Thank you Myrna. Be blessed and in peace always.

• THE SPIRIT BEAR: The white Kermode or spirit bear - a genetically unique subspecies of the black bear found only on Canada’s west coast - numbers fewer than 400, and its future is threatened by habitat loss.
  
  
  
• THE LAND OF THE SPIRIT BEAR: With cathedrals of ancient trees, rivers teaming with salmon and wildlife as diverse as that found in Africa’s Serengeti, the land of the spirit bear is the world’s last large area of intact and unprotected temperate rainforest - the bear’s last chance for survival.
  
  
  
• A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY: Saving the spirit bear means more than just conserving its habitat - it’s about ensuring the local affected First Nation communities realize their sustainable economic potential so that no one is left with the burden of saving the spirit bear.
  
  
  
• THE POWER OF ONE - UNITED AS ONE VOICE: One voice joined with another, spanning the globe, has proven how each person can change our world - 6 million young people in over 65 countries have challenged the status quo to give the spirit bear a voice and in the doing, created the world’s largest youth-led environmental movement, under the umbrella of the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition, and inspired a major Hollywood animated movie - the first of its kind made specifically for the purpose of protecting its namesake.
  
  
  
• SAVING THE GREEN: To ensure the future of the spirit bear, a large intact wilderness needs to be set aside for protection in order to sustain the delicate ecological balance that produces the white bear: While two thirds of its last intact ecosystem are now legally protected, logging has begun in the final third and has placed the bear’s very existence in jeopardy.
  
  
  

THE SPIRIT BEAR:

• The spirit bear is a rare, white, genetically unique sub-species of the black bear found only on British Columbia’s north central coast. Its scientific name, Kermode bear, is named after Francis Kermode, who conducted the first studies into the origins of the white bear in the early 1900’s.
  
  
  
• There are fewer than 400 white bears remaining, with the highest concentration found on and around Princess Royal Island. It is believed that one out of every ten black Kermode bears in this area are born white-the result of a double recessive gene.
  
  
  
• The reason for the existence of the white bear is still unknown, but what is known is that the survival of the white bear is dependant on a healthy, stable gene pool. If the bear’s last intact habitat is developed, the resulting stress on the gene pool-a ’swamping effect’-would be enough to cause the white gene to become extinct.
  
  
  
• Due to the spirit bear’s color, it has the ability to catch more salmon. The more salmon it catches means more rotting fish carcasses deposited on the forest floor. This cycle provides the needed nutrients for the trees to grow and in turn, sustains one of the largest land carbon sinks in the world.
  
  
  
• As a result of its isolation, some of the area’s bears appear mellow and ’trusting’ of humans, offering humankind a unique insight into truly wild bears.
  
  
  
• First Nation legend states that the Raven, their creator, went among the black bears, turning every tenth one white as a reminder of the last ice age. The bears - named Moksmg’ol or spirit bear - decreed that they would live in peace and harmony forever.
  
  
  

THE LAND OF THE SPIRIT BEAR:

• The spirit bear can be found in an area that forms a rough triangle, bordered by the towns of Bella Bella, Stewart, and Hazelton. The epicenter of its range and, coincidentally, its last intact habitat, is the area around Princess Royal Island.
  
  
  
• Princess Royal Island, Pooley Island, and the adjacent watersheds: Carter, Green, Yule, Khutze, and the Aaltanhash combine to make-up the proposed 249, 000 ha. wilderness conservancy proposal. It is the last, large area of intact temperate rainforest in the world and moreover, the bears’ last chance for survival.
  
  
  
• The Land of the Spirit Bear harbors the largest and most intact population of black Kermode bears - important, as key to sustaining the gene pool of the white Kermode bear, is protecting the gene pool of the black Kermode bear. The area also supports populations of grizzly bears, genetically unique coastal wolves, sitka deer, bald eagles, marbled murrelets, orca whales, over 60 salmon spawning streams with five different species of salmon, and countless other terrestrial and marine species.
  
  
  
• Logging and associated road networks in this wilderness area would result in easier access for hunters and poachers, fewer bear dens (old-growth trees), a disrupted nutrient cycle, cause siltation of important bear-salmon streams, and would degrade the overall health of the ecosystem.
  
  
  
• Without the protection of this entire wilderness, there will not be a large enough area to sustain the spirit bears gene pool. Logging just one watershed in this ecosystem may very well lead to the extinction of the white Kermode bear. To protect only 75-80% of this wilderness would be to run a 20-25% ecological deficit on the coast.
  
  
  

A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY:

• Logging this area is not economically viable in the long run and with the possibility of sustainable forestry elsewhere, the creation of eco-tourism based jobs and a sustainable fishing industry, could not only make-up for possible job losses but, with the help of THE SPIRIT BEAR animated movie and the 2010 Olympics, could generate more local jobs for generation after generation.
  
  
  
• Logging in this wilderness - based on Western Forest Products previous forestry development plans 0 would last 20 years. Considering that it is an 80-year rotation cycle for a second growth forest on the BC coast and a 360-year rotation for the first stage of an old-growth forest, it would take generations, if not centuries before the economic cycle of the forestry industry in this area would once again reach its potential. Moreover, Western employees have even stated that the timber is marginal timber and that the company would lose money if the area were to be logged. The major incentive to log is previously signed contracts with sub-contractors in the region.
  
  
  
• If logging is allowed in the Green watershed, the bear will most likely become extinct. If this is the case, Klemtu will benefit from 20 years of jobs in forestry, fisheries, and eco-tourism. But after 20 years, the forests will not be economically viable to harvest. Within 50 years, the spirit bear will become even more elusive, bankrupting the region’s tourism potential, for few will pay thousands of dollars to see a few old-growth trees in the protected area with no spirit bear. And the local fishing industry will decline rapidly with the loss of salmon spawning grounds.
  
  
  
• The community of Klemtu, which borders the land of the spirit bear to the south, has the potential to become the Sitka (Alaska) of B.C. With a rich history, abundant potential for recreation from board walks to sea kayaking, and being situated along B.C.’s Inside Passage, Klemtu could diversify its economy through the eco-tourism sector, capitalizing on the 700, 000 plus boaters who pass through the area each year.
  
  
  
• THE SPIRIT BEAR animated movie - the first Hollywood movie to be made with the purpose of protecting its namesake - will work to blur the social bottom line with the economic bottom line. Part profits will go toward the creation of an endowment fund to help Klemtu create the infrastructure needed to create a more balanced and healthy economy that will create jobs not just for decades, but for generations.
  
  
  
• THE SPIRIT BEAR will be released in theatres worldwide in the spring of 2008, ensuring a market for Klemtu eco-tourism ventures. And with the movie also comes key branding partners - giving Klemtu the opportunity to market its community-made products to the world.
  
  
  

YOUTH WORKING TO SAVE BEARS:

• The campaign to save the spirit bear is the most supported conservation initiative in Canadian history - the result of millions of supporters signing petitions, sending e-mails and faxes, and writing letters in support of protecting the spirit bear. In Canada, a recent poll declared that more than 90% support the protection of a large wilderness sanctuary for the bear - with 69.4% strongly agreeing and only 7.4% disagreeing.
  
  
  
• Time Magazine rated the threat to the spirit bear the top environmental issue facing the world in 1999. SBYC Founder Simon Jackson was named as one of the 60 Heroes for the Planet (one of only six young people selected) by Time Magazine for tackling the issue and his life story is the feature of a Made-for-TV movie titled Spirit Bear: The Simon Jackson Story.
  
  
  
• The Spirit Bear Youth Coalition has helped create the largest youth-led environmental initiative in the world with a network of more than 6 million in over 65 countries.
  
  
  
• Many high profile figures have lent their name to the spirit bear campaign including the likes of Dr. Jane Goodall, the Backstreet Boys, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Nelly Furtado, Charlotte Church, J.K. Rowling, and various business, political, and entertainment leaders.
  
  
  
• THE SPIRIT BEAR animated movie will help bring the bear to the world and give it a voice - literally. The movie is the first Hollywood production in history to be made specifically to save its namesake, with part profits being earmarked for economic diversification projects in the region in order to build economic and community support for a spirit bear protected area.
  
  
  
• The vast majority of British Columbians support the spirit bear as the mascot for the 2010 Olympic games and it is now one of two animals short-listed.
  
  
  
• The high profile nature of the issue led to an agreement between all stakeholders - First Nations, forestry companies, environmental groups, communities, and government - in 2001 to a land-use framework for the BC coast and specifically sought to protect half and defer development in the other half of the spirit bears last intact habitat.v
  
• On February 7th, 2006, the BC government announced an historic land-use plan for the BC coast that legally protected, amongst other areas, two third-thirds of the spirit bear’s last intact ecosystem. However, while the agreement accomplished a great deal for many coastal stakeholders, it did NOT save the spirit bear: the critical Green-Sheep Passage/Tolmie Option Area, or more commonly known as the Green watershed, was opened for logging.
  
  
  

SAVE THE GREEN - TAKE ACTION!

• The only way to save the spirit bear is to protect its entire last intact habitat - an area that must include the Green watershed: Yet today, trees have started to fall in the Green and unless urgent action is taken, the impact on the gene pool of the spirit bear could be irreversible.
  
  
  
• Decision makers can only represent you if they know how to: Tell your elected official that saving the spirit bear is important to you and write a letter to British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell, urging him to honour his promise to save the Green, to save the spirit bear.
  
• This information is shared with you the web site is:
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  http://www.spiritbearyouth.org/campaign.php?page_id=44
  

Hello ArtEhibition Team@

Thank you fo a new nice Exhibition!
Donna! You are Mighty