Haida Gwaii, homeland of the Haida Nation, contains some of the richest natural, cultural, and political landscapes in the world. This isolated archipelago is host to some of the last remaining tracts of intact coastal temperate rainforest, as well as several species of plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth. Aggressive logging over the past century, however, has threatened not only the unique biodiversity and habitat values, but also the cultural values of the Haida people who have relied on these forests for millennia.

Islands’ Spirit Rising examines the long-term conflict over the islands’ ancient forests and recent events that unfolded in the context of collaborative land-use planning. In response to threats posed by a century of logging, a local indigenous-environmental-community movement built enough momentum to challenge the multinational forest industry and political structures enabling it. This book traces the evolution of this dynamic force, from the early days of Haida resistance to the modern context of alliances, legal battles, and evolving forms of governance. In the process, it examines how historic relations of domination and oppression might be transformed and more sustainable forms of governance created.