Surrey-based forestry company, the Teal-Jones Group, is aggressively moving forward with plans to log and build roads into Canada’s two most magnificent old-growth forests, the Central Walbran Ancient Forest (about 500 hectares) and the Edinburgh Mountain Ancient Forest (about 1500 hectares) on southern Vancouver Island. The company is planning eight new cutblocks (clearcuts) and a new road in the Central Walbran, and two new cutblocks and a new road on Edinburgh Mountain. The Walbran Valley is home to perhaps Canada’s finest stand of old-growth redcedars, the Castle Grove, while Edinburgh Mountain is where “Big Lonely Doug” (discovered last year by Ancient Forest Alliance activists to be Canada’s 2nd largest Douglas-fir tree – alas, completely surrounded by a 2012 clearcut) still stands and where the threatened "Christy Clark Grove" (ie. Lower Edinburgh Grove) is located in the Gordon River Valley.
Here are some photos and maps by the AFA's TJ Watt, from a recent July 2015 visit to these areas:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.877459535681968.1073741888.823970554364200&type=3
The Guide to Being an Awesome Canadian – featuring Climbing ‘Big Lonely Doug’
MacLean's magazine has featured a photo by the AFA's TJ Watt. This shot of Big Lonely Doug was captured during the tree climb and featured in the July 2015 'Guide to Being an Awesome Canadian'!
**AFA Office closed until August 18th for Summer Holidays**
Please note that our downtown office is now closed until August 18th for Summer Holidays. Thank you for your understanding :)
PHOTO GALLERY: Central Walbran Ancient Forest – Block 4403
Here are some fantastic images from part of the endangered Central Walbran Ancient Forest shot in early July by AFA's TJ Watt. The pictures were taken in the '4403' cutblock proposed by Teal-Jones (see map in gallery) just a few hundred metres from where people camp. This section of forest contains some absolutely incredible old-growth redcedar trees as well as some sensitive limestone karst features. Volunteers from the Friends of Carmanah Walbran have flagged a Witness Route into this area marked with yellow flagging tape making it easier to access now. Please take 30 seconds to send a letter to the BC government asking them to protect the endangered Central Walbran and Edinburgh Mt Ancient Forests here: www.BCForestMovement.com Thank you!! PHOTOGALLERY at: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.886074168153838.1073741889.823970554364200&type=3
PHOTO GALLERY: Central Walbran & Edinburgh Mountain Ancient Forest
Surrey-based forestry company, the Teal-Jones Group, is aggressively moving forward with plans to log and build roads into Canada’s two most magnificent old-growth forests, the Central Walbran Ancient Forest (about 500 hectares) and the Edinburgh Mountain Ancient Forest (about 1500 hectares) on southern Vancouver Island. The company is planning eight new cutblocks (clearcuts) and a new road in the Central Walbran, and two new cutblocks and a new road on Edinburgh Mountain. The Walbran Valley is home to perhaps Canada’s finest stand of old-growth redcedars, the Castle Grove, while Edinburgh Mountain is where “Big Lonely Doug” (discovered last year by Ancient Forest Alliance activists to be Canada’s 2nd largest Douglas-fir tree – alas, completely surrounded by a 2012 clearcut) still stands and where the threatened "Christy Clark Grove" (ie. Lower Edinburgh Grove) is located in the Gordon River Valley. Here are some photos and maps by the AFA's TJ Watt, from a recent July 2015 visit to these areas: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.877459535681968.1073741888.823970554364200&type=3
Environmentalists fight to save tract of old-growth Island trees
New article about the fight to protect old-growth in the Central Walbran Valley around the renowned Castle Grove.
Public Information and Community Forum to Save the Walbran Valley
Tuesday, July 21, 2015, 7-9 pm, Fernwood Community Centre, 1240 Gladstone Avenue. The old-growth forests of the Central Walbran Valley are threatened with clearcut logging. This is one of the largest intact old-growth forests left on southern Vancouver Island, but is now at risk of being logged by Teal-Jones. See beautiful images of the valley and hear a variety of speakers at this free event hosted by the Friends of Carmanah-Walbran, Wilderness Committee, and Ancient Forest Alliance.
Audio Recording of the Threatened Marbled Murrelet, an Old-Growth Dependent Seabird, taken in the Endangered Central Walbran Valley
Two new recordings of the calls of a threatened, old-growth dependent seabird, the Marbled Murrelet, have been taken in the endangered Central Walbran Valley recently and were submitted last Friday to BC’s Ministry of Environment in hopes the new findings will halt logging plans in Canada’s grandest old-growth temperate rainforest.
Saving the Greenheart of Powell River. Alternatives to clear cutting Lot 450
Wednesday, July 22, 7:00 pm. The United Church (MICHIGAN & DUNCAN) Powell River, BC. Get an update from local citizens on what’s happening with Lot 450, Powell River's forest that is at risk of further logging by Island Timberlands. Hear from the Ancient Forest Alliance's Ken Wu about the campaigns targeting Island Timberlands in other communities and some solutions in situations where the timber or land are privately-owned.
Add ancient forests to protected lands: activists
Environmental advocates are calling on the province to extend the protected areas in southern Vancouver Island to two ancient forest sites threatened by logging.
VIDEO: Vancouver Island ancient forests at risk
Here's last night's Global TV interview with AFA's Ken Wu about the threat to the old-growth forests of the Central Walbran and Edinburgh Mountain Ancient Forests, featuring great photos and video clips taken by AFA's TJ Watt.