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A series of connected lowland valleys runs up the interior of Vancouver Island, from Gold River to Nimpkish Lake. A private heavy-duty gravel road, known as a logging mainline, runs the length of the southern area. This 40 mile stretch is almost uninhabited, and until quite recently was covered in magnificent old growth Douglas Fir forest. But now, only a few scattered stands of old growth remain on the valley floor, and virtually none of that is protected. The plan is to place the entire area on a tree farm rotation, where forests are harvested and replanted on a planned schedule.

While this is a reasonable and efficient plan, the lack of any provision for old growth reserves raises questions about species diversity and ecosystem viability.

This panorama was taken from on top of a six-foot diameter Douglas fir stump, showing 450 rings. The evidence of the stumps suggests that this tract of forest may, before logging, have been comparable to the Cathedral Grove at MacMillan Park.

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