The movement to protect British Columbia’s remaining old-growth forests has entered a new and volatile stage. Forest defenders say a spiritual camp in the Walbran Valley — constructed at the request of Pacheedaht Elder Bill Jones — was burned to the ground by loggers within hours of an RCMP raid that removed activists from the area.
According to land defender Solène Tessier, who has spent months on the front lines, the destruction occurred immediately after police forced defenders off the site and prevented them from witnessing what happened next.
“We were pushed kilometres down the hill,” Tessier said. “Once no one could see what was happening, the industry started burning our infrastructure.”
A Spiritual Camp Destroyed
The camp, established three months ago, was not merely a blockade. Activists had constructed a cougar totem, a prayer house, and other structures used for ceremony and reflection. Tessier says the project followed a direct request from Elder Bill Jones, one of the most respected Indigenous voices of the Fairy Creek movement.
Two weeks ago, RCMP officers moved in under a civil injunction, arresting several defenders and removing the rest from the ridge. Moments later, Tessier says, loggers began torching the site. Drone footage captured plumes of smoke rising from the spiritual structures.
Elder Jones attempted to return to his camp but was blocked by police.
“RCMP knew the industry had already started burning,” Tessier said.
A New Front After Fairy Creek
The Walbran Valley lies adjacent to Fairy Creek, the site of Canada’s largest act of civil disobedience in recent history. While much of Fairy Creek remains protected through deferred logging and political agreements, Tessier says surrounding forests remain at risk — including the ancient stands now being cut in the Walbran.
“We’ve returned to the same zone we used as a watch camp during Fairy Creek,” she explained. “Right now, the industry has access and is cutting trees as we speak.”
A temporary camp has now been re-established, along with a new permanent coordination site where forest defenders intend to continue actions throughout the winter.
Complex Indigenous Governance — and Government Inaction
Although Walbran territory belongs to the Ditidaht and Pacheedaht Nations, logging in the area is being carried out by a company partly owned (35%) by the Huu-ay-aht First Nations, whose traditional lands lie far from the valley. The nations whose territory is actually being logged do not hold shares in the company.
This dynamic, Tessier argues, highlights how colonial forestry frameworks create inter-nation tensions while enabling the continued liquidation of ancient forests.
Meanwhile, the BC NDP government continues to face criticism for refusing to impose a full moratorium on old-growth logging despite promising reforms following Fairy Creek. Forests Minister Ravi Kahlon recently stated that old-growth logging was no longer occurring — a claim contradicted by on-the-ground evidence from activists like Tessier.
“It’s clear he doesn’t understand the model that’s being used to destroy these forests,” she said. “They promised to protect old-growth, and they’re not doing it.”
A Race Against December 31
Activists hope to delay operations long enough for the logging company’s licence to expire on December 31. If not renewed, cutting would be forced to stop — at least temporarily.
“Our goal is to slow them down so they can’t finish the cut before the licence ends,” Tessier said. “Every second counts right now.”
Forest defenders are calling for volunteers to join the camp and for supporters across the country to contribute to legal defense funds and infrastructure like the “Bush Bus,” a mobile shelter used for winter blockades.
“It’s Not Activists vs. RCMP — It’s About the Trees”
As the conflict escalates, Tessier says she wants the public to understand what is truly at stake.
“People often see this as a fight between activists and the RCMP,” she said. “But it’s really a fight for the trees and for future generations.”
With new camps forming, old-growth logging ongoing, and political tensions rising once again, the Walbran Valley may be on the verge of becoming the next Fairy Creek — unless defenders, Indigenous leaders, and government officials chart a different path before time runs out.
For Tessier, the path forward is clear: people need to show up. She says the camp cannot hold without reinforcements, especially as winter conditions and industry pressure intensify. “We need bodies on the land,” she insisted. “If you can come, come. Every person who joins us buys the forest more time, and every second truly matters.”
