Press

Ahousaht First Nation Bans Industrial Logging & Mining In Their Traditional Territory

in , , ,

In what is the largest leap forward in old-growth forest protection on Vancouver Island in decades, the Ahousaht First Nation band recently announced their land use plan vision that prohibits industrial logging, mining, and oil and gas development in 82% of their 170,000 hectare territory while supporting sustainable economic development in selected areas. Their territory in Clayoquot Sound near Tofino is home to the largest tracts of old-growth forests of any Vancouver Island band. I'm deeply grateful for the incredible leadership shown by the members of this community and for the hard work of the conservation organizations involved as well. Knowing that wild places like the Sydney Valley (pictured above) have finally been declared safe is an amazing feeling. It's nice to have some good news every once and a while.

Photos on Display at Axe & Barrel Pub Near Victoria

in , , , ,

I'm excited to share that I have 13 photos hanging in the Axe & Barrel Pub just outside Victoria! At the start of summer, the pub's owners approached me looking to create a 'westcoast forest' theme for the building's interior that highlighted local areas. Together we curated a series that includes images of beautiful places such as the Carmanah Valley, Avatar Grove, Big Lonely Doug, Strathcona Park, and the West Coast Trail. The prints - which range in size from 20"x30" to 24"x36" - were printed and mounted on aluminum die-bond, then protected with a laminate coating by Alan at Artbox in Victoria. They did a fantastic job! Hanging them on the uneven surface of the logs was its own challenge though ;)

If you happen to be in the area, pop in for a burger or beer, and check them out! Big thanks again to Ron and Diana for supporting my work as well.

If you're interested in prints like these for your home or business, drop me a line at prints@tjwatt.com

The Walrus Magazine - Big Lonely Doug

in , , ,

The Walrus Magazine has recently published a story about Big Lonely Doug, the forestry worker Dennis Cronin who decided to leave him standing, and the battle for old-growth forests on Vancouver Island. The article by Harley Rustad features two of my photos, along with one from Dennis which shows the tree standing in the forest (never thought I would see that view!). Let's hope Doug's message is heard loud and clear and we save his old-growth friends who remain endangered on Edinburgh Mt. and across BC. Read the article here: https://thewalrus.ca/big-lonely-doug/

Here are some behind the scenes shots from my time showing writer Harley Rustad around to Big Lonely Doug and the adjacent Eden Grove, one of Vancouver Island's most spectacular and endangered ancient forests that was once part of the forest around Doug.

BC Magazine: An Old-Growth Battlefield - Can We Save Our Ancient Matriarchs?

in , , ,

The Fall issue of British Columbia Magazine has hit the newsstands and it includes a great feature article titled An Old-Growth Battlefield - Can We Save Our Ancient Matriarchs? by Hans Tammemagi. I spent 3 days with Hans, touring him around Port Renfrew to places like the Avatar Grove, Big Lonely Doug, Eden Grove, the San Juan Spruce, and the Central Walbran Valley. Happy to see three of my images featured in print as well! Grab a copy if you can :)

Press: Union of BC Municipalities Passes Resolution Calling for Old-Growth Protection

in , , , ,

The chorus is growing!! The Union of BC Municipalities voted last week to support a resolution calling on the provincial government to end old-growth logging on Vancouver Island and amend the outdated 1994 land-use plan. This comes on the heels of the Association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities passing the same resolution and the BC Chamber of Commerce, representing 36,000 businesses across the province, passing a similar resolution. The BC Liberal government is now out on it's own in supporting the destruction of the island's last endangered old-growth ecosystems.

Press: Cover Photo - Climbing in the Carmanah

in , ,

An image of mine from the research climb that took place in the Carmanah Valley's Stoltmann Grove earlier this summer has made the cover of UBC's Forestry Magazine! You can read the full story about the project on pages 16-17 here: http://forestry.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2011/11/BL-27.3.pdf

You can also hear Master's student Vincent Hanlon speaking with Bob McDonald on CBC's Quirks and Quarks about his research into genetic mutations in some of the country's tallest trees: www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/quirks-quarks-for-september-10-2016-1.3754792/genetic-changes-in-the-lifetime-of-individual-trees-1.3754873

Press: Shaw TV Features Big Lonely Doug and the Eden Grove

in , , , , , ,

I recently had the pleasure of touring a journalist from Victoria's Shaw TV to both Big Lonely Doug and the spectacular, yet endangered Eden Grove right next door. Check out the two resulting news pieces below, which also feature some of my drone clips and new video from my trail camera of a black bear climbing a giant cedar tree!

Drone Video - Climbing Big Lonely Doug: Round 2

in , , , , , ,

Today I'm excited to have launched a new video which I filmed and edited featuring the Ancient Forest Alliance and Arboreal Collective's second climb up Big Lonely Doug, Canada's 2nd largest Douglas-fir tree! Doug has become the educational mascot of BC’s endangered old-growth forests - his massive size highlights their grandeur, while the dramatic contrast of the surrounding clearcut highlights the threat to them posed by industrial logging. The drone footage, captured using the DJI Phantom 3 Pro, of tree climbers (thanks to Matthew, Aaron, and Elliot!) in this sobering setting will help us raise the public awareness needed to pressure the BC government to protect what remains of the adjacent Eden Grove and endangered old-growth forests across British Columbia, and to ensure a sustainable second-growth forest industry instead.