The unique wildlife of Haida Gwaii’s 150 islands is under attack by invasive crabs, rats and deer – echoing how local people also became vulnerable to outside forces.
From catching poachers to documenting species to saving lives, guardians all along the B.C. coast are bringing back traditional practices of territorial safeguarding — and filling major knowledge and conservation gaps while they’re at it.
A collaboration between Haida tradition and Western science may offer a way to bolster both Haida culture and the marine ecosystem intertwined with it.
On islands renowned for their towering trees, the cedars that define Haida culture are being cut down, triggering renewed opposition to logging on the archipelago.
Across the world, Haida Gwaii is described as a place with "reverence for the environment" and "Canada's answer to the Galapagos." Yet every year it burns 10 million litres of diesel.
