From the Forest to the Sea: Preserving Biodiversity

Decades of work by countless environmental advocates came to fruition this summer when the BC government proposed new protected areas extending from the forests of Clayoquot Sound to undersea canyons in the deep ocean.

The BC government, along with the Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations, announced in June that more than half of Clayoquot Sound’s ancient forests are finally getting permanent protection. Ten new conservancies will safeguard 760 square kilometres of forests and watersheds. The Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations will manage the sprawling landbase with the help of foundation funding.

“The establishment of conservancies will ensure that clearcut logging has no place in these important old-growth forests,” declared Elmer Frank, Chief Councillor, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation.

Groves of 1000-year-old cedars and firs on Meares Island, once part of Tree Farm License 54, will be preserved. Meares was a hotspot in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s when First Nations and non-Indigenous advocates came together to block clearcut logging in Clayoquot Sound. The protests peaked in 1993 with the arrests of more than 850 people and worldwide media attention. Despite this massive campaign, however, industrial logging has continued in Clayoquot Sound’s old-growth valleys.

Tang.ɢ̱wan – ḥačxwiqak – Tsig̱is

In the deepest part of BC’s coastal waters, undersea trenches and mountains teem with mysterious marine life. Underwater thermal vents spewing super-heated mineral water and dozens of ancient volcanic mountains over 1000 meters tall create an incredibly diverse environment for a vast array of animals and plants.

A new Marine Protected Area (MPA) aims to preserve this network of life. Each seamount, or underwater mountain, is home to its own unique ecosystem. Strange, unknown animals of the abyss are found in the deep trenches, while the shallow seamounts provide habitat for more coastal species. Rare cold-water coral and sponge forests thrive here, along with dense schools of fish. The seamounts are also crucial stopping places for transient animals such as sharks, whales, and seabirds.

“The Haida Nation recognizes the importance of Canada’s designation of the Tang.ɢ̱wan – ḥačxwiqak – Tsig̱is Marine Protected Area. In October 2022, the Haida Nation designated the portion within Haida territory as a Haida Heritage Site,” said Gaagwiis Jason Alsop, President of the Council of the Haida Nation.

Great Bear Sea Protected Area

In 2023, a partnership between the Mamalilikulla First Nation, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and BC’s Ministry of Land, Water, and Resource Stewardship established a marine refuge off the coast of the Great Bear Rainforest. Now they have a much bigger goal: protecting habitat for over 30 species at risk, including herring, abalone, blue whales, basking sharks, and ancient glass sponge reefs.

This summer, the federal government committed $200 million to make this goal a reality. The BC government pitched in $60 million, plus $75 million from investors and foundations, for a total of $335 million in an ongoing fund. The initiative adds 14,000 square kilometres of new protected areas.

In all, about 30% of the area will enjoy various degrees of conservation, a huge leap from the 3% now off-limits to industrial activity and large-scale commercial fishing.

map showing the three proposed protected areas | Illustration by Ester Strijbos / Watershed Sentinel [click to view/download larger image]