The Great Bear Rainforest
The Great Bear Rainforest on the pacific coast of British Columbia is the largest coastal temperate rainforest on earth; home to Spirit Bear Lodge and our world class cultural and wildlife tours.
The Great Bear Rainforest is located on the west coast of the British Columbia mainland, stretching from just north of Knight Inlet (off north-central Vancouver Island) to Princess Royal Island and all the way north to the Alaskan border. Only 6% of Kitasoo Xai’xais Traditional Territory remains completely unprotected, which makes it what some call the crown jewel of The Great Bear Rainforest.
The historic Great Bear Rainforest Agreement placed 9 million acres off-limits to logging and millions of acres under strict forest management guidelines.
British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest is part of the largest intact coastal temperate rainforest on Earth. This is a land of mist-shrouded valleys and glacier-cut fjords, old-growth forests, wildlife like rare spirit bears and rich salmon streams. Stand in awe under massive old growth trees, marvel at the variation in mosses, lichens, and numerous unique plant species.
The forest acts as a carbon sink, absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere. In one year, an acre of mature trees can absorb the same amount of CO2 produced when you drive your car 42,000 Kilometers (26,000 Miles). The importance of keeping this “last of its kind” forest protecte cannot be denied.
“Landscapes like The Great Bear Rainforest are why we get up in the morning” -Nicole Rycroft
Ancient Sitka Spruce and Red Western Cedars frequently exceed 1000 years old and can attain heights from 60-70 Meters. These trees support and are supported by the surrounding ecosystem, which includes some of the largest species and the smallest organisms on the planet.
With 4.2 million acres monitored by Indigenous Guardians annually, 767 new, permanent jobs have been created in First Nations communities.