The Future of BC’s Ancient Forests

The Future of BC’s Ancient Forests

The Future of BC’s Ancient Forests will delve into the pressing social, cultural, political, and environmental issues that impact – and are impacted by – the continued loss of BC’s rare and endangered old-growth forests.

The evening will include presentations by the AFA’s TJ Watt and Andrea Inness outlining the urgent need to protect BC’s old-growth forests and current opportunities for policy change. You’ll also hear the perspectives of guest speakers from across the ancient forest conservation movement.

A Q&A panel discussion will give both in-person and online audiences a unique opportunity to pose questions to our expert panel about BC’s ancient forests, their future, and what it will take to protect them. Please send your questions in advance to info@ancientforestalliance.org. We will also accept questions from both the in-person and livestream audiences throughout the evening.

Join us for a critical conversation on how, together, we can shape the future of BC’s ancient forests while supporting the species, communities, and First Nations cultures that depend on them.

SPEAKERS

Tyson Atleo: Economic Development Lead, The Nature Conservancy Representative for the Ahousaht Hereditary Chiefs

Tyson Atleo is a hereditary chief-in-line of the Ahousaht Nation. As the Economic Development Lead for the The Nature Conservancy’s Emerald Edge program, Tyson works to advance community-focused conservation and development strategies in the coastal temperate rainforest and other geographies in Canada, the USA, and with colleagues in other countries around the world. For his Nation, Tyson served a four year term as the youngest elected Councilor in Ahousaht history, and led the development of and continues to serve as the vice-president for Ahousaht’s stewardship and sustainable economic development corporation, the Maaqutusiis Hahoulthee Stewardship Society (MHSS). Tyson also worked for many years with the Government of Canada and as a consultant focused on Indigenous community development and engagement, is a successful entrepreneur in the housing sector, and co-founded The Gathering Voices Society, a charity focused on advancing innovative Indigenous led solutions to conservation and development challenges.

Andy MacKinnon

Andy is a forest ecologist who lives in Metchosin British Columbia Canada. Since December 2014 he’s also served as a Councillor in Metchosin, and in spring 2017 he was the Green Party candidate in the riding of Esquimalt – Metchosin. Until his retirement in 2015, he worked for the BC Forest Service for three decades, mostly on BC’s coast, where he was responsible for ecosystem classification and mapping and a program of forest ecology research focused on old growth structure and composition, effects of climate change, and BC’s native plants and fungi. Andy has also been involved in defining and implementing ecosystem-based management in Haida Gwaii and the Great Bear Rainforest. He has co-taught rainforest ecology field courses in Bamfield and Tofino (for the University of Victoria) and Haida Gwaii (for UBC). Andy is co-author of six best-selling books about plants of western North America. He’s an Adjunct Professor at Simon Fraser University, and a Professional Forester and Professional Biologist in BC. Andy was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science degree by Simon Fraser University in 2013. He’s President of the South Vancouver Island Mycological Society, and enjoys drinking good whisky and playing mandolin.

Doors open at 6:30pm
Livestream starts at 7pm.

Please bring a reusable mug for complimentary coffee, tea, and water.

Donations of any amount are also appreciated and encouraged. To donate to the AFA visit: https://www.ancientforestalliance.org/donate/ or donate in person at the event.
 

CAN’T MAKE IT IN PERSON? WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED! JOIN US ONLINE FOR THE WHOLE CONVERSATION!

We’re very excited to share that this event is being made available LIVE online so that you can join us from wherever you may be! These days most of us have big full lives, and are dealing with various commitments around family, time, money and work. Digitally, you’ll have the speakers, conversation & community – all from the comfort of your own home.

 
REGISTER FOR THE GLOBAL LIVESTREAM HERE!