Ancient Forest Alliance – Best of 2024!
As 2024 comes to a close, we are beyond thankful for all you’ve helped us achieve this year. With you, our community, alongside us, we’re excited to build on all the momentum we’ve generated in recent years to keep ancient forests standing for generations to come. Read on to see our highlights from 2024, and if you’re able, please make a tax-deductible donation to help us start strong in 2025! We appreciate any amount you can give! Thank you.
2024 Conservation Highlights
Aerial view of Flores Island, Ahousaht territory.
1. Clayoquot Sound Old-Growth – Protected At Last!
In spring 2024, the Ahousaht, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, and BC NDP government declared 760 square kilometres of land (an area larger than Greater Victoria) protected in a series of new conservancies in Clayoquot Sound near Tofino, BC. The protected areas harbour some of the grandest and most intact coastal old-growth temperate rainforests on Earth (e.g. Flores Island & Meares Island) and represent the largest old-growth forest protected areas victory in BC since the Great Bear Rainforest conservancies were announced in 2006. Congratulations to the amazing Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht leadership for their work and for seeing their visions reach this amazing milestone – some 40 years in the making!
2. Expanded Klinse-Za/Twin Sisters Park – Largest Park Created in BC in a Decade
A significant stretch of caribou habitat in northeastern BC was permanently protected in the newly expanded Klinse-Za/Twin Sisters Park. The announcement follows years of collaboration between the West Moberly First Nations, Saulteau First Nations and the provincial and federal governments, who agreed to work together to recover caribou herds on the brink of extinction. This park expansion will protect nearly 200,000 hectares of habitat for endangered caribou in B.C.’s northeast and marks noteworthy progress in the BC NDP’s promise to protect 30% of BC lands by 2030.
3. BC NDP-Green Agreement Creates New Opportunity to Strengthen Old-Growth Forest Protection Policies
The year wrapped up with news of a rare political opportunity after the BC NDP and Green parties signed the 2024 Cooperation and Responsible Government Accord. The cooperation agreement calls for the BC government to work toward achieving protection of the Fairy Creek Watershed in partnership with the Pacheedaht First Nation, whose unceded territory it is, and the Ditidaht First Nation, who has various legal arrangements that overlap in the area. More importantly, the cooperation agreement outlines the parties’ intention to undertake a review of BC forests with First Nations and diverse sectors of society to address jobs, environmental protection, and sustainability. More on this to come.
Top News Stories of 2024
Ancient Forest Alliance photos, videos, and media releases continue to garner major news coverage, helping to raise widespread public awareness of the need to protect endangered old-growth forests. Here are a few of the year’s top new stories on AFA and old growth!
1. The Narwhal – Over half of Clayoquot Sound’s iconic forests are now protected — here’s how First Nations and BC did it
2. Times Colonist — Photo of old-growth cedar tree on Flores Island wins international award. Also featured in The Guardian & CNN!
3. The Black Press — Advocate makes passionate plea for Island’s old growth at Victoria TEDx talk
4. The Narwhal — BC Conservative Leader says his party would kill ‘nonsense’ plans for new protected areas
5. Global News — BC advocates raising alarm due to recent clear-cut on Vancouver Island
See our news archives for the full list of stories.
Top 5 Photos of 2024
Conservation photography plays a vital role in bringing endangered ecosystems to life. Whether a photo of a beautiful Garry oak meadow in springtime, a foggy rainforest on the west coast, or the devastating scene of an old-growth clearcut, compelling imagery can invoke within us a sense of wonder and awe or heartbreak and urgency to act. Each year, AFA photographer TJ Watt captures thousands of photos to help tell the story of endangered forests in BC – below are just a few of his stand-out shots from 2024!
Camas Meadow, Uplands Park – Coast Salish territory
Fortress Giant, Jurassic Grove – Pacheedaht territory
Big Lonely Doug, Port Renfrew – Pacheedaht territory
Before & After Logging Nahmint, Nahmint Valley – Hupačasath, Tseshaht, & Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ territory
Fallen Cedar
Nahmint Valley – Hupačasath, Tseshaht, & Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ territory
Top 3 Videos of 2024
1. TJ Watt’s TEDxVictoria Talk: One Last Shot to Protect Old-Growth Forests in British Columbia
2. Climbing Carmanah’s Largest Spruce Tree
3. Nahmint Valley Old-Growth Destruction
International Exposure
AFA photographer TJ Watt was awarded in Earth Photo 2024, an international photography competition hosted by the Royal Geographical Society in London, UK. His award-winning image, Flores Island Cedar, and story were featured in the Times Colonist, The Guardian, and CNN!
In February, TJ travelled to the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, where he gave a presentation on “The Search for the World’s Biggest Trees.” This was part of REACH to FOREST, a two-week event blending art, science, and culture in the nation’s capital. Famed forest ecologist Andy MacKinnon also spoke as part of the Big Tree Hunters Party. It was a fabulous event, helping raise international awareness of the importance of protecting old-growth forests!
We Launched Old-Growth Hiking Guides!
This year, we wanted to share with you some of our favourite old-growth hikes in the Victoria and Port Renfrew areas on southern Vancouver Island. From idyllic parks mere minutes from the capital city of BC to rugged wilderness areas further up the coast, these old-growth forests and giant trees invite visitors to embark on a journey back in time. Where will you go next?
Without leaving paved roads, there are worlds of ancient forests to explore right in Victoria’s backyard. There are multiple parks and accessible trails where visitors can marvel at the ancient giants in this rare Coastal Douglas-fir ecosystem.
Francis/King Regional Park, Lekwungen territory
Known as the “Tall Trees Capital of Canada,” the forests around Port Renfrew hold some of the largest and grandest trees left in the country. Find out how to visit the Red Creek Fir, Eden Grove, San Juan Spruce, Big Lonely Doug, and more!
Jurassic Grove, Pacheedaht territory
We hope you enjoyed some of our highlights of the past year! As always, we’re extremely grateful for your support and that of our community. Without you contacting decision-makers, signing our resolutions, sharing our photos & news stories, donating, and always going the extra mile when called for, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Together, we are well on our way to achieving lasting protection for the old-growth forests of British Columbia. While there’s much more work to be done, we’re ready to hit the ground running with you in 2025!
Thank you for standing with us year after year.
For the forests,
—The Ancient Forest Alliance team
The AFA team from left to right: Joan Varley (Administrative Director), Coral Forbes (Donor Relations and Administrative Associate), Nadia Sheptycki (Victoria Canvass Director), Kristen Bounds (Communications Coordinator), Issy Turnill (Forest Campaigner), TJ Watt (Senior Campaigner & Photographer)
