Campbell River is well-known as a launching point for thrilling wilderness and water adventures and responsible wildlife watching tours. What makes booking a wildlife tour here even better is our local operators’ dedication to important certifications that will give you peace of mind that wildlife safety, ecosystem preservation, and social responsibility at the heart of their business.
Campbell River is a hub for wildlife and wilderness adventures, with local operators boasting certifications that ensure wildlife safety, ecosystem preservation, and social responsibility. Visitors can choose from certified marine mammal and bear tours, Biosphere Sustainable and BC Green Business–certified operators, and companies supporting research-led conservation, all providing peace of mind while exploring the region responsibly.
Viewing Marine Mammals and Bears Responsibly
The North Island Marine Mammal Association (NIMMSA) represents over 30 organizations from across the northern reaches of Vancouver Island. The group’s commitment is to stewardship principles and business practices that balance the protection of the marine environment with the prosperity of the local economy; a sustainable harmony between people, the ecosystem, and non-human inhabitants. Their handy “members map” showcases the daily and multi-day vessel-based whale watching tours, lodge-based wildlife excursions, private charters, and sea kayaking companies that are members, such as Homalco Wildlife and Cultural Tours and Campbell River Whale Watching Adventure Tours.
Back on land, or viewed from a marine vessel in our far flung estuaries and inlets, you may be dreaming of departing on a bear tour while in Campbell River. The Commercial Bear Viewing Association of British Columbia (CBVA) is the alliance you want to look out for when choosing your bear tour. They put the protection of wild bears and the ecosystems they dwell within first, ensuring tour operators do so as well through a best practices guide and their bear viewing guide certification system. They maintain a list of allied bear viewing tour operators, which includes Eagle Eye Adventures, Campbell River Whale Watching, Homalco Wildlife and Cultural Tours, and Big Animal Encounters for Campbell River.
Biosphere Sustainable Businesses in Campbell River
Biosphere Sustainable uses the United Nation’s seventeen sustainable development goals (SDG), and other sustainability principles, as a guide to certify destinations and companies. Their visual tools are incredibly helpful to perceive where a company is putting time and effort into processes that match these principles and goals. Campbell River Whale Watching is fully Biosphere Certified with Naturally Pacific Resort and Homalco Wildlife and Cultural Tours being Biosphere Committed. You can look at their individual pages on the Biosphere Sustainable website to see which SDG and other sustainable efforts each business is focused on tackling.
Behind-the-Scenes of (Green) Business Operations
Twelve Campbell River businesses are part of the BC Green Business initiative which empowers businesses to make decisions that are more environmentally and socially responsible. Member businesses go through a certification process that includes a checklist covering supply chains, products, fair wages, and more, and often a visit from a verifier, resulting in a score and one of five certification levels. BC Green Businesses in Campbell River range from cafes, tech companies, and salons, to retailers and wildlife tour operators. Discover them via the map function on the Members Directory page.
Research-Led Conservation in Canada and Beyond
Wilderness International supports science- and research-led conservation efforts in Canada and beyond, particularly focused on protecting old-growth forests. Their conservation efforts include a protected area in the Toba Valley, part of the Toba Inlet, which is accessible by boat from Campbell River and a destination several tour operators travel to. Naturally Pacific Resort and Campbell River Whale Watching Adventure Tours are donation partners of Wilderness International, along with Wildcoast Adventures kayaking tours on nearby Quadra Island.
