The Ancient Forest Alliance
(AFA) is a British Columbian organization working to protect the endangered old-growth forests of BC and to ensure sustainable forestry jobs in the province. It was founded in January of 2010 and is run by BC environmental activists Ken Wu, TJ Watt, Joan Varley, and Hannah Carpendale. more ...
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Recent Ancient Forest News
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ACTION ALERT: Please Write your Mayor & Council to Support a Natural Lands Acquisition Fund ("Resolution B128"), going up for vote this week at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) AGM Sept.26 to 30!
Ancient Forest Alliance, September 26, 2016
The Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) will be voting at their AGM this week on a motion asking the BC government to implement an annual provincial fund to purchase and protect endangered natural spaces on private lands using the accumulated unredeemed beverage container deposits, estimated to be worth $10 to $15 million/ year in BC (see Resolution B128, sponsored by Highlands: http://www.ubcm.ca/assets/Resolutions~and~Policy/Resolutions/2016_UBCM_Resolutions.pdf). Earlier this year the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC), representing 53 local governments, passed the resolution, and now it's time to snowball the support from municipalities across BC to pressure the provincial government!
Please WRITE an EMAIL to your mayor and council to express your support for this motion - see HERE for details!
[Full Story]
Old-Growth Clearcutting Fragments “Big Lonely Doug’s Mountain” as Calls for Protection Expand during National Forest Week and before UBCM Annual General Meeting
New clearcuts and roads are fragmenting Edinburgh Mountain, one of the largest contiguous blocks of old-growth forest left on southern Vancouver Island, home to the spectacular Eden Grove ancient forest (aka “Christy Clark Grove”) and Big Lonely Doug, Canada’s 2nd largest Douglas-fir tree. In addition, the mountainside above Eden Grove and Big Lonely Doug are threatened with two new planned clearcuts. Conservationists are renewing their call for the provincial government to protect Vancouver Island's old-growth forests during National Forest Week (Sept.18 to 24) and before the Union of BC Municipalities AGM (Sept.26 to 30) next week.
[Full Story]
Action Alert: Speak up for Ancient Forests to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM)!
Ancient Forest Alliance, September 19, 2016
Ask the UBCM to support the protection of Vancouver Island’s old-growth forests at their upcoming AGM from Sept.26 to 30!
[Full Story]
Port Renfrew: Walking among ancient giants
New Zealand Herald - PK Stowers, September 14, 2016
Check it out! New Zealand's largest newspaper has an article about the Ancient Forest Alliance, the importance of old-growth forests for the tourism economy of Port Renfrew, and the campaigns to protect old-growth forests including the Central Walbran Valley.
[Full Story]
'Twist and Shout' Forest Under Threat
September 12, 2016
Check out the website of the Sunshine Coast (Roberts Creek area) based conservation group the Elphinstone Logging Focus who are working to achieve a 2000 hectare expansion to the protected area on Mount Elphinstone. BC Timber Sales has given the go ahead to log the 'Twist and Shout' forest within the proposal, which includes numerous veteran old-growth Douglas-firs and redcedars, and local activists have been non-violently protesting there for weeks. See a comprehensive list of updates and coverage and events and how to take action on the "Twist and Shout" section of their website at: http://www.loggingfocus.org/campaigns/protect-the-twist-and-shout-forest/
And check out some great photos of the forest there by Shel Neufeld: https://www.facebook.com/shel.n.neufeld/posts/10154336717750155?pnref=story
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VICTORIA: Hadwin’s Judgement – Film Screening Fundraiser for the Ancient Forest Alliance! Sept. 29
Benefit showing of award-winning film inspired by John Vaillant’s renowned book ‘The Golden Spruce’– with proceeds to the Ancient Forest Alliance
September 6, 2016
WHEN: Thursday September 29th, showings at 7pm and 9:15pm
WHERE: UVic Cinecenta Theatre (UVic Student Union Building, 3800 Finnerty Rd. – see MAP)
TICKETS: $15 (or $9 for students) - purchase tickets in advance here or at the door ( box office opens 40 min before each showtime)
[Full Story]
VIDEO: Eden Grove
Shaw TV - Lorraine Scollan, August 30, 2016
Check out this great new Shaw TV video about the stunning "Eden Grove" (ie. Lower Edinburgh Grove), one of the finest but endangered lowland valley bottom old-growth forests left on Vancouver Island! Filled with ancient cedars and Douglas-firs, and with bears, cougars, wolves, deer, elk, northern goshawks, and marbled murrelets. Located near Port Renfrew in Pacheedaht territory at risk by Teal-Jones. Thanks to videographer Lorraine Scollan for putting this together!
[Full Story]
VIDEO: Cave Protection
Shaw TV - Lorraine Scollan, August 30, 2016
Check out the new ShawTV piece by videographer Lorraine Scollan on Vancouver Island's magnificent system of caves and MLA Scott Fraser's private members bill to afford them greater protection! The Ancient Forest Alliance's Ken Wu and TJ Watt were lucky to poke their heads into the entrance of a beautiful cave near Port Renfrew but could not enter without the proper gear and know how.
[Full Story]
Scarves for Sustainability Fundraiser - NOW until August 31st!
Ancient Forest Alliance, August 21, 2016
From now until August 31st, you can support the AFA by purchasing a scarf through the Scarves for Sustainability initiative at https://scarvesforsustainability.com! Scarves for Sustainability is a project that emerged from the Royal Roads University BCom program with the mission of helping to protect old-growth forests in BC. Scarves for Sustainability sells light, high quality custom silk scarves printed with images of BC’s protected old-growth forests, visible on both sides of the scarf. Through this initiative, they will be donating 100% of the profit from the sale of the scarves to the Ancient Forest Alliance to support our work to protect BC’s endangered old-growth forests!
Thank you to Angeline Arsenault, Darren Chan, Maria Fadda, Myles Cook and Nicole Melanson, the creators of the Scarves for Sustainability initiative, for your generous vision and creative support!
[Full Story]
Photo Gallery: Avatar Boardwalk Construction - August 13/14 2016
Ancient Forest Alliance, August 16, 2016
Here are some photos of this past weekend’s boardwalk construction at Avatar Grove! Thanks to the hard work of many volunteers and the generous support from Sitka (who've raised the funds for the last 2 rounds of wood - amazing!!) we've managed to finish a few more key pieces in our push to launch the trail by the end of September! The popularity of Avatar Grove continues to grow exponentially (at times there were 30 cars there over the weekend!) making the boardwalk even more necessary to help protect the area's ecological integrity and improve visitor access and safety. There are still some key areas to finish before the launch but we’re making great headway thanks to YOUR support! We’d like to send our greatest thanks to all the incredible volunteers that came out and made the weekend possible as well as to Sitka for hosting events to raise money for the boardwalk!
If you'd like to help out, please contact AFA boardwalk coordinator TJ Watt: tj@ancientforestalliance.org Construction or trail building experience is an asset but not required.
To donate to the boardwalk construction, please visit: https://www.ancientforestalliance.org/boardwalk-donation.php
[Full Story]
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