Clayoquot Sound -- Beautiful, rare and still at risk
There are plans to log its intact ancient forests. In the months to come, Greenpeace will work to bring a permanent solution to Clayoquot Sound. Greenpeace members across Canada and around the world will be a vital part of our success.
At 265,000 hectares, Clayoquot Sound makes up the largest area of intact old growth forest left on British Columbia's Vancouver Island. With 75 per cent of the old growth forest on the island already logged and much of the rest fragmented into small, isolated patches, this remaining intact area of the coastal temperate rainforest is immensely important.
Clayoquot Sound, about 0.4 per cent of British Columbia's total land base, is home to more than half the province's terrestrial vertebrate species, along with 45 animal species that are known to be endangered, threatened or vulnerable.
Fifteen years ago, at the peak of clearcut logging in Clayoquot Sound, intense conflict over the forest led to change. It took the largest act of civil disobedience in Canadian history, grassroots protest, and pressure on the global markets of logging companies. There was controversy and international headlines.
An agreement with environmentalists, First Nations and a major logging company in 1999 spared the remaining, intact areas of the forest and restricted logging to areas that were already fragmented.
Since then, local communities have gained increased control over their land and resources, and Clayoquot Sound has been designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve recognizing the international significance of the area. The forest's intact valleys, untouched by industrial development, remain a home for black bears, salmon and towering cedar trees.
Unfortunately, the intact forest valleys of the region are again at risk of being logged. Last March, Coulson Forest Products started clearing a road into Hesquiaht Point Creek, one of the remaining pristine valleys of Clayoquot Sound, with the explicit intention of logging there. Quick action by Greenpeace and other groups put a temporary stop to this, but the threat of logging is imminent.
The pristine valleys of Clayoquot Sound remain vulnerable to logging by Coulson and other companies because the area has never been formally protected. Without legislated protection for these areas, the 1,000-year-old trees that inspired global action 15 years ago could be felled at any time, likely without significant benefits to local communities.
Greenpeace is committed to securing a permanent solution for Clayoquot Sound. We want a solution that ensures that the rights and title of First Nations are upheld, that their communities can prosper, and that the pristine valleys of Clayoquot Sound remain intact. The support of Greenpeace members across Canada and around the world will help us succeed.