Painting: Trees by Jenny Peng

 
 Finding undiscovered groves of some of Canada’s oldest Western Red Cedar trees is rare. But when T.J Watt, a member of the newly formed Ancient Forestry Alliance (AFA), set out to find a project that would act as the launch pad for their organization he discovered “the last, untouched remnants of a 10,000-year-old forest” [1]. He named the grove Avatar Grove shortly after the film Avatar was released in late 2009 [1]. What surprised Watt and members of AFA was how close the grove was to Port Renfrew, a seaside town on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island, which boasts logging and fishing as its main industries [2]. 
     Some of these giant trees, which also include Douglas Firs, are “over 4 meters wide, including “Canada’s Gnarliest Tree” with its 3 meter wide burl” [3], they are estimated to be 500 to 1000 years old [4]. Watts’ find could not have come at a better time because the grove was part of an area that a local company held logging rights to [1]. Though not far from Avatar Grove is a logged site which co-founder Ken Wu purports to be similar to Avatar Grove in size and is estimated by Wu to have been home to trees up to 900 years old [1].

     The protection of old-growth forests has many positive effects on the health of the planet and the multi-billion dollar tourism industry of B.C.. According to the AFA old growth forests are important because they [4]:
* Are home to a large array of biodiversity, including many species at risk that need old-growth forests and that can't flourish in younger forests. 

* Counteract climate change by storing two to three times more atmospheric carbon per hectare than the ensuing second-growth tree plantations that they are being replaced with. 


* Provide clean water for people, spawning salmon, and wildlife.


* Are important parts of many First Nations cultures.


Not only is the organization determined to protect old growth forests, it also recognizes the need to sustain forestry jobs at the same time. To do so without compromising old-growth forests (90% of which has been logged in Southern Vancouver Island) the AFA says that before the remaining 10% are gone, industries need to transition to logging second growth forests [4]. As well as, “logging second-growth stands at a slower, more sustainable rate of cut, and manufacturing more wood products here in B.C. – rather than increasing the export of raw logs to foreign mills” [4].
     Since the Avatar Grove discovery, 11,000 people have petitioned to protect old-growth forests and forestry jobs, and thousands more have paid visits to the sacred site [1]. Most recently, Calvin Ross, Vancouver Island resource manager for the B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, has assured the public that all of Avatar Grove will be protected under the status of Old-Growth Management Area (OGMA) in which logging is prohibited [3]. AFA co-founder Ken Wu responded “[t]hat’s a big step in the right direction. But OGMA’s only give temporary protection…” [1]. Ultimately the environmental organization is seeking permanent protection that would grant the area the same designation as ecological reserves and provincial parks [3] which “are legislated protected areas,” and “more permanent than regulatory protections like OGMA’s” [3].
     As the journey to further protect these giants continues it seems that reverence for them is shared among all who are fortunate enough to visit Avatar Grove. A retired teacher from Victoria says, “I have a degree in forestry. I understand sustainable harvesting. But logging a wonder of nature like this is unthinkable” [1]. Another observer—Doug Hennick, a fish and wildlife biologist from Seattle—“leaned back to look up at the giant red cedar” and remarked, “[i]t’s magnificent and so close to the road. … There are so few of them left and they are so inspiring” [1].

For some spectacular images of Avatar Grove see:http://www.ancientforestalliance.org/photos.php?gID=6#1. 
 

1. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/hunt-for-trophy-trees-yields-a-treasure-trove-on-vancouver-island/article2107118/page1/
2. http://www.travel-british-columbia.com/vancouver_island_and_the_gulf_islands/port_renfrew.aspx
3. http://www.ancientforestpetition.com/news-item.php?ID=254
4. http://www.ancientforestalliance.org/about.php
 
 
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