The majority of Canada’s coastal temperate rainforests have been destroyed by the logging industry, enabled by colonial governments’ mismanagement— the same governments that have signed a UN declaration acknowledging the rights of Indigenous peoples, but have yet to change their industrial demarcations and practices in support of Indigenous intergenerational caretaking efforts. While Indigenous-led protection has subsidized Tofino’s water source and its tourism industry for decades (the $5 million dollar Meares Island court case among those costs), the tourism industry is in a position to reciprocate by adopting practices that better protect Indigenous peoples’ cultural lifeways, and the environment from which the industry benefits. Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks Allies Program is an opportunity for visitors, residents, and businesses to join continued protection efforts. Many local businesses who benefit from the ecological viability of this place, such as Hotel Zed, are joining the Tribal Park Allies.
There is much to do. “Mother Nature will provide for our need, but not our greed” is a quote carried by Joe Martin. This quote has been transmitted through generations of Nuu-chah-nulth and is now shared with international visitors. The protection of Clayoquot Sound is an ongoing effort, a story in which we all have an opportunity to relearn how to participate as respectful members in the family of life on this planet, our home. As Bonny Glambeck (now with Clayoquot Action) says, the many battles for Clayoquot Sound have “made me understand that one person can make a difference, that stepping into the river of history isn’t really that hard. That river flows every day. All we have to do is wade in.” So, what are your “take-aways” from your time spent here? And, how do you now contribute to the living history of Clayoquot Sound? What will you do if you choose to stay, or when go back to your home? Luckily, you can practice ʔiisaak—observe, appreciate, and act accordingly—wherever you are in the world. All you have to do is wade in.