Members of the Clayoquot Sound Conservation Alliance (CSCA) are congratulating the
Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations for securing a key federal commitment to advance
their land-use visions in Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia, which will conserve the remaining
ecologically-rare old growth forests in this iconic region.

Earlier this week, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna announced
that the federal government is committing to partner with the two Nations on land-use visions for
their territories. This commitment includes funding through the Natural Heritage Conservation
Program and will safeguard the remaining old-growth forests in Clayoquot Sound.

The Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht Nations, along with Nature United, put forward an inspiring and
innovative proposal to achieve long term community well-being and ecological integrity in their
territories and result in a lasting conservation solution for one of the most iconic rainforest
regions of the world. The proposal is part of the Nations’ broader plans for economic, social, and
ecological well-being — safeguarding the ecologically intact temperate rainforest valleys of
Clayoquot Sound is a key part of that vision.

The members of the Clayoquot Sound Conservation Alliance – Canopy, Friends of Clayoquot
Sound, Greenpeace, Sierra Club BC, Stand.earth and Wilderness Committee – fully support the
Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations’ visions.

The federal announcement is an important step toward making the conservation of Clayoquot
Sound’s globally rare old-growth rainforests a reality. We commend the federal government for
their commitment to partner with the Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht Nations on this vision for a
sustainable future, and encourage all levels of government to fully support Indigenous-led
conservation initiatives.

We look forward to hearing more details from both the federal and provincial governments about
the scope and scale of their support for this work to safeguard Clayoquot Sound.

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For more information, please contact:

Lee-Ann Unger, Corporate Campaigner, Canopy (604) 874-5049
Jeh Custerra, Campaigner, Friends of Clayoquot Sound (250) 725-4218
Eduardo Sousa, Senior Campaigner, Greenpeace Canada (778) 378-9955
Tegan Hansen, Forest Campaigner, Stand.earth (250) 354-3302
Joe Foy, Co-Executive Director, Wilderness Committee (604) 880-2580