The last of British Columbia's old-growth trees will soon be gone, if policies don't change.

Giant old-growth trees poke their heads out from the second growth on a mountain overlooking the Broken Islands off of Vancouver Island in 2002. Photos: TNS

Most of British Columbia's old-growth forests of big trees live only on maps, and what's left on the ground is fast disappearing, a team of independent scientists has found.

A recent report revealed the amount of old-growth forest still standing in the province has been overestimated by more than 20% and most of the last of what's left is at risk of being logged within the next 12 years.