Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve,
National Marine Conservation Area Reserve
& Haida Heritage Site
Gwaii Haanas is a remote wilderness archipelago situated in the North Pacific, off the west coast of British Columbia, Canada. The area is managed by the unique partnership of Parks Canada and the Council of the Haida Nation.
There are a limited number of visitors permitted in Gwaii Haanas each year. With so few people, the remote south end of Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) has maintained its' true wilderness appeal.
Due to the area's rich cultural history and unspoiled natural ecosystems, Gwaii Haanas has been nominated to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for inclusion on their list of World Heritage Sites.
Butterfly Tours explores the isolated and pristine southernmost regions of Moresby Island; an area preserved in its natural state. By concentrating on the most remote regions of Gwaii Haanas, we leave behind all signs of civilization. Here, the temperate rainforests include giant old-growth cedar, spruce and hemlock, completely untouched by modern logging.
The Pacific coast of Gwaii Haanas consists of island clusters, jutting headlands, sheltered inlets and secluded beaches. Orcas, Peregrine falcons and Tufted puffins are at home in this rich and diverse marine environment.
- Haida Gwaii was previously named the Queen Charlotte Islands. (Haida Gwaii means Islands of the People in the Haida language.)
- Gwaii Haanas is the abbreviation for Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve & Haida Heritage Site, located on the southern end of Moresby Island. (Gwaii Haanas means Islands of Beauty in the Haida language.)
- SGang Gwaay is the Haida name for the ancient village of Ninstints on Anthony Island. This World Heritage Site is also known as Nang Sdins Llnagaay. (SGang Gwaay was once thought to mean Red Cod Island in the Haida language. It is now translated as Wailing Island; referring to the sound of the winter winds.)
