Date: Saturday, September 24th, 12:00pm – 7:00pm
Location: Prospect Point Picnic Area – Stanley Park
Cost: By Donation (50% of proceeds will be donated to the Ancient Forest Alliance!)
If you’re in Vancouver, like to dance, and love our endangered ancient forests, then be sure to come out to family friendly Earthdance! Forest themed costumes are encouraged!
See Facebook event page for details:
Visit the website:
Summer is not over yet! There is still a chance to visit the Avatar Grove’s giant gnarly trees with the AFA’s Ken Wu and TJ Watt before the wet weather hits the west coast again!
Schedule:
1. Meet in Port Renfrew at the Tourist Info Centre at 1:30 pm (The Info Centre is on the right-hand side of the road beside the Real Goods Market about 1km into town) ***When you arrive PLEASE watch to see where parking is being directed to a gravel overflow parking area on the opposite side of the road as there will be many people participating in this trip and we need to leave spaces open for the local businesses. Thank you!
2. Leave the Info Centre head to the Avatar Grove in a convoy
3. Hike the Avatar Grove and finish by 4:00 pm
IMPORTANT – MUST READ!
***THIS IS A WILDERNESS AREA
Only those comfortable with hiking on rugged terrain with fallen
logs, steep slopes, and no official trail, and with a firm sense of
balance, can come on the hike. All participants will be required to
sign a waiver form.
*No dogs. They can disturb wildlife including bears, elk, deer,
cougars, wolves, raccoons, and Sasquatch in the area.
*Participants must bring their own snacks, water, proper clothing and footwear for all weather conditions, medical requirements, and wonderful attitude!
*Be sure to support the local community by buying food and other items in the Tourist Information Centre, Coastal Kitchen Cafe, Real Goods Market, Port Renfrew General Store, the Munch Box, and more! Gas and Diesel is available until 6pm at the Port Renfrew Marina.
*Directions and a Google map to the Avatar Grove from Port Renfrew can
be found at: https://16.52.162.165/ancient-forests/directions-to-avatar-grove/
Please let us know if you’re coming and how many people you’ll be bringing,
so we can get a sense of our numbers. You can email us at: info@16.52.162.165
VOTE for the ANCIENT FOREST ALLIANCE to receive up to $10,000 from local Victoria beer company Phillips Beer. $10,000 would be a HUGE sum for us – worth about 25% of our entire funding so far this year!
It’s profit first environment last for the Teal Jones Group.
The company’s internet website is nothing more than a cutting and pasting of whatever out-of-context facts can be best used to justify the damage they continue to do to the environment (see Page 17).
But don’t take my word for it. Peruse their website to develop your own opinion of Teal Jones Group. The page [link to page unavailable] is their most insulting read.
One of the more interesting “facts” is that there’s an abundance of old growth trees in British Columbia. They even go as far as to say that old growth trees are damaging to the environment (old growth trees contribute to global warming). Related to this, they state that “There are more trees now in Canada than there were 100 years ago.” Although this is true, it’s also true that the greatest diversity is found in the old growth forests Teal Jones Group does not like. Therefore, it’s more of a quantity than quality situation, with these more abundant younger trees home to a lesser ecosystem of animals, plants, and organisms than old growth forests, which are by no means abundant.
On their fact or fiction page, “Clear-cutting is bad for the environment” is listed as a fiction. This is so laughably stupid an opinion that it’s not worth commenting on any further than simply pointing it out.
It’s a similar such twisting of facts that has led some people, despite scientific evidence to the contrary, to not believe in global warming.
Let the government know how you feel by petitioning for more old growth forest to become protected.
Date: Thursday, Aug 25th
Time: 12:00-3:00pm
Location: Meet AFA’s TJ Watt at the Coastal Kitchen Cafe in Port Renfrew.***NOTE – Please park along the side street opposite the Cafe to save the limited parking spaces for customers***
Cost: By Donation
PLEASE READ THE IMPORTANT INFORMATION BELOW
***Only those comfortable with hiking on rugged terrain with fallen
logs, tree roots, and no official trail, and with a firm sense of
balance, can come on the hike. All participants will be required to
sign a waiver form.
***Participants must also bring their own lunch & snacks, water, rain
gear, warm clothing, 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 the Tourist Info Centre, Coastal Kitchen Cafe, Real Goods Market, Port Renfrew General Store, and Clint’s Catering Food Stand (by the General Store).
Directions and a Google map to the Avatar Grove from Port Renfrew can
be found at: https://16.52.162.165/ancient-forests/directions-to-avatar-grove/
Please let us know if you’re coming and how many people you’ll be bringing,
so we can get a sense of our numbers. You can email us at info@16.52.162.165
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
