A woman in a teal hoodie stands beside massive bigleaf maple with octopus-like branches at Royal Roads.

Sat. Aug 27: Nature Walk and Fundraiser at GREATER VICTORIA’S FINEST ANCIENT FOREST

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Nature Walk and Fundraiser with Victoria Natural History Society president Darren Copley and Royal BC Museum curator and entomologist Claudia Copley, and with the Ancient Forest Alliance’s Ken Wu and TJ Watt through the Spectacular ROYAL ROADS ANCIENT FOREST

Date: SATURDAY, AUGUST 27
Time: 1:00-3:00 pm
Donation Range: $15 to $100

Difficulty Level: EASY-MODERATE

Dogs must be leashed at all times.

Did you know that one of the most spectacular old-growth forests on Earth is at Royal Roads University by Victoria? We often seek grandeur far away from where we live – but the ancient forests of Royal Roads are among the most magnificent in existence, one of the largest tracts left within the extremely endangered Coastal Douglas Fir ecosystem (only 1% of this ecosystem remains as old-growth). Surprisingly, while many people have visited the Hatley Castle (where X-Men was filmed) few people have actually hiked through the incredible ancient forests around the university.

Join president of the Victoria Natural History Society Darren Copley (and former Goldstream Nature Centre chief interpreter) and Royal BC Museum curator, entomologist and naturalist Claudia Copley to learn about the tremendous diversity of plants, birds, trees, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, insects, and other creatures living in this incredible ancient forest. The Ancient Forest Alliance’s Ken Wu and TJ Watt will speak about the Ancient Forest Alliance’s campaign to protect the remaining endangered forests in BC.

We will walk through spectacular ancient redcedars, grand firs and Douglas firs, including visiting the 2nd largest Douglas fir tree in Greater Victoria (10 feet wide!), see some mind-blowing huge bigleaf maples and an enormous forked yew tree, and be done by 3:00 pm. You will not be disappointed!

***This event is a fundraiser for the Ancient Forest Alliance which is in need of funding to continue its vital campaigns to protect BC’s ancient forests and forestry jobs. Bring friends and family!

If possible, please email us at info@16.52.162.165 so we can get a sense of our numbers.

Sumallo Grove

Sun. Aug 28: LOWER MAINLAND Ancient Forest WALK and FUNDRAISER in Manning Park’s Magnificent SUMALLO GROVE

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Date: Sunday, August 28th
Time:  1:30-3:00 pm
Donation range: $20 to $100

Location: Meet at 1:30 at the Sumallo Grove parking lot and picnic area, which is also the beginning for the Skagit Valley Trail.

Park Map: https://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/ecmanning/manning.pdf (note: it’s about 2 hour drive from Vancouver)

Park website: https://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/ecmanning/#Location

Difficulty Level: EASY

Dogs must be leashed at all times.

Join Ancient Forest Alliance campaigners Ken Wu and TJ Watt and lichenologist Stu Crawford (tentative) on an easy nature walk and talk through one of the most incredible old-growth forests left in the Lower Mainland, the Sumallo Grove in Manning Provincial Park.

This grove is one of the most diverse ancient forests in the province, with Sitka spruce mixed in with Douglas firs and giant redcedars, and is in the Cascade Mountain Range which barely comes into Canada from the US. The Sumallo Grove is traditionally home to the endangered spotted owl (recently disappeared, as only 5 individuals now remain in BC’s wilds due to old-growth logging), as well as wolves, grizzlies, black bears, cougars, wolverine, elk, moose, deer, and a strange little rodent called a “mountain beaver”.

Learn about the ecology and the politics of the Ancient Forest Alliance’s campaign to protect the last ancient forests around the Lower Mainland and what you can do to help.

This area is also the start of the Skagit Valley Trail through Skagit Valley Provincial Park – a couple hours along the trail brings you to another phenomenal stand of giant Douglas firs and redcedars, and further still is an ecological reserve filled with rare, huge black cottonwoods! Hiking this trail is not part of this particular event, but more adventurous enthusiasts may want to hike it after our guided walk in Sumallo Grove.

Guest presenter bios:

Stu Crawford is an ecological consultant and one of the handful of lichenologists in BC. He received his masters degree in biology studying under ethnobotanist Dr. Nancy Turner at the University of Victoria on First Nations consumption and use of lichens (yes, you can eat some lichens! learn more on the hike…).

TJ Watt and Ken Wu are co-founders of the Ancient Forest Alliance. TJ Watt graduated from the Western Academy of Photography and Ken Wu from UBC’s Biological Sciences program specializing in Ecology.

***This event is a fundraiser for the Ancient Forest Alliance which is in need of funding to continue its vital campaigns to protect BC’s ancient forests and forestry jobs.

If you can, please email us at info@16.52.162.165 to let us know how many of you are coming so we can get a sense of our numbers.

2011 Tall Tree Music Festival - Port Renfrew

THANK YOU to the Tall Trees Society for their generous donation!

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The Ancient Forest Alliance would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to everyone at Radio Contact Productions and the Tall Trees Society for organizing the 2nd annual Tall Tree Music Festival in Port Renfrew and donating a generous portion of the proceeds to the AFA. Your much appreciated support helps us continue our work to protect BC’s endangered old-growth forests and promote incredible areas such as the Avatar Grove.

A thanks goes out as well, to all the volunteers, the event sponsors, the amazing musicians and DJ’s, and those who came and had an awesome time! 

When visiting Port Renfrew, be sure to stop by the new Tourist Information Centre on the right side of the road in town and pick up the new Tall Tree Tour map which has directions to the biggest and best trees nearby! 

Also, always make sure to support the local businesses in town while you’re there! For a list of places to eat, sleep and more, visit the online directory here: https://www.portrenfrewcommunity.com/

See you all next year!

Ancient Forest Alliance executive director Ken Wu

Old growth trees cut down in the Caycuse Valley

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The local environment has been dealt a blow in the past few months, thanks to the logging of old growth forest in the Caycuse Valley.

“There’s only a few specks of this old growth left in the interior,” Ancient Forest Alliance executive director Ken Wu said. “We’d like to see the last of the old growth saved.”

West of Cowichan Lake and north of the Walbran Valley, an old growth stand of Douglas fir was clear-cut in June and July of this year, as a result of Teal Jones Group operations.

The Ancient Forest Alliance managed to get there in late June; far too late to prevent the logging from taking place.

The old growth forest that was logged was conveniently located in an unprotected tract of old growth, surrounded by the protected Ungulate Wintering Range and an Old Growth Management Area.

The Ungulate Wintering Range was designated by the Ministry of Forests to sustain black-tailed deer populations, while the Old Growth Management Area prohibits logging.

“Unfortunately, an important chunk of the old-growth Douglas firs were left out of protection and have now been clear-cut,” an Ancient forest Alliance press release reads.

“There’s almost none left,” Wu said, of the Caycuse Valley.

“We’re not saying don’t log, just don’t log the old growth.”

There’s still some unprotected old growth forest land in the Caycuse Valley that has the potential to see logging activity, unless the government steps in.

“If it’s not in a park, Ungulate Wintering Range, or Old Growth Management Area, it’ll become a sea of stumps,” Wu said.

The logging of the old growth Douglas fir will have a negative impact on various animal populations, Wu said, as it serves to provide deer with excellent wintering habitat, which includes the lichens they eat.

“At least 87 per cent of the productive old-growth forests on Vancouver Island south of Port Alberni and Barkely Sound have already been logged,” the press release reads.

A before and after map is available online, at www.ancientforestalliance.org/old-growth-maps.php.
With the old growth vanishing, deer are pushed into smaller and smaller non-sustainable spaces.

With higher concentrations of deer comes easier hunting by predators.

This will have a spiraling negative effect, affecting creatures that eat deer, including wolves, cougars, and bears, as well as First Nations and non-First Nations hunters.

“It’s to the detriment of all the things and people that use this forest,” Wu said.

Vancouver Island has already seen a four-fold drop in deer populations in recent decades, and a 99 per cent logging of old growth Douglas firs, Wu wrote in the press release.

Now, the Ancient Forest Alliance is calling on the provincial government to do a better job of protecting old growth forests. They’ve already had some successes in protecting the Avatar Grove, near Port Renfrew.

For the Ancient forest Alliance, it’s all about developing legal tools to help protect the largest monumental trees and groves in the province, maintaining the sustainable logging of second growth forests, and stopping the export of raw logs.
“More than ever, Christy Clark’s BC Liberal​ government is morally obliged to enact a comprehensive provincial old-growth strategy that will end the logging of our last endangered ancient forests.”

“It’s bad for deer, it’s bad for hunters, it’s bad for the ecosystem, it’s bad for tourism, and it’s ethically wrong.”

[Original BC Local News article no longer available]

A giant old-growth redcedar in lush rainforest of Goldstream Park where the photography workshop will be held.

Ancient Forest & Nature Photography Workshop with the AFA’s TJ Watt!

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Date: Saturday, August 20th
Time: 10am – 2:30 pm
Cost: Sliding scale $75 – $125

Location: Goldstream Park. Please meet in the undercover picnic area. Info and directions: https://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/goldstream/

Please email us at info@16.52.162.165 to register.

Tired of coming home with blurry photos? Wondering what all those settings on the dial are? Hoping to put that fancy new lens or camera to use in the field?

Then join the Ancient Forest Alliance’s award-winning photographer TJ Watt for a fun, hands-on photography workshop intended for novices and amateurs in the incredible old-growth forests of Goldstream Park! Surrounded by 500+ year old trees, the gorgeous river, and wildlife, there will be no shortage of photo opportunities!

Born and raised in Metchosin, TJ has been shooting for nearly a decade and has a professional photography diploma from the Western Academy of Photography.
His images of BC’s biggest trees and giant stumps, for which he is best known, have been published in provincial and national magazines, books, posters, news media articles, and museums.

This outdoor workshop will cover tips and tools for beginner and intermediate level photographers as well as provide time for questions and answers.

We will learn:

– What’s on that dial? Understanding the different camera modes
– Shutter speed & Aperture
– What is ISO?
– The art of seeing. Creative visualization!
– Conscious framing. Composing the image
– The use of different lenses and filters
– How to not chop off heads
– How to have fun! (even with mosquitoes)

Items to bring:

– Your camera! Pocket digitals, digital SLRs, and film cameras are all fine!
– Memory card / Film
– Notebook
– A tripod if you have one
– A lunch & proper outdoor shoes/clothes
– A willingness to laugh, listen and learn!

To view some of TJ’s stunning photographs, check out his online galleries:

AFA photo gallery – https://16.52.162.165/photos-media/

Personal website –https://www.utopiaphoto.ca

A recent visit to Goldstream – https://utopiaphoto.ca/blog/?p=569

***This event is a fundraiser for the Ancient Forest Alliance which is in need of funding to continue its vital campaigns to protect BC’s ancient forests and forestry jobs.

Please email us at info@16.52.162.165 to register.

Ancient Forest Alliance executive director Ken Wu

Clearcutting threatens black-tailed deer, activist says

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A dwindling black-tailed deer population on the Island is further at risk after clearcutting near Caycuse Valley, according to Ken Wu, president of the Ancient Forest Alliance, who has called on the province to protect more old-growth forests.

The newly cut area, near McClure Lake, is a popular winter spot for the deer, who survive on lichen found in the old-growth forest while receiving shelter from the Douglas firs. Their population has already dropped to one-quarter of their numbers in the 1970s, Wu said.

The deer are a food source for wolves and cougars as well as First Nations groups and other hunters, Wu said. By limiting their habitat, the deer are easier for predators to pick off at higher rates, he said.

The cutting was done by Teal-Jones Group about six weeks ago. The company would not comment on the cutting nor its knowledge of deer populations in the area.

Surrounding the 4.8 hectares that was cut is about 103 hectares of forest protected from clearcutting by its designation as oldgrowth management and ungulate winter range areas, according to the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. While deer may not seem at risk in cities or rural countryside, where they can be seen running through neighbourhood streets and feeding on farms, in higher-altitude areas they require forest shelter, Wu said.

Black-tailed deer populations on southern Vancouver Island are surveyed twice a year, and it has been noticed that their numbers are increasing, according to the ministry. Their habitat is protected based on the advice of biologists to ensure they have enough protection and food to survive the winter.

About 45 per cent of oldgrowth forest on Vancouver Island Crown land is protected, according to the ministry, but Wu said too many Douglas fir forests, such as the one near McClure Lake, are being clear cut. “It’s ridiculous and unethical to go to the end of the resource, especially when there is a second-growth alternative,” he said.

Second-growth forests, which can be used for logging, are less adequate habitats for deer, as they don’t have the same amount of lichen.

There are about 485,000 hectares of old-growth forest on Vancouver Island, which is protected, and the province is looking to expand this to include the Avatar Grove area.

Read more: https://www.timescolonist.com

An old-growth Douglas-fir stand was clearcut in June and July of this year in the Caycuse Valley south of Cowichan Lake and north of the Walbran Valley. The area was important deer wintering habitat.

Recent Old-Growth Clearcutting of Deer Wintering Habitat on Vancouver Island Documented and Posted on Youtube

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The Ancient Forest Alliance has released a video clip documenting the recent clearcutting of an extremely rare old-growth Douglas fir forest on Vancouver Island that served as vital wintering habitat for the Island’s diminishing black-tailed deer population.

See the Youtube clip at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LveT-hz-Y2I
(*ignore the swarming blackflies in the clip – apparently they don’t mind logging)

The old-growth stand was clearcut in June and July of this year in the Caycuse Valley south of Cowichan Lake and north of the Walbran Valley. The grove stood on public (Crown) land in Tree Farm License 46. The newly clearcut area is surrounded by an Ungulate Wintering Range (UWR) designated by the Ministry of Forests to sustain deer populations and an Old-Growth Management Area (OGMA) that prohibits logging. Unfortunately an important chunk of the old-growth Douglas firs were left out of protection and have now been clearcut.

“It’s incredible that despite a four-fold drop in Vancouver Island’s deer population in recent decades and despite 99% of our old-growth Douglas firs having already been logged, the BC government is still approving old-growth clearcuts in critical deer wintering habitat,” stated Ken Wu, Ancient Forest Alliance co-founder. “Clearcutting of old-growth forests not only harms black-tailed deer populations, but also harms the creatures that eat deer – wolves, cougars, bears, First Nations hunters, and non-First Nations hunters.”

Biologists with BC’s Ministry of Environment estimate that Vancouver Island’s deer population has dropped from over 200,000 individuals in the 1970’s to 55,000 individuals by the 2000’s in large part due to the logging of their old-growth wintering habitat. Coastal black-tailed deer populations that live at higher elevations where there is regular snowpack, such as throughout much of Vancouver Island’s interior, spend the winter months in old-growth forests where they find food and shelter. Much of their winter diet consists of lichens that grow in greatest abundance in old-growth forests, hanging on tree branches and falling onto the ground during winter storms. Large, fallen logs and dense thickets of shrubs and young trees in the understories of old-growth forests provide hiding places from predators and shelter during bad weather. Second-growth forests tend to have a scarcity of winter food and shelter.

As old-growth forests diminish in extent from logging, the remaining old-growth patches become unnaturally concentrated with deer in winter seeking food and shelter and which become easy targets for predators. In some instances cougars and wolves will slaughter large numbers of deer due to their natural predatory instincts under such unnatural circumstances – where a century ago stood a vast sea of old-growth forests covering most of Vancouver Island. At least 87% of the productive old-growth forests on Vancouver Island south of Port Alberni and Barkley Sound have already been logged. See “Before” and “After” maps of old-growth forests on Vancouver Island at:
https://16.52.162.165/ancient-forests/before-after-old-growth-maps/ 

“Now that we’ve released this video clip, I can hear it now: ‘Bah Humbug! Deer don’t need lichens – they eat corn all over the Prairies and have overrun my Gordon Head garden in Victoria!’ loudly proclaim the uninformed. But we’re talking about specific populations of Columbian black-tailed deer that live in regions with regular snowpack, which occurs on about half of Vancouver Island – not any deer species or populations that live anywhere on Vancouver Island or Canada or the world!” remarked an impatient Wu. “More than ever, Christy Clark’s BC Liberal government is morally obliged to enact a comprehensive provincial old-growth strategy that will end the logging of our last endangered ancient forests and ensure sustainable second-growth forestry instead. Why go down to the end of a resource? It’s bad for deer, it’s bad for hunters, it’s bad for the ecosystem, it’s bad for tourism, and it’s ethically wrong. Let’s hope the BC government starts showing some wisdom, foresight, and courage for a better future.”

Previously Ungulate Wintering Ranges and Old-Growth Management Areas have disappeared on Vancouver Island. For example, an important Ungulate Wintering Range for Roosevelt Elk was eliminated north of Sooke in 2007 when the BC government allowed the removal of Western Forest Products’ forest lands from Tree Farm License 25, while ancient forests proposed by local First Nations as Old-Growth Management Areas near Port McNeill were taken off the table from protection with the removal of lands from Tree Farm License 6 at the same time.

The Ancient Forest Alliance is calling on the BC government to protect BC’s endangered old-growth forests through a Provincial Old-Growth Strategy, to ensure sustainable second-growth forestry, and to ban the export of raw logs. Currently the BC government has stated that they will look at developing a new legal tool to protect the largest monumental trees and groves in BC, which if done right would be a welcome initial step forward.

See various photogalleries of old-growth forests and clearcuts on Vancouver Island at:
https://16.52.162.165/photos-media/
(***Note: Media are free to reprint any photos – please give credit to TJ Watt if possible)

See various video clips about Vancouver Island’s largest trees and old-growth forests at:
https://16.52.162.165/photos-media/videos/

Ancient Forest Alliance

Shaw TV: Avatar Grove & Eco-Tourism in Port Renfrew

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The Shaw Daily television program heads out to visit the popular Avatar Grove with the AFA and takes a look at how business owners in Port Renfrew are starting to embrace eco-tourism as a new economic driver.

Direct link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frFj9xWT8-0&feature=feedf

A large group of visitors walk through the Lower Avatar Grove. A boardwalk will help protect the Grove's ecological integrity

AVATAR GROVE EXTRAVAGANZA: Biodiversity Hike and Fundraiser! Sunday, August 7th

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Meet 1:00 pm in Port Renfrew at the new Tourist Info Center (right side of the road upon entering town), after which time we’ll drive in a convoy to the Avatar Grove.

Hike 1:30 – 3:30 pm

COST: SLIDING SCALE – $25 to $100 per individual (children are free)

Come out to our Avatar Grove biodiversity hike and fundraiser with large mammal/carnivore specialist Dr. Jason Fisher and lichenologist Stu Crawford. Join these special guests and the Ancient Forest Alliance organizers Ken Wu and TJ Watt on the hike and speak about the biodiversity in Vancouver Island’s temperate rainforests.

You will:

– See some of the largest and strangest looking trees, including “Canada’s Gnarliest Tree” and “Canada’s Second Gnarliest Tree”! Learn to identify some of the common rainforest trees and plants.

– Learn about the large mammals (“charismatic megafauna”), the wolves, cougars, elk, deer, bears, and possibly sasquatch (*sightings not guaranteed) that all inhabit the Avatar Grove.

– Learn to identify some of the varied, interesting lichens (“charismatic microflora”) in our ancient forests. Lichens are cooperative unions of fungi and algae and are often closely associated with old-growth forests.

– Get an update on the Avatar Grove campaign which has huge momentum due to massive public and community support – we need to keep going to ensure victory!

Guest presenter bios:

Jason Fisher is an adjunct professor at the University of Victoria’s School of Environmental Studies. He is a specialist on carnivore conservation and ecology (wolverine, wolves, sea otters, etc.), ungulate ecology (deer, moose, caribou, etc.), species restoration, and landscape ecology. He recently received his doctorate in biology studying under Dr. John Volpe at the University of Victoria.

Stu Crawford is an ecological consultant and one of the handful of lichenologists in BC. He received his masters degree in biology studying under ethnobotanist Dr. Nancy Turner at the University of Victoria on First Nations consumption and use of lichens (yes, you can eat some lichens! learn more on the hike…).

TJ Watt and Ken Wu are co-founders of the Ancient Forest Alliance. TJ Watt graduated from the Western Academy of Photography and Ken Wu from UBC’s Biological Sciences program specializing in Ecology.

***Only those with moderate hiking abilities and who are comfortable on semi-rugged terrain, with a firm sense of balance, can come on this hike. All participants will be required to sign a waiver form.

***Participants must also bring their own water, rain gear, hiking boots and wonderful attitude!

***No dogs. They can disturb wildlife including bears, elk, deer, cougars, wolves, raccoons, and sasquatch in the area.

***Be sure to support the local community by buying food and other items in town!

***This event is a fundraiser for the Ancient Forest Alliance which is in need of funding to continue its vital campaigns to protect BC’s ancient forests and forestry jobs.

If you can, please email us at info@16.52.162.165 to let us know how many of you are coming so we can get a sense of our numbers.

Naming rights for this new species of Bryoria or “Horsehair Lichen”

Award-winning Canadian poet Don McKay takes lichen-naming bid to $3,500

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Award-winning Canadian poet, editor, and educator Don McKay has pushed the lichen-naming bid to $3,500! McKay is the author of twelve books of poetry and has been publishing since 1973. His poems are ecologically centred, inspired by the conflict between inspiration and spiritual, instinct and knowledge and he sees his writing as “nature poetry in a time of environmental crisis.”

All proceeds from the naming auction go to the Ancient Forest Alliance.

To read more on Don McKay follow this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_McKay  

To bid on the AFA’s lichen please visit this page: https://16.52.162.165/news-item.php?ID=233