These are images of a cut block that Teal Jones has planned in the lower reaches of the Fairy Creek watershed. Because of the Fairy Creek blockade and over 1188 people who got arrested logging in this area is currently deferred until 2025.
Granite Creek #9337 - June 2023
Granite Creek cut block #9337 is an old growth cut block in the Granite Creek watershed up 5 Mile Main near the Fairy Creek HQ. Teal Jones has constructed logging roads into this cut block in 2022 and is primed to log it in 2023.
Along with Images of the road building into cut block #9337 are images of Heli Camp taken in June 2020
Bugaboo Creek #4733 - June 2023
As of June 2023 Bugaboo Creek cut block 4733 has still not been submitted to the provincial government for approval, however, Teal Jones has constructed roads into this forest and it's primed to begin cutting as soon as they gain approval. Bugaboo Creek 4333 has some of the highest densities of old growth yellow and red cedar in TFL 46 and is one of the most important sections of forest for the endangered Marbled Murrelet seabird left on Southern Vancouver Island. Cut block 4733 also contains one of the only populations of Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen on Southern Vancouver Island.
This forest remains a top priority for protection and has been proposed as wildlife habitat area by independent scientists.
Edinburgh Mountain #7165 & #7163 Mid-Logging
In late 2022 the Teal Jones group again logging on upper Edinburgh mountain in cut blocks 7165 & 7163, these forests known as the Truck Road 11 cut blocks contain old-growth red cedar and on is in the watershed of Eden Creek, endangered birds have been documented in the area including the western screech owl.
These forest will be gone by the end of summer 2023
Beyond The 2000 Road (Planned Teal Jones Cut Blocks At Fairy Creek)
Teal Jones has plans for three cut blocks on the southwestern flank of the Fairy Creek Rainforest, just across the ridge from Fairy Creek. This intact slope contains extremely impressive yellow and red cedar forest with trees up to 9 feet thick growing at high elevations. This area is identified as a deferral candidate and as Marbled Murrelet Habitat, however, it remains unprotected. Teal Jones hasn't applied to log this area yet however when they do they are sure to face substantial opposition.
The 2000 Road #7275 & #7276
The 2000 Road lies just across the ridge from Fairy Creek on the southwestern flank of the old growth rainforest. The area was clear-cut in 2019 and then again in 2021 after dozens of people were arrested trying to stop the logging. The area is incredibly steep and landslides are common on the road.
Teal Jones has decommissioned the road for now however there are 3 cut blocks planned on the next slope over.
Bugaboo Creek #4733
Bugaboo Creek cut block #4733 in TFL 46 contains some of the richest red and yellow cedar forest on the south island. In August 2022 I discovered a rare population of Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen in the cut block. Teal Jones and the Canadian government have come under great pressure to leave a 200m buffer around the lichen. Elder Bill Jones of the Pacheedaht First Nations has personally asked Canada‘s minister of environment and climate change to protect this population of Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen. He awaits a response. Bugaboo Creek is also home to at least 21 endangered Marbled Murrelet Sea birds who have been documented in the area by citizen scientists.
As of October 2022 the cut block has not been approved.
Aerials of #4733 & Logging in #4732
Caycuse (Hidden Valley)
In 2019 the Teal Jones Group began a massive wave of clear-cut logging in the Caycuse valley which took down almost all of its iconic stands. The photographer TJ Watt documented the loss of some of the biggest trees in his famous before and after series.
This forest is just across the mountain from where those before and after photographs were captured, it's a hidden side Valley in the upper Caycuse Valley and has the highest site index of any old growth forest south of Port Alberni. (Site index is a forestry term referring to the productivity of a section of old growth forest.) The site index of this forest is 26. This Hidden side valley, along with Looper Creek in the lower Caycuse, are the only sections of this valley that remain somewhat intact. Looper Creek is being actively logged and parts of this side valley are flagged for logging.
Edinburgh Mountain #7163 (TR 11 & Eden Creek)
These are images of cut block #7163 above Eden Creek on Edinburgh Mountain. I took these pictures in spring 2022 after hiking up the mountain and sleeping overnight in the snow. These images also show the extensive road network that Teal Jones has constructed, (out of sight of tourists) on Upper Edinburgh Mountain. This area is referred to as Truck Road 11 and is known to have a resident population of endangered Western Screech Owls.
As of October, 2022 Eden Creek cut block #7163 hasn’t been clear-cut.
Granite Creek Aerial (Spring 2022)
These are images of the eastern edge of the Fairy Creek Rainforest in the Upper Granite Creek watershed including Cut Block #8022, Heli Camp Grove (where Teal Jones holds approval to build logging roads into the forest) and the site where Teal Jones is building a road into cut block #8013 and towards the ridgeline a Fairy Creek. I took these images in the winter of 2022 after hiking up Granite Main in the snow.
Granite Creek #8013
Granite Creek cut block #8013 is on the eastern edge of the Fairy Creek Rainforest wear teal Jones has blasted a road into the old growth forest. Teal Jones has approval to extend this road another kilometer towards the ferry creek Ridgeline. Cut block #8013 hasn't been approved yet but once it is it will be taking the first chunk out of this Ridgeline, situated just above the road to Heli Camp. It will also be logging a couple of remnant sections of old growth up the mountain west of River Camp in two additional units of the cut block.
As of October 2022 this cut block hasn't been logged or approved.
Heli Camp Grove (Granite Creek)
Heli Camp Grove in Granite Creek is one of the richest sections of the Fairy Creek Rainforest. Just across the ridgeline from Fairy Creek and right next to cut block 8022 and the area known as “Heli Camp” this section of at-risk ancient forest is the most intact 4orest east of Fairy Creek. It is separated from Cut block 8022 by an alpine stream and runs as a contiguous forest from Granite Creek to the mountaintop that divides the slope from the Fairy Creek Watershed.
Teal Jones has approval to build a 1 km long section of road into this ancient forest however any attempt to start work on this road approval would almost certainly reignite the war in the woods and the blockades at Fairy Creek.
This area is home to a population of Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen, the largest of only 53 documented in British Columbia. Elder Bill Jones of the Pacheedath Nation has called for the protection of this entire area. This area is also home to a massive population of endangered Marbled Murrelet with 115 birds documented nearby. Western Screech Owls have also been documented in this section of Granite Creek (I was lucky enough to document one of them in the middle of Teal Jones’ planned cut block.)
During the height of the Fairy Creek Blockade protesters used this forest as a staging ground for "cops and loggers,” “hide and go creek” and other tactics meant to slow the logging of the neighboring cut block.
Edinburgh Mountain #7165
Old growth cut block #7165 appears to be second growth at first glance but once you enter the forest, situated at the end of Truck Road 11 on Edinburgh Mountain you find some insane trees. I nicknamed one of the trees in this cut block “Eldest” she’s 10 feet thick and is insanely beautiful. Teal Jones spent 2022 constructing roads into this cut block.
As of October 2022, this cut block hasn’t been logged, however, the block has been approved by the provincial government.
Walbran Valley (Sad Lake) #4559
These are images of cut block #4559 near Sad Lake in the Central Walbran Valley. The cut block is made up of three separate units totaling only a few hectares. I visited this forest back in 2018 and found that even though the area Teal Jones is targeting was small it contains a spectacular cedar forest with trees exceeding 10 feet in diameter. Despite being located in the central Walbran, the deferral affecting the central valley did not protect this cut block. Teal Jones has plans to build a 5 km road on the ridge line above this cut block as well as to the northeast in the area referred to as the “camper bowl.”
This cut block was approved in 2018, however, it still hasn’t been logged.
Edinburgh Mountain #4452
I visited cut block #4452 back in 2018 while Teal Jones was doing roadbuilding. It was the first old growth cut block I visited as a kid, while I was there I wanted more than anything to climb into the trees to stop the logging.
This forest is gone now.
