Old-Growth

Black Bear Cub Climbing a Tree

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Cuteness alert! A baby black bear climbs a tree! 🐻🌲

This little cub on the west coast of Vancouver Island was likely born inside the hollow heart of an ancient redcedar, a favourite maternity den for mother bears in this region.

Newborn black bears are among the smallest mammals in proportion to their mothers. This cub likely weighed about 300 grams (just over half a pound) at birth, roughly one three-hundredth the size of its mother. These blind, nearly hairless little jellybeans stay in the den with their mother for 2–3 months before emerging as playful, fuzzy cubs.

Trees continue to provide safety as the cubs grow. At the first sign of danger, mother bears will send their babies scrambling up a tree trunk or use trees as a safe place for cubs while she forages nearby. In spring, black bears also visit hemlock trees like this one for a sugary treat, stripping away the outer bark of young hemlocks to feast on the sweet cambium when the sap starts to flow.

Thankfully, we got a surprise view of this little cutie from a distance without meeting Mom and then carried on our way. You never know what you might stumble upon while exploring old-growth forests! 🥾

Sydney River Valley – Clayoqout Sound

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On the western edge of Clayoquot Sound lies the Sydney River Valley, a fully intact rainforest watershed at the head of Sydney Inlet.

The steep, dramatic walls of Sydney Inlet have been protected since 1995 as one of Vancouver Island’s most striking fjord landscapes. But beyond the inlet, tucked deeper inland, lies an even greater rarity: an intact, roadless old-growth valley stretching unbroken from tideline to mountaintop. The Sydney River in Ahousaht territory is one of only five unlogged primary watersheds over 5,000 hectares remaining on western Vancouver Island — the rarest of the rare. Originally, there were 60.

The Sydney River is a true rainforest jewel, home to towering ancient trees and extraordinary biodiversity. The valley provides critical nesting habitat for the threatened Marbled Murrelet, supports rich runs of spawning salmon, and shelters black bears, cougars, & coastal wolves. It also harbours one of the rarest plants in Canada: the dwarf or Hibberson’s trillium (Trillium hibbersonii). Found in just seven sites across the country, three of them within the Sydney Inlet/River, this tiny, delicate flower stands as a powerful emblem of this vast rainforest.

For decades, the valley’s fate hung in the balance. While the steep fjord walls and estuary were protected in the existing provincial park, the expansive valley forests remained unprotected and at risk. In 2024, after years of advocacy, much of the watershed was permanently protected within the Kiišḥniqʷus Conservancy thanks to the leadership of the Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and support from the BC government. In total, 10 new conservancies were established in Clayoquot Sounds/, protecting 760 km² of land, marking a monumental victory for old-growth conservation.

Although few will ever set foot in this remote valley, it is reassuring to know that its ancient forests and wild creatures will continue to thrive, as they have for thousands of years — a reminder of hope in a difficult time for biodiversity worldwide.

Before visiting Ahousaht territory in Clayoquot Sound, be sure to see the Maaqutusiis Hahoutlhee Stewardship Society (MHSS) for information and stewardship fees.

Exploration: Limestone Canyon in the Walbran Valley

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The dense, old-growth rainforests of Vancouver Island harbour unimaginable secrets. But even if you spent every moment of your life exploring them, you'd never unearth them all. That ceaseless mystery of what might lie around the next corner, over the next ridge, or up the next river, consumes my thoughts night and day. So with some time to spare this past Sunday, myself and a friend made the 3.5 hour journey out to visit the Walbran Valley. Arriving late in the day, we took off quickly down river to see a new grove of big trees and an immense log jam that were recently found by others just within the park boundaries. The log jam - which almost defies comprehension - is found in what you'd normally expect to be a small forest creek. This 'creek' however shows clear evidence that it turns into a raging torrent of flood water during intense winter rains. From there, we rock-hopped our way further upstream, and what we stumbled upon here was like nothing I have seen before. As the creek narrowed, the walls rose into a solid limestone canyon, sculpted into fascinating shapes by years of erosion and polished white by the flow of water and logs. Waterfalls gently cascaded into crystal clear pools while logs perched on ledges 20 feet high in the air stood as a subtle reminder of the hidden power of the creek. Visiting this remote area during a giant storm would be an experience to behold. But as the light began to fade we were forced to return home before venturing much further up the valley, leaving the mystery of what lies beyond to the imagination until the next opportunity to explore arises.