larger and more contiguous tracts of old-growth forests is the most important priority from an ecological perspective. Larger old-growth tracts, such as whole valleys and clusters of valleys, where they still exist are better able to sustain species over time (especially wider ranging creatures like wolves and cougars), store large amounts of carbon, provide clean water for fisheries and as drinking watersheds, provide wilderness tourism experiences, and have greater resilience in the face of climate change. The Upper Walbran Valley, Nahmint Valley, East Creek Valley, and Clayoqout Sound with its scores of intact valleys and islands are examples of larger tracts of ancient forests that need protection on Vancouver Island.

Old-growth forests are important to sustain endangered species, the climate, tourism, clean water, and First Nations cultures. 75% of the original, productive old-growth forests have been logged on Vancouver Island, including 90% of the valley bottoms where the largest trees grow and most biodiversity resides. See “before and after” maps at: https://16.52.162.165/ancient-forests/before-after-old-growth-maps/

The Avatar Grove is the most easily accessible, monumental stand of endangered ancient redcedars and Douglas firs on southern Vancouver Island. Most of the route to the Avatar Grove is paved, it exists on relatively gentle terrain, and is only a 15 minute drive from Port Renfrew. Ancient Forest Alliance campaigner and photographer TJ Watt came across the Avatar Grove in December, 2009, while on an exploratory expedition in the Gordon River Valley. Support for protecting the Avatar Grove includes the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce, the Sooke Region Tourism Association, and elected political representatives at three levels, including federal Liberal MP Keith Martin, provincial NDP MLA John Horgan, and Regional Director Mike Hicks. See spectacular photos at:  https://16.52.162.165/photos-media/
See the new Youtube clip “Canada’s Gnarliest Tree – Save the Avatar Grove” at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_uPkAWsvVw

 

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

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Yesterday Minister of Forests, Lands, and Mines Pat Bell announced that the BC government is looking into the possibility of 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. See the Vancouver Sun here. [Original article no longer available]

“We gladly welcome and commend any move by the BC government to protect the endangered Avatar Grove, and their recognition that ancient forests need more protection,” stated Ken Wu, Ancient Forest Alliance executive director. “I have to admit this was an unexpected surprise, considering the rocky relationship the BC government has had with our campaign for so long. If this is genuine, Minister Bell should be commended for taking the first steps towards positive change here. Lets see if this pans out.”

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, and that there is a “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.” See the report at: https://www.fpb.gov.bc.ca/IRC174_NEWS_RELEASE_Complaint_highlights_public_value_of_ancient_trees.htm

“We need progress for saving ancient forests at all scales – monumental trees, whole stands, and landscape level old-growth protections like valleys and regions. Starting with trees and stands is certainly a welcome beginning, while bearing in mind the greatest need is to protect old-growth ecosystems on a larger scale,” stated Wu. “Protecting an old-growth stand as special as the Avatar Grove from logging would be a first rate government decision that would benefit all British Columbians.”
The Ancient Forest Alliance is calling on the BC government to undertake a Provincial Old-Growth Strategy that will inventory and protect old-growth forests in regions where they are scarce, such as on Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, southern Interior, etc.  The AFA is also calling for the sustainable logging of second-growth forests (which now constitute most of the forests in southern BC) and for a ban on raw log exports to foreign mills.

An effective BC Old-Growth Strategy would necessarily entail legally-binding (not voluntary) old-growth protections at various spatial scales, including on the level of individual trees, stands, and landscapes:

Individual Trees – This is particularly important in regions where scattered “veteran” old-growth trees left behind by the original logging now constitute much of the remaining old-growth remnants, such as in the Coastal Douglas Fir zone on eastern Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, and around some of the Lower Mainland. This would also be important for saving ancient trees of exceptional size and importance for environmental, tourism, historic, and cultural purposes. Individual old-growth trees also provide sources of lichens and arthropods to colonize surrounding second-growth stands and are often “wildlife trees” for birds, bats, salamanders, bears, small mammals, and invertebrates as they age and die. Protected old-growth veterans should have a significant buffer of protected trees around them.

Stands – Much of southern Vancouver Island consists of scattered “pockets” of old-growth stands dozens to hundreds of hectares in size in the sea of surrounding clearcuts and second-growth tree plantations, such as the 50 hectare Avatar Grove near Port Renfrew. Old-growth stands are important as refugia for both small and larger wildlife (eg. deer wintering range), and can provide high quality nature experiences for tourists and for environmental education and research initiatives. The Cathedral Grove near Port Alberni is perhaps the most famous old-growth stand of high tourism and ecological value in North America.

Landscapes – Protecting the larger and more contiguous tracts of old-growth forests is the most important priority from an ecological perspective. Larger old-growth tracts, such as whole valleys and clusters of valleys, where they still exist are better able to sustain species over time (especially wider ranging creatures like wolves and cougars), store large amounts of carbon, provide clean water for fisheries and as drinking watersheds, provide wilderness tourism experiences, and have greater resilience in the face of climate change. The Upper Walbran Valley, Nahmint Valley, East Creek Valley, and Clayoqout Sound with its scores of intact valleys and islands are examples of larger tracts of ancient forests that need protection on Vancouver Island.

Old-growth forests are important to sustain endangered species, the climate, tourism, clean water, and First Nations cultures. 75% of the original, productive old-growth forests have been logged on Vancouver Island, including 90% of the valley bottoms where the largest trees grow and most biodiversity resides. See “before and after” maps at: https://16.52.162.165/ancient-forests/before-after-old-growth-maps/

The Avatar Grove is the most easily accessible, monumental stand of endangered ancient redcedars and Douglas firs on southern Vancouver Island. Most of the route to the Avatar Grove is paved, it exists on relatively gentle terrain, and is only a 15 minute drive from Port Renfrew. Ancient Forest Alliance campaigner and photographer TJ Watt came across the Avatar Grove in December, 2009, while on an exploratory expedition in the Gordon River Valley. Support for protecting the Avatar Grove includes the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce, the Sooke Region Tourism Association, and elected political representatives at three levels, including federal Liberal MP Keith Martin, provincial NDP MLA John Horgan, and Regional Director Mike Hicks. See spectacular photos at:  https://16.52.162.165/photos-media/
See the new Youtube clip “Canada’s Gnarliest Tree – Save the Avatar Grove” at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_uPkAWsvVw

“We’ve had thousands of people sign our petition, write letters, rally, and visit the Avatar Grove. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to save one of the most magnificent, easily accessible stands of monumental trees in BC that will hugely benefit the local economies of Port Renfrew, Sooke, Lake Cowichan, and Victoria,” states TJ Watt, Ancient Forest Alliance photographer and campaigner. “Saving the Avatar Grove would be the gift that keeps on giving. I commend Forests Minister Pat Bell for opening the door to potentially protecting the Avatar Grove – lets hope he makes good on his stated intention.”

Overview map of new old-growth management areas recently created on the central and north coast of Vancouver Island.

PLEASE WRITE a THANK YOU LETTER!

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BC Government Expands Protections to 39,000 hectares of old-growth forests on northern and central Vancouver Island, and 1600 hectares of rare Coastal Douglas Fir ecosystems

August started off with a bang for our ancient forests as the BC Liberal government announced, within days of each other, two new initiatives to expand forest protections on Vancouver Island.

On central and northern Vancouver Island, a series of Old-Growth Management Areas where logging is prohibited will protect almost 39,000 hectares of old-growth forests, which encompasses up to 10% of the remaining 400,000 hectares of unprotected ancient forest on Vancouver Island.

On southeastern Vancouver Island, the Ministry of Forests has enacted a Land-use Order making 1,600 hectares of Crown land off limits to logging in the extremely endangered Coastal Douglas Fir biogeoclimatic zone.

So far these announcements have been just about the only old-growth forest protections the BC Liberal government has undertaken on Vancouver Island since they came to power in 2001, and the announcements are significant and welcome. We hope it signals the beginning of a shift in their policies – we will see…

For more information, please visit the following links:

39,000 hectares on central and northern Vancouver Island protected: https://16.52.162.165/news-item.php?ID=109

1,600 hectares of Coastal Douglas Fir ecosystem protected: https://16.52.162.165/news-item.php?ID=110

Times Colonist article: https://16.52.162.165/news-item.php?ID=108

The Ancient Forest Alliance commends the BC government for taking these important first steps forward in the protection of the Vancouver Island’s endangered forests; however, a legislated end to the logging of endangered old growth forests is still needed. Having already lost 75% of the productive old-growth forests on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland and with just 1% of the original old growth forest remaining in the Coastal Douglas Fir ecosystem, it should be a no-brainer that much greater protection is still necessary.

Just as we protest bad government decisions, it is as important to say “Thank You” when governments make good decisions!

***PLEASE write a THANK YOU letter!****

Let the BC politicians know that you:

– Support the recent BC government decisions to protect 39,000 hectares of old-growth forests on northern and central Vancouver Island and 1600 hectares of Coastal Douglas Fir ecosystem.

– Encourage them to undertake a province-wide Old-Growth Strategy that will protect old-growth forests everywhere they are scarce, including the remaining 400,000 hectares of endangered, productive old-growth forests on Vancouver Island (which once had 2.3 million hectares of productive old-growth forests) in such places as the Nanoose Bay Ancient Forest, Avatar Grove, Upper Walbran Valley, Nahmint Valley, and hundreds of other areas.

– Encourage them to ensure the sustainable logging and value-added manufacturing of second-growth stands, which now constitute most of the forests in southern BC, as an alternative to eliminating the last old-growth stands.

Write to:

Premier Gordon Campbell: premier@gov.bc.ca

Minister of Forests and Range, Pat Bell: pat.bell.mla@leg.bc.ca

Your own BC Liberal or NDP MLA at: [Original article no longer available]

***Be sure to include your home mailing address so they know you are a real person!

The Nahmint Valley near Port Alberni has some of the last remaining tracts of unprotected old-growth Douglas fir forests.

Old Forests Get Protection

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Old forests get protection

Keri Sculland, Alberni Valley Times

Published: Thursday, August 05, 2010

While the provincial government has sectioned off thousands of hectares to protect old-growth forests, none are located in the Alberni Valley.

The government sectioned off two types of old-growth forest on Crown land to preserve the natural trees and forestation. On the east side of the Island, about five kilometres were sectioned off to preserve the Coastal Douglas Fir Ecosystem, which is a rare type of ecosystem that only covers a small portion of the Island. Other parts of the Island in the northern central area and southern areas were also protected from future logging and land management.

The catch is, explained TJ Watt, forest campaigner from the Ancient Forest Alliance, these areas aren’t legislative protected areas, they are regulatory protected areas, meaning the areas won’t be considered provincial parks, like Cathedral Grove and the Pacific Rim Provincial Park.

“Unfortunately,” he said, “it doesn’t cover anything within the Alberni Valley… there is still a need to go further on protection for Vancouver Island.”

The five parcels of Crown land between Nanaimo and Courtenay have been made off-limits to logging through new Land Use Orders. These new additions have increased protection in the Coastal Douglas Fir zone from 7600 hectares to 9200 hectares.

The ecosystem is characterized by its mild, Mediterranean-like climate, trees like the Douglas fir, Garry oak and arbutus, and large numbers of species at risk such as the alligator lizard and sharp-tailed snake.

Of the productive old growth on Vancouver Island, 75% of it has been lost. That includes the large trees and valley bottoms. Since 2004, 90% of the valley bottoms have been logged, and 99% of the big old-growth Douglas fir.

“There’s an area we are pushing to have protected in the Nahmint Valley,” Watt said. “Some of the last strands of Douglas fir are [there].”

Manager of economic development for the city, Pat Deakin, said he isn’t aware of the old-growth conditions in Nahmint.

“Diversity is important,” he said. “But it’s not an end-all-be-all situation.”

The Coastal Douglas Fir ecosystem is considered to be among the top four most endangered ecosystems in Canada, along with the Tallgrass Prairie in Manitoba, the Carolinian Forest in southern Ontario, and the “Pocket Desert” near Osoyoos in southern B.C.

“We could go much further than this,” Watt added. “We are not against logging, we’re basically stating that we should be protecting endangered old growth forests where they are scarce.”

AFA also wants to focus on sustainable logging in second-growth forests, and a ban on raw log exports to create a value-added industry here.

“We’ve actually had a lot of forestry workers on our sides for those points,” Watt said.

The new protection was implemented by the Ministry of Forests and Range, the Integrated Land Management Bureau and Forest Minister Pat Bell.