Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Si

DESCRIPTION Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area, and Haida Heritage Site is composed of 1,884 islands/islets in the southernmost region of Haida Gwaii. The protected area is only accessible by boat or by plane, and there are very limited visitor facilities or trails in the area. Random camping is the only form of lodging on shore and is recommended in areas that will not damage the ecosystem, such as on beaches when the tide allows. Kayaking is a good way to travel throughout the area. Gwaii Haanas is known for its breathtaking beauty and endless natural land and seascapes to explore. This area is extremely important to the Haida Nation and includes SGang Gwaay (Ninstints), a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the southwest region of Gwaii Haanas. This village includes standing mortuary and memorial poles and the remains of cedar longhouses. Haida Gwaii Watchmen act as guardians at several sensitive cultural sites during the spring and summer months at SGang Gwaay, Hlk’yah GawGa (Windy Bay), Gandll K’in Gwaay.yaay (Hotspring Island), T’aanuu Llnagaay (Tanu) and K’uuna Llnagaay (Skedans). Burnaby Narrows is also a favourite destinations for travelers. Swimming is not a common activity except when the weather is very warm, as the ocean waters remain very cool in the summer and hypothermia is always a risk. Gwaii Haanas is home to a vast array of sea, sky, and land species, including sub-species only found on Haida Gwaii, threatened species, and locations of incredibly high biomass concentration. Traveling with a licensed tour operator is the recommended form of exploration of Gwaii Haanas. Visitors travelling independently must make advance reservations through the Gwaii Haanas administration office, participate in a mandatory orientation, and register prior to entering Gwaii Haanas. *Please note that the spellings of the cultural sites are incomplete due to the inability to underscore some G's. ________________________________________ SOURCES Northern Health's responsibility in Northern British Columbia is from the Haida Gwaii to the Alberta border, and as far south as Quesnel. There is a map of Northern Health’s jurisdictional boundaries on the Northern Health website at www.northernhealth.ca/About.