From its very inception, the Wickaninnish Inn was envisioned to sit into the landscape rather than stand out from it. As we laid its foundation, we retained as much of the landscape and vegetation as possible to support the thriving ecosystem around us. This vision to tread lightly reaches beyond the physical footprint of the Inn. Many diverse wildlife species call this place home, from river otters to eagles, black bears to the occasional wolf. Our goal has always been to live in harmony with the natural world and ensure we allow the wildlife to stick to their natural rhythms.

The WildSafeBC Business Pledge Program encourages businesses to adopt practices that reduce human-wildlife conflict on their properties. Not only does this increase the safety of our team and guests, but it also helps keep wildlife wild. Our partnership with WildSafe BC was inspired by the organization's mission and our shared goals to manage interactions with animals safely and sustainably. Through implementing the knowledgeable insights and recommendations of WildSafe BC Pacific Rim Community Coordinators Bob Hansen and Mandy Lawrenz, we have made great strides to keep attractants and unnatural behaviours at bay.

This began with securing our commercial trash and grease bins and working with our team and waste management provider to ensure they're locked, along with areas where recyclables are stored. Bear-proof trash bins are found around the property for guest convenience as well. As a result, we've seen a notable decrease in bear activity, with them now more likely to pass through rather than seek food.

Educating our team members has been another critical component of this program, and we continue to work with Bob and Mandy to hold yearly wildlife awareness safety training. Over time, we have evolved this training to adopt a comprehensive approach that teaches wildsafe practices beyond the workplace as well, encouraging our team to use this knowledge at home in staff housing and while recreating in the wilderness.

We are incredibly fortunate to live in this beautiful environment within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. With this privilege comes the responsibility to do our part in protecting these wild spaces, and we look forward to continuing our lifelong dedication to learning through collaborative efforts with WildSafe BC.

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