The Ancient Forest Alliance has once again teamed up with members of the Arboreal Collective to ascend Big Lonely Doug, Canada’s second largest Douglas-fir tree near Port Renfrew! Over the March long weekend, climbers Matthew Beatty, Aaron Kinvig, Elliot Wright, and James Frystak, worked with AFA photographer TJ Watt to capture some stunning images and incredible drone footage. Photographers Martin Gregus Jr & Sr from the One 50 Canada Society were also present to document the climb for a future book publication! In order to get the first ropes in place, the climbers use a 12-foot slingshot to launch a weighted line precisely over one of the top branches. Then, using techniques that allow you to climb the actual ropes and not the tree, they’re able to ascend to the top without impacting the tree. Big Lonely Doug measures 66 m (216 ft) high, 4 m (13 ft) wide, and 12 m (39 ft) around. It stands alone in a 2012 clearcut on Crown lands in Tree Farm Licence 46 held by the logging company Teal-Jones, in the unceded traditional territory of the Pacheedaht First Nation band. Big Lonely Doug is a clear example of both the incredible grandeur and terrible destruction of BC’s endangered old-growth forests.
