Photos courtesy of Nimmo Bay Resort, OMG Photos, and Gizmodo.
Located on Canada’s remote Pacific Coast, the Great Bear Rainforest is one of the last old-growth temperate rainforests in the world. This 6.4-million-hectare area extends from the Discovery Islands all the way to the British Columbia–Alaska border and includes all offshore islands within this range (except for Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii). It is part of the greater Pacific temperate rainforest ecoregion. As of 2016, it was officially recognized and protected by the Government of British Columbia, excluding commercial logging operations from 85 percent of the area.
The Nimmo Bay Resort, which got its start as a fishing lodge in 1981, is located in the southern reaches of the Great Bear Rainforest. After opening their lodge, the Murray family, who created this wilderness retreat, quickly realized that Nimmo Bay offered much more than spectacular fishing opportunities. The giant trees, pristine water, and wild mountains offered an environment that revitalized weary souls through immersion in nature.
From the Team at Nimmo Bay:
“What began as a quaint fishing lodge has expanded naturally into the world-renowned wilderness resort that Nimmo is known as today. With nine private chalets hosting 18 guests or more, plus room for boats and helicopters, there is no shortage of imaginative ways to experience this remarkably wild place.
Covering a range from sea level to 13,000 feet, with access to 50,000 square miles of coastal wilderness, the Great Bear Rainforest is yours to explore. Guests can enjoy whale watching, heli-hiking, fine coastal dining, beachcombing, kayaking, paddleboarding, mindful hiking, wellness treatments, glacier trekking, wildlife viewing, and much more. Now, more than ever, we recognize the importance of tuning out the buzz of modern life, and stilling the mind through adventure and wellness-based activities. We warmly invite you to return to nature, and experience reconnection for yourself.”
Treading Gently on the Land
Right from the beginning, the Murray family recognized the incredible responsibility they had to the land and ocean around them. Establishing the Nimmo Bay Resort wasn’t about conquering the wilderness; it was about creating a retreat so that visitors could connect with this amazing destination, all while maintaining a minimal footprint on the surrounding environment. And the Murray’s took this mission to heart. The lodge is powered by a hydroelectric system that generates electricity from nearby streams and waterfalls. This system delivers clean drinking water to the lodge and meets nearly 80 percent of their power needs. And instead of felling trees to clear areas for social gathering, they have constructed floating docks.
“For every perspective-altering wilderness experience we are able to provide, we are aware that we must take up space and resources in the wild. That’s why we strive to live a life in balance.
This is the basis of our philosophy when it comes to sustainability: for everything we take, we strive to give back in a conscientious manner. That’s why we sustainably source our culinary ingredients and support local farms, use eco-friendly local products, support our surrounding communities through tourism and education, compost, recycle, carry out excess waste, convert our waste-water to clean water suitable for re-entry to the environment, practice renewable energy, and fund groundbreaking wildlife research and fin-fishing aquaculture activism.”
Funding Ecological Research
The Murray’s take their dedication to the environment seriously. That is why in addition to operating the lodge, they have also taken a major role in local environmental research to further protect the pristine ecosystem they operate in. As founding members of Sea To Cedar, Fraser and Becky Murray participate in various collaborative projects: primarily the Coastal Carnivore conservation and mapping project, and collecting and documenting salmon genetics through the innovative Catch, Clip, Release initiative.
Because bear viewing is one of the most popular activities offered at the lodge, the Coastal Carnivore mapping project is extremely important to the long-term sustainability of the Nimmo Bay operation. Guests at the lodge can even participate in the research project by helping collect hair samples used to determine bear habitat boundaries within the area, further informing legislative decisions that will affect conservation efforts.
Learn more about the Nimmo Bay Resort or book a visit here.
