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Karst in the Walbran: From Magical Mineral Baths to Tolkien Giants

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by Charly Caproff

“Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.”
– Gary Snyder

Across the province, a mysterious ecosystem has been developing for tens of thousands to millions of years. Created by the dissolving action of slightly acidic rainwater on carbonate bedrock (e.g. limestone), karst lands are a Tolkien novel brought to life.IMG_7633_V1

Massive old-growth trees flourish on the epikarst, the exposed upper zone of a karst system. Their gnarly roots reach into the depths of the underworld, in search of water and nutrients.

The excellent drainage and nutrient recycling provided by the karst results in coastal old-growth trees with impressive height and diameter growth.

According to Martin Davis, a karst biologist, the only trees comparable to those in the karst lands are found in areas of deep soils and alluvium.

His field observations suggest that old-growth trees underlain by karst are healthier and larger in comparison to ancient trees growing on non-karst substrate in adjacent areas.

Rainwater comes into contact with the epikarst, gradually opening up fractures in the limestone. The water slips through the subsurface, connecting with a cave stream. Alternatively, surface streams may suddenly “disappear” into the secret world beneath our feet, forming a subterranean river.

Karst diagram courtesy of Vancouver Island University

Karst Diagram. From: McColl, K. M. et al. (2005) Geoscape Nanaimo, geoscience for central Vancouver Island communities. Geological Survey of Canada, Mischellaneous Report 87. Retrieved April 12, 2016, from CGEN Archive [http://www.cgenarchive.org/uploads /2/5/2/6/25269392/poster-nanaimo_e.jpg].

Rare and endangered species dwelling in the karst cave systems, such as the Quatsino Cave Amphipod (Stygobromus quatsinensis), are completely dependent on dissolved nutrients transported by the water.Karst features

Eventually, karst waters reemerge at a karst spring, flowing perhaps into a drinking watershed, or into a fish-bearing stream, such as the Walbran River.

I returned to the Walbran in early April to test the electrical conductivity (EC) of surface streams flowing throughout the valley. This research was part of my environmental capstone on Coastal Karst Ecosystems, a graduation requirement from the SFU Bachelor of Environment program.

Electrical conductivity (EC), the capacity of water to conduct an electrical current, is typically 5 – 10 times greater in karst waters in comparison to non-karst waters[1]. I was interested in determining whether the karst had a noticeable effect on the physical and chemical properties of the water.

The results suggest that surface streams within and adjacent to cutblocks 4403 and 4405 in the Walbran Valley are influenced by karst. These areas contained limestone outcrops, ancient trees growing on the epikarst, and sinkholes, features indicative of karst lands.

Map of the Water Sampling Locations, Charly Caproff

Map of the Water Sampling Locations, Charly Caproff

As a rule of thumb, karst waters will have EC readings greater than 50 µS/cm, according to B.C.’s karst expert.Walbran water

Many of the water samples had EC readings four times greater than the benchmark value. All of the samples had slightly alkaline pH readings, which is also a good indicator of karst waters.

Perhaps there is a reason why people feel “electrified”, “energized” and “rejuvenated” after swimming in the Walbran’s jade green waters.

Why is it important to determine if karst waters are present in the Walbran Valley?

Preliminary studies conducted in southeastern Alaska have found that fish-bearing streams fed by karst waters are eight – ten times more productive in comparison to non-karst streams. This is likely attributed to the constant, cool karst groundwater flows, dissolved carbon inputs and slightly alkaline conditions[2].

While highly productive, karst systems are extremely vulnerable to contamination because the surface water receives minimal filtration as it flows underground. In Walkerton, Ontario, seven people died and thousands fell ill when runoff contaminated with E. Coli flowed directly into a karst aquifer via underground streams. Greater research and protection measures need to be taken in karst areas, as they are susceptible to disruption and can have direct influence on aquatic ecosystem and human health.

Teal-Jones has proposed to construct a road through the heart of this highly sensitive, karstified landscape.

Karst features in the Walbran Valley

Karst features in the Walbran Valley

Directly below the proposed road on a steep slope, lies a karst swallet, an opening in the surface where water drains into an underground channel. During my previous visit to the Walbran in October, surface water was rushing rapidly into the subterranean world. In April, a small subsurface stream could be seen flowing over the pure white limestone. Cavers have noted that because there is a lack of surface streams in the area, it is likely that there are extensive subsurface karst water systems draining into the Walbran River.

B.C. needs to adopt karst ecosystem-based management, similar to Alaska, in order to ensure that the entire karst system is protected. Buffer zones need to be set from well-developed karst systems to ensure that the biological and hydrological integrity of karst lands are not adversely impacted. Karst vulnerability mapping and thorough research of subsurface drainage patterns (e.g. dye tracer testing) need to be conducted in the Walbran Valley because the extent of these systems is largely unknown.

With a greater emphasis on karst research in B.C., we will gain a holistic understanding of these complex systems and be able to establish progressive karst protection policies.

I would like to thank Shane Johnson and Michael Neate for their guidance and wisdom in the field. Your stories and laughter made the Walbran even more special.

Charly’s field report can be accessed HERE

[1] The chemical reaction between carbonate bedrock and slightly acidic rainwater results in a greater number of free ions present in solution in comparison to non-karst waters, increasing the EC.

[2] Karst groundwater’s constant, cool temperatures are attributed to a lack of sunlight exposure and drastic fluctuations in the ambient air temperature (Culver & Pipan, 2009, pp. 3).

Source:

Culver, D. & Pipan, T. (2009). The biology of caves and other subterranean habitats. Oxford University Press, USA.

McColl, K. M., Turner, R.J.W., Franklin, R.G., Earle, S., Stokes, T., David Pawliuk, Houle, J., Guthrie, R., Fox, J., Clague, J.J. 2005: Geoscape Nanaimo, geoscience for central Vancouver Island communities, Geological Survey of Canada Miscellaneous Report 87, one sheet.

Charly Caproff is an Environmental Resource Management (ERM) student at Simon Fraser University. Her interest in karst was sparked a couple years ago during an environmental science class, and her concerns that there are no laws that specifically protect karst prompted her to research and help improve public awareness of this ecologically important environment. 

Read her other blogs about karst and the Walbran Valley:

Walbran Water Knows No Bounds

Road Building on Karst: A Sinking Idea

What Lies Beneath the Walbran

Karst: A Winter Chalet for Bats

 

 

Get a copy of the “Vancouver Island’s Last Stand” newspaper

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The time is now to protect and restore Vancouver Island’s endangered rainforest! Pick up a copy of our “Vancouver Island’s Last Stand” Vancouver Island's Last Stand newspaper_pg1newspaper (jointly published with our friends at Wilderness Committee) and find out why now is the time for action.

You can get the paper at the Sierra Club BC office, various locations around the province, or download your copy here.

Inside “Vancouver Island’s Last Stand”:

  • The Central Walbran: Southern Vancouver Island’s last stand
  • The state of forests on Vancouver Island and in the Great Bear Rainforest
  • Old-growth forest and climate change
  • A new map showing unprotected endangered rainforest areas on Vancouver Island
  • New hope for Clayoquot Sound’s intact rainforest valleys
  • The importance of old-growth for indigenous culture
  • Raw log exports: a made-in-BC problem that’s only getting worse
  • A new conservation plan for Vancouver Island’s rainforest
  • All you need to write the B.C. government and support our call for action

Get your copy today and share it with your family, friends, and colleagues!

We’ll also have copies of the newspaper available at Save the Walbran: Updates from the Coastal Forest on April 27th. Hope to see you there.

 

Old-growth logging in the Walbran continues

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On January 4, logging company Teal Jones went to court and gained a new injunction to keep concerned citizens out of the Walbran Valley until March 31, 2016.

Protests for protection of the Walbran intensified in the fall of 2015 after the B.C. government awarded the first of eight logging permits for the most contentious unprotected area, the 485 hectare Castle Grove in the heart of the valley.

In an area of the Walbran Valley dubbed Black Diamond Grove, among monumental cedars, massive Sitka spruce, hemlock, amabalis fir and Douglas-fir trees, stands the Leaning Tower Cedar, a cedar approximately three metres wide at its base and probably as old as 1,000 years.  Photo credit: Torrance Coste

In an area of the Walbran Valley dubbed Black Diamond Grove, among monumental cedars, massive Sitka spruce, hemlock, amabalis fir and Douglas-fir trees, stands the Leaning Tower Cedar, a cedar approximately three metres wide at its base and probably as old as 1,000 years.  Photo credit: Torrance Coste

Activists, Sierra Club BC, other environmental groups, tourism operators, municipalities and thousands of citizens have since raised their voice calling on the provincial government to revoke permission to log in this area, add the Castle Grove Area to the protected area and phase out old-growth logging on Vancouver Island. Read our statement.

In December, Teal Jones announced that the company has “no immediate plans to harvest block 4424, nor are there immediate plans to proceed with other cut blocks within ‘the bite’” (the Castle Grove Area is often referred to as the ‘bite’). However, this didn’t stop the company from seeking an injunction until September 2016 to continue old-growth logging in the Walbran Valley while keeping concerned citizens out of the area.

Intact old-growth areas, like the Walbran, are significant because they remain covered by at least 70 per cent “big-tree” old-growth. Due to decades of logging, this is a rarity on Vancouver Island.

Once logged, old-growth is gone forever. These areas serve to defend species diversity, produce and protect clean air and water, and as an important outdoor destination.

Most importantly, old-growth rainforests like those found in the Walbran Valley, are the world’s most efficient carbon sink. These towering trees have the highest carbon storage per hectare on the planet, if they remain intact. Clearcutting them releases enormous amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

A recent Sierra Club BC report revealed that, over the past two decades, B.C.’s forests as a whole have shifted to being net emitters of carbon. This contrasts starkly to their historic role capturing huge amounts of carbon from the atmosphere and is due, in large part, to irresponsible logging practices and poor forest management.

Sierra Club BC is calling for a provincial government action plan to protect and restore B.C.’s forests in light of climate change impacts. Focus should be placed on conservation and restoration of endangered rainforest ecosystems on Vancouver Island and the south coast, which have been found relatively resilient to climate impacts in their intact state. B.C.’s forest industry must shift to harvesting sustainable levels of second growth forest and value-added manufacturing.

A 2015 Sierra Club BC’s mapping analysis shows that only five of 155 landscape units on Vancouver Island and B.C.’s south coast are still covered primarily by “big-tree” old-growth. The Walbran, the most intact old-growth rainforest on Southern Vancouver Island, is the only one of these that remains largely unprotected.

A 2015 Sierra Club BC’s mapping analysis shows that only five of 155 landscape units on Vancouver Island and B.C.’s south coast are still covered primarily by “big-tree” old-growth. The Walbran, the most intact old-growth rainforest on Southern Vancouver Island, is the only one of these that remains largely unprotected.

 

 

 

 

Sierra Club BC calls for government leadership to resolve conflict over Walbran rainforest

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VICTORIA—Sierra Club BC is extremely concerned about the ongoing absence of government leadership to resolve the conflict over logging in the Walbran valley.

As a result of the B.C. government’s inadequate response to the severity of the concerns expressed over old-growth logging in this valley, the conflict reached a new level last week.

Teal Jones sought and received an injunction (since narrowed by the court) and filed a civil suit targeting environmental activists who have been speaking up to protect endangered rainforest in the Walbran Valley. Teal Jones’ legal hardball tactics are outrageous and deliberate attempts to stifle public debate and limit people’s ability to access public land and engage in legitimate, law-abiding activity.

The company and the provincial government should take the protest and the concerns of thousands of citizens seriously and seek a solution, not legal confrontation.

There is overwhelming public support to fully protect the remaining contiguous old-growth rainforest in the Walbran, the only unprotected area with this level of intactness remaining on Southern Vancouver Island. There is also overwhelming evidence that the Walbran Valley represents a unique opportunity to protect a larger intact old-growth area on Vancouver Island, with very high species habitat and carbon values, in an area with fragile karst features that should be safeguarded.

“Ongoing inaction by the B.C. government regarding the Walbran Valley is putting outstanding ecological values at risk, while compromising our ability to resolve conflict over resource management in a collaborative manner,” said Sierra Club BC’s forest and biodiversity campaigner Mark Worthing.

“Government inaction undermines both environmental and economic interests. People of conscience feel they are not being heard and have been left with nowhere else to turn. It is time for the B.C. government to seek solutions and de-escalate the situation.”

Sierra Club BC is joining other environmental organizations and thousands of citizens who have called on the BC government to:

  1. Rescind the permit for cutblock 4424
  2. Seek lasting protection for the 485 hectare Central Walbran Ancient Forest in a manner that respects First Nations rights and interests; and,
  3. Assist Teal-Jones with discontinuing old-growth logging and transitioning to second-growth forestry.

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Contact:

Mark Worthing

Forests & Biodiversity Campaigner, Sierra Club BC

250-889-3575

 

Featured image by Rachel Grigg

Road building on Walbran Karst: A Sinking Idea

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By Charly Caproff

‘Environmentally responsible’ Teal Jones has proposed to construct logging roads through a landscape characterized by sinkholes, disappearing streams and caves.

Sinkholes are caused by the dissolution of limestone by slightly acidic rainwater. Surface water seeps through the epikarst and opens intricate cave chambers within the subterranean environment. They can also occur due to the lowering of the water table. As the limestone dissolves, the organic material at the surface can no longer be supported, leading to the ground caving in rapidly and with little warning.

Peter Cressey and I ventured into the heart of Cutblock 4403, a magnificent old-growth rainforest, to observe the proposed route. Cressey was actively involved in the Walbran Valley blockades during the 90’s. Approximately 10 meters from the proposed road route we found an exposed sinkhole. It was roughly two feet in diameter, and directly below the proposed route on a steep bank. There had been a heavy rainfall that weekend and crystal clear surface water was rushing into the dark, mysterious depths. To the right of the sinkhole, an immense western red cedar towered overhead. As I continued to explore the rainforest, I moved cautiously as the forest floor was covered with depressions.

Karst is a constantly developing, dynamic system and there is limited knowledge of the extent of most groundwater systems. Due to the unpredictability of sinkhole formation on karst terrain, they are precarious environments for infrastructure development.

It is estimated that human activity on karst has cost billions of dollars for preventative measures and infrastructure damage worldwide (Ford & Williams, 1989).

Last year, a sinkhole developed in the Kentucky Corvette Museum, resulting in five million dollars worth of damage.

Not only is development on these environments costly and dangerous, but it is also detrimental for the fragile karst hydrological and biological systems.

Karst is a dynamic system connecting the surface to the largely unexplored subterranean world. Rainwater transfers dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen from the soil into the karst ecosystem. According to the Karst Waters Institute, these inputs from the surface are crucial for the functioning of karst food web, as many troglobites, or cave-dwelling species, are completely reliant on the microbial film found on rocks (produced by organic inputs into the karst system) and the dissolved nutrients as energy sources (White & Martin, 2009). It has been approximated that globally there are between 20,000 – 100, 000 species endemic to karst caves, one-third of which are aquatic (Bonacci et al., 2009).

River systems fed by alkaline and cool karst groundwater are also important for aquatic species on the surface, such as salmon. With increasing freshwater acidity and temperature, karst hydrological systems will play an increasingly important role in buffering the impacts of climate change (Strong et al., 2014).

To prevent the road or logging equipment from becoming swallowed into the depths of the earth, forestry often fills in the surrounding sinkholes. By altering the drainage system, this severs the connection between the surface and the subsurface. Road building also leads to the contamination and plugging of karst systems due to increased sediment erosion and runoff of deleterious substances (Stitt, 1997). This polluted water rushes rapidly through the system with minimal filtration and eventually reemerges at the surface.

Sir-Karst-A-LotAs we traversed through the karstified landscape, I was mesmerized by the Walbran’s intrinsic beauty. We crossed several karst streams flowing over pure white bedrock into the Walbran River below. Limestone jutted through the emerald green moss beds and at the roots of impressive stands of coniferous trees. I had the pleasure of meeting ‘Sir-Karst-A-Lot’, a majestic western red cedar 35 feet in circumference.

There is something magical about the Walbran Valley. To destroy it for short-term economic gain is not only cruel, but also extremely shortsighted. The remaining ancient forests are important climate regulators and support an abundance of diverse species.

 

The logging of an old-growth forest underlain by sensitive karst terrain is an unsustainable practice. Once the karst is removed, it is gone forever.

 

Works Cited:

Bonacci, O., Pipan, T., & Culver, D. C. (2009). A framework for karst ecohydrology.        Environmental Geology, 56(5), 891-900.

Ford, D. C., & Williams, P. W. (1989). Karst geomorphology and hydrology. London,      UK: Chapman & Hall.

Stitt, R. (1997). Selected forest management issues related to karst. Bellingham, WA:         1997 Karst and Cave Management Symposium.

Strong, A. L., Kroeker, K. J., Teneva, L. T., Mease, L. A., & Kelly, R. P. (2014). Ocean    Acidification 2.0: Managing our Changing Coastal Ocean Chemistry. BioScience.

White, W. B., & Martin, J. B. (2009). Frontiers of Karst Research: Proceedings and          recommendations of the workshop held in San Antonio, Texas on 3-5 May 2007. Charles Town, WA: Karst Waters Institute.

 

 

A chance to protect the Walbran

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New mapping shows importance of the Walbran for old-growth protection

Sierra Club BC’s mapping analysis shows that only five of 155 landscape units on Vancouver Island and B.C.’s south coast are still covered primarily by “big-tree” old-growth.

The Walbran is the only one of these that remains largely unprotected and the only old-growth rainforest with this level of intactness of Southern Vancouver Island. The B.C. government recently awarded the first of eight logging permits in the unprotected areas. We are calling on the provincial government to revoke permission to log this area immediately.

Intact old-growth areas, like the Walbran, are significant because they remain covered by at least 70 per cent “big-tree” old-growth. Due to decades of logging, this is a rarity on Vancouver Island and the reasons for protecting it are many.

Once logged, old-growth is gone forever. These areas serve to defend species diversity, produce and protect clean air and water, and as an important outdoor destination.

Most importantly, old-growth rainforests like those found in the Walbran Valley, act as the world’s most efficient carbon sink. In fact, these towering trees have the highest carbon storage per hectare on the planet, but they have to remain intact to continue helping us fight climate change. Clearcutting them releases enormous amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

LeaningTowerCedar_Torrance Coste

Leaning Tower Cedar in Walbran Valley. Photo by Torrance Coste

A recent Sierra Club BC report revealed that, over the past two decades, B.C.’s forests as a whole have shifted to being net emitters of carbon. This contrasts starkly to their historic role capturing huge amounts of carbon from the atmosphere and is due, in large part, to irresponsible logging practices and poor forest management.

Sierra Club BC and Wilderness Committee activists explored the area slated for logging in September and found monumental cedars, massive Sitka spruce, hemlock, amabalis fir and Douglas-fir trees.  They named the area Black Diamond Grove for its steep slope. The crown jewel of the Black Diamond Grove is the Leaning Tower Cedar, a cedar approximately three metres wide at its base and probably as old as 1,000 years.

Sierra Club BC is calling for a provincial government action plan to protect and restore B.C.’s forests in light of climate change impacts. Focus should be placed on conservation and restoration of endangered rainforest ecosystems on Vancouver Island and the south coast, which have been found relatively resilient to climate impacts in their intact state. B.C.’s forest industry must shift to harvesting sustainable levels of second growth forest and value-added manufacturing.

Featured Image by Torrance Coste

sierra bc rainforest at risk map oct 15 2015s

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