The allure of a potential big tree can stay with you for years, pulling you back into the wildest corners of the coast. That’s what happened with this massive Sitka spruce. My friend and former colleague at the Ancient Forest Alliance, Ian Thomas, first glimpsed it years ago on a bushwhack, but high waters stopped him short of reaching it.
Recently, he, Jon Degner, and I returned to track it down. After pushing our way through thick walls of salmonberry, we stood before a massive whirling trunk some 11.5 ft (3.5 m) wide. Its crown stretched outward in all directions, shaped by winter storms after the top had blown away long ago. Given its immense size, it would undoubtedly be many centuries old.
September 24th is National Tree Day – a reminder to celebrate these majestic, ancient beings
Help give them a voice by sending a message to the BC government calling for stronger old-growth protections.
