TJ Watt, Board Secretary
TJ Watt
For the past 15 years, TJ has worked to explore and document BC’s endangered old-growth forests in an effort to see them saved. His unique combination of skills – a professional photographer with a passion for forests and adventure – has helped get striking images of the country's biggest trees and widest stumps in front of the eyes of millions of people around the world. His photographs have won numerous awards and have been featured in museums, magazines, news stories, and art exhibits. TJ was recently awarded one of the first ever Trebek Initiative grants, designed to help inspire in all Canadians a passion to preserve nature. This award also comes with the honour of being named a National Geographic Society Explorer and Royal Canadian Geographical Society Explorer.
TJ is also a co-founder, campaigner, and photographer with the Ancient Forest Alliance, a non-profit organization that works to protect BC's old-growth forests and ensure a sustainable, value-added second-growth forest industry.
Notably, he is credited with identifying the now-famed Avatar Grove near Port Renfrew and helping lead the campaign to successfully protect it. In the years following, TJ coordinated and helped build the boardwalk there, which is now enjoyed by tens of thousands of visitors each year while they marvel at the ancient trees.
TJ has a diploma in professional photography from the Western Academy of Photography and has previously worked in construction and landscaping. He has lived the majority of his life on Vancouver Island close to where he grew up in the rural town of Metchosin. His favourite tree is the redcedar.