Well into the 1990s the Great Bear Rainforest was largely open to industrial logging. A tug of war began between logging and non-logging visions for the region. While many feared the loss of ancient trees and endangered species and rare and delicate ecosystems that would occur through large-scale industrial logging, others feared for their jobs if logging was to be eliminated entirely from the region.
Of course it is more complicated than this scenario I have painted, but what emerged was many voices representing various views and visions for the region – from First Nations and the BC Government as decision-makers to environmental organizations, the logging industry and activists as stakeholders.
From the 1990s up until today, many have contributed their passions and their knowledge to safeguard the region. A couple of years ago we undertook a mission to film and interview a number of people who have been involved in one way or another in the Great Bear Rainforest project's life span.
And as we approach our final milestone on the road to achieving the dream of the agreements, I thought it would be interesting to highlight four such spirited individuals giving their reasons as to how they ended up on the road that has taken us from conflict to collaboration.
Join me then and listen to some of the Voices of the Great Bear Rainforest who provide a richness of stories of ecology and culture from various perspectives.
1. Patrick Armstrong
Patrick is a former spokesperson for Coast Forest Conservation Initiative, a group of companies involved in implementing the Great Bear Rainforest Agreements. Patrick has been involved since the late 1990s and has been in the unique position to see the campaign to protect the Great Bear Rainforest run its course from conflict to collaboration over the two decades. He also describes the power of markets campaigns to produce positive change on the ground.
2. Art Sterritt
Art is a Gitxsan Nation artist and carver, and former Executive Director for Coastal First Nations - Great Bear Initiative, an alliance of First Nations on BC's North and Central Coast. Art elucidates on the journey of First Nations to assert their rights and title in the region, driving the important point home that the “Great Bear Rainforest”, is the traditional territories of many First Nations who have been there for millennia. I really enjoyed spending time with Art as he his a very good storyteller.
3. Terry Brown and Jude Abrams
Naturalists and filmmakers Terry and Jude were both activists during the early days of the blockades to stop industrial logging in the rainforest. They elaborate on interconnectedness that exists between the people, cultures, and wildlife of the forest. A sweet moment for me during the interviewing and filming process was when they donned their froggy-looking wetsuits to explore amphibian life in a deep stream near their home.
4. Eduardo Sousa
The fourth video vignette is from yours truly. As senior forest campaigner for Greenpeace I have been working on the campaign for 7 years and here I recount Greenpeace's 20 years of campaigning to safeguard the region from destructive industrial logging. This was filmed at the end of two weeks meeting, filming and interviewing people for the series, so if I look a little bedraggled and wet, it’s because I was! It is a huge rainforest region after all!
There are of course an incredible diversity of voices in the Great Bear Rainforest – and not just human ones. The best way to hear those voices is to visit this extraordinary and stunningly beautiful region. I hope to see you there sometime. In the meantime I have to prepare for an upcoming big announcement. Stay with me…
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Eduardo Sousa is senior forest campaigner for Greenpeace Canada. He has been working these past seven years to finalize the Great Bear Rainforest Agreements, and helping protect the remaining large intact forests of Clayoquot Sound - both in unceded traditional territories of over thirty First Nations on the west coast of Canada.