Coastal Indigenous groups are taking on more responsibility to care for the coastal Great Bear Rainforest.
A recent land use order gives more oversight to First Nations to monitor forestry activity. It also provides stronger protection for Indigenous cultural heritage sites, and First Nations will have more say over how old growth preserves are created and managed.
The Great Bear Rainforest is the home of the unique Kermode, or Spirit Bear, a white-furred grizzly. It only lives in a few locations on the BC coast.
The region is a large carbon sink and more than 9.4 million tonnes of carbon offsets have been sold by First Nations through the Great Bear Rainforest Carbon Initiative. Funds generated from carbon credit sales support conservation stewardship, economic development and capacity-building projects.
