THE SALMON FOREST PROJECT

The Salmon Forest paints a haunting portrait of a threatened ecosystem and those who care deeply for it. In the vast rainforest homelands of the Heiltsuk (known as the Great Bear Rainforest), extractive industries have exploited the land, breaking the fragile links that connect thousands of species. Now the salmon are in peril. Here a disparate group of extraordinary people, from Indigenous leaders and elders to university researchers, explore the intersection between traditional knowledge and western science. They are united by their connection to the forest and an understanding that solutions lie in working together. In this visually charged story, magnificent bears lead us to the waters where the salmon spawn. In their subsequent death, the salmon create a cycle that spreads nutrients throughout the forest via an underground mycorrhizal network, sustaining a diverse array of plant and animal life.