Plants

Gwaii Haanas is peppered with islands and islets, bays and inlets, tidal pools and beaches.

Pacific temperate rainforest sweeps from sea level up the slopes of the San Christoval Mountains, which form the backbone of Gwaii Haanas.

Alpine flowers, herbs, grasses and saxifrage thrive in the higher elevations.

Forest giants

At lower levels, rain and moderate temperatures help nurture dense, mossy forests of tall western red cedar, western hemlock, and Sitka spruce.

Some of the trees in the ancient forest have lived more than a thousand years and grow to 95 metres in height.

The varied understory is made up of shrubs including salal, huckleberry, salmonberry, ferns, false lily of the valley and more.