Two years of fundraising have finally paid off for the Raincoast Conservation Foundation (RCF), an environmental conservation organization based in Sidney.
With the money they raised the group purchased the commercial trophy hunting tenure for the entirety of the southern portion of the Great Bear Rainforest.
The Great Bear Rainforest occupies a massive amount of space on the west coast of BC’s mainland, just across the water from the island of Haida Gwaii.
This includes around 18,239 kilometres squared—around a quarter of the rainforest’s totality.
It cost the RCF a total of $1.92 million to do so.
This gives the group exclusive commercial trophy hunting rights in the region which now makes them the largest tenure holder in the province, with six tenures totalling over 56,000 kilometres squared.
And it’s all in the name of protecting animals who are hunted as trophies.
“As I look back on the accomplishments of this project, it feels really good to reflect on the thousands of individual animals over many generations who are alive today because of it,” said Brian Falconer, Raincoast’s Guide Outfitter Coordinator.
“It also feels very rewarding to reflect on the profound effect it has had in building healthy diverse coastal ecosystems.”
He explained that they purchased these tenures with a more sustainable economy in mind.
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RCF wishes to see a less “extractive economy,” which relies on hunting, and more wildlife viewing and ecotourism.
The group says their views are supported by a 2014 Stanford University study which found that grizzly bear viewing in the Great Bear Rainforest produced 12 times the amount of revenue as hunting did.
It also found that these sustainable practices could generate 27 times the amount of jobs and would be a largely more educational use of the space.
Since that time, bear viewing has grown in popularity in the region.
“For the last 18 years I’ve been honoured to be a part of this project,” said Falconer. “Each year I have had the privilege of guiding people in these magnificent landscapes.”
“Whenever I am gifted with viewing a family of grizzly bears, or an extended family of wolves, I’m grateful and proud that they are living out their lives.”
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