Canada is a popular bucket list travel destination with its stunning scenery, attractions and views. So, it’s no surprise that one BC region ranked on The New York Times’ list of 52 places for a changed world – the publication’s rendition of 52 places for travellers to visit in 2022.
In our world today, climate change is accelerating faster than we can accommodate and its effects are proving to be deadly. Wildfires, floods, storms, droughts and rising water levels and temperatures are all exacerbated with global warming.
The New York Times list highlights places around the world where travellers can make an impact and be a part of the solution to climate change. The list looks at more than just the beauty of the destination or the best tourist spots; it considers places where visitors can help to make a difference.
As emphasized in their article, the list “highlights places where change is actually happening —where endangered wild lands are being preserved, threatened species are being protected, historical wrongs are being acknowledged, fragile communities are being bolstered — and where travellers can be part of the change.”
Included in the list are three Canadian destinations, including Vancouver Island. The two other Canadian stops featured are Fogo Island in Newfoundland and Thaidene Nëné National Park Reserve in the Northwest Territories.
Vancouver Island has always been recognized as a getaway destination with its sandy beaches, tranquil lakes and majestic mountains. However, it’s also home to one of BC’s last remaining areas of old-growth rainforest. Old-growth rainforests are forests that have attained great age without significant disturbance. Only a few rainforests with these unique ecological features are left on the planet.
BC is home to almost 25% of the world’s temperate rainforest, covering the province’s coastal areas and islands, and serves as a rich habitat for thousands of species of flowers, plants and wildlife. The province’s rainforest is also a complex ecosystem that removes and stores a significant amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping create more clean breathing air for humans.
Individuals who visit these green forests will often feel a strong connection with nature and understand the true importance of keeping our forests alive. The untouched condition of these tropical-like rainforests reminds all who visit of what’s at stake with increasing concerns for climate change.
For The New York Times, they hope that this list is not for travellers “to hop on the next plane, but to use this list as inspiration for [their] own more purposeful, more fulfilling travel in the coming year and beyond.”
Learn more about BC’s majestic rainforests with Destination British Columbia.
Published on Feb. 25, 2022.
