A picture of a massive tree trunk heading out of Nanaimo has gone viral this week, being shared over 20,000 times on social media.
Lorna Beecroft took the photo at 9 a.m. on May 25th on Nanaimo parkway south end heading north.
Shocked by the sheer magnitude of the tree, Beecroft’s photo has now been shared globally over social media.
Now, the origin of the tree trunk has been discovered.
In an update to her post with the photo, Beecroft said that the tree was cut between March and August of 2020.
“The good thing is that this tree was on its way to Port Alberni and will be made into sound-boards for guitars. Thankfully providing income to BC folks and not being sent overseas,” said Beecroft’s post.
“This has given me more resolve. I do not believe we should be logging in old-growth areas at all. If we cannot sustain our industry and jobs with regen, silviculture and farmed trees on land that has already been logged, then in the long term this is simply not sustainable.”
The tree is being delivered to Acoustic Woods Limited, a small family-owned sawmill that makes acoustic guitar soundboards and wooden components for musical instruments.
Unfortunately for the tree, it was a month away from being protected under the Special Tree Protection Regulation which came into effect on September 11th, 2020.
The social media attention is calling more attention to the ongoing Fairy Creek blockades against old growth logging near Port Renfrew.
Tensions are rising at the Caycuse blockade near Lake Cowichan where, as of this publication, 137 individuals have been arrested by the RCMP who are enforcing an injunction set forth by the BC Supreme Court in favour of logging company, the Teal-Jones Group.
Protestors have filed a notice of appeal against the injunction in early May.
While protestors are fighting for their right to protest against old growth logging, journalists are also fighting for fairer access in covering the RCMP enforcement.
Just this week, a coalition of media outlets expressed their intention to take the RCMP to court over the “limited” access to cover a demonstration against the logging of an old-growth forest.
