Sooke fundraiser aims to raise awareness of Island’s ancient trees

Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce and the Ancient Forest Alliance are jointly organizing a fundraiser Thursday evening to help raise awareness of the need to protect ancient trees.

The aim of the free-drink-and-free-appetizer event at Sooke Harbour House is to increase tourism to monumental trees around Port Renfrew.

The community is Canada’s big trees capital with Avatar Grove, the Red Creek fir — the largest Douglas fir in the world — and the San Juan spruce — the largest spruce tree in Canada — all in close proximity to town, said Ken Wu of the Ancient Forest Alliance.

This summer the Chamber of Commerce wants to hire someone to run its new information centre, Wu said.

“Thousands of visitors will be directed to visit Avatar Grove and ancient forests nearby,” he said.

“This will greatly help to raise the needed awareness about our endangered old-growth forests and will generate greater tourism to the region as friends tell friends to come and see the area’s incredible ancient trees.”