This gallery features exclusive web content and video updates from the Heartwood production.
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water logged
A short documentary.
The City of Grand Forks, BC has been inundated by monstrous spring floods three times in the past four years. Many say climate change is the main culprit. But some residents and experts believe clear-cut logging in the forest watersheds is a major factor. Grand Forks resident Jennifer Houghton recounts her harrowing experience with the floods and connects the dots between clear-cut logging and disrupted hydrology.
Directed, produced, shot and edited by
Daniel J. Pierce
© Ramshackle Pictures 2021
“UP SCHMIDT CREEK: ENDANGERED OLD-GROWTH ON VANCOUVER ISLAND” | A NEW MINI-DOC
FILMED IN TLOWITSIS-MA’AMTAGILA TERRITORY
Scientists are saying old-growth forests are in peril—but BC Timber Sales continues to log what little is left.
About a year ago, in May 2019, I tagged along on a field expedition with Sierra Club BC & Wilderness Committee campaigners to document the latest old-growth logging by BC Timber Sales in the Schmidt Creek and Upper Tsitika Valleys, in Tlowitsis and Ma’amtagila territory. With the new scientific study that was just released last week about the sorry state of B.C.’s old-growth forests, I decided that now is the time to get this video out into the world.
Scientists are saying that the most productive old-growth forests in B.C.—with the largest trees and the highest ecological, cultural and carbon values—are down to just 400,000 hectares, less than 1% of BC's total forested area (50 million hectares). And these forests are still being logged at a rate of 34 soccer fields PER DAY. In an era of climate breakdown, this ecological devastation is simply unconscionable and must come to an end now.
We need an immediate moratorium on logging any more irreplaceable old-growth forest and new, science-based legislation that will actually protect biodiversity, communities and Indigenous rights. Because once these ancient forests are logged, they will not recover. Planting young trees cannot replace these complex ecosystems that developed over many millennia. Once they are gone—they are gone forever. This is our last chance to save them before they are gone.
A FLIGHT OVER ENDANGERED OLD-GROWTH IN SCHMIDT CREEK, Vancouver Island
BC Timber Sales is targeting some of the last old-growth rainforest on eastern Vancouver Island.
Recently Heartwood director Dan Pierce took a flight in a small Cessna over the Schmidt Creek valley on Vancouver Island, one of the last old-growth rainforests left on the eastern part of the island. This valley is in close proximity to the world renowned orca rubbing beaches of Robson Bight. However, this area is currently being targeted for logging by BC Timber Sales – the BC government's own logging agency. Environmental groups are concerned that logging on the steep slopes in this area could destabilize the soil and harm nearby rubbing beaches.
The BC NDP government made a promise to take a "scientific approach" to land-use planning, "using the Great Bear Rainforest as a model." It's time for the BC government to save what little is left of the old-growth forests on Vancouver Island and begin the transition to sustainable, second-growth forestry.
Turn the sound up or listen on decent headphones as this video features powerful music by Michael Red and Jenny Lea.
HEARTWOOD MINI-DOC | PART 1: MINING FOR OLD-GROWTH
How Vancouver Island lost 90% of it's prime old-growth temperate rainforest.
In Part 1 of this new 3-part mini-series, we explore the endangered old-growth forests of Vancouver Island. Despite the reality that less than 10% of the prime, low-elevation old-growth remains on the island, these forests continue to be converted into second-growth tree farms, We unpack what the loss of these forests means for biodiversity and for coastal First Nations, who have depended on these ancient forests for their culture and survival since the last Ice Age. We also get a sneak peak of Part 2.
Now live on Facebook video:
https://www.facebook.com/HeartwoodDoc/videos/1165194273593001/
As first seen on the Common Sense Canadian:
http://commonsensecanadian.ca/VIDEO-detail/heartwood-vancouver-island-lost-90-ancient-rainforest/
HEARTWOOD MINI-DOC | PART 2: CUT & RUN
The Industrial Model – forest liquidation, log exports, job losses, mill-closures and political cash.
Chapter 2 of the Heartwood mini-doc explores BC's unique blend of of industrial forest liquidation, industry deregulation, job losses in the tens of thousands, massive increase in raw log exports, rapid closure of sawmills, and copious political campaign donations from the biggest forest companies to one political party.
Now live on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/HeartwoodDoc/videos/1165273076918454/
HEARTWOOD PITCH VIDEO | for GOOD PITCH VANCOUVER
Heartwood director Dan Pierce pitches Heartwood as a feature film and web-series for his Good Pitch Vancouver application.
HEARTWOOD TELEFILM PITCH VIDEO
Heartwood director Dan Pierce pitches Heartwood as a multi-platform web series for Telefilm's Micro-Budget Program.
HEARTWOOD OFFICIAL TRAILER
Heartwood is a multi-platform documentary series that explores the past, present and future of forestry in British Columbia. Through the lens of Cortes Island, a community that is at the forefront of both the ancient forest and sustainable forestry movements – we follow parallel threads of resistance to industrial logging and the shift to sustainable forestry that is bubbling up from the grassroots in BC. We also veer off to other coastal communities engaged in similar forestry conflicts and initiatives.
DIRECTOR'S UPDATE #1
Heartwood director Dan Pierce coming to you from his cabin in the woods of Cortes Island with the latest updates on the Heartwood Documentree.
HEARTWOOD INDIEGOGO PITCH VIDEO
Heartwood director Dan Pierce sits in a sunbeam on Cortes Island and pitches this project to the world as a limited series.
THE CENTRAL WALBRAN VALLEY
Teal-Jones Group has proposed eight new cut-blocks in the highly contentious Central Walbran Valley, home to some of the finest stands of old-growth red cedar on Southern Vancouver Island. But a group of dedicated activists have drawn a line in the sand that they are willing to use their bodies to defend if necessary.
POWELL RIVER & ISLAND TIMBERLANDS
Powell River has been fighting for its urban forests, which are slated to be logged by Island Timberlands. I.T. has been at the forefront of many forestry conflicts on the west coast of British Columbia, from Cortes Island to Port Alberni to Powell River.
PORT ALBERNI VS. ISLAND TIMBERLANDS
Since 2011, the Watershed Forest Alliance has been focused on protecting the last pockets of old growth on Island Timberlands' private forestlands around Port Alberni, Vancouver Island. They are also pushing for an end to industrial logging in the community's watershed, where the citizens of Port Alberni get their drinking water. But Island Timberlands has the legal right to log all of these contentious areas and the BC government has taken no interest putting forward any money to purchase these lands. The Watershed-Forest Alliance is calling on Island Timberlands to halt logging in these old-growth forests so that the funds can be raised to purchase these lands.
BC's ANCIENT FOREST MOVEMENT
BC's Ancient Forest Movement is a diverse coalition of First Nations and settler communities, youth and elders, unions and businesses, which is united against industrial scale logging of old-growth forests on Vancouver Island and the coast of BC. For more info visit: www.bcforestmovement.com and www.bcparkfund.com
THE GREAT LAND GRAB OF VANCOUVER ISLAND
An interview with Robert Morales, Chief Negotiator for the Hul'qumi'num First Nations Treaty Group, about the E&N Railway Land Grants and the lasting repercussions of this massive "land grab" for the Hul'qumi'num people. To learn more, please visit www.heartwoodfilm.com. You can read more about this on the Common Sense Canadian as well.
KLAHOOSE FIRST NATION & COMMUNITY FORESTRY
Chief James Delorme of the Klahoose First Nation reflects on their partnership with the non-native forestry co-op on Cortes and presents part of his vision for the Community Forest and the economic future of his people.
THE CORTES COMMUNITY FOREST CO-OP
In a historic announcement, the BC government has granted the Klahoose First Nation and the Cortes Island Community Forest Co-Op a Community Forest tenure on 3,700 acres of so-called “Crown” or public lands on Cortes—a deal 20 years in the making.
TOSH HARVEY: YOUNG FOREST GUARDIAN
Tosh has lived on Cortes Island for most of his life, learning how to live on the land and be a good forest steward. But when Island Timberlands announced their plans to log on Cortes, Tosh joined the movement to try and stop them.
TIMBER & TOURISM: MAURELLE ISLAND
BC Timber Sales has issued the logging contract for Maurelle Island, despite the concerns of local tour guides that their input has been largely ignored. Eco-tour guide Mike Moore takes us on a journey through the Lower Okisollo channel to see the new log dump and logging road that has recently been punched in on Maurelle. The Lower Okisollo is one of three unblemished corridors that the Discovery Islands Marine Tourism Group has been fighting to protect for its tourism value, along with Hole in the Wall and White Rock Pass.
TIMBER & TOURISM: DISCOVERY ISLANDS
Eco-tour guide and professional sailor Mike Moore takes us out for a journey through the Discovery Islands on his yacht, Misty Isles. He shows us some of the last remaining untouched corridors in the area— and some that have already been scarred by industrial logging. Only three corridors in this high-traffic recreational area remain unlogged. But all that is about to change in the next year. The Discovery Islands Marine Tourism Group is calling on the BC government for a moratorium on industrial clear-cutting in these picturesque viewscapes.
CORTES Island ANCIENT FOREST #4: The WHaletown Commons
Artist, educator, and naturalist Oliver Kelhammer takes us into the proposed Whaletown Commons. We discuss the need for the local government to exercise its right to 'Eminent Domain', so that the Whaletown Commons can be conserved as park land for the benefit of the people.
Cortes Island Ancient FOrest #3: The Delight Lake Watershed
Woodworker Fred Savage and biologist Sabina Leader-Mense take us into the Delight Lake Watershed—also known as Green Valley—a vital water purification area for the inhabitants of Cortes island. Fred's kids spot some woodland critters and a mysterious tree fort along the way. This forest is in Island Timberlands' immediate logging plans.
Cortes Island Ancient Forest #2: The Children's Forest
We take a winter walk through the Children's Forest with a group of young Cortesians and their teacher, Christine Robinson. At the mouth of Carrington Lagoon, this area has numerous ecological and recreational values that the Cortes community very much want to retain. Therefore, they have created the Forest Trust for the Children of Cortes island, in order to raise funds to be able to purchase these lands from Island Timberlands.
Cortes Island Ancient Forest #1: The Basil Creek Watershed
Cortes Island activist and biologist, Sabina Leader-Mense, takes Wilderness Committee Vancouver Island campaigner, Torrance Coste, on a tour of the Basil Creek Watershed—a spectacular grove of unlogged, ancient forest, and the very first area on Island Timberland's cut-block.
Tzeporah Berman at Forest Fest | Cortes Island, 2012
Forest Fest was a music festival & activist convergence that took place over the weekend of August 25 on Cortes Island, BC in response to Island Timberlands' impending plans to industrially log on Cortes. The festival brought internationally renowned speakers and activists, many of whom live on Cortes, such as Tzeporah Berman, Zoe Blunt, and Rex Weyler. The intention was to spark a conversation about peaceful direct action in the face of huge corporate interests, and to send a message to Island Timberlands that Cortes is and always will be "socially inoperable".
Messages for Island Timberlands from Forest Fest | Cortes Island 2012
A few of the attendees of ForestFest 2012 have some words to say to Island Timberlands, an industrial logging company that is slated to begin logging Cortes this Fall.
INtro to Heartwood & Lamme Land
Meet Dan, the filmmaker behind Heartwood as he describes his vision for the documentary.
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