By Katherine Martinko
Published March 4, 2021

There are few sights as magnificent as an ancient tree. The towering cedars, firs, and spruces of Canada's Pacific Northwest can reach diameters of up to 20 feet as they grow over hundreds of years. Some are a thousand years old. They provide wildlife habitats, sustain immense biodiversity that's still being discovered, and store up to three times more carbon than younger forests.

The old-growth forests of British Columbia remain the world's largest intact stand of temperate rainforest, but they are under threat from logging. Despite the provincial government's promises to protect old-growth forests, an area equivalent of 10,000 football fields is razed every year on Vancouver Island alone. This is a devastating loss that TJ Watt of the Ancient Forest Alliance tells Treehugger makes no sense whatsoever.

Watt is a photographer from Victoria, B.C., who has spent countless hours bushwhacking through forests and driving the logging roads of Vancouver Island to capture images that convey both the sheer grandeur of these trees and the unfortunate destruction they face. A recent series of before-and-after shots – depicting Watts standing next to massive trees that are later reduced to stumps – has captivated and alarmed viewers around the world. Indeed, it's what brought Watt to Treehugger's attention and started our conversation.

There are few sights as heartbreaking as the death of an ancient tree. When asked why he thinks these pictures have resonated so deeply, Watt said, "It's not like it's a black-and-white photo from 1880. This is full color, 2021. You can't feign ignorance about what we're doing anymore. It's just wrong." He points out that it will be the year 3020 before we see anything like it again, and yet logging companies keep decimating them with the government's permission.

SNIP