Gwaii Haanas - Islands of Beauty

09/15/2026

Join us to hear the results from the study about management of Gwaii Haanas and its impact on well-being!

09/10/2026

In July, the Gwaii Haanas Marine Team spent a week surveying intertidal bivalves at sites across Louscoone Inlet, Heater Harbour, Rose Inlet, Island Bay, and southwest of Kat Island.

Using transects and quadrats across the very low, low, and mid intertidal zones, the team carefully dug, sifted, counted, and identified clam species to better understand the health and diversity of local clam beds. Representative specimens were also collected for measurement, weighing, and age analysis.

Over the course of the shift, the team monitored a variety of species, including butter clams, cockles, Pacific littlenecks, Pacific gapers, bent-nose macomas, purple venus clams, and several others. This year's fieldwork also benefited from a new total station laser level, which improved the accuracy and efficiency of measuring tidal zones.

Intertidal bivalves play a vital role in coastal ecosystems. They help filter water, provide food for wildlife, and support Indigenous food security and shellfish harvesting. Bivalve surveys can provide insights into population and community dynamics. This is especially important now that ku · kuu sea otters are starting to repopulate Haida Gwaii, as it will let us see and quantify clam population and biodiversity changes from their foraging behaviours.

This long-term monitoring project is carried out in collaboration with Dr. Sarah Dudas (Fisheries and Oceans Canada) and Dr. Kieran Cox (Dalhousie University), who have worked alongside the team for the past three years and bring more than two decades of expertise in bivalve ecology.
One exciting highlight from this year's survey was the discovery of a sun star in the intertidal zone at Rose Inlet. Since sea star wasting disease dramatically reduced sea star populations beginning in 2013, sightings such as this are an encouraging sign.

The team successfully sampled all five sites and implemented a modified survey protocol that allows fewer clams to be collected while still providing high-quality data. This approach reduces crew workload and helps leave more clams in the beds.

08/26/2026

Did you know that today is ? During the Living Landscapes of SG̱ang Gwaay project, dog bones and dog p**p (coprolites) were recovered from SG̱ang Gwaay Llnagaay (Village) within House 10, Naa G̱a Agang is Guuda (People Who Wish to be There House). The faunal analyst identified a few skeletal elements that belong to at least 3 dogs in the house excavations: one mature dog, one very young to newborn-aged, and a young juvenile- so we can assume that not only were there multiple dogs on site, but that they were likely breeding them.

The dog coprolites were found above and below the wooden floorboards of Naa G̱a Agang is Guuda. It is hard to say if they had just fallen through the floorboards or if the coprolites found above the wooden floorboards represent a different dog at a different time than those found below the boards. Radiocarbon dating was done on some of the dog coprolites which determined that dogs were part of Village life well before Europeans ever came into contact with the Haida. Furthermore, another analyst studied the protein from the dog coprolites and found that the meal the dog(s) ate was of halibut and mussels; two types of seafood common in the Haida diet.

Happy !

08/24/2026

Ḵ’uuna Ḵ’iidaay (Louise Narrows) is once again fully navigable following recent dredging work.

Gwaii Haanas was proud to support this collaborative effort alongside the Council of the Haida Nation, and local contractors.

As an important access route for local, commercial, recreational, and government vessels travelling to and through Gwaii Haanas, maintaining safe passage is essential. We thank everyone who helped identify the issue and work together toward a solution.

Haawa to all those involved.

08/24/2026

Happy Sunday 🧡

08/20/2026

08/19/2026

Today is World Photography Day! 📸 Share your Gwaii Haanas photos in the comments! 💙💚

08/17/2026

The Legacy Pole was designed to honour the theme of Land, Sea and People, and inspired by the connections between the Haida Nation and all those who take care of Gwaii Haanas from mountain top to seafloor. 🌱🌊🤝

The design features figures from the land and sea, as well as the supernatural world. Creatures from the land and sea, supernaturals, visitors, researchers, Parks Canada Staff, Haida Gwaii Watchmen and more are all represented on the pole.

✨Read more about the story of the Legacy Pole ➡️ https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/culture/mat-heraldique-legacy-pole

08/15/2026

Today is a day to celebrate! On this day 13 years ago, the Gwaii Haanas Legacy Pole was raised in Hlk’yah G̱awG̱a (Windy Bay) to honor 20 years of the cooperative management relationship between the council of the Haida Nation and the government of Canada. This relationship is designed to protect Gwaii Haanas from the mountain tops to ocean floor!

Check out the Legacy Pole page and video here🎥: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/culture/mat-heraldique-lega

07/31/2026

Yahguudangang To Pay Respect Gwaii Haanas Repatriation Project

Four house frontal poles and one mortuary pole have been returned to their home at SG̱ang Gwaay Llnagaay; they were placed back in the village on May 21st and welcomed back to their original location with a beautiful ceremony on June 24th.

This historic repatriation was part of the Yahguudangang To Pay Respect Gwaii Haanas Repatriation Project, a collaborative effort between Gwaii Haanas, Saahlinda Naay Haida Gwaii Museum, the Haida Repatriation Committee, the Archipelago Management Board, and the Council of the Haida Nation. These gyaag̱ang.ngaay poles were removed from SG̱ang Gwaay between the 1930s (4 house frontal poles) and the late 1950s (one x̱aad mortuary pole). Four returned to Haida Gwaii in 1976, and the mortuary pole in 2019.

The poles left for SG̱ang Gwaay on May 18th, after prayers and food burning for a safe journey. They travelled on the MV Haida Spirit, and then were slung by helicopter into the village. The complex move was carried out with care and precision; A representative of the Hereditary Chiefs Council was present to ensure work was carried out respectfully, and highly trained individuals were on the ground working with the helijet to lower the poles gently into place, maneuvering around standing poles and house remains.

The ceremony on June 24th brought together 45 people at SG̱ang Gwaay. Elders flew in by helicopter and others travelled by various vessels to be there. The day began with a procession along the beach in front of the village. Matrilineal SG̱ang Gwaay descendant id tawgan Mervin Dunn led the procession, carrying ancestral remains back into their home. A ceremonial food burning, speeches about the poles and their history, and the return of archaeological findings from the Living Landscapes project followed. Afterwards, lunch was served, and people gathered in the village to share good food, stories, songs, and enjoy the beautiful sunny day.

Two more poles are still to be returned to their homes in Gwaii Haanas: one to Ḵ’uuna and one to T’aanuu. As this work progresses, more updates will be shared.

A huge haawa thank you to everyone who played a role; your care, expertise, and respect made this possible. A full list of the many partners that have contributed to this effort is still to come. Haawa to those who respected the SG̱ang Gwaay closures, allowing space for the logistical, spiritual, and emotional significance of this work.

This moment reflects the important role of the Haida Repatriation Committee and Haida Gwaii Museum in restoring cultural belongings to their rightful home, and the strength in the partnership between these organizations and Gwaii Haanas.

This is more than repatriation. It is an act of Yahguudang respect and tll yahda making things right.