Restoration in Canada

Project Overview
The coastal temperate rainforests of British Columbia are among the most carbon‑dense and biologically rich ecosystems on Earth. Fed by ocean mists and draped in moss, these forests stabilize the climate, shelter countless species, and hold profound cultural importance for Indigenous Peoples. For decades, however, industrial logging placed many of these landscapes at risk, threatening old growth stands and accelerating greenhouse gas emissions.

This forest carbon project reverses that trend by converting forestry lands into protected areas. By safeguarding ancient ecosystems, the initiative generates verified reductions in greenhouse gas emissions while ensuring long‑term carbon storage. Spanning non‑contiguous sites across Vancouver Island, Cortes Island, and Haida Gwaii, the project secures landscapes of global ecological and cultural value.

 
A Network of Coastal Protection
On Vancouver Island, towering Douglas firs, Sitka spruce, and red cedars—many centuries old—dominate the coastal forests. These giants store immense volumes of carbon, regulate watersheds, and provide nesting habitat for species such as marbled murrelets and northern goshawks. Protecting them ensures that these forests remain both powerful carbon sinks and vital refuges for biodiversity.

Cortes Island offers a more intimate landscape where forests, watersheds, and communities are tightly interwoven. Its salmon streams, bird corridors, and clean water systems depend on intact forest cover. By preventing harvest, the project preserves these ecological functions while sustaining the cultural traditions and livelihoods tied to the island’s landscapes.

Farther north, Haida Gwaii rises from the Pacific Ocean as one of Canada’s most unique ecological treasures. Known as the “Galápagos of the North,” the archipelago supports extraordinary levels of biodiversity and species found nowhere else, including the Haida Gwaii black bear. For the Haida Nation and other Indigenous Peoples, these forests are inseparable from cultural identity and heritage. Protecting them is both an ecological and cultural act, ensuring that the archipelago’s living legacy endures.

 
Verified Climate and Ecological Benefits
Across these regions, the project avoids deforestation and forest degradation, preventing significant emissions while enabling ongoing carbon sequestration. All reductions are tracked under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), ensuring transparent, science‑based results.

Yet the benefits extend beyond carbon. Conserving intact forests safeguards watersheds that supply clean drinking water. It preserves biodiversity within one of the world’s richest temperate ecosystems. It strengthens resilience against flooding, drought, and landslides—all risks heightened by climate change. And it sustains cultural landscapes that embody millennia of Indigenous knowledge and stewardship.

 
Evertreen’s Role
Evertreen is not the manager or developer of this initiative. Instead, it serves as a bridge, connecting individuals and organizations worldwide with verified forest conservation projects. Through its platform, clients can contribute directly to certified protection and restoration efforts, knowing their support results in measurable climate and ecological impact.

 
A Living Model of Conservation in Canada
By protecting forests across Vancouver Island, Cortes Island, and Haida Gwaii, this project demonstrates the power of choosing conservation over extraction. It secures irreplaceable old growth ecosystems, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and protects watersheds, wildlife, and cultural heritage.

Supporting this initiative means helping Canada’s coastal rainforests continue to thrive as some of the planet’s most remarkable ecosystems—living cathedrals that stabilize the climate, inspire communities, and sustain life for generations to come.