VIDEO: Canada’s most impressive tree?

July 28, 2023
CTV News

Check out this VIDEO on CTV News covering what we believe to be the most impressive tree in Canada. Dubbed ‘The Wall’, or or ‘ʔiiḥaq ḥumiis’, meaning ‘big redcedar’ in the Nuu-chah-nulth language, this massive tree measures over 17 ft (5 m) wide near its base and 151 ft (46 m) tall and stands in a remote location on Flores Island near Tofino in Ahousaht Territory.

AFA campaigner and photographer notes that of all the trees he’s seen over his big tree hunting career, this one is by far the most mind-blowing. “It’s a literal wall of wood. Your brain can’t compute the scale when you stand below it,” he says. “The first time I arrived, from a distance I thought it had to be two trees because of how wide the trunk and limbs are. It defies words.”

The scale of the tree is a reminder of the importance of protecting old-growth forest ecosystems that support biodiversity.

Luckily, there are no current logging plans for this area, and the Ahousaht First Nation’s Land Use Vision (currently in the late stages of negotiations with the BC government) calls for the protection of 80% of their territory, including the ancient forest where this tree is found. This would happen through the creation of new Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) to be legislated as Provincial Conservancies by the province.

To ensure that forests like these remain standing across the province, Premier Eby must remove any barriers to protection from within his government and link conservation funding for First Nations to sustainable economic development and protecting the biggest and best old-growth stands vs. saving the least endangered ecosystems.

Read the full media release here.

Watch CTV News’ full video coverage here.