Best of 2023 — AFA’s top photos, videos, news & campaigns!

As 2023 comes to a close, we want to extend our deepest thanks to you for helping us achieve so much this year. We’re seeing some of the most significant progress towards nature conservation in Canadian history with the potential to keep ancient forests standing for generations to come. Read on to see our highlights from 2023, and if you’re able, please make a tax-deductible donation to help us keep the momentum going in 2024! Thank you!

Top 5 Campaign Highlights of 2023

1. Over one billion dollars announced for nature conservation in BC through the BC Nature Agreement.

We always joked that if we had a billion dollars, we could finally see ancient forests get the protection they deserve. Well, in November, that funding arrived! This is the largest provincial funding package in Canadian history for nature conservation and will be vital to support Indigenous-led conservation initiatives and deal with all the various costs of establishing new protected areas, particularly in contested landscapes. What a major victory!

2. $300-million conservation financing fund launched by the province.

We did it! After more than five years of campaigning for this specific goal, in November, the province launched its $300 million conservation financing fund to help protect old-growth forests through the creation of new Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas while supporting sustainable economic alternatives to old-growth logging. We probably asked you to send a message calling for conservation financing about 300 million times, but our collective efforts truly paid off!

3. $100-million BC Old-Growth Fund launched to save the most at-risk old-growth forests.

Thanks to the work of MP Patrick Weiler, this federal-provincial funding pot (set to increase to at least $164 million) is now available to help protect anywhere from 400,000 hectares to 1.3 million hectares of the grandest, rarest, and oldest stands in the Coastal and Inland Rainforests and the Coastal Douglas-fir biogeoclimatic zone. These areas include the spectacular forests you see in all of our photos! What an incredible leap forward!

4. Premier David Eby commits to protecting 30% of lands in BC by 2030.

The year started strong shortly after this commitment was made by Premier David Eby, which will double the current extent of legislated protected areas across BC (an additional area of about four times the size of Vancouver Island). It took over a century to get to the first 15%, now we’re set to double that in just seven years!

5. Draft Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework is released.

2023 ended with the BC government releasing its draft Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework, which, if done correctly, will open the door for a major paradigm shift in conservation: prioritizing saving the most endangered ecosystems via “ecosystem-based targets”. The draft framework aims to prioritize ecological values above timber extraction and other industrial activity across all ministries. It’s incredible to see this language being used when compared to where we were five years ago! Stay tuned for calls to action on this piece soon.

Biggest News Stories of 2023

This year we were once again able to garner multiple international news stories, twice making the top story on Apple News! Here are a few of the year’s top stories below.

1. The Washington Post — ‘Freak of Nature’ is the find of a lifetime for forest explorer

2. The Guardian — Canada: images of felled ancient tree a ‘gut-punch’, old-growth experts say

3. The Independent UK — Rare tree hunter in Canada finds ‘freak of nature’ 1,000-year-old cedar

4. Canadian Press — Poor data hinders BC old-growth logging deferrals, advocates say

5. CHEK News — BC signs ‘historic’ $1B agreement to protect lands and waters

Thanks to your generous support, we continue to embark on field expeditions to explore and document the beauty and destruction of endangered old-growth forests in BC, which often results in the coverage you see here.

Top 3 Photos of 2023

Professional photography continues to be one of our greatest communication tools. Below are three of TJ’s photos that gained the most attention this year!

Our Favourite Video of 2023

Bringing ancient forests to life through video is one of our favourite ways to share our explorations with you. This spectacular video showcases the most impressive tree in Canada growing on Flores Island in Ahousaht territory!

Supporting Indigenous-led Old-Growth Protection

Together with our partners Endangered Ecosystems Alliance and Nature-Based Solutions Foundation, Ancient Forest Alliance continued its support for two exciting Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area proposals.

We have partnered with the Kanaka Bar Indian Band in the Fraser Canyon to help support their T’eqt’aqtn Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) which will protect some of the most diverse old-growth ecosystems found anywhere in BC, including 42 species at risk.

We have also partnered with the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation in Gold River to support their incredible Salmon Parks Initiative, which is now backed by a $15.2-million commitment from the federal government!

These Indigenous-led conservation initiatives will eventually see over 43,000 hectares (430 km2) of combined old growth protected — an area about four times the size of Vancouver!

We’ll continue to expand our efforts with other key First Nations in 2024.

On top of what was one of the most action-packed years in the history of our organization, we also received charitable status this year! If you’re inspired by the progress you see above, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us launch into 2024.

A sincere thank you to all those who contacted decision-makers, donated, organized a fundraiser, purchased AFA gear, met with your elected representatives, signed a resolution, shared our photos and news articles, or simply cheered us on. British Columbians and people from across the globe continue to demonstrate that they will stand up for the protection of endangered old-growth forests. Collectively, we are changing the world.

We can’t wait to see what we can achieve together in 2024!

For the forests,
The Ancient Forest Alliance team