Clayoquot Sound is a magnificent, biologically rich, mostly wilderness area on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. It encompasses 350,000 hectares of land and ocean.
A view of Clayoquot Sound - Photo by Diego A. Garcia
The land portion of Clayoquot Sound is 265,000 hectares (2,650 square kilometers or 1,000 square miles), comprising about 8% of Vancouver Island. It is covered with ancient temperate rainforest, a globally rare forest type. The remaining 85,000 hectares of Clayoquot Sound consist of ocean -- narrow inlets of the Pacific Ocean, into which empty rivers and lakes.
Clayoquot Sound occupies a straight-line distance along the coast of 90 kilometers, between Barkley and Nootka Sounds. It reaches a maximum of 35 kilometres inland, up to the crest of snow-capped mountains. These mountains are part of the central spine of Vancouver Island and form the headwaters of the rivers that drain Clayoquot Sound.
The "Sound" portion of the region's name indicates an indented section of coastline, with numerous inlets and islands. "Clayoquot" -- pronounced Klak-wot -- comes from Tla-o-qui-aht, the name of one of the First Nations tribes who live here.
There are 5 communities in Clayoquot Sound: the town of Tofino and 4 First Nations reserves inhabited by Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations tribes. The total population of these 5 communities is about 3,000 (in 2005).
Two well-known parks lie in Clayoquot Sound: the Long Beach Unit of Pacific Rim National Park, and the southern portion of Strathcona Provincial Park. These and other parks protect one-third of Clayoquot's land area and less than one-quarter of its productive ancient forest.
Industrial activities such as logging and fish farming have occurred and continue to occur across the landscape and ocean waters of Clayoquot Sound, but most of the Sound is still wilderness -- intact forest and wild ocean. The spectacular scenery attracts about one million tourists to Clayoquot each year.
Friends of Clayoquot Sound
Box 489, 331 Neill St, Tofino BC V0R 2Z0
Tel 250-725-4218, Fax 250-725-2527
Email info@focs.ca
About Clayoquot Sound
Map - Where is Clayoquot Sound?
Clayoquot Sound World Biosphere Reserve
What is a Temperate Rainforest?
Amazing Facts About Temperate Rainforests!
Photo Gallery: Beautiful Clayoquot Sound
Photo by Adrian Dorst
The health of the global environment depends on intact ecosystems. It is our responsibility to act as peaceful and courageous advocates for marine and terrestrial life in Clayoquot Sound. Join us!
