Mick Bailey

Mick found himself immediately captivated by the towering spires of coastal rainforests after moving to British Columbia from Montreal in the 1980s. Living in North Vancouver, his spare time was consumed with outdoor activities, but it was in the early 2000s that his fascination with big trees really took off. Inspired by the words of well-known tree hunters Randy Stoltmann and Ralf Kelman, Mick began exploring the far reaches of the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve, and Lynn Headwaters Regional Park. With the help of friends, he managed to find many trees that had somehow escaped the saws of early twentieth century logging.

In 2014, Mick merged his interests in trees, writing, and photography in the now well-known blog bctreehunter, where he shares his adventures, drawing eyes to the wonders of nature. You can also follow his current expeditions on Instagram @bctreehunter21.

Now living in Nanaimo, Mick is dedicated to exploring the endangered forests of Vancouver Island. He strongly believes in bringing publicity to ancient forests, so that they may be preserved. A staunch advocate of sustainable forestry, he feels the time has come to completely phase out old growth logging.

“It’s not too late to do what is right for the environment, and we need to make the tough decisions now. These forests are irreplaceable, and if they are destroyed, great legacies will fall with them. We cannot let that happen!”