Country: Canada

Organization: King Pacific Lodge

Website: www.kingpacificlodge.com

Project Description:
Is there such a thing as paradise on earth? If so, likely it has long since been clear cut. However, a recent cruise up the British Columbia coastline revealed there exists one last Garden of Eden. The Great Bear Rainforest is the last untouched temperate rainforest in the world. Grizzly bears roam old growth forests; wild salmon run rushing rivers; eagles soar in clear skies and whales feed in pristine waters. Remote King Pacific Lodge is dedicated to the preservation of this untouched wilderness. Founded on a “triple bottom line,” conservation of the land and social equity are key to their success. President Michael Uehara has committed to reducing carbon emissions while building community economic development with the local indigenous people and clearly recognizing their title to the land. The bottom line for King Pacific is that all components must work together harmoniously for any one of them to succeed.

Kits's Story:
Why King Pacific Lodge Inspires Me When I first heard the expression “triple bottom line,” I thought it might be a clever way for a sustainable tourism operator to make three times more money. However, when King Pacific Lodge president Michael Uehara explained to me the principles on which his wilderness business in the Great Bear rainforest of northern British Columbia actually operates, I realized that his concept of “sustainability” could be a model for the rest of the eco-tourism industry to emulate. King Pacific is constantly instituting new practices that conserve energy while simultaneously building economic development with its local partner, the Gitga’at First Nation. The indigenous people of this remote region have always lived in harmony with their surroundings. “Development” through logging or unsustainable eco-tourism or any action that lays a heavy footprint on the land will affect all involved.