The northwest coast of British Columbia is a maritime environment. Many islands large and small, are exposed to the constant winds of the North Pacific Ocean.

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For the most part, the thousands of miles of shoreline consist of endless rocks plunging directly into the sea, covered with slippery seaweeds and barnacles.

Occasional sandy beaches stretch into the horizon. The climate on the coast is mild and wet.

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Firs, hemlock, spruce, yew, and red and yellow cedar, are the species of trees that are common. Along the banks, flood plains, and deltas of rivers and streams, alder, maple, and cottonwood, are the important broadleaf trees.

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Fishes include five species of salmon, steelhead, and eulachon. Important ocean fishes are halibut, herring, cod, lingcod, flounder, sablefish, and various rockfish.

A variety of molluscs- clams, cockles, mussles, limpets, and abalone-are also readily available. There are also seals, sea-lions, porpoises, sea otters, fur seals, killer whales, and other species of whales.

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The land mammals that inhabit the coastal islands and mainland are deer, elk, mountain goat, grizzly bear, black bear, cougar, mink, marten, beaver, raccoon, and the weasel.

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Major river estuaries attract migrating birds like ducks, ravens, crows, eagles, and seagulls.

By far the most important food resource on the Northwest Coast is the salmon.

The red cedar tree is a giant amoung coastal trees.