Green Practices
We take our commitment to environmental responsibility seriously.We believe that everything we do has the potential to impact the environment around us and over time impact the whole world. Our goal is to not only provide kayaking services that allow our clients the opportunity to form an intimate bond with Northern Vancouver Island, but to do so through responsible sea kayaking environmental awareness and safety. Our commitment to sustainability means environmental stewardship is a primary responsibility of our company. Responsible tourism, is tourism which operates in such a way as to minimize negative impacts on the environment.
We encourage our clients to maintain a respectable distance from all wild life and to resist the temptation to engage wild life in human interaction. If you need to get closer, invest in a better zoom-lenses. In the past it has been popular to "rescue abandoned" seal pups, by well meaning people. In a lot of cases seal pups have been abandoned or not able to be found by their mother after moving because of the close threat of well meaning people. Most pups are fine where they are and need to have that safe distance feeling in order to stay there to be found by the mother when she returns from feeding. Salmon smolt on their journey to complete their life cycle of growth before returning home again (picture on right). These and herring are probably the biggest hinge indicators of the health of the ocean, what happens to them happens to the rest of the ocean.
The Pacific Ocean is rich with a diverse range of Intertidal life and marine mammals, some endangered, or at risk. Preservation of these unique habitats is a primary concern for our company and we achieve this by educating our guests on the importance of preserving these varied eco systems. The whole ocean life system like the human body is so knit together and dependent on the health of the adjoining part that anything we do to protect any part will benefit the other. Never pollute the oceans or waterways of the world. Animals like Grey Whales depend upon a healthy marine environment for healthy survival. Toxic chemicals, abandoned fish nets, and human waste like pop cans, fast food containers, plastic bottles, cigarette butts, and old tires are devastating to marine animals.The international eco-tourism society defines eco-tourism as: “Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.”
The World Commission on Environment and Development, defines Sustainable tourism as follows: "Sustainable tourism is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems." (United Nations World Tourism Organization)Sustainable development implies "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs"
Grey Whales are listed under the Canadian Species at Risk Act (SARA) as a “species of special concern”
We strive to reduce, reuse and recycle in all aspects of the operation of our business, and to reduce or eliminate the consumption of non-renewable resources whenever possible. Most of our clients, the kayakers who come our way to Northern Vancouver Island have already incorporated environmental responsibility into their kayaking. However we encourage our clients to bring back everything they take on their trips and then some. On any of our trips we make a point to pick up that extra garbage that we find enroute and bring it back to the shop for proper disposal. As stewards of the land our goal of conservation is achieved by following the principles of low impact use and environmental responsibility at all times while we are on the water or on shore.