Photos: Lower Caycuse River

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These ‘before’ photos were captured last week in the Lower Caycuse River in Ditidaht territory. Teal-Jones has plans to log 31 hectares of mature and old forest, virtually the last remaining unlogged remnants along the river.

Scattered throughout this forest are ancient, giant western redcedar and Sitka spruce trees slated for destruction if the pending cutblock applications are approved by the BC NDP. Despite promising a paradigm shift to protect endangered old-growth forests, the BC government is still delaying action, defending the status quo, and have failed to commit any substantial funding to support First Nations-led old-growth conservation.

Send a message to BC government decision-makers now to demand swift action to save these forests before it’s too late.

Photos: Caycuse Logging From Above

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Aerial images captured in June 2021 highlight the brutal impact of old-growth logging in the Caycuse watershed in Ditidaht territory. The original 33 hectare-clearcut from Teal-Jones, where the now-famed ‘before & after’ images were taken, stands out on a shocking scale.

Photos: Bugaboo Ridge Ancient Forest

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New photos from June 2021 show at-risk ancient forests along the ridgeline of Bugaboo Creek near Port Renfrew in Pacheedaht territory.

Large red and yellow cedars, along with hemlock and amabilis fir, abound. Trilliums, berry bushes, and hellebore carpet the forest floor where animal trails from bear, deer, and cougar wind through.

Teal-Jones has approved road permits in this forest, the construction of which was partially completed before being blocked by independent activists but could resume soon. Though no cutting permits have yet been issued, “falling boundary” flagging tape can be seen throughout the forest, which falls outside the recently announced deferral areas, leaving it open for logging.

Photos: Fairy Creek From Above

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The emerald-green ancient forests of the Fairy Creek Valley in Pacheedaht territory from above. Last week we took to the skies to document old-growth forests and logging across the west coast of Vancouver Island and, when you’re in the air, it’s clear just how incredibly rare a sight this is – a roadless valley free from clearcuts. But how long will it remain that way?

Independent blockaders have prevented further road construction into the valley headwaters for 10 months now, sparking what has become the longest running blockade movement in BC’s history with thousands of people involved. However, RCMP recently breached their Waterfall Camp and road equipment from Teal-Jones is once again headed towards Fairy Creek.

Premier John Horgan and the BC NDP government must intervene and enact immediate logging deferrals so that conservation solutions can be found. They must also adopt the Canadian government’s national protected area target of 30% of land and waters by 2030 and embrace federal funding to protect places like Fairy Creek and endangered old-growth forests across BC.

Send a Message today!! ? https://www.endangeredecosystemsalliance.org/news/bc-protected-areas

First Nations and forest-dependent communities need funding for Indigenous Protected Areas and sustainable economic diversification in order to supplant the revenues from logging these irreplaceable ecosystems.

Photo Gallery: Walbran Headwaters at Risk

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‘Before’ images have been recently captured in an active Western Forest Products cutblock in the far upper reaches of the Walbran Valley in Pacheedaht territory. Scores of giant cedars are banded in preparation for falling – and some have already been cut down. These images underscore the urgent need for the BC NDP government to ACT NOW and fulfill its promise to protect old-growth. 

Send an instant message to decision-makers.

*Note: the logging here is not taking place in the core part of the Central Walbran Valley where most people camp and which is the most intact, unprotected part of the valley. This cutblock is in a far upper reach of the watershed in a heavily fragmented area. But this whole watershed and all remaining tracts of old-growth on Vancouver Island must be protected at this late stage in the battle for ancient forests.

A beautiful and ancient western redcedar measuring 10ft or 3m wide banded for logging.

Photo Gallery: Before & After Logging – Caycuse Watershed

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Shocking before and after images of giant ancient cedars felled in the Caycuse watershed in Ditidaht territory by Teal Jones between April and November 2020.

Photos: Granite Creek Logging Adjacent to Fairy Creek

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Images taken in August 2020 from the Granite Creek watershed in Pacheedaht territory, near Port Renfrew. Old-growth logging and road building by Teal-Jones.

Giant redcedar was recently cut down by Teal-Jones.

The future of BC’s ancient forests hangs in the balance of decisions made today

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While the NDP government deliberates on the future of BC’s endangered old-growth forests, logging of ancient trees continues at a shocking pace across the island. Teal-Jones is one of the worst offenders, with dozens of old-growth cutblocks spread out across the Walbran, Caycuse, and Gordon River Valleys. They’ve also begun road construction adjacent to the unprotected headwaters of Fairy Creek (about 4km up from the lake) northeast of Port Renfrew and while there are no current cutblock applications at this time, it’s very likely part of their future plans. Teal Jones also plans to log the second-growth forest along the Gordon River, across from Avatar Grove, which will further mar the scenery from the bridge next to the world-famous tourist site.

The same story is playing out across hundreds of other valleys across Vancouver Island as well, often beyond the scrutiny of the public eye. Time is running out for these old-growth ‘hotspots’ of high conservation and recreation value. The BC NDP must enact strong and immediate measures to protect these highly endangered ancient forest ecosystems before the logging industry erases them forever.

TAKE ACTION! ⬇️

TWEET: @DonaldsonDoug @JJHorgan @GeorgeHeyman
EMAIL: Doug Donaldson at FLNR.Minister@gov.bc.ca
CALL: Doug Donaldson’s office at 250-387-6240
SEND-A-MESSAGE: www.AncientForestAlliance.org/send-a-message

Photos: Taylor River Valley – Old-Growth Under Threat

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Our exploration of the Taylor River Valley near Port Alberni in June 2020 exposed BC Timber Sales’ plans to auction off nearly 200 football fields worth of old-growth forest.

Photos: Loup Creek Grove – Port Renfrew

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In March 2020, the AFA identified a spectacular grove ancient giants along Loup Creek near Port Renfrew in Pacheedaht territory. This region was heavily logged in the 1970s and 80s, save for a strip of old-growth along the river. Most of the old-growth that remains today along Loup Creek is protected within an Old Growth Management Area and a Wildlife Habitat Area (WHA) for marbled murrelets. But a prime section containing dozens and dozens of ancient redcedars, giant amabalis fir, and Douglas-fir trees was left unprotected. We also spotted ribbons marked “Falling Boundary” and “Road Location”, indicating potential future logging plans by Teal-Jones.

The BC government is currently working to expand WHAs for marbled murrelets. We’ve recommended to the Ministry of Forests that this grove should be added to the adjacent WHA, ensuring a contiguous stretch of old-growth is protected along the river, but we don’t know whether they will listen.

See the new photo gallery here: https://16.52.162.165/loup-creek/