Ancient Forest Alliance welcomes new BC Government and Cabinet

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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.

“With this new government, I believe we may be entering a period of rapid progress in environmental sustainability in this province. Green-Social Democratic governing alliances around the world, in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand in recent decades have made great strides forward in environmental and climate progress, in the expansion of renewable energy and clean tech businesses, and in social justice,” stated Ken Wu, Ancient Forest Alliance executive director. “The battle over BC’s old-growth forests has been going on for almost 50 years now and it’s time this government finally lay this issue to rest. We look forward to working constructively with this government in the months to come.”

“Old-growth forests are vital for endangered species, many First Nations cultures, tourism, the climate, clean water, and wild salmon. I think today, in 2017, if you were to ask the average British Columbian if they’d like to see our endangered old-growth forests protected while focusing on developing a sustainable, value-added, second-growth forest industry, the vast majority would agree. Most people would recognize it as a win-win proposition,” stated Andrea Inness, Ancient Forest Alliance campaigner.

Of particular interest are three new ministers who are most relevant to the Ancient Forest Alliance’s goals:

The Honourable Scott Fraser is the MLA for the riding of Alberni-Pacific, and has been appointed as the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. Mr. Fraser has worked hard for years to stand up for sustainable forestry jobs in BC, making it his priority to campaign for old-growth forest protection and against raw log exports and the deregulation of corporate-owned forest lands on Vancouver Island. He has advocated for the protection of local old-growth forests in the Port Alberni area, including McLaughlin Ridge, the Cameron Valley Fire Break, and Horne Mountain above Cathedral Grove. In 2013 he received the Ancient Forest Alliance’s “Forest Sustainability Award” for his great work (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQbEH7u2Efc). Financial support from the province for BC’s First Nations communities for sustainable economic development and diversification, including a transition to a value-added, second-growth forest industry by the BC government, is a vital component of any policy to protect old-growth forests. Mr. Fraser’s position may facilitate such a needed policy shift.

George Heyman, the MLA for Vancouver Fairview, is now the new Minister of Environment. Heyman was previously the executive director of the Sierra Club of BC and before that was the president of the BC Government Employees Union. Heyman oversaw the Sierra Club of BC during the bulk of the organization’s negotiations with industry, First Nations, and the province regarding the Great Bear Rainforest (the province’s Central and North Coast), which resulted last year in a final agreement to protect 70% of its forests, including 85% of its old-growth forests, while providing over $120 million to First Nations communities to develop conservation-based economies linked to the increased protection. Under Heyman, the Sierra Club of BC supported the Ancient Forest Alliance’s call for the BC government to purchase and protect endangered old-growth forests on Island Timberland’s private lands on Vancouver Island, and the Sierra Club of BC has joined with 18 other organizations calling on the province to establish a land acquisition fund to protect endangered ecosystems across BC. The Ancient Forest Alliance is looking forward to working with Mr. Heyman in regards to these and other initiatives.

Doug Donaldson, the MLA for Sitkine, is now the new Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. Thus far, Ancient Forest Alliance campaigners have not had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Donaldson, but understand that he has been involved in environmental advocacy against open netcage fish farms and hydraulic fracking in northern BC, as well as advocating for a stronger environmental impact assessment process. These are positive signs to conservationists and the Ancient Forest Alliance hopes to work closely with the new minister as the key leader who can implement the NDP’s key election promise to use the Ecosystem-Based Management model of the Great Bear Rainforest as a model for managing the province’s old-growth forests.

The Ancient Forest Alliance is excited to work with these new ministers, along with Premier Horgan himself, who during his 2011 bid for the NDP leadership made protecting old-growth forests one of his core policy planks – take note, the Ancient Forest Alliance’s Ken Wu had endorsed Horgan’s commitment to protect old-growth forests then, but not necessarily all aspects of Horgan’s platform). Horgan also joined the Ancient Forest Alliance to visit the Avatar Grove with the news media in 2010, advocating for the protection of old-growth forests in BC. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02HQc1UEWXw

The NDP’s 2017 election platform states that “In partnership with First Nations and communities, we will modernize land-use planning to effectively and sustainably manage BC’s ecosystems, rivers, lakes, watersheds, forests and old growth, while accounting for cumulative effects. We will take an evidence-based scientific approach and use the ecosystem-based management of the Great Bear Rainforest as a model.” (see page 61 of their platform at: https://action.bcndp.ca/page/-/bcndp/docs/BC-NDP-Platform-2017.pdf). If taken literally and seriously, this would almost certainly result in the protection of the remaining old growth forest on BC’s southern coast and in the BC Interior, where old-growth forests are far scarcer and more endangered than in the Central and Northern Coast (Great Bear Rainforest) where 70% of the forests and 85% of the old-growth forests were protected under the Ecosystem-Based Management plan there.

The NDP minority government has been sworn-in to replace the previously governing Liberal party after signing a governing agreement with the 3 Green Party MLAs, who have spoken with the Ancient Forest Alliance that old-growth forest protection and value-added forestry jobs will be central features of their agenda.

More Information on Old-Growth Forests

Old-growth forests are vital to sustaining unique endangered species, climate stability, tourism, clean water, wild salmon, and the cultures of many First Nations. On BC’s southern coast, satellite photos show that at least 75% of the original, productive old-growth forests have been logged, including well over 90% of the valley bottoms where the largest trees grow. Only about 8% of Vancouver Island’s original, productive old-growth forests are protected in parks and Old-Growth Management Areas. Old-growth forests – with trees that can be 2000 years old – are a non-renewable resource under BC’s system of forestry, where second-growth forests are re-logged every 50 to 100 years, never to become old-growth again.

Over the past year, the voices for old-growth protection have been quickly expanding, including numerous Chambers of Commerce, mayors and city councils, forestry unions, and conservation groups across BC who have been calling on the provincial government to expand protection for BC’s remaining old-growth forests.

BC’s premier business lobby, the BC Chamber of Commerce, representing 36,000 businesses, passed a resolution last May calling on the province to expand protection for BC’s old-growth forests to support the economy, after a series of similar resolutions passed by the Port Renfrew, Sooke, and WestShore Chambers of Commerce. See: www.ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=1010

Both the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), representing the mayors, city and town councils, and regional districts across BC, and Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC), representing Vancouver Island local governments, passed a resolution last year calling on the province to protect the Vancouver Island’s remaining old-growth forests by amending the 1994 land use plan. See: https://16.52.162.165/media-release-ubcm-passes-old-growth-protection-resolution/

The Private and Public Workers of Canada (PPWC), formerly the Pulp, Paper, and Woodworkers of Canada, representing thousands of sawmill and pulp mill workers across BC, recently passed a resolution calling for an end to old-growth logging on Vancouver Island. See: https://16.52.162.165/conservationists-applaud-old-growth-protection-resolution-by-major-bc-forestry-union/

The Ahousaht First Nation north of Tofino in Clayoquot Sound recently announced that 82% of their territory will be off-limits to commercial logging. They now need provincial legislation and funding to help make their vision a reality. See: [Original article no longer available]

The Ancient Forest Alliance calling on the BC government to implement a comprehensive science-based plan to protect all of BC’s remaining endangered old-growth forests, and to also ensure a sustainable, value-added second-growth forest industry.

See maps and stats on the remaining old-growth forests on BC’s southern coast at: www.ancientforestalliance.org/old-growth-maps.php

In order to placate public fears about the loss of BC’s endangered old-growth forests, the previous BC Liberal government’s PR-spin typically over-inflated the amount of remaining old-growth forests by including hundreds of thousands of hectares of marginal, low productivity forests growing in bogs and at high elevations with smaller, stunted trees, lumped in with the productive old-growth forests, where the large trees grow (and where most logging takes place). See a rebuttal to some of the BC government’s PR-spin and stats about old-growth forests towards the BOTTOM of the webpage: https://16.52.162.165/action-alert-speak-up-for-ancient-forests-to-the-union-of-bc-municipalities-ubcm/ 

Koksilah Ancient Forest on Vancouver Island

New report: BC government faces no legal or financial barriers to implementing "Pop for Parks" program for land acquisition fund

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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.

Every year, $10 to $15 million in unredeemed container deposits goes to beverage companies in BC as windfall profits. The Ancient Forest Alliance believes these profits should go to conserving endangered lands and creating green spaces for British Columbians to enjoy. While the Pop for Parks program would make up only part of the recommended minimum annual $40 million fund, the new report, supported by West Coast Environmental Law's Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund, shows the Pop for Parks program is a readily available funding source which the new NDP government could swiftly redirect to protect some of the province's most important lands and forests.

https://staging.ancientforestalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/AFA-Pop-for-Parks-Report-final.pdf

B.C. Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver and B.C. NDP Leader John Horgan shaking hands on May 29-2017

B.C. Greens agree to support NDP in minority legislature

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B.C.'s Green Party has reached an agreement with the New Democrats to topple the government of Premier Christy Clark.

The agreement, announced by Green Leader Andrew Weaver and NDP Leader John Horgan at a news conference in Victoria, would see the Greens and New Democrats use their combined one-seat majority in the legislature to bring down the BC Liberals. The Greens would then agree to support an NDP government in confidence votes, such as throne speeches or budgets, for four years.

“In the end, we had to make a difficult decision – that decision was for the B.C. Greens to work together to provide a stable minority government for the four-year term,” said Mr. Weaver.

Details of the agreement, which both Mr. Weaver and Mr. Horgan said ran “many pages,” were not released on Monday.

Mr. Weaver said he and the other two Green members in the legislature have signed on, while Mr. Horgan said his caucus would vote on ratifying the agreement on Tuesday.

“We're here to make government work and that means working with all MLAs,” he said. “We have a case to make that this legislature can work. It's an exciting opportunity.”

What happens next could ultimately be up to the province's Lieutenant-Governor, Judith Guichon, who would be called upon if the Liberals lose a confidence motion in the legislature. Mr. Horgan and Mr. Weaver suggested a confidence vote might not be neccessary.

“The current government didn't have the support of the majority of members – we now have the majority support,” said Mr. Horgan.

“We'll be making that known to the Lieutenant-Governor in the next number of days and we'll proceed from there. … The premier will have some choices to make.”

Ms. Clark did not make herself available to comment on the agreement, instead issuing a brief statement that said the agreement could have “far-reaching consequences for our province's future.” The statement said the premier would consult with her caucus and have more to say on Tuesday.

“As the incumbent government, and the party with the most seats in the legislature, we have a responsibility to carefully consider our next steps,” said the statement.

The announcement ends weeks of negotiations between the Greens and both parties to either prop up the Liberals or give the New Democrats the power to form government after 16 years in Opposition.

The May 9 election gave the Liberals just 43 seats in the House. The NDP have 41 seats and the Greens have three.

Ms. Clark is obliged to recall the legislature to test the confidence of the House. If the Greens and NDP defeat the government in a confidence motion, such as a throne speech or budget, Ms. Clark would be expected to resign or ask for a new election.

However, the lieutenant-governor also has the option to ask Mr. Horgan and Mr. Weaver to govern without holding an election.

Mr. Weaver had set out three “deal breakers” that include official party status, campaign finance reform and proportional representation, although other issues, including the party's opposition to several Liberal resource priorities, also would have factored into such talks.

The New Democrats have won only three elections in B.C.: first in 1972, and then again in 1991 and 1996. In the 1996, the party won a majority government despite losing the popular vote.

The province last elected a minority government in 1952. W.A.C. Bennett's Social Credit government fell the next year and regained its majority in the subsequent election.

See original article here: https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/greens-announce-support-in-legislature/article35147472/

Old-growth clearcutting in the Klanawa Valley on Vancouver Island

We have to protect all of the world’s rainforests, not just tropical rainforests

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Most of us have heard about how rainforests are in trouble and the rapid rate at which we are losing these spectacular ecosystems, along with the incredible diversity of species that depend on them. Globally, most of these reports focus on tropical rainforests and there has been too little awareness about the fate of temperate rainforests. Close to home, very few know that the remaining old-growth forest on Vancouver Island is disappearing faster than natural tropical rainforests.

Few of us have the opportunity to visit tropical forests in person, which can make us feel disconnected from the problems of deforestation and degradation of tropical countries. I am extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to work in tropical rainforests over the past seven years as part of my graduate work in wildlife ecology. Most of this has been in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, where I investigated how selective logging disrupts interactions between trees and mammals.

The loss of intact tropical forests continues to be a serious threat. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recently estimated that, globally, 10 percent of the remaining primary forests in tropical rainforest countries were lost between 1990 and 2015. These forests are home to many species that exist nowhere else on the planet and protecting their habitats is critical to their survival. Further, the livelihood of millions of people depends on intact forests and they play an important role in mitigating the effects of climate change by storing massive amounts of carbon.

While all of this may be well known to many, few of us in Canada realize just how fast old-growth rainforest is being logged on Vancouver Island. I was very shocked to learn from recent Sierra Club B.C. data that over that same period (1990 to 2015), 30 percent of the remaining old-growth forest on Vancouver Island was logged. In other words, the rate of loss of so-called primary forests (forests that were largely undisturbed by human activity) on Vancouver Island is actually three times greater than in the tropics. In the past few years, the rate of old-growth logging on the Island has actually increased by 12 percent to 9,000 hectares per year (25 hectares a day).

So what’s behind this forest loss? Similar to the tropics, logging plays a central role. One difference is that in many tropical countries logging often results in deforestation, while in other countries, such as Canada, logging generally leads to the replacement of rich ancient forests with even-aged young forest. Much of the old-growth forest on Vancouver Island has already been lost to clearcut logging and the remaining patches of old-growth (called variable retention by foresters) are too small to maintain enough habitat for species that depend on old-growth forest.

In response to the Sierra Club data, the B.C. government stated that it is misleading to compare the problem in tropical countries to Vancouver Island because in British Columbia, logging companies are required by law to reforest logged areas. Although this is true, old-growth ecosystems with trees that are many hundreds of years of age are not growing back at a meaningful timescale and climate change means we will never see the same type of forest grow back in the first place.

Species that rely on old-growth forest such, as the marbled murrelet, are negatively affected by the loss of old forest stands. In addition, the resulting large areas of young trees are not offering the type of habitat that most of the typical plants and animals on Vancouver Island depend on.

Similar to tropical forests, coastal temperate forests play an important role storing carbon dioxide. In fact a single hectare of temperate rainforest can store up to 1,000 tonnes of carbon, a much greater amount than most tropical rainforests. Even if replanting is carried out, along the coast it can take centuries for reforested areas to reach a similar capacity in carbon-storage potential as that of intact old-growth forest stands.

Tropical-forest loss rightfully deserves the attention it gets, and we are lucky here in B.C. to have equally amazing rainforest habitat. Given that we are living in a relatively rich part of the world compared to many tropical countries, it is remarkable that we are failing to do a better job of protecting the remaining rare and endangered ancient forests on Vancouver Island and inspire other parts of the world.

(There is growing international pressure on the B.C. government to protect Vancouver Island’s endangered old-growth rainforest; see this release.)

Coastal temperate rainforests exist only in very small areas on the planet and very little intact areas are left. Solutions exist, for example, in the Great Bear Rainforest north of Vancouver Island. Increasing the area of forest protected and halting destructive logging practices are both vital to ensuring the continued survival of these ecosystems and for a diverse economy. They should be a primary concern to us all.

Alys Granados is a PhD student in zoology at UBC. She is working as an Intern for Sierra Club B.C. under UBC’s Biodiversity Research: Integrative Training and Education (BRITE) program.

See original article: https://www.straight.com/news/912886/alys-granados-we-have-protect-all-worlds-rainforests-not-just-tropical-rainforests

One of several monumental western redcedars located in Jurassic Grove

Ancient Forest Alliance Featured in Vancouver Island’s Chinese-Language Newspaper

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Vancouver Island's Chinese-language newspaper has run a story about the Ancient Forest Alliance, the Jurassic Grove, and our campaigns to protect old-growth forests, including using our big tree and stump photos. Take note that our Mandarin old-growth ecology walks are just getting underway in the Lower Mainland for the half a million Chinese-language speakers there, but sometime in the future, we hope to get it going on Vancouver Island too.

See the article: https://issuu.com/viweekly/docs/vi_weekly_170524_-_015_-_online_ver

One of several monumental western redcedars located in Jurassic Grove

Stunning grove of unprotected old-growth trees located near Port Renfrew

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The Ancient Forest Alliance has discovered an unknown old-growth forsts near Jordan River.

The forest contains a stunning and impressive grove of unprotected, monumental old-growth trees along a three-kilometre stretch between Jordan River and Port Renfrew. It lies mainly on Crown lands adjacent to Juan de Fuca Marine Trail Provincial Park and its popular coastal hiking trail not far from Highway 14 in the traditional territory of the Pacheedaht band.

“Lowland old-growth groves on southern Vancouver Island with the classic giants like this are about as rare as finding a Sasquatch these days – over 95 per cent of the forests like this have been logged on the South Island,” said Ken Wu, Ancient Forest Alliance executive director.

“For now we’ve nicknamed this tract of old-growth forest as the ‘Jurassic Grove,’ which could become ‘Jurassic Park’ one day if it is protected. Of course, there may be more traditional names for the area, which we’ll be happy to use”.

The Ancient Forest Alliance’s TJ Watt had explored and identified the area as an old-growth forest of high conservation significance in recent years but came across a particularly accessible grove of giant trees while bushwhacking a few weeks ago.

“This area is like another Avatar Grove – it’s easy to get to, it includes some parts with gentle terrain, and is filled with amazing trees. When we can disclose the exact location when it’s appropriate for wider public access, the Jurassic Grove will undoubtedly become a major source of inspiration and environmental awareness for thousands of people,” Watt said.

While most of Jurassic Grove’s 130 hectares of old-growth is protected within a marbled murrelet wildlife habitat area is off-limits to logging, about 40 hectares is on unprotected Crown lands without any regulatory or legislated protection.

There are no approved or proposed logging plans on these lands, according to the B.C. Forest Ministry. The Ancient Forest Alliance plans to meet with Ministry of Forests officials, B.C. Parks, and Pacheedaht council to discuss conservation and access issues regarding the area.

Jurassic Grove’s easy to access location makes it a potential first rate ancient forest attraction that can help to raise the awareness of all endangered old-growth forests and bolster the regional eco-tourism industry, said Wu.

Wu pointed out while thew Ancient Forest Alliance found Jurrasic Grove others groups have used the area for years, and for the Pacheedaht, thousands of years.

“We were the ones who located and identified this area for its conservation significance regarding old growth,” Wu said.

See the original article at: https://www.sookenewsmirror.com/news/stunning-grove-of-unprotected-old-growth-trees-located-near-port-renfrew/

See our media release about the Jurassic Grove: https://16.52.162.165/conservationists-thank-the-pacheedaht-first-nation-for-extending-protection-over-18-hectares-of-aeoejurassic-groveae%C2%9D-near-port-renfrew-on-vancouver-island-ae-stunning-old-growth-forest/

Ancient Forest Alliance Reaches Global Audiences in Al Jazeera News

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Check it out! We're starting to reach global audiences, as Al Jazeera news (sort of like the BBC of the Middle East) has put out a new photo essay and article about the Ancient Forest Alliance's campaign to protect BC's old-growth forests from industrial logging. It includes photos of the Ancient Forest Alliance staff (Ken Wu, Andrea Inness, TJ Watt, Molly O'Ray) by the protected Avatar Grove, the endangered Eden Grove and Echo Lake, clearcutting on Edinburgh Mountain near Port Renfrew, forest ecologist Dr. Andy MacKinnon, Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce president Dan Hager, Cathedral Grove, and the Catalyst mill in Port Alberni. Article and photos by John Zada. 
 

See: https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2017/04/fighting-save-canada-giant-trees-170429152837200.html

One of several monumental western redcedars located in Jurassic Grove.

Stunning Grove of Unprotected Old-Growth Trees Located near Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island – Conservationists Hope “Jurassic Grove” will become “Jurassic Park” one day!

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For Immediate Release

VICTORIA – The Ancient Forest Alliance has located an impressive grove of unprotected, monumental old-growth trees only a 90 minute drive west of Victoria between Jordan River and Port Renfrew.

Spanning a 3 kilometer stretch alongside a portion of the 48 kilometre Juan de Fuca Marine Trail Provincial Park, it lies mainly on Crown lands adjacent to the provincial park and its popular coastal hiking trail not far from Highway 14 in the traditional unceded territory of the Pacheedaht band.  The Ancient Forest Alliance’s TJ Watt had explored and identified the area as an old-growth forest of high conservation significance in recent years but came across a particularly accessible grove of giant trees while bushwhacking a few weeks ago.

“Lowland old-growth groves on southern Vancouver Island with the classic giants like this are about as rare as finding a Sasquatch these days – over 95% of the forests like this have been logged on the South Island. This is one of the most magnificent unprotected groves in the world, and it’s even easier than the Avatar Grove to get to. It will help to bolster the public’s interest to see the BC government enact legislation to protect the remaining old-growth forests on Vancouver Island”, stated Ken Wu, Ancient Forest Alliance executive director. “For now we’ve nicknamed this tract of old-growth forest as the ‘Jurassic Grove’, which could become ‘Jurassic Park’ one day if it is protected. Of course there may be more traditional names for the area, which we’ll be happy to use”.

“This area is like another Avatar Grove – it’s easy to get to, it includes some parts with gentle terrain, and is filled with amazing trees – but it’s even closer to Victoria! When we are able to disclose the exact location when it’s appropriate for wider public access, the Jurassic Grove will undoubtedly become a major source of inspiration and environmental awareness for thousands of people”, stated TJ Watt, Ancient Forest Alliance campaigner and photographer. “It’s hard to fathom that at one time the highway between Victoria to Port Renfrew could’ve been lined with ancient forests like this. Now it remains in just a few patches, like the Jurassic Grove, underscoring the need to protect what’s left of our old-growth forests.”

The Ancient Forest Alliance has requested meetings with the Ministry of Forests, BC Parks, and Pacheedaht council to discuss conservation and access issues regarding the area. Until then, the organization is not yet encouraging the public to try visiting the grove, most of which has no trails, has an extremely dense understory, and which is punctuated with very steep ravines.

While most of Jurassic Grove’s 130 hectares of old-growth is protected within a Marbled Murelet Wildlife Habitat Area that is off-limits to logging, about 40 hectares is on unprotected Crown lands without any type of regulatory or legislated protection.

There are no approved or proposed logging plans on these lands, according to Ministry of Forests data on the BC government’s iMAPBC website.

As it abuts against a popular provincial park for hiking, it would be a natural addition to the park and as a buffer to the Juan de Fuca trail – and ultimately as a star attraction for visitors around the world.

“We should make it clear that we did not ‘discover’ this forest, in the sense of being the first humans to see it, of course. People have lived in the area for thousands of years, and hikers mushroom pickers, hunters, surfers, biologists, and loggers (who logged to the edge of this forest several decades ago…and of course who would’ve surveyed it as well) have all traversed the area. What we’ve done is located and identified the old-growth grove here for its high conservation and recreation value”, stated TJ Watt, AFA campaigner and photographer. “However, the days of identifying such unprotected monumental groves are coming to an end, because in a few short years these forests will either be in protected areas, or gone. This area needs legislated protection”.

Jurassic Grove’s easy to access location makes it a potential first rate ancient forest attraction that can help to raise the awareness of all endangered old-growth forests and bolster the regional eco-tourism industry. Port Renfrew, historically a logging town that now promotes eco-tourism and has been dubbed the “Tall Trees Capital of Canada” in recent years due to its proximity to the Avatar Grove, Central Walbran Valley, Big Lonely Doug (Canada’s 2ndlargest Douglas-fir), Eden Grove, Red Creek Fir (the world’s largest Douglas-fir), Harris Creek Spruce (an enormous Sitka spruce), and San Juan Spruce (previously Canada’s largest spruce until the top broke off last year), now has the Jurassic Grove as another first rate addition to its roster of big tree attractions. Thousands of tourists from around the world now come to visit the old-growth trees around Port Renfrew, hugely bolstering the regional economy of southern Vancouver Island. The Ancient Forest Alliance is encouraging people who visit the area to stay in local accommodations, buy food and groceries in local stores, and camp in the Pacheedaht campground to help boost the local economy with eco-tourism dollars.

To the south the BC government has just bought up the 7 parcels of second-growth private forest lands, totalling 180 hectares, from a developer and intends to increase the width of the provincial park to buffer the trail along its first several kilometres, while lands outside the buffer will go to the Pacheedaht First Nation band in Port Renfrew as part of the treaty settlement process. To the north, the Crown land old-growth forests of the Jurassic Grove could also be a natural addition to buffer the trail, whether as an extension of the existing park or as a tribal park/conservancy.

More Information on Old-Growth Forests

Over the past year, the voices for old-growth protection have been quickly expanding, including numerous Chambers of Commerce, mayors and city councils, forestry unions, and conservation groups across BC who have have been calling on the provincial government to expand protection for BC’s remaining old-growth forests.

BC’s premier business lobby, the BC Chamber of Commerce, representing 36,000 businesses, passed a resolution last May calling on the province to expand protection for BC’s old-growth forests to support the economy, after a series of similar resolutions passed by the Port Renfrew, Sooke, and WestShore Chambers of Commerce. See: https://16.52.162.165/media-release-historic-leap-for-old-growth-forests-bc-chamber-of-commerce-passes-resolution-for-expanded-protection/

Both the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), representing the mayors, city and town councils, and regional districts across BC, and Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC), representing Vancouver Island local governments, passed a resolution last year calling on the province to protect the Vancouver Island’s remaining old-growth forests by amending the 1994 land use plan. See: https://16.52.162.165/media-release-ubcm-passes-old-growth-protection-resolution/

The Private and Public Workers of Canada (PPWC), formerly the Pulp, Paper, and Woodworkers of Canada, representing thousands of sawmill and pulp mill workers across BC, recently passed a resolution calling for an end to old-growth logging on Vancouver Island. See: https://16.52.162.165/conservationists-applaud-old-growth-protection-resolution-by-major-bc-forestry-union/

The Ahousaht First Nation band north of Tofino in Clayoquot Sound recently announced that 82% of their territory will be off-limits to commercial logging. They now need provincial legislation and funding to help make their vision a reality. See: (Link no longer available)

The Ancient Forest Alliance calling on the BC government to implement a comprehensive science-based plan to protect all of BC’s remaining endangered old-growth forests, and to also ensure a sustainable, value-added second-growth forest industry.

Old-growth forests are vital to sustain unique endangered species, climate stability, tourism, clean water, wild salmon, and the cultures of many First Nations. On BC’s southern coast, satellite photos show that at least 75% of the original, productive old-growth forests have been logged, including well over 90% of the valley bottoms where the largest trees grow. Only about 8% of Vancouver Island’s original, productive old-growth forests are protected in parks and Old-Growth Management Areas. Old-growth forests – with trees that can be 2,000 years old – are a non-renewable resource under BC’s system of forestry, where second-growth forests are re-logged every 50 to 100 years, never to become old-growth again.

See maps and stats on the remaining old-growth forests on BC’s southern coast at: www.ancientforestalliance.org/old-growth-maps.php

In order to placate public fears about the loss of BC’s endangered old-growth forests, the BC government’s PR-spin typically over-inflates the amount of remaining old-growth forests by including hundreds of thousands of hectares of marginal, low productivity forests growing in bogs and at high elevations with smaller, stunted trees, lumped in with the productive old-growth forests, where the large trees grow (and where most logging takes place). See a rebuttal to some of the BC government’s PR-spin and stats about old-growth forests towards the bottom of the webpage: https://16.52.162.165/action-alert-speak-up-for-ancient-forests-to-the-union-of-bc-municipalities-ubcm/

Ancient Forest Alliance

2017 Provincial Election Summary – BC Party Platforms on Old-Growth Forests and Related Forestry Issues

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Old-Growth Logging

BC Liberal Party
The BC Liberals’ forestry platform is the unsustainable status quo: maintain business-as-usual logging practices (which includes clearcutting old-growth forests), market BC wood abroad, support BC construction projects that contain BC wood, and plant more trees. Their forestry platform makes no mention of protecting old-growth forests, outside the Great Bear Rainforest.

The BC Liberals significantly increased the rate of old-growth logging in BC’s interior during their time in power and have allowed Old-Growth Management Area boundaries in many parts of the province to be adjusted to allow for more logging. Using stumpage fees and taxpayers’ dollars, they have aggressively marketed BC old-growth wood abroad, particularly in China, and reduced old-growth forest retention targets in the Central Interior to prop-up ailing mills. They also deregulated vast areas of private, corporate forest lands that were once publicly regulated, opening up major tracts of protected old-growth forests for liquidation and allowing the rate of cut to skyrocket. The Liberals’ key areas of progress in reducing the rate of cut have been in the Great Bear Rainforest, where the AAC was reduced by 40%, and in Haida Gwaii, where the AAC was reduced by 50%.

BC NDP
The NDP’s forestry policy platform is similar to the BC Liberals’ status quo forestry platform: market BC wood abroad, support BC construction projects that contain BC wood, and plant more trees. They also make no mention of old-growth forest management in the forestry platform itself; however, their environment platform includes a somewhat vague but very important statement about using the ecosystem-based management approach of the Great Bear Rainforest as a model to sustainably manage BC’s old-growth.

The NDP had a poor track record when it came to curbing the total wood volume of destructive old-growth logging. Although they made a minor reduction in the Allowable Annual Cut (AAC) coming into power in 1991, and further minor reductions due to the addition of new parks and protected areas as land use plans were implemented, the NDP continued to allow overcutting in BC’s forests throughout the 1990s.

BC Green Party
The Green Party’s platform calls for inventorying and then protecting BC’s remaining old-growth forests, while improving the sustainable logging of second-growth stands instead. It also calls for application of the precautionary principle to timber supply reviews (which may refer to reducing the overcut) and the development of new forest practices regulations that address cumulative effects, wildlife, and First Nations interests.

Old-Growth Protection – Parks and Conservancies

BC Liberal Party
In their 16 years of power, the BC Liberals increased the province’s legislated protected areas by 3% (from 12% to 15%) – almost all within the Great Bear Rainforest, Haida Gwaii, and Squamish Nation lands in response to First Nations land use plans and environmental markets pressure. They halted the creation of new protected areas on Crown lands across most of the rest of the province, with a few minor exceptions (the Slim Creek Provincial Park near Prince George, for example).

BC NDP
During their 10 years in power, the NDP increased the amount of protected areas in the province by 6% (from 6% to 12%) and did so systematically across most of the province, including in many old-growth forests. They had a substantially better track record than the BC Liberals in this regard; however, they capped protection at 12% in most regions and across the province as a whole, letting the logging industry cut a vast number of contentious, high conservation value old-growth forests excluded from protection.

None of the major parties, including the Green Party, have made commitments to or set targets for the systematic creation of new, legislated protected areas across the province.

Old-Growth Protection – Forest Reserves

BC Liberal Party
The BC Liberals have generally dragged their heels in implementing the system of forest reserves first committed to by the NDP government of the 1990s as part of the “higher level” land use plans created in each region. This includes establishing Old-Growth Management Areas, Visual Quality Objectives for scenery, Ungulate Winter Ranges, and Wildlife Habitat Areas, such as for marbled murrelets, spotted owls, and northern goshawks. Not only has implementation been slow, allowing the logging industry to cut vast areas of old-growth forests over this time, but many forest reserves have been removed to accommodate logging interests – most recently on northern Vancouver Island in 2016. However, as an exception to their overall poor record on forest reserve establishment, the BC Liberals implemented the ground-breaking Great Bear Rainforest agreement, which protects most of that region’s old-growth forests in a combination of conservancies and forest reserves. This was done under threat of BC timber boycotts in Europe and due to the conservation interests of First Nations band councils.

BC NDP
The NDP implemented a system of forest reserves in the 1990s as part of the Biodiversity Guidelines of the Forest Practices Code. This was a significant step forward in forest conservation, although the government ensured their implementation had a limited impact on the timber supply available for logging. By the late 1990’s, the NDP was also watering down the forest reserve guidelines, removing the emphasis on connectivity and removing major old-growth protection reserves on southern Vancouver Island, known as Forest Ecosystem Networks.

In their 2017 environment platform, the NDP offers some hope: they refer to using the ecosystem-based management approach of the Great Bear Rainforest as a model in land-use planning and old-growth management. If interpreted as implementing the same model used in the Great Bear Rainforest in the rest of the province (it is a vague statement allowing for considerable wriggle room), it would establish an extensive system of forest reserves to protect and restore old-growth forests of all types across the province and greatly reduce the rate of overcutting – and in fact would likely end the logging of old-growth forests in many parts of BC, such as on Vancouver Island where old-growth forests are far more endangered than in the Great Bear Rainforest.

BC Green Party
The Greens’ platform includes protecting BC’s old-growth forests in reserves, as well as the implementation of a new BC Forest and Range Ecology Act that would emphasize wildlife habitat restoration and address First Nations rights, resilience planning and cumulative effects.

Raw Log Exports and Manufacturing

BC Liberal Party
The BC Liberals have dramatically increased the rate of raw log exports since coming to power, quadrupling average annual log exports to over 6 million cubic meters each year, resulting in the loss of thousands of potential forestry jobs in BC. They removed the local milling requirement, granted scores of log export permits from Crown lands, issued general exemptions against log export restrictions for the entire North Coast, and removed Tree Farm Licences on corporate private lands, opening the floodgates to log exports. They continue to justify log exports and propose no additional system of regulations or taxation to restrict them.

BC NDP
While the NDP began to increase log exports by the late 1990s towards the end of their term, export levels came nowhere near those seen under the BC Liberals today. The NDP has been highly vocal in their criticism of raw log exports and their potential impact on BC milling jobs, but are not proposing in their platform any increase in the log export tax or any regulations to restrict or ban log exports. Nor are they proposing any tax incentives or structural adjustments (such as creating regional log sorts) to support the value-added sector. Instead, they have stated an interest in creating more manufacturing jobs without stating concrete policies or mechanisms to facilitate this outcome.

BC Green Party
The Green Party’s platform includes a commitment to curb raw log exports but does not state how. They also propose tax relief (i.e. removing PST) on purchases of new manufacturing machinery to upgrade and build new sawmills and value-added facilities.

 


Ancient Forest Alliance Policy Infographic
 

See the Parties’ 2017 Election Policy Platforms:

BC Liberal Platform
Forestry: pages 23-26
Environment (Great Bear Rainforest): pages 118-122

NDP Platform
Forestry: pages 82-84
Also see “Taking Action for BC Forestry Jobs” 
Environment/Old-Growth/Great Bear Rainforest reference: page 61

Green Party Platform  
Forestry: pages 53-55

One of several monumental western redcedars located in Jurassic Grove.

Avatar Grove, the sequel: Introducing Jurassic Grove

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Towering more than 30 metres high, an ancient red cedar’s heavy branches fork skyward above massive burls dusted in moss.

The 500- to 1,000-year-old tree is at the centre of what the Ancient Forest Alliance says is an exciting find — an old-growth stand between Jordan River and Port Renfrew that could become the region’s next attraction.

“The whole area is a lowlands, spectacular ancient forest,” said Ken Wu, executive director of the Ancient Forest Alliance.

Jurassic Grove, as the group is calling it, covers an area of about 130 hectares near the mid-section of the Juan de Fuca Trail, between Lines Creek and Loss Creek. It’s about a 90-minute drive from Victoria and 20 minutes from Port Renfrew.

While most of the trees are protected as part of a marbled murrelet wildlife habitat area, about 40 hectares are vulnerable to logging on unprotected Crown lands.

There are no approved logging plans for the area, but that could change at any moment, Wu said.

“Virtually everywhere we find a grove like this, fairly soon it is flagged for logging,” he said.

Wu said the Ancient Forest Alliance isn’t the first to discover the area, which lies in the traditional Pacheedaht territory and has likely been a destination for mushroom hunters and other forest fans.

But it identified the area as a potential conservation zone by studying aerial maps and exploring off trails.

As a self-described “big-tree hunter,” co-founder T.J. Watt’s first clue was a large cedar along a path used by surfers between Jordan River and Port Renfrew.

“I figured if there was one big cedar, there would likely be more,” Watt said.

He made his way through thickening brush, passing ancient trees, one by one, “until this giant revealed itself.”

The Ancient Forest Alliance says its first priority is getting the vulnerable 40 hectares protected. If successful, Wu says, it could be the next Avatar Grove. The group won protection for the area in 2012, and it has become a destination for visitors to the Port Renfrew area.

Jon Cash, former president of the Port Renfrew chamber of commerce, said it wasn’t easy to win support for Avatar Grove’s protection.

“It was difficult to be in a very small town with one general store, where half the people are loggers,” he said.

But Cash said the economic benefits have proven real. As co-owner and operator of Soule Creek Lodge, Cash said his clients are happy to have an accessible destination to visit.

“The more things people can do while they’re there, the longer they stay. So getting people to stay from one night to two is like doubling your income,” he said.

Avatar Grove draws local and international visitors, he said, having been covered in more than 100 media stories, from the Times Colonist to Al Jazeera. It joins attractions such as Big Lonely Doug, a lone Douglas fir that stands in a clear-cut area.

Port Renfrew now bills itself as the Big Tree Capital of Canada and distributes a tall-tree map to visitors through the town brochure.

As of 2012, about nine per cent of high-productivity, old-growth trees remained on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.

Wu said about one-third of that is protected.

Vicky Husband, a spokeswoman for Commons B.C. who helped create an animated map showing the disappearance of Vancouver Island old-growth since 1900, said protecting ancient forests should be a priority.

“In my lifetime, we’ve pretty well lost this forest, and I think most people understand now that it’s not a renewable resource,” Husband said.

“Yes, we can make fibre farms and forests for logging, but we can’t recreate these hundreds — if not thousand-year-old — forests. What we’re saying, is protect what we have left.”

She said forestry policy should focus on sustainable second-growth forestry and creating jobs by keeping mills local.

Wu said high-productivity, old-growth stands such as Jurassic Grove store more carbon, support more species and take hundreds of years to restore, compared with young forests.

“This area should be a high priority for protection,” he said. “It has the classic hallmarks of what attracts tourists, of what houses a lot of biodiversity — marbled murrelets and endangered species live in these endangered forests — and we have a second-growth alternative.”

See the original article at: https://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/avatar-grove-the-sequel-introducing-jurassic-grove-1.18540489