Press Release
June 25, 2013
Extraordinary Number of Pacific Yews found in Roberts Creek Forest
Elphinstone Logging Focus (ELF) has completed a tree survey of Pacific Yews in a Roberts Creek Headwaters forest and discovered a rare high density of this old-growth dependent tree.

On June 21st, ELF volunteers visited a BC Timber Sales Block DK045 and conducted a tree survey looking for all of the Pacific Yews at this site. The community knows this forest as ‘The Roberts Creek Headwaters Ancient Forest’ where ELF has conducted several public walks.

The team walked the full length and breath of the proposed cutblock. Some of the Yews emerged from a single base, in which case, it was counted as one tree. The total number came to an astonishing 340 Pacific Yews in a single 15Ha patch. “There are 10+ instances of Yews growing around the base of the Yellow-cedar suggesting a symbiotic relationship between the 2 species. The growing conditions for Yew are optimal at this site, with a high under-storey creating suitable shade conditions, wet, rich organic soils, and a stable forest regime.” states Ross Muirhead of ELF. “We are going back in here this Sunday and invite the public to join us to see this specutualr forest. Information is available at our web site: www.loggingfocus.org. There’s certainly nothing quite like this forest on the entire Sunshine Coast.” Muirhead concludes.

In a search of the Ecological Reserves in BC, there isn’t a reserve devoted to the protection/education of the Pacific Yew. ELF has made a request to BC Timber Sales to protect this forest and have it nominated it as an Ecological Reserve. The Ministry of Environment has assigned an Ecologist to visit ‘The Roberts Creek Headwaters Ancient Forest’ in August to conduct their own Pacific Yew tree survey based on these findings.
For more information contact:
Elphinstone Logging Focus
Ross Muirhead
604-740-5654
www.loggingfocus.org

To View other Press Releases and News: https://loggingfocus.org/news/news-2013/

Categories: LoggingFocus