Water Worlds

Off the West Coast of North America lies Haida Gwaii, where northern abalone was placed on the endangered species list in the 1990s. Today, Haida Nation divers monitor and protect this vital species.

In the traditional territories of the Algonquin and Anishinaabe people, Canada’s largest underground freshwater cave system thrives. These waters are filtered by freshwater mussels, a key to maintaining clean ecosystems.

Waterways are often taken for granted. Small creeks eventually feed rivers, estuaries and oceans. In Metro Vancouver, stream keepers work tirelessly to restore and maintain local creeks and streams, protecting these crucial waterways.

North American turtles hold cultural significance for First Nations. However, their habitats are threatened by development. The Magnetawan First Nation leads efforts to preserve these vital creatures through stewardship programs.

Estuaries, known as the “cradle of life,” create some of Earth’s most productive ecosystems. Over time, human activity has damaged them, but Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities are working together to restore and preserve these vital areas.

Due to warming oceans, 95% of kelp forests on Canada’s West Coast have disappeared over the last seven years. Scientists are now seeking genetically resilient kelp varieties to restore these vital ecosystems.