The Great Bear Rainforest, located on the North Coast of British Columbia makes up 25% of the world’s remaining intact temperate rainforest. Roughly the size of Ireland, the Great Bear is one of the planet’s rarest forest ecosystems. Lapping at the base of towering old growth sitka spruce, red cedar, western hemlock and douglas fir forests is a marine ecosystem that is home to keystone species of salmon, halibut, and other fish that bears, wolves and birds depend on. Orcas and humpback whales also reside in the deep, protected inlets.

The Great Bear is also the traditional territory of 28 First Nations whose histories, identities and spirituality are inextricably linked to the landscape and wildlife. Many people continue to live off the land, harvesting berries and medicinal herbs, whilst relying on the ocean for fishing. They are a proud people who possess a culture of sustainability handed down over tens of thousands of years, enabling them to remain the custodians of the Great Bear since time immemorial. They intend to keep it that way.