Exploration

Exploration: Measuring Near Record-Sized Trees in the Central Walbran Valley

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On a recent trip to the endangered Central Walbran Valley on southern Vancouver Island, my colleague Ken Wu and I worked to obtain accurate measurements a colossal western redcedar tree known as the Tolkien Giant (GPS: 48.64569, -124.601246). After some scrambling through the thick underbrush, we managed to wrap it with the long tape. Preliminary measurements put the ancient tree at 14.4 metres (47 feet) in circumference or 4.6 meters (15 feet) in diameter, and about 42 meters (138 feet) in height. This makes it the 9th widest western redcedar in BC, according to the BC Big Tree Registry: http://bit.ly/1Iuf9Tv It's often hard to grasp the sheer size of these giants, and even harder that many are still at risk of being cut down. The Tolkien Giant currently stands in a tenuous forest reserve known as an Old-Growth Management Area and is thankfully protected for now however, just a couple hundred meters away lies 1 of 8 cutblocks proposed by logging company Teal-Jones. Here we came across the foreboding orange flagging tape marked "Falling Boundary", as well as more giant trees. We nicknamed one incredible specimen the Karst Giant due to the band of limestone that is prevalent in this area. The Karst Giant has been tentatively measured at 12.1 meters (40 feet) in circumference or 3.9 meters (13 feet) in diameter. Although it doesn't make the top 10, it's still an exceptional tree (photo below).

At almost 500 hectares in size, the Central Walbran Valley is home to one of the largest tracts of contiguous old-growth forest found outside of parks on southern Vancouver Island, a region which has lost 96% of its valley bottom old-growth due to logging. It's an ecological and recreational jewel that must be protected by the BC government from the current logging proposals.

The dense and highly productive ancient forests found here also provide some of the most incredible bushwhacking and exploration opportunities. One truly feels like they've stepped back in time to a prehistoric-like wilderness visited by few to none on Earth. You never quite know what unique tree, karst feature, or creature might by lurking around the next corner.  


Exposed: Big Trees & Big Stumps - Camper Creek Headwaters

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In early summer of this year I went for a drive up to the headwaters of Camper Creek in the hills behind Port Renfrew. The road (GR 2000) ended at a deep ditch and a big rock wall but up to the left were signs of recent old-growth logging by Teal-Jones. The cutblock didn't appear like much from the road but upon further inspection it revealed its sad truth. Giant redcedar stumps, some up to 12ft wide, littered the clearcut while slash debris choked the landscape and former creeks. It can be hard to imagine what a forest like this would have looked like just prior to it being logged but a short hike into the neighbouring woods painted a clear picture of the incredible natural beauty and sensitive ecosystem that was lost. Despite current maps and stats that clearly show old-growth forests are highly endangered, the BC Liberal government continues approve cutblocks in forests like these across Vancouver Island and southern BC. And though one can argue that trees will come back, the ensuing second-growth tree plantations (which are typically re-logged every 30-70 years) do not adequately replicate the highly complex and diverse old-growth forests which are lost. Once they're gone, they're gone.

Road Trip: BC Interior and Alberta - August 2015

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Back home now after 2 weeks summer vacation and 2804 km of travel through the BC interior and parts of Alberta. Quite the change in scenery from my usual trips to see big trees! This time it was big mountains and gentle rolling prairies. The focus of the trip was to spend some relaxing time with my partner and not to shoot that many photos but I still snapped a few. Here are some of my favourites from various parts of our trip which included seeing Waterton, Banff, Glacier, and Revelstoke National Parks, amongst many other areas :)

Exploration: Central Walbran - Proposed Cutblock 4403

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Here is a gallery of new images featuring part of the endangered Central Walbran Ancient Forest. The area in focus is the proposed '4403' cutblock, flagged by logging company Teal-Jones for cutting just a few hundred metres from where people camp and swim along the Walbran River. This section of forest contains some absolutely incredible old-growth redcedar trees as well as sensitive limestone karst features. Volunteers from the Friends of Carmanah Walbran have snipped and flagged a Witness Route into the area with yellow flagging tape, making access easier now. It rained pretty good on us (one of the only rains this July!) but it added to the mystical feel. To me, the dense old-growth forests of BC's coast are one of the last frontiers of exploration on this planet. Very few venture into their deepest depths but the rewards are overwhelming. The fact that their fate is also uncertain makes it all the more important to be there on the ground, capturing what secrets lie within. The fight to protect the Walbran Valley continues, one of Earth's greatest remaining natural treasures.

Canon 5D MKII, Canon 24-70mm f4 IS, wet wet gear. Camera took a full day to de-fog.

Exploration: Central Walbran Ancient Forest - Vancouver Island, BC

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This past weekend, my partner Jackie and I took time to explore and document the endangered old-growth forests of the Central Walbran Ancient Forest on southern Vancouver Island, BC. It was pretty extreme terrain in most sections along the hillside and the heat and relentless mosquitoes only added to the challenge. But the forests here are some of the most rare and beautiful on Earth. Trees of monstrous shapes and sizes, growing largely undisturbed for millennia. However, they're currently under threat as a Surrey-based forestry company, the Teal-Jones Group, is aggressively moving forward with plans for eight new cutblocks (clearcuts) and a new road in the heart of this magnificent rainforest. The photos in this gallery are from the 4412, 4410, and 4424 proposed cutblocks shown on the map. The Walbran Valley is home to perhaps Canada’s finest stands of old-growth redcedars. Stepping into the forest here is like getting into a real-life time machine. It allows one to travel backwards in time and experience the magnificence of our corner of the world as it once was. If you haven't visited the Walbran Valley before, do try to. It changed my life and many others too. More news to come as we ramp up our efforts to protect this incredible natural treasure.