Photographer, writer and conservationist Ian McAllister praises the “beauty of modern technology” that enables him to be interviewed by The Squamish Chief while he sits on a boat just offshore from the Great Bear Rainforest – a remote region located between Vancouver Island and Southeast Alaska.
However, McAllister doesn’t share the same love for other modern intrusions on what is considered one of the northern hemisphere’s richest unprotected wildlife habitats and home to Canada’s largest grizzly bears, as well as the rare Kermode spirit bears.
That’s especially true for mega-projects that include bringing any new industrial, oil shipping or pipelines into the area.
“We’ve been having this huge energy debate in Canada,” he said. “We have to decide if we are going to sacrifice the environment for development of things like the tar sands in Alberta, or do we want to invest in a more sustainable future? The Great Bear Rainforest could definitely be a casualty if we do favour the former.”
McAllister will be on hand to talk about his 25-year journey to preserve the Great Bear Rainforest’s pristine beauty on October 23 at 6:30 p.m. when he gives a multimedia presentation at Squamish Public Library as part of the province-wide launch of his new book, Great Bear Wild.
“The presentation will be based on the book,” he said. “It will feature images of spirit bears, salmon, whales and the underwater world.”
Mixing both incredible photography and personal narrative, the book is a “deeply personal journey from the headwaters of the region’s unexplored river valleys down to the hidden depths of the offshore world.”
“The book has a specific focus on the marine environment, and where the ocean and rainforest meet,” he said.
“I was really trying to explore the relationship between land and sea, and how the ocean is fuelling the rainforest.”
He said the consequences of increasing oil development and shipping more petroleum products to Asia would be “significant” on areas and ecosystems like the Great Bear Rainforest.
“People all over the world are looking at Canada to be a leader and say no to the allure of oil and climate changing industries,” he said. “So, when people see the magnitude of beauty here through the book and presentation, they will tell their government ‘no, it isn’t worth it to ship oil to Asia.’”
McAllister is a founding member of the Raincoast Conservation Society and Pacific Wild, and his images have appeared in numerous publications including International Wildlife, BBC Wildlife, Audubon, Sierra, and Beautiful British Columbia.
The launch of Great Bear Wild takes place Oct. 23 at the Squamish Public Library at 6:30 p.m. For more info, go to www.pacificwild.org/site/events/1409757487.html.
