On this leg of the Moananuiākea Voyage, Hōkūleʻa and her crew have been sailing along and learning about British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest.

The Great Bear Rainforest encompasses 6.4 million hectares of coastal temperate rainforest, protected in partnership by the government of British Columbia, corporations, environmental groups, and the 26 First Nations who have lived in this region for more than 14,000 years. By law, 85% of the forest is protected from logging, including 70% of old growth forest, but the agreement still allows for economic benefits to local communities, especially First Nations. These restrictions protect native flora, fauna, and the many gifts that they provide, such as water filtration. Several marine protection plans have also been implemented adjacent to the rainforest.

“This region and its communities exhibit tremendous beauty and generosity, and our crew is grateful to grow our relationships with them throughout our voyage,” said crewmember Kaleohano Farrant.

Hōkūleʻa is currently in Port Hardy where the crew is meeting with the community and also provisioning and cleaning the canoe. Weather permitting, Hōkūleʻa will depart tomorrow morning for Alert Bay.

Video: Crewmember Kaleohano Farrant shares update about Great Bear Rainforest

Video: Sailing through Inside Passage and community gathering at Klemtu

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