TJ Watt Photography Blog — TJ Watt Photography

Exploring & Climbing Ancient Giants at Eden Grove

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While further exploring Eden Grove in Pacheedaht territory earlier this year, I came across another epic stand of ancient giants!

The grove, located near Port Renfrew, boasts magnificent, monumental redcedars in every direction and forms a perfect, pizza-slice-like triangle. Nicknamed the "Pizza Slice” for now, it truly is a slice of heaven. 🌲🍕

In early March, with the help of our friends at Expedition Old-Growth, we were able to climb and measure the grove's biggest tree: an enormous, burly cedar that came in at 175 feet tall and nearly 14 feet wide!

The "Pizza Slice," Eden Grove, and the rest of Edinburgh Mountain's remaining ancient forests comprise one of the most outstanding, unprotected old-growth "hotspots" on Vancouver Island, where over 96% of "big tree" forests have already been logged. Sadly, this rare, intact mountain is being chipped away at by Teal Jones, one cutblock at a time.

Time is running out to save ancient forest hotspots like this one. Without immediate moratoria, the Province's plans to develop a provincial old-growth strategy will result in a classic talk-and-log scenario.

Speak up. Tell the BC NDP we urgently need immediate AND long-term solutions for old-growth:
https://www.ancientforestalliance.org/send-a-message/

(Note: These images were captured prior to physical distancing & travel restriction measures being put in place. Small communities like Port Renfrew are now asking people to refrain from visiting at this time.)

Surrounded by ancient redcedar trees that remain unprotected and at risk at Eden Grove near Port Renfrew.

50th Anniversary of Earth Day

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Today marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. In reality, it needs to be everyday. In the decades-long push to protect endangered ancient forests, it's hard not to feel like a broken record sometimes. And to be honest, although it's my passion, I'd prefer to do happier things with my life than deal with the ecological grief that comes with seeing these irreplaceable ecosystems destroyed forever - like this before & after scene from the Nahmint Valley. Now more than ever we need strong conservation measures put in place based on science but instead, while provincial parks are closed and people are asked to stay home, endangered old-growth forests continue to be cut and hauled away. So tomorrow, like every other day, we'll wake up and keep fighting that fight for the forests with the vision of a brighter future in our mind's eye. And maybe, just maybe, with much of the world seemingly on pause, this will be seen as an opportunity to step back, reassess, and reconnect with incredible natural world that we all ultimately depend upon.

BBC Earth Features Port Renfrew's Ancient Forests on Instagram

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BBC Earth has featured Avatar Grove, the unprotected Eden Grove, and Big Lonely Doug in their latest Instagram story (which reaches 5.2 million followers!), helping to raise global awareness of the need to protect these rare and endangered ecosystems. See the story where I tour Connel Bradwell through the ancient forests near Port Renfrew in Pacheedaht territory on their page here: www.instagram.com/bbcearth/ (click the circle image of BLD or direct link). Below are some photos from our day out in the field!