Tolkien, the Story of a Tree

 

Imagine a journey back in time to the year 1497, let’s say. A tiny seed cone from a western red cedar flutters to earth deep in the North Shore Mountains, in what would later be known as Hydraulic Creek,  in the Seymour River Valley. It comes quietly to rest on an outcropping of granite, and in this protected enclave, somehow takes root, beginning life as a tiny seedling.In a forest seldom seen by human eyes, but walked by deer, bears, mountain lions, and squirrels, the tree is never wanting for companionship. Not fifty yards downslope, a tall and sturdy Douglas Fir already into its second century, provides it shelter and shade.

 Every year came the rains, and the time passed, ever slowly, and the seedling became a tree, growing vibrant and strong. The surrounding forest , as you’d expect, flourished equally well.

The Tolkien Giant in the prime of life, spring of 2006

The nearby companion of the Tolkien Giant that would come to be known as the Temple Giant, one of the larger Douglas Firs in all of British Columbia

Seasons repeated as time moved on,  determined only by the forces of nature until the turn of the twentieth century. That was when men arrived in the Seymour Valley, wanting cedar for the shingle bolts that would be used to build homes. Life for the ever growing cedar, now an aging veteran of the forest, would never be quite the same. In fact, its very survival became threatened.

Teams of loggers arrived in the forests, working their way up the valley, in search of the largest trees. Many giants fell to their crosscut saws, but somehow, that gnarled cedar atop the rock and its guardian Douglas fir survived. Some have speculated that it was saved because of a great fire that halted logging operations in the mid 1930s, or that they were the beneficiaries of a collapse in the timber market, caused by The Great Depression. In any event, good fortune spared them both.

Big trees were felled with saws like this one, found in nearby Suicide Creek

Travel far forward once, to the 1980s and early 1990s. The forest was then under the administration of those charged with maintaining Greater Vancouver’s water supply. The area below the Seymour Dam had been designated an auxiliary watershed and had just been opened to recreational users. Though logging had been strictly banned in the watersheds prior to 1967, once again it reared its ugly head in the years that followed. There were extensive plans to cut down the valley’s remaining timber and, unbeknownst to the public, regular harvesting was taking place in both the Seymour and Capilano Watersheds. The area below the dam, now called the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve, then bore the more ominous name Seymour Demonstration Forest. It was not clear at the time just how much of the forest would ultimately be saved, but the trees of Hydraulic Creek were clearly on the cutting block.

Enter Ralf Kelman, the son of a North Vancouver logger, who had grown up in the woods of the Seymour Valley. He had developed a love of the forest sometimes bordering on obsession, and had spent many a day hunting down the valley’s remaining stands of old growth trees. He wanted these giants saved, and so became involved with the Western Canada Wilderness Committee. Together with Paul George, Will Koop, Chris Player, and numerous others, he battled the Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD) to end logging in Vancouver’s watersheds. The conflict raged on for years, and the powers that be were very reluctant to stop the practice. Finally, in 1994, logging was halted in the Seymour Demonstration Forest, but harvesting timber in Greater Vancouver’s watersheds was not officially banned until 2002. The WCWC’s actual conservation campaign was a real eye opener, and highlighted the deplorable manner in which the GVWD dealt with this contentious issue!

 

Ralf Kelman, here in 2009. He has been one of the most accompished big tree hunters of his era, along with Randy Stoltmann and Maywell Wickheim. Kelmane has helped to inspire several generations of forest conservationists and continues to do so today!

During that time of conflict, the WCWC had printed a map of the old growth tree groves of the Seymour Valley, and through my friend Vida, I was able to get a scanned copy of the map to work with. Eagerly, I set out to locate what Ralf had already uncovered. The very centrepiece of his finds was called the Temples of Time Grove of Giants, which was just south of Hydraulic Creek.  Two particular trees, the Tolkien Giant and the Temple Giant, quickly captured my imagination!

An excerpt from the Western Canada Wilderness Committee (WCWC ) map, now out of print. For today’s purposes, the newer Seymour Valley Trailway runs parallel and uphill to the original Seymour Mainline road which is now off limits to the public…Photo by Vida M.

In the spring of 2006, Matt and I decided to visit once more,  to find out whether or not they all survived. While I had visited them previously,   in 2004, the plan that day was to try and visit each and every tree on the map. After a brisk bike ride to the Hydraulic Creek Bridge, we stashed our rides in the woods and began hiking. Matt, who at the time worked for the Seymour Hatchery near the Seymour Dam, was really looking forward to seeing the grove.

We began as I had several years before, by trekking steeply uphill to the Hidden Giant. It is a Douglas fir that spans about two metres in diameter, and could be five hundred years old. Should it remain permanently protected, it will certainly become one of the finest specimens in the valley!

Me and the Hidden Giant

A proud moment, Matt meets the Hidden Giant, which is likely five centuries old

From there, we worked our way a little bit higher, as sunlight filtered through the forest canopy. We could easily imagine how Ralf must have felt when he found these trees. It was sobering to think that these trees might well have been cut down without a second thought.  The balance between preservation and industry will always be a precarious one. Hopefully, compromises will be reached, and forests like these will survive for future generations to enjoy.

Tall firs like these may become future giants!

 

Our next stop was the Paul George Giant. Paul is well known for his environmental efforts, and also authored the book Big Trees, Not Big Stumps, which documents many of the efforts to preserve British Columbia’s forests. His namesake is an ancient fir which measures about 2.43 metres(8.00 feet) in diameter, and sits quietly, overlooking the rest of the grove.

Me, with the Paul George Giant

It has been nearly twenty five years since I was told that an official trail was to be cleared and marked through this grove, but that has still not happened. Should you wish to explore these trees you will need to be fit, sure footed, and experienced in off trail hiking. If you’re lucky, as I’ve been, you might also see wildlife such as barred owls, deer, bobcats, and pine martens. Cougar and black bear are also native to the area, so being prepared for a wildlife encounter is something you must keep in mind.

Matt working his way up steep slopes. As you can see this is by no means a groomed trail!

While you hike the Temples of Time Grove, it also helps to have a keen eye for the little things, like this tiny frog that we stumbled upon (below), and a wide variety of mosses and fungal growths.

Tiny frog, about the size of a Toonie, aka a two dollar Canadian coin, for those who aren’t familiar with that term

We soon found ourselves battling through thickets and deadfall as we worked our way toward a small creek bed (Krisby Creek on the WCWC map) that would lead us to even more ancient Douglas firs. Here we found  the tree called the Rosebush Giant, sitting in an isolated clearing that readily gathers sunlight.

The Rosebush Giant

The Rosebush Giant is spectacularly located to take advantage of sunny days!

Not too far away you will find the Hundal Giant and the Chittenden Giant, two more beautiful firs with deeply channeled bark. A little known fact about the bark of these trees is that it may reach nearly a foot in thickness. With protection like that, such a tree is more protected from harsh winters and wildfires.

The bark of the Nick Cuff Giant. If you stare at it long enough you begin to see little faces everywhere, or maybe that’s just me.

Matt and the Chittenden Giant

The Hundal Giant, like the Chittenden, is over four centuries old

A little more persistence brought us to the monarch of this grove of trees, that aging leviathan known as the Temple Giant. It measures 3.05 metres(10 feet) in diameter rises over 85 metres(279 feet) from the forest floor. 

Me and the Temple Giant

And now Matt meets the Temple Giant. Hard for me to believe this day was so long ago!

The Temple Giant, among the largest Douglas firs in Canada

Within sight of this champion, and still wedged into the rock face just uphill, was the twisted bulk of the Tolkien Giant. It almost seemed to be watching us. I will describe our meeting with this veteran of five hundred winters, but for an important perspective, we need to travel forward in time, once more…

Two more revolutions of the earth around the sun! Now it is the spring of 2008, and as the remnants of a spring storm fade into mist, I find myself once again cycling the Seymour Valley Trailway. On this day, my companions are Rich, Daryl, and Chris, tree enthusiasts all. We opted to use the more southern trailhead to access the grove on that day. There were few sounds other than our occasional banter, as even the birds were in hiding from the morning rains. We made our way slowly to the Temple Giant, which still stood tall and proud.

Rich and the Temple Giant

I stopped for a moment, watching Rich approach the tree. Turning to Chris, who, like me, had been to visit the Temple Giant numerous times, I mentioned that something didn’t seem quite the same. I didn’t remember the tree resting in a reasonably well lit forest clearing. Chris agreed, adding that the tree had always been difficult to photograph because of the shade.

Looking skyward into the fog

The explanation for our momentary puzzlement became obvious all too soon. Lying in bizarre symmetry, the perfectly split trunk of a great cedar had come to rest on the hillside. As it fell, it had also taken out a number of younger trees, hence creating space in the forest canopy. I soon realized that the Tolkien Giant had met its untimely end.

The now fallen Tolkien Giant in its resting place. It used to grow on the prominent rock behind at right

This was both unexpected and sad, and I paused interminably, thinking. Though I’d only known the tree for a fraction of its five centuries, I felt as though I’d lost an old friend, and found myself looking back to that bluebird day on which I had last seen it alive. Matt and I had marvelled at what an unlikely looking survivor it had been. Its location alone, anchored steadfastly around and into the grooves of a rock face, was a classic example of the way nature wastes no opportunity.

The Tolkien Giant, in happier times, as Matt and I had seen it two years earlier

Matt photographs the Tolkien Giant, 2006

Much as I felt the loss, I understood  that its passing had made way for other denizens of the forest, and my eye was drawn to some nearby cedars I had not noted in years past. Nature always provides, however mysterious its ways.

Our hike continued that day, as the mist cleared and the forest brightened. We visited most of the trees that Matt and I had seen two years before, and made several new discoveries as well! Even the most familiar walk can be a new experience, if you pay close attention.

Douglas Fir, Pseudotsuga Menzieszi

Fungus

Bark

The underrated Pacific Yew

Closeup of yew tree

Daryl and Rich show you what happens when you decide to go hiking with me!

Chris and tree

Rich and Daryl hiking through the morning mist

Side by side and strong

Tall and towering

Paul George Giant

More bark

Rich and rock

Straight and true

Foggy forest

Though it was a shame to have lost one of the valley’s most spectacular trees, there was a most fitting way to end our day, a consolation of sorts. We made our way back toward the banks of Hydraulic Creek for a visit with the Hobbit Tree, another gnarled old cedar, well into its first millennium of life!

The Hobbit Tree

This tree, which can somehow be easy to miss, is close to 3.00 metres(9.84 feet) wide and simply exudes character. Rich was kind enough to pose with it for scale, just to give an idea of its immense size. I hope that it still lives on  for at least a few more centuries!

Rich and the Hobbit Tree

There was little left to do but stop, eat lunch, and take a few photographs of the creek nearby before heading home that day. In the end, the Tolkien Giant, that resourceful little cedar that had begun its life five centuries ago, had been lost forever. Its towering companion, the Temple Fir, still survives today, fifteen years later. We must take on the role of guardians, and ensure that these forests survive for future generations to see. Paul George’s message still rings as true as ever: “Big Trees, Not Big Stumps.” 

Hydraulic Creek

A grim reminder of what we have lost. This is one of the super stumps in nearby McKenzie Creek, with my bike thrown in for scale. It’s time to ban the practice of old growth logging in British Columbia once and for all! Groups like the Ancient Forest Alliance and the Western Canada Wilderness Committee are working to accomplish just that. Get involved, make a difference!

 

*******AUTHOR’S NOTE*******

It’s important to remind ourselves that while these trees are currently protected, that wasn’t always so. A mere twenty five years ago, after all, there was still logging in Greater Vancouver’s watersheds, and only through extreme diligence was that practice stopped. You can examine more about that history in this link. It’s rather a lengthy read, but a very worthwhile analysis. If it had been solely up to the GVWD, many local politicians, and the loggers who held Tree Farm License #42, the Temples of Time Grove would long ago have been lost. A tip of the hat to all of the people who fought so hard to save these forests!

 

 

link