Terrain.org editor Simmons Buntin blogs the Association for the Study of Literature and Environment conference in Victoria, BC:
Second-growth red cedar on the way to Walbran Valley, a four-hour drive from Victoria.
Though last night’s banquet pretty much closed out the ASLE conference, a couple post-conference field trips were held today, including a 12-hour trek, by schoolbus no less, to the Walbran Valley to view Canada’s oldest old growth forests.
Our excursion was led by representatives of the Western Canada Wilderness Committee, a nonprofit environmental organization working hard to save British Columbia’s last remaining old growth forests, as well as to promote sustainable logging. Look for a photo essay from Joan and Rick Maloof on the work of the Wilderness Committee on Vancouver Island in the next issue of Terrain.org.
The following photos are from the majestic Walbran Valley, or nearby, and close out my coverage of the ASLE conference. Be sure to check out the full gallery of photos in a few days on my personal website, and thanks for tuning in!
Old growth forest on the Walbran Valley floor.
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ASLE members take a hike.
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The Emerald Pond, where large steelhead can often be found.
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Many of the forty or so ASLE members who made the trip.
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Oh, just a 600-year-old tree or so; no big deal, eh?!
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Plank trail through the rainforest.
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Author self-portrait at a campground originally set up to protest encroaching logging.
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Taking a break after hiking to a waterfall (kind of hard to see here in the background).
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Columbine before full bloom.
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Flower and berries. Lots of wildflowers were blooming there and on the way.
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The beards of forest wisdom on the old growth trees.
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Our bus, leaving Walbran Valley.
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Clearcutting on the road from Walbran.
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Pretty good views, when you can get them. Still, I’ll take the trees over the clearcut-induced view, thanks.
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