Avatar Grove: Canada's Gnarliest Tree

Ancient Forest Alliance has released a video showing some of the amazing trees near Port Renfrew in the patch of old growth forest known as Avatar Grove. AFA is working to save this rare and amazing patch of giant Western red-cedar and Douglas-fir.

On my first visit to Avatar Grove I was especially impressed by the unique Western red-cedars. These trees, which can grow past 1000 years, have wide buttressed trunks covered in moss and massive burls. Their candelabra tops are grey spires rising above the green cathedral below.

Marring this spongy, dripping monument to 10,000 years of the northern Pacific coastal forest are fluorescent orange flagging markers and spray-painted logging graffiti. It marks the area for impending destruction.

Once you see them, you will want to save them.