When Adam Gibbs was planning his move to Canada in 1979, he pictured iconic scenery: the Rocky Mountains, prairies, Niagara Falls. What he didn’t realise was that the west coast of British Columbia is home to some of the most biodiverse temperate rainforests in the world. “These ancient forests are more than just a collection of trees; they are a living, breathing web of life, woven into an intricate ecosystem stretching from the salmon-bearing streams and rivers to the open ocean,” he explains. In 2020, Gibbs, who has spent 30 years photographing wild places, set out on a technically challenging mission: to document the last remaining trees on Vancouver Island’s west coast. The process has been “both inspiring and, at times, profoundly disheartening.” There is dark side to the project: most of the region’s ancient woodland has been logged within the last 150 years, leading to tragic biodiversity decline. Gibbs’ latest book, Land & Light, is available now. adamgibbs.com
Image credits:
1. Adam Gibbs, Sitka Spruce, old growth forest, Carmanah Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. Image courtesy of the artist.
2. Adam Gibbs, Sitka Spruce, old growth forest, Carmanah Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. Image courtesy of the artist.
3. Adam Gibbs, Ancient old growth forest near Port Renfrew, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. Image courtesy of the artist.
4. Adam Gibbs, Old growth western red cedars near the town of Port Renfrew, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. Image courtesy of the artist.
5. Adam Gibbs, Fallen giants old growth forest near Port Renfrew, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. Image courtesy of the artist.
6. Adam Gibbs, Sitka Spruce, old growth forest, Carmanah Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. Image courtesy of the artist.
