The 40-minute Power Point presentation will highlight the current status of Vancouver Island’s forests and what citizens can do to protect old-growth forests, watersheds, and related ecosystems. The presentation includes Watt’s superb photos of some of the most magnificent forests in the country, including Clayoquot Sound, the Walbran Valley, Red Creek Fir, and Avatar Grove.

“Our diminishing old-growth forests are important for wildlife, tourism, the climate, water quality, and for many First Nations cultures,” stated Wu. “How many jurisdictions on Earth still have trees that grow trunks wider than a car’s length and as tall as downtown skyscrapers? We need a plan to protect our endangered old-growth forests and to sustainably log the second-growth stands that constitute most of the landbase on Vancouver Island now.”

According to satellite photos, 75% of the original productive old growth forests of Vancouver Island have been logged. This includes 90% of the original productive old growth forests in valley-bottoms, where the largest trees grow and most biodiversity resides.

Slideshow will take place Wednesday, December 8th at the Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Avenue from 7-9pm.

The post Protecting Vancouver Island’s Ancient Forests appeared first on Comox Valley Nature.

Dave Lacelle enjoying a cup of tea (?) after a seven day hike.

The regular monthly meeting of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society will be held September 19 2010, at 7:00 pm at the Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Avenue, Courtenay. The featured speaker will be the local environmentalist Dave Lacelle.

Dave has been involved with environmental issues for most of his life, from childhood cedar lean to, BES Waterloo, 27 years with Environment Canada, and is currently President of CVNS, and also CVEC Secretary. When he wants to get away from the preceding, he goes on a (usually) solitary month long hike/camp/beach comb at a very remote area on the west coast of Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands).

18 glass fish floats found on the west coast of Haida Gwaii.

This area does not have trails, nor even marking tape (!), Dave does not usually see anyone else. In the last 30 years of these ‘retreats’, he has made many discoveries, and had a few adventures. The presentation will include scenic pictures, old Haida sites, odd findings, five message bottles, and some comments on ocean pollution, as well as local ecology and geology.

Shaman's burial pole, circa 1790-1840 on Haida Gwaii.

Please come and join us to become better informed, as well as how you can help CVNS provide education and protection for B.C.’s natural environment.

The post September Presentation: Hiking and Beachcombing Western Haida Gwaii appeared first on Comox Valley Nature.