What better way to learn about Old Growth and Big Trees then to talk to a guy who thinks about nothing else!? Greg Herringer spends his work time finding big trees, talking about big trees and creating programs to protect big trees. He also spends his free time going on expeditions to find more big trees. This guy is THE Big Tree Guy! We try to answer the question, how do we protect big trees in a world that need wood fiber? Greg sees a path forward.
Resources
Special Tree Protection Regulation
Sponsors
Quotes
33.20 - 33.25: “Too many people confuse hearing and listening as the same thing and they are entirely different.”
Takeaways
Personal and professional passions (04.24)
Greg is a Forest Technologist at British Columbia Timber Sales. He is passionate about preserving large tree ecosystems and was part of the 80s-90s revolution to protect old growth on Vancouver Island. He emphasizes that mid to high-elevation old growth can be just as impressive as valley bottom old growth.
Tree tools (08.22)
Greg explains the tools used to extract a sample from the trunk of the tree and extrapolate the findings to learn more about the age of the tree based on the visible growth rings. He clarifies that within a growing season, that borehole created for sample extraction can fill up quickly with sap, preventing any risk to the tree.
Planting by the rules (11.26)
Greg had a decade-long career as a tree planter during which he began developing a curiosity for big trees. He feels positive about the special tree protection regulation the government has passed along with the BC old growth program to protect large trees from being harvested. Although they are below the target of 1500, they are reviewing the legislation to reach that goal.
A sustainable and holistic approach (16.15)
Based on his work with many universities, Greg believes a fundamental shift is coming in how harvesting forests is viewed by the new generation of forest professionals, including forging partnerships with First Nations because “it’s so important that they have a say or they have control over what’s happening on the traditional lands.”
A century is a blip for a tree, but a lifespan for humans (19.28)
Greg shares people's reactions on his tours of old-growth forests - some are indifferent, some come from a family of loggers, some have never experienced being in a forest, and some need to touch a tree to believe that it is 2000 years old. He encourages people to slow down and “experience the old-growth forest as it should be”, including exploring forest bathing.
The human side of forestry (31.20)
Greg celebrates that universities today have courses dedicated to First Nations and soft skills training for foresters. Developing personal relations with others is the most important skill in forestry, according to Greg. Understanding what the public wants the forests to be will help guide forest restoration practices for the future.
“The forest isn’t static” (35.19)
Greg discusses the terms of the special tree protection regulation, sharing that the required buffer area around a tree was a compromise between the industry and the ENGOs. He says that looking at this matter on a landscape level will help decide the buffer needed to increase the viability of the ecosystem. He lists examples of some old-growth trees that are still evolving.
Wanted dead or alive (39.35)
Greg points out that the tree protection regulation does not differentiate between live and dead trees because of the value of standing dead trees to wildlife habitat. He laments that global warming is causing red cedar trees on the east coast to die, making the work of preserving old-growth trees even more critical.
What nature really is (42.43)
Greg recounts his trip to Vernon Bay to discover giant trees along with a few colleagues and a reporter. He had an encounter with a cougar whom he felt he had to kill, but he also found three awe-inspiring trees, one with a bear cave in it. The trees were between 800 and 2200 years old. He finds that most people experience nature cerebrally but being ‘out there’ is life-changing.
When we all come together (01.07.30)
BC Timber Sales has developed a voluntary program in conjunction with Western Forest Products to target the most valuable commercial species for protection. Greg finds that the program has been very successful thus far and has high hopes for its development in the future. He defends the intentions of foresters as wanting to protect the forests they work in.
Stand up for what you believe in (1.17.42)
Greg believes that standing up for one’s values inspires others to participate in acts that resonate with their values. By following the special tree protection regulations, Greg feels good about acting in line with his morals and ethics. He discusses the buffer requirements of the legislation and how resources and funding are needed to help make the program successful.
Land back (1.34.10)
The public is beginning to recognize the importance of preserving old-growth trees, to sustain communities alongside protecting forests. A large portion of the land will also be returned to the stewardship of the First Nations to manage according to their traditions and intergenerational expertise. There is a sense of urgency to do this despite knowing change comes slowly.
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