Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site occupies 1470 square km or about 15% of The Queen Charlotte Islands. Located about 100 kilometres off the British Columbia mainland it includes 138 islands, stretching from Tasu Sound south to Cape St. James. The area was declared a provincial park in 1958 and added to the national park system in 1988.

The Haida are the ancient inhabitants of these islands, with an oral history that recounts legends of the arrival of the first pine tree. Archaeologists are discovering the truth of these stories through research into campsites that have revealed sea level changes greater than anywhere else on the planet.

The village of Ninstints is a hauntingly beautiful group of totem poles, poignant memorial to the richness of Haida culture. Haida Gwaii Watchmen preside over many of the old village sites, including Hotspring Island, a favourite stop for kayakers.

The wealth of the marine environment is graphically illustrated at Burnaby Narrows, said to contain more protein per square metre than any other place on earth.

The Queen Charlottes are often called the ‘Canadian Galapagos’ because of the number of endemic species that have evolved here, distinct from their mainland relatives. The archipelago is also influenced by introduced species which are changing the vegetative and animal profile of the islands.