Nature-Based Solutions

The Haida Gwaii and North and Central-Mid Coast Projects are two sub-projects of the Great Bear Forest Carbon Project. The HG Project area covers approximately 1 million hectares and the NCC project covers about 4 million. All are Improved Forest Management Projects that resulted from changes in land use management in the area. The North and Central Mid-Coast area is home to coastal wolves, grizzly bears, black bears and spirit bears (white black bears endemic to the region), and many different species of salmon. HG, however, does not have grizzly bears or spirit bears (they do have black bears). It has led to a reduction of 85% of harvesting in the Great Bear Rainforest.

Great Bear is a BC-based forest carbon project that covers 55,000 hectares. It was validated and verified to VCS standard in 2011. The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) used carbon finance to protect the area and protect it from being aggressively logged.

The project is located on Quadra Island, in the South Coast region of British Columbia. For nearly 20 years, BC Parks was in negotiations with the private landowners to purchase a 417.9 hectare (ha) area. In 2014, the project area was finally purchased by BC Parks, with carbon finance providing the final funds required for purchase. As a result, the project area is protected from all future logging and residential development. Conservation ensures the continued protection of several special features identified in the area. These include remnant Coastal Western Hemlock Western Very Dry Maritime (CWHxm2) second-growth forests, unique water and land-based recreation values, connectivity between two existing parks, and important cultural values.