Clayoquot Sound is a region of immense beauty and diversity, and one that means so much to many different people and groups.

It is recognized by biologists, recreationalists, foresters, artists, and many others as one of the most magnificent rainforests in the world. Trees wider at their base than your living room ascend into the mist overhead, standing in unlogged valleys that together form some of the largest tracts of intact temperate rainforest on Earth.

Clayoquot Sound is also home to some of Canada’s oldest cultures: the First Nations groups that have lived and flourished here, sustainably managing their natural resources since time immemorial.

Despite being designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, this amazing region is still in need of permanent protection. In addition to old-growth logging – the major threat that drew worldwide attention to Clayoquot Sound in the 1980s and ‘90s – the area’s ecosystems and communities are now facing added pressure from open net-cage salmon farming and huge mine proposals.

That’s why we’ve produced a brand new educational report, called Clayoquot Sound: On the Edge. The report outlines the current threats facing the region, as well as hopeful new initiatives and possible long-term solutions. Click here to read the full report.

To me, Clayoquot Sound’s greatest attribute is its potential. We have a unique opportunity here to shift toward innovative and sustainable economic activity while protecting Clayoquot’s incredible natural environment and its rich cultural heritage. That vision involves ending old-growth logging, open-net salmon farming and destructive mining – but if we’re going to get there, we have to act now.

I encourage you to read the report, and if possible, please help us spread the word by distributing copies in your community. Just give us a call at 1-800-661-9453, or email papers@wildernesscommittee.org and we will send you as many as you need.

With the support of people like you, I’m confident that we can create in Clayoquot Sound a model for a better future, while preserving one of Canada’s greatest national treasures.

For the wild,

Torrance Coste | Vancouver Island Campaigner
Wilderness Committee