Thanks to Cat Abyss Clothing, a new eco-friendly clothing company who will donate 10% of proceeds to the Ancient Forest Alliance from their kickstarter campaign. See their Facebook page and the link to their campaign at: https://www.facebook.com/catabyss
Battle for the Trees:
Major forest campaigns underway and around the corner for 2014
DATE: Monday, December 2, 2013
LOCATION: Ambrosia Event Center, 638 Fisgard St.,Victoria
TIME: 7:00-9:00 pm
Facebook Event page: www.facebook.com/events/1396785523893680 Invite friends!!
By Donation
Drinks! Snacks! Silent Auction of Goodies! New Ancient Forest Alliance calendars and shirts!
Speakers will include:
and more…
Join the Ancient Forest Alliance and guests for presentations on some of the key forest controversies underway for 2014, including:
• The battle with Island Timberlands over their logging near Cathedral Grove, McLaughlin Ridge and other ancient forests on Vancouver Island, and the need for a combined regulatory solution and a park acquisition fund to purchase and protect endangered ecosystems on private lands.
• The BC Liberal government’s resurrection of the unpopular “Forest Give-away Scheme” to allow the largest logging companies in BC’s interior to have exclusive logging rights over vast areas of public forest lands, at the expense of forest protection initiatives, First Nations land rights, recreation, scenery, and tourism, and other interests.
• The BC government’s plans to open up Forest Reserves in BC’s Cariboo-Chilcotin region for logging to make up for a history of overcutting and the pine beetle outbreak.
• The Ancient Forest Alliance’s escalating campaign in 2014 to ensure provincial legislation to protect BC’s endangered old-growth forests.
For more info contact the Ancient Forest Alliance at info@ancientforestalliance
Tues., Nov. 12, 7:30pm, Alix Goolden Hall, 907 Pandora Ave, Victoria BC
Admission by donation.
Join the Clayoquot Sound Conservation Alliance for an engaging panel discussion with Elizabeth May, Valerie Langer, and other prominent people involved in the campaign.
Clayoquot Sound by Tofino on Vancouver Island contains the largest tracts of remaining lowland ancient forest in southern British Columbia. See several great speakers, including Valerie Langer, veteran campaign and protest organizer in Clayoquot (now ForestEthics forest campaigner), and Elizabeth May, former head of the Sierra Club of Canada (now Green MP), this Tuesday night.
Sponsored by the Clayoquot Sound Conservation Alliance:
https://www.facebook.com/events/661210270580070/
Elphinstone Logging Focus (ELF) is pleased to announce that they’ve been informed by BC Timber Sales (BCTS) that Cutblock DK045, which ELF has been lobbying to protect, has been canceled from future BCTS logging plans. DK045 was part of a larger TFL A79517 (Dakota Bowl, lower Sunshine Coast) consisting of Yellow-cedar and hemlock where the trees range in age from 800-1,800 years old. This key headwaters forest (17.6Ha/43.4acres) is located on the north slope of Mt. Elphinstone, and acts as corridor with 2 Wildlife Habitat Areas.
ELF flagged a trail through the forest to allow for easier access and gave it the name ‘Roberts Creek Headwaters Ancient Forest’.
In an October 22nd email from Norm Kempe, Senior Forest Planner for BCTS’ Georgia Straight Division, he states that ELF brought forward enough“compelling reasons for preserving this stand of timber that we considered and concluded had reasonable merit.”
“In 2010, when we snowshoed into this surveyed block, I thought to myself there’s no way this forest should be destroyed.” said Ross Muirhead of ELF. “For 3 years, we held back logging plans and so it’s very rewarding now to know that this magnificent stand will remain for its own sake, and for future generations to appreciate. When we completed a count of 340+ Pacific Yews growing on the upper half of the block, it reinforced that we had found very special forest. We’d like to thank all those that supported this campaign, including BCTS staff who considered new information we brought forward about this block.” Muirhead continued.
“The Roberts Creek Headwaters Ancient Forest was important to protect for several natural and cultural reasons. It contains 7 archaeological sites protecting culturally modified trees (CMTs) – a first for the Sunshine Coast, and protects 2 tributaries that make up the main Roberts Creek channel.” states Hans Penner of ELF. “We’ve not heard back from BC Timber Sales on the exact legal protective status this forest will receive. ELF believes that this forest should be granted Ecological Reserve status, with community members serving as Reserve Wardens.” says Penner.
In August ‘13, Friends of Ecological Reserves (Victoria) conducted an exhaustive flora inventory of the area and then made a recommendation to have this forest become a new Ecological Reserve to highlight its bio-diversity. In Sept, Ancient Forest Alliance (Victoria) conducted a photographic expedition documenting the ancient cedars and the proliferation of Pacific Yews.
Read more: Elphinstone Loggin Focus (ELF) https://www.loggingfocus.org/
• When: Tuesday, October 22, 2013
• Time: 12:30 – 1:30 pm
• Where: Cathedral Grove parking lot
Join a diverse collaboration of community groups standing together to stop Island Timberlands' ongoing and planned logging of high conservation value forests on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast. Hold a sign, help leaflet tourists to raise awareness, or just come out to show your solidarity!
Island Timberlands is engaged in multiple assaults on highly endangered old-growth forests. This includes recent logging and/or road-building at McLaughlin Ridge, Juniper Ridge, Labour Day Lake, and the Cameron Valley Firebreak in the Port Alberni area; flagging Mount Horne, the mountainside above Cathedral Grove, for potential logging; plans to log the Stillwater Bluffs near Powell River and the Day Road Forest near Roberts Creek on the Sunshine Coast; and plans to log old-growth forests at Basil Creek and the Green Valley on Cortes Island. See spectacular photos of many of these forests at: https://staging.ancientforestalliance.org/photos-media/
Most of these endangered stands consist of extremely rare groves of old-growth Coastal Douglas-fir trees, of which only 1% remain. Many stands in the Port Alberni area were previously intended for protection as Ungulate Winter Range for Roosevelt elk and deer, or as Wildlife Habitat Areas for endangered species like the Queen Charlotte Goshawk – until the BC Liberal government exempted the areas from these protections in 2004 when they removed these lands from their Tree Farm Licence.
Island Timberlands needs to immediately back-off from its logging plans in old-growth and high conservation value forests, while the BC Liberal government needs to protect these private forest lands through strong regulations or re-establishing a BC park acquisition fund to purchase them.
Old-growth forests are vital to support endangered species, tourism, clean water, wild salmon, the climate, and many First Nations cultures whose unceded lands these are.
Sponsored by the Port Alberni Watershed-Forest Alliance (https://www.watershedforestalliance.ca/); Elphinstone Logging Focus (https://www.loggingfocus.org/); WildStands (https://wildstands.wordpress.com/); Friends of Stillwater Bluffs (https://fosb.blogspot.ca/); Save the Day; and Ancient Forest Alliance (https://staging.ancientforestalliance.org/).
For more info email: info@staging.ancientforestalliance.org
Join Ancient Forest Alliance organizers Ken Wu and TJ Watt on Sunday, Oct. 20th for a fantastic forest hike to learn about old-growth forest ecology, see the progress of the boardwalk so far, and find out how you can help support the completion of this important project!
DETAILS:
If you are planning on taking part, PLEASE carefully read all the info below!
• TIME & PLACE: Meet Sunday, Oct 20th at 1:30 pm in Port Renfrew at the Coastal Kitchen Cafe after which time we’ll drive in a convoy to the Avatar Grove. We will hike from 2:30-4:30pm
*NOTE – When you arrive, please park alongside the road opposite the cafe so we leave room in the main parking lot for regular customers. Thank you!
• BY DONATION: Suggested sliding scale $20 to $200 per adult
• MAP: Printable Tall Tree Tour map of Port Renfrew
Funds from this hike will go towards expanding the boardwalk project in the Avatar Grove! Construction has already begun but more work is still needed in many areas! A boardwalk is essential to help protect the forests’ ecological integrity and enhance visitor safety and access. For $100 you can sponsor a 1 metre section of the trail.
See pictures of the boardwalk work completed so far.
What can you expect from the trip?
– To see some of the largest and strangest looking trees in BC, including “Canada’s Gnarliest Tree”!
– To learn about the wildlife, ecology, and politics of old-growth forests in BC and what you can do to protect them.
– To meet great new people and have an AWESOME TIME!
THINGS TO KNOW:
* Only those with moderate hiking abilities and who are comfortable on semi-rugged terrain, with a firm sense of balance, can attend this hike.
* All participants will be required to sign a waiver form.
* Participants must bring their own water, rain gear, hiking boots and wonderful attitude!
* Dogs must remain on a leash at all times – they can disturb wildlife including bears, elk, deer, cougars, wolves, raccoons, mink, and Sasquatch in the area.
* Be sure to support the local community by spending your dollars in Port Renfrew and Sooke!
* Be sure to fuel up in Sooke. Gas is only available at the Port Renfrew Marina from 9-5pm.
* This event is a fundraiser for the Ancient Forest Alliance, which is in need of funding to complete the Avatar Grove boardwalk and to continue its vital campaigns to protect BC’s ancient forests and forestry jobs.
The Ancient Forest Alliance is looking for dedicated, considerate, and capable volunteers to help construct the Avatar Grove boardwalk the weekend of October 19-20th in Port Renfrew, British Columbia.
Volunteers must be able to follow instructions accurately, be in good physical condition to do the work, and act safely, responsibly and respectfully without exception. Activities may include carrying heavy boardwalk planks, bucketing gravel, using hand tools, digging soil, moving rocks, etc.
It is cold at night in Port Renfrew at this time of year so anyone planning to come for both days and camp overnight must come prepared with a warm enough sleeping bag, blanket, dry layers of clothes, a thermarest or insulated foamy, and general proper camping gear for fall weather.
Please send an email with your availability, any related experience and physical limitations we should be aware of, and contact information to Avatar Boardwalk coordinator TJ Watt at: info@staging.ancientforestalliance.org.
Join the Ancient Forest Alliance's Hannah Carpendale for a slideshow presentation on the ecology and politics of BC's old-growth forests. Learn about key areas in need of protection, and find out how YOU can get involved in the campaign to save BC's endangered ancient forests!
When: Thursday, October 10th, 2013
Time: 1:30pm-2:30pm
Where: lounge at SFPIRG (Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group)–TC 326 at SFU, Burnaby Campus
Hosted by the SFU Ancient Forest Committee.
When: Thursday October 10th, 2013
Time: 7:00-8:30 pm
Where: Nanoose Library Hall. 2489 Nanoose Rd. Vancouver Island.
Join the Ancient Forest Alliance’s TJ Watt for a slideshow presentation on the current status, ecology, wildlife, and related policies that affect BC’s old-growth forests and how we can work to ensure a sustainable, value-added, second-growth forest industry. Updated photos and maps from BC’s coastal old-growth forests.
Thank you to the Nanoose Naturalists for hosting us: www.nanoosenaturalists.org
The Metchosin municipal council has given Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) campaigner and photographer TJ Watt official recognition for his exceptional contribution towards environmental sustainability. Watt is the recipient of the 2013 “Friend of the Earth” Award, an environmental award presented each year for over a decade to a Metchosin resident whose contribution towards conserving the province’s natural beauty has been particularly outstanding. The award was presented by Metchosin councillor Moralea Milne on Sunday during the annual Metchosin Day festival.
Watt, 29, grew up in Metchosin and has explored the forested hills, valleys, and old-growth trees throughout the municipality and much of Vancouver Island over the years.
In 2010 Watt helped co-found the Ancient Forest Alliance and currently works as the organization’s campaigner and photographer. He is particularly renowned for his spectacular photos of BC’s old-growth forests and biggest trees, used to raise public awareness for the AFA’s conservation campaigns, and which have been reprinted in hundreds of publications – magazines, books, newspapers and websites. See some of Watt’s photos at: https://staging.ancientforestalliance.org/photos-media/ and at: https://www.utopiaphoto.ca/
“Metchosin is proud to recognise TJ Watt with the Friend of the Earth Award, for his tireless commitment to protecting our ancient forests. We are inspired by his astounding photos of BC's iconic big trees and heartened by his enthusiasm and determination. We know he will continue to ignite a passion for our natural areas through his art and his pivotal role with the Ancient Forest Alliance,” stated councillor Moralea Milne.
“Metchosin is a community filled with many eco-minded folks doing great things, so it’s humbling to receive the 2013 Friend of the Earth Award, and I thank Moralea Milne and the Metchosin municipal council for the honour. I hold a deep love and respect for the natural environments of Vancouver Island, much of which stems from being raised in a town where those values are not only encouraged but celebrated,” Watt notes. “It has fuelled my passion to do all that I can to protect the unique and special places that we still have left before it’s too late. We live in the most beautiful place on Earth but it’s up to every one of us to keep it that way.”
Of particular note, Watt’s haunting 2010 photo (see https://staging.ancientforestalliance.org/photos-media/) of a clearcut on Vancouver Island of a former old-growth forest near the town of Port Renfrew has drawn numerous accolades and won several awards. Watt’s photo won 2nd place in the 2012 International Conservation Photography awards for the Natural Environment at Risk category, 1st place for Outdoor Photography Canada magazine’s 2011 award for Human Impact on the Environment, was featured on the front cover of the Academy-award nominated documentary “If A Tree Falls”, and was also used in a display in the Montreal Biosphere Museum.
Watt is also renowned for locating and successfully campaigning to protect the Avatar Grove (see https://staging.ancientforestalliance.org/photos-media/), a stand of exceptionally grand old-growth redcedars and Douglas-fir trees near Port Renfrew that were slated to fall in 2010. After an intense two year campaign spearheaded by the Ancient Forest Alliance in conjunction with the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce, the Avatar Grove was designated off-limits to logging as an Old-Growth Management Area in early 2012. Thousands of tourists from around the world have flocked to see the magnificent trees of the Avatar Grove, and Watt is currently coordinating a boardwalk construction project in the Avatar Grove.
“With thousands of hectares of old-growth forests still being logged each year in BC, often in remote coastal valleys away from public scrutiny, it has become my mission to help act as the eyes and the ears of the woods. That is, I work to show both the beauty and destruction of endangered forest ecosystems by sharing as many powerful and awareness-raising images with the public as possible,” states Watt. “Most British Columbians treasure the fact that some of the world’s very last ancient temperate rainforests are found right here in our backyard. They are shocked and dismayed to find out that in 2013, our provincial government still allows the logging of thousand year old trees while contending that they are not endangered.”
Watt continues to work for the Ancient Forest Alliance exploring endangered groves and clearcuts, taking photos, guiding hikes, giving slideshows, organizing protests, and writing educational materials.
Past winners of Metchosin’s Friend of the Earth award have included Dr. Andy MacKinnon, forest ecologist and author of many field guides to native and medicinal plants of BC and Canada, and Garry Fletcher, for his role in protecting Race Rocks, an extremely biologically diverse marine area.
The Ancient Forest Alliance is calling on the BC Liberal government to protect BC’s endangered old-growth forests, ensure the sustainable logging of second-growth forests, and to ban raw log exports to foreign mills.
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