'Freak of nature' tree find of a lifetime for B.C. forest explorer

Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.TJ Watt has spent half his life as a forest explorer, a self-described “tree hunter” in British Columbia. He wades deep into endangered forests to find pristine towering trees that are hundreds of years old and massively wide but have never been photographed or documented.

“I feel humbled every time I think about it,” said Watt, 39. “I nicknamed it ‘The Wall,’ because it can only be described as a literal wall of wood.”“I’ve found thousands and thousands of trees, and I’ve shot hundreds of thousands of photos of old-growth forests,” he said. “But I’ve never seen a tree as impressive as this one.”

The Ahousaht First Nation has about 2,400 members, with 1,100 living on Flores Island, said Tyson Atleo, a hereditary representative for the nation, someone who is a caretaker of the nation’s cultural traditions and history.“The tree leaves you with a sense of wonder about the natural world and the universe,” said Atleo, 37. “There is so much about that tree and the life it upholds that we will never understand. When you look at it, it hits you like that.

British Columbia has a plan to protect its old-growth forests, but many conservationists have found government implementation of the plan to be slow, said Watt.Atleo said his nation now operates an eco-cultural tour company to showcase some of the territory’s old-growth trees , and his community is working to get financing to save more ancient forests.

Watt lives in Victoria, where he grew up in the small town of Metchosin, climbing trees and playing in the woods, he said. “I look at maps and study satellite imagery of forests to pick an area, then I pack my bags with cameras and communication gear and that’s when the fun starts,” Watt said.“We’ll drive on the back roads, then get out and walk into the woods, and that’s the magic of it,” he said.

Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

'Freak of nature' tree find of a lifetime for B.C. forest explorerTJ Watt has spent half his life as a forest explorer, a self-described "tree hunter" in British Columbia.
Source: TheTorontoSun - 🏆 23. / 68 Read more »

'Freak of nature' tree find of a lifetime for B.C. forest explorerTJ Watt has spent half his life as a forest explorer, a self-described "tree hunter" in British Columbia.
Source: calgarysun - 🏆 63. / 52 Read more »

Columbia and Harvard Students, Deans Blame Israel for Hamas Terrorist AttackLegal Insurrection
Source: LegInsurrection - 🏆 3. / 95 Read more »

A B.C. man is the 2nd Canadian believed dead after Israel attack by HamasNews of the death of Ben Mizrachi, from British Columbia, came Tuesday following a multifront attack by the militant group Hamas over the weekend.
Source: GlobalCalgary - 🏆 50. / 61 Read more »

Flu, COVID immunization campaign kicks off in B.C. as vaccines arrive at pharmaciesBritish Columbia has launched its immunization campaign for this year's respiratory illness season, with influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations now available in pharmacies across the province.
Source: CTVNewsVI - 🏆 28. / 68 Read more »

B.C. first province to sign individual health deal with feds, worth $1.2 billionBritish Columbia is the first province to sign a tailored funding agreement with the federal government as part of the $196-billion health accord the prime minister offered provinces earlier this year.
Source: CTVNews - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »