Feature Destination

Coastal Stewardship Network: Collaborative Monitoring and Protection of First Nations’ Lands and Waters

Coastal Stewardship Network at a Glance

First Nations in British Columbia have effectively managed the rich resources of their territories for millennia. But the balance they had maintained with nature has been threatened with increasing pressure from industry, high-impact tourism, and climate change, while unsustainable resource extraction has reduced opportunities for First Nations in fishing and forestry.

This is the story of how several disparate Guardian Watchmen programs on the Central and North Coast and Haida Gwaii came together to form a network that strengthened all of them—and how, during a critical build-out period from 2009 to 2012, its nine member Nations formalized collaborative working relationships among their stewardship offices and Guardian Watchmen programs. Participation in the Network is helping all member Nations power up monitoring efforts and the quality of analysis on environmental and resource management decisions—and generating interest from many quarters.

Guardian Watchmen, community Elders, and stewardship directors share stories, knowledge and common concerns during the Coastal Stewardship Network’s 2017 Annual Gathering at Hakai Institute in April. From left to right: John Sampson, Roger Harris, Charles Saunders and Ernie Tallio of Nuxalk First Nation. COURTESY OF Coastal First Nations / Bessie Brown

The remarkable story of how—in less than a decade—several distinct Guardian Watchmen programs became part of a nine-Nation network of resource stewardship offices, supported by stable funding and operating a robust regional monitoring system, has been making waves far beyond the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii. Now known as the COASTAL STEWARDSHIP NETWORK, it inspires Indigenous peoples from ACROSS CANADA and beyond. RESEARCHERS partner with Network members to tease out best practices in stewardship training for indigenous youth and fisheries monitoring. And the Network was recently cited in a recent NEW YORK TIMES feature about indigenous communities across North America forging new alliances to protect traditional territories. People who played major roles in the Network’s startup and critical build-out years from 2009 to 2012 have generously shared its history and lessons learned.

Funded Guardian Programs, Version 1.0

Kitasoo/Xai’xais Nation Chief Councillor and Resource Stewardship Director Doug Neasloss leads an integrated stewardship program in Klemtu, B.C. that manages protected areas, conducts a wide range of conservation science projects, and operates a Guardian Watchman program. PHOTO BY Brodie Guy

Although First Nations in B.C. have been involved in resource management and environmental stewardship for millennia, funded Guardian Watchmen programs took root in the early 1990s. That was when the Department of Fisheries and Oceans—responding to SPARROW, a Supreme Court decision that recognized First Nations’ right to fish for food, social and ceremonial purposes—began hiring people from a handful of First Nations along the coast and Haida Gwaii to “observe, record, and report” possible violations of environmental regulations in their traditional territories.

But funding for these early Guardian programs was sometimes scaled back over time for First Nations that wouldn’t sign agreements placing new limitations on their Aboriginal title and rights. Newly trained Guardian Watchmen were frequently lured away to DFO positions, which offered permanent work that Guardian programs couldn’t. The programs were also playing out in the increasingly charged political context of B.C. in the 1990s, when the “War In The Woods” raged between forest companies and conservation groups and First Nations were too often seen as one more stakeholder interest that could be traded off.

Art Sterritt, the influential First Nations leader who co-founded Coastal First Nations, remembers how momentous changes in land-use planning at the time seemed to promise change for industry and conservationists while leaving First Nations strapped for resources and capacity to ensure that territories are properly managed. “We need to challenge [environmental organizations] to come up with some resources … a program whereby we can steward the resources in the territory in perpetuity,” he remembers thinking. “So we challenged the environmental community to come up with that … to put their money where their mouth is … And they accepted the challenge!”In 2000, far-sighted leaders in First Nations formed potent new alliances: the Na̲nwak̲olas Council, which comprised six Nations from BC’s South-Central Coast and Vancouver Island, and Coastal First Nations – Turning Point Initiative (later renamed COASTAL FIRST NATIONS – GREAT BEAR INITIATIVE), composed of nine Nations from the Central and North Coasts and Haida Gwaii. Together, they re-imagined the coastal economy as one that would empower First Nations to thrive while protecting the environment on which their cultures and quality of life depend.

After more than a decade of negotiations, First Nations, the Government of B.C., environmental groups and forest companies stood together in February 2006 to announce the Great Bear Rainforest Agreements. These agreements were the basis to secure investment of $120 million from philanthropic donors in partnership with the provincial and federal governments to create Coast Funds in 2007 (read more about the origins of that Agreement, and Coast Funds, HERE). It included more than $56-million for an endowment fund that would generate funds for First Nations’ ongoing stewardship work—forever.

Guardians Power Up

A Guardian Watchman from Nuxalk Nation (in Bella Coola) educates visitors on applicable regulations, Indigenous laws, and First Nations stewardship. PHOTO COURTESY of Coastal First Nations / Sandra Thomson

As Coastal First Nations developed new land-use protocols with the B.C. government to implement ECOSYSTEM-BASED MANAGEMENT, one thing was clear: long-running Guardian Watchmen programs had an important role.

What better way to explore their collective potential than to bring them together? In 2005, Coastal First Nations convened a meeting in Port Hardy of people working as Guardian Watchmen and in Guardian-like technical roles. Claire Hutton, who helped organize the meeting while working with the Sierra Club, recalls it as transformative.“[Guardian Watchmen] are our eyes and ears,” explains Sterritt. “They report back to the community, and get their mandate from the community. Their job is to make sure that our territories are protected.”

“When people came together, it was like fireworks went off,” she says, remembering “so many synergies” at that first of many such annual gatherings. Guardians affirmed their deep connection to their work in the face of unceasing pressures on their territories. They voiced their shared desire for recognition of their unique responsibility and comprehensive training, and identified and resolved overlaps in areas that they’d been monitoring. A new Network—the COASTAL GUARDIAN WATCHMEN NETWORK—was born.

During the Network’s early years, member Nations conducted Guardian Watchmen activities through a patchwork of funding sources—like BC Parks, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Sierra Club BC, The Nature Conservancy (now TNC Canada), the Rainforest Solutions Project—and volunteer effort. But that changed in 2009, when Coastal First Nations accessed a stable source of funding through Coast Funds’ conservation endowment. It also secured more than $1.3 million of investment from Coast Funds into Coastal First Nations efforts to develop a model for First Nations stewardship departments, to develop community-based Guardian Watchman programs on a regionally integrated basis, and to support establishment of integrated stewardship offices in each member Nation–a key element of which supported the crucial early phase that helped establish the Coastal Stewardship Network.

Logos on uniforms, flags, boats, and vehicles help announce the presence of Guardian Watchmen, supported by the Coastal Stewardship Network, in the territories of its member Nations. PHOTO COURTESY of Coastal First Nations / Sandra Thomson

“That was a pretty radical change,” remembers Hutton, who was hired as the Network’s first coordinator. Finally, Guardian Watchmen got uniforms, flags, and logos to display on trucks and boats to announce their presence and ensure resource users understand the legitimacy of their work. Essential groundwork on governance development, funding strategies, communications, and strategic planning could get done. A short documentary was produced to raise awareness and interest in the work of Coastal Guardian Watchmen.

To meet the Coastal Guardian Watchmen-identified need for training in conservation work, partnerships were struck with academia, including a long-running collaboration with the HAKAI INSTITUTE—which also provides space for annual Network gatherings and other meetings. The University of Victoria produced a FIELD GUIDE TO ENVIRONMENTAL LAW for use by Coastal Guardian Watchmen in the field. Watchmen programs, through the Network, worked with Northwest Community College and later Vancouver Island University to develop a highly successful FIRST NATIONS STEWARDSHIP TECHNICIANS TRAINING PROGRAM(more on this below). It delivers university-accredited training to Indigenous people for work as Guardian Watchmen, and in other stewardship and resource management-related jobs.

Stable funding from the endowment helped leverage funding from many other entities (see ‘Partners’ below) to realize another Coastal Guardian Watchmen-identified priority that was fleshed out in multiple community workshops and conferences between 2009 and 2011: a regional monitoring system (see ‘Getting a high-level view’, below). It also created an outreach and regional monitoring system coordinator position and a Stewardship Network coordinator position.

“That was the shift to [renaming the Coastal Guardian Watchmen Network as] the Coastal Stewardship Network—still focusing on the Guardians, but also bringing everyone in the stewardship office on board,” says Hutton. The name change took place in 2012. For Sterritt, the change also reflected the inherent right of Guardian Watchmen to go beyond “observe, record, and report”, and addressed an arbitrary separation of water and land in planning. “We went away from ‘Guardian Watchmen’ [to Coastal Stewardship Network] simply because it wasn’t just the watching. It wasn’t just fish,” he remembers. “It was looking after the whole thing. Stewardship of the whole territories was how everybody was looking at it.”

Garry Wouters, who served as Coastal First Nations’ Senior Policy Advisor during this period, elaborates: “Over a period of time, First Nations leadership really wants [Guardian Watchmen] to take over, legally, the enforcement of stewardship plans that are done in the conservancies, particularly,” he says, referring to the areas set aside for conservation by members of Coastal First Nations when the GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST was established.

In the meantime, the Coastal Stewardship Network continues to amplify the work of Guardian Watchmen from nine Nations, and their respective stewardship offices—involved in everything from research and training to evaluating and responding to land- and marine-use proposals from government and industry.

A Kitasoo/Xai’xais Guardian Watchman is on patrol, monitoring environmental conditions, helping to implement marine- and land-use plans and interacting with visitoris in the Great Bear Rainforest. PHOTO COURTESY of Coastal First Nations / Sandra Thomson

Key Challenges & How They Were Overcome

Overcoming doubts

According to Sterritt, proponents of nascent Guardian programs sometimes “get some pushback, because people don’t quite believe that you can actually do this.” To bring people on board, he’s brought them to see successful First Nations-operated projects—like the hatchery run by the Gitga’at in remote Hartley Bay. “We have people that have a Grade 5 education that are amazing hatchery managers,” says Sterritt. “We knew, because we’d done it before, that we could transfer all of the technology we needed over to any of our people, to do any job that has been done by DFO or anyone else in our territory.”

Reducing impact on trainees

The first iteration of Guardian Watchmen training required people to spend up to four months away from home. Guardians, who range in age from 18 to 50+, found it tough to be away from home and family responsibilities so long. Now training has been re-arranged into shorter modules that rotate around students’ communities. Hutton feels this benefits everyone, and the Network as a whole. Students spend less time away, and get to see other Nations’ territories. There’s been an “incredible development of personal relationships between people from different Nations,” observes Hutton, noting that technical and “Guardian-esque” people across Nations are now “relating to each other in a way they didn’t before.” Today, grads of the FIRST NATIONS STEWARDSHIP TECHNICIANS TRAINING PROGRAM get so much more than university credits and new and highly marketable technical skills. They come home inspired and enriched by new connections.

Road-testing training

Students appreciate in-class and scenario-based training, but find there’s no substitute for road-testing it—with real-time guidance. A one-on-one component now brings trainers out to communities to work alongside Guardians. Students benefit from instructor feedback and evaluation, and instructors can offer additional, place-specific recommendations to improve safety.

Getting a high-level view

With vast territories to care for, Network members saw the need for monitoring that was regional in scale, standardized, but also adaptive. They wanted better tools to collect and analyze coast-wide data, and to cooperatively monitor things important to all of them. Between 2009 and 2010, the Network developed and launched a regional monitoring system. It allows Guardian Watchmen and others involved in stewardship activities to use tablets in the field to collect data offline, feed it into a coast-wide system for deeper analysis, and learn from all member Nations in the Network. It’s recently undergone an independent review and upgrade.

Jana Kotaska, the Network’s current program manager, emphasizes that the Network “continually evolves” to keep pace with changes in data management, the internet, and broader developments in planning—like implementation of the Marine Plan Partnership for the North Pacific Coast. She says the hiring of a regional monitoring system coordinator has been pivotal. “The Nations now get regular reports [from the system coordinator], and they’re getting more ideas,” says Kotaska. “We’ve been having data going into the system for a long time. Having data coming out of the system and being used is huge—I feel like we’ve turned a corner on that.”

‘A Sight to Behold’

Innovations notwithstanding, the Coastal Stewardship Network’s ongoing challenges are significant. Vast territories to monitor, unceasing new pressures on them, and comparatively few staff can strain the best-made plans and budgets. And although provincial and federal governments embrace reconciliation in principle, enforcement and decision-making power are ongoing topics of negotiation.

Hutton says it’s easy to get so enmeshed in the day-to-day that you forget how far you’ve come. But the National Indigenous Guardians’ Gathering in Ottawa in Fall 2016 helped her remember. She says attendees there “look to the Guardian Watchmen programs of Coastal First Nations, and how they’ve been supported by the Coastal Stewardship Network. They see folks on the coast as leaders in that regard.”

Sterritt’s pride in the Guardian Watchmen, and the accomplishments of the Network more generally, is evident: “You’ll find in our communities that we’ve got some pretty qualified people who work for us, and that was the exact intent of it,” he says. “When I go out and see people flying the flag, monitoring the area, and making sure that everything is running properly … That really is quite a sight to behold. It really is our presence out there on the land and the water.”

Through the Coastal Stewardship Network, member Nations share data and experience to help them keep an eye on the big picture — including the keystone species — in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii. PHOTO COURTESY of Coastal First Nations / Phil Charles

Economic Outcomes

First Nations—especially those in more remote communities—participating in the coordinated stewardship staff training programs of the Coastal Stewardship Network realize economies-of-scale benefits, like lower training costs and access to a wider pool of skills. Participation in Guardian Watchmen activities and regular network meetings assists information-sharing among Nations, which enhances everyone’s decision-making with respect to management of economically valuable resources and engagement with industry. For example, Guardian Watchmen’s use of the cabin in Mussel Inlet supports protection of the FIORDLAND CONSERVANCY in KITASOO/XAI’XAIS First Nation territory from poaching and recreational over-use. This helps preserve the healthy ecosystem that is the economic basis of the Kitasoo/Xai’xais bear-viewing business at SPIRIT BEAR LODGE.

LEARN MORE about how First Nations are reaping economic benefits from conservation.

Social Outcomes

Between 2009 and 2012, investment in the Coastal Stewardship Network created two new full-time jobs: an outreach and regional monitoring system coordinator and a Stewardship Network coordinator. Investments to Coastal First Nation stewardship offices provided five full-time/seasonal jobs for Guardian Watchmen (all held by First Nations), and at least 9.5 months of full-time equivalent contract work shared among five contractors.

The Coastal Stewardship Network has grown considerably over the years. Today it supports nine First Nations with at least 70 permanent employment positions, 80% of which are held by First Nation members. These include 22 Guardian Watchmen jobs. Other stewardship positions include stewardship directors, GIS technicians, researchers, marine-use planning coordinators, and more.

The First Nations Stewardship Technicians Training Program created by the Coastal Stewardship Network in collaboration with Vancouver Island University imparts new technical skills (such as monitoring, data collection, communications, safety and rescue training), professional development opportunities, and university credits to Indigenous students, most of whom are employed as Coastal Guardian Watchmen by Coastal First Nation communities. Guardian Watchmen and other stewardship office staff also get additional training, and develop and enhance relationships, through regular Coastal Stewardship Network conference calls, meetings, workshops, and annual gatherings. LEARN MORE about First Nations’ investments in skills training.

Environmental Outcomes

By working together through the Network, member Nations are better positioned to effect positive change. The network brings together Guardian Watchmen and other stewardship staff from member Nations to develop relationships, collaborate, and learn from each other—thus expanding the breadth and depth of the member Nations’ environmental monitoring efforts. It supports a more regional, holistic approach to environmental monitoring and provides a venue in which First Nations can share concerns and solutions and collaborate on stewardship projects. The regional monitoring system developed between 2009 and 2012 has been refined and upgraded to improve utility both to Coastal Guardian Watchmen in the field and to other stewardship staff analyzing and using the regional data. Guardian Watchmen are now directly involved in implementation of regional plans, such as the MARINE PLAN PARTNERSHIP for the North Pacific Coast. LEARN MORE about GUARDIAN WATCHMEN PROGRAMS, and this example of the GITGA’AT GUARDIANS collaborating with researchers.

Cultural Outcomes

The time-honoured contribution of First Nations to stewardship is institutionalized through Coastal Guardian Watchmen positions in First Nation stewardship offices. Coastal Guardian Watchmen uniforms, flags, and logos on boats and vehicles, and brochures raise the profile of this role and current work across the coast. The greater visibility and monitoring work of Guardian Watchmen on the coast helps maintain the integrity of critical cultural resources, like cultural and sacred sites that can be vulnerable to theft or vandalism, culturally significant or endangered species like grizzly bears and abalone, and access to traditional foods that are vulnerable to poaching. Guardian Watchmen also collect valuable seasonal data for their Nations, such as when a traditional food is ready for harvesting, (as with the GITGA’AT NATION), and support traditional food use studies, as with the HEILTSUK NATION. Cultures are strengthened as member Nations enhance relationships with each other through the Network. A 12-minute documentary VIDEO ABOUT GUARDIAN WATCHMEN produced during this phase serves as an effective tool for recruiting Guardian Watchmen and raising awareness of the cultural significance of First Nations stewardship. LEARN MORE about First Nations’ stewardship work.

Coast Funds was created in 2007 out of mutual recognition by conservationists, First Nations, industry, and government that a sustainable economy is vital to conservation efforts in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii areas of British Columbia.

Advertisements so SEVENSEAS Media can remain a free resource for you:

Check out more of the the latest articles on SEVENSEAS Media here. You can take a break from your day and check out some art on the SEVENSEAS Media Gallery here. Want to get in touch with questions or a submission? Contact us here.

Related Topics:British Columbia Coast Funds First Nations

Up Next

Gitga’at Guardians: Using Science to Safeguard their Territory

Don't Miss

Spirit bears bring international tourists to remote B.C.

Feature Destination

Feature Destination: A Conservationist’s Reflection on Family, Biodiversity, and Restoration in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is one of the few countries I’ve returned to repeatedly over the last twenty or so years. Each visit has reinforced why this small Central American nation continues to hold a special place in my heart. As a conservationist, I’ve long admired its bold environmental policies, its ability to restore vast areas of degraded land, and the extraordinary biodiversity that thrives here. But what draws me back just as strongly is the feeling that Costa Rica gives you: the quiet assurance that another world is possible, one where people and nature can coexist with purpose and respect.

I had the chance to experience Costa Rica in a new way, traveling with three generations of my family. My husband, my sister and her family, and our aging parents all came together for what we knew would be a once-in-a-lifetime trip. My sister chose Costa Rica not only because of its beauty, but also because it felt manageable for a multigenerational vacation. It’s safe, accessible, and well set up for travelers of all ages. We also understood it would be expensive, but for the chance to travel together as a full family, the investment was worth it.

coconut tree on beach shore during daytime

We started our journey in San José, where my husband and I stayed in a homestay with a Costa Rican grandmother. She greeted us with warmth, fed us incredible meals, and gave us our first taste, quite literally, of the hospitality this country is known for. From there, we headed to Quepos on the Pacific coast, where my sister had rented an Airbnb home. It was the perfect setup with a space for all of us to gather, cook, relax, and look out over a small deck that faced what appeared to be pure jungle. The view was mesmerizing. We later learned that only a few decades ago, the entire landscape had been logged and used for farmland or extraction. But thanks to Costa Rica’s climate and commitment to restoration, nature had returned with full force. You’d never know it had once been stripped bare.

Every morning, we gathered on that deck before sunrise with coffee in hand to watch the forest awaken. Birds darted through the trees: tanagers, flycatchers, motmots, flickering colors between the leaves. For a family of nature lovers, those quiet hours became some of the most meaningful and memorable moments of the entire trip.

Quepos gave us easy access to both the coast and the rainforest. We hiked in the nearby parks, explored waterfalls, we stumbled on eco-tours of chocolate-making, coffee farming, and sustainable agriculture. The excursions were varied and accessible. Canopy walks, guided nature trails, and small boat rides. Costa Rica’s dynamic geography from the mountains, coasts, volcanoes, and rainforests means you don’t have to travel far to experience completely different ecosystems.

Although my husband and I skipped diving this time to stay together as a family, we did take a longer boat ride to a more remote patch of primary forest. I believe we were on the edge of the Osa Peninsula or near Corcovado National Park, which is known as one of the most biologically intense places on Earth. The experience reminded me again how rare it is to be able to witness truly untouched rainforest.

Every meal we ate was exceptional. With such a strong agricultural foundation, the food was consistently fresh, flavorful, and locally grown. Pineapple, avocado, coffee, papaya, rice, and beans, all vibrant and prepared with pride. Costa Rica’s commitment to sustainable agriculture shows in the taste of what ends up on your plate.

Beyond the beauty and comfort, what continues to impress me most is Costa Rica’s national commitment to conservation. Despite being only about 51,000 square kilometers in size, Costa Rica is home to more than 500,000 species, about 5% of the world’s biodiversity, thanks to its location at the intersection of North and South America. The diversity includes iconic species like the resplendent quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno), Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii), jaguars (Panthera onca), and endangered sea turtles like the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), which nests on the Caribbean coast in places like Tortuguero National Park.

gray wooden bridge in forest during daytime

Costa Rica has not only preserved what it has, it has reversed damage from generations of less sustainable development. In the 1980s, deforestation was rampant, with forest cover reduced to about 21%. But thanks to a range of government policies, including the 1997 launch of the Payment for Environmental Services (PES) program, forest cover has increased to over 50% as of the 2010s, and as of 2022 forests covered approximately 60.1% of the country’s land area, according to the World Bank. The PES program rewards landowners for keeping forests intact, recognizing the economic value of ecosystem services such as carbon capture, water filtration, and biodiversity protection. Much of this work is administered through MINAE (the Ministry of Environment and Energy), and its subsidiary agencies like SINAC, FONAFIFO, and CONAGEBIO.

gray and brown turtle on gray sand during daytime

The country has also turned its attention toward marine conservation, with over 30% of its territorial waters now designated as marine protected areas (MPAs). These include coral reefs, mangroves, and marine corridors vital for species like sharks, whales, and sea turtles. Organizations like the MarViva Foundation have been instrumental in managing these MPAs, particularly around the Eastern Tropical Pacific.

Folks from Costa Rica, also called Ticos, have the reputation of being affectionately warm, proud, and deeply connected to the land. You quickly learn the phrase “Pura Vida” is more than a slogan. It’s a mindset, an expression of gratitude, resilience, and appreciation for life’s simple gifts. It’s said as a greeting, a farewell, a thank-you, and always with a smile.

Traveling here, you’ll find that Costa Rica is not only logistically easy, but emotionally and intellectually enriching. Whether you’re a solo traveler, a couple, or a multigenerational family like us, there’s something for everyone. The country is incredibly welcoming to people of all backgrounds, and it’s one of the safest places in Central America to visit.

If you’re planning a trip, the best advice is to decide what kind of experience you’re looking for. Do you want to immerse yourself in the jungle? Lounge on the beach? Explore volcanoes? Stay in a city and do day trips? Or do a bit of everything? There’s no single way to “do” Costa Rica. You can rent a car or rely on shuttle services. Stay in a city hotel, a remote eco-lodge, or a beachside Airbnb. It’s all possible.

Here are a few key regions to consider:

Central Valley (San José and surroundings): Cultural sites, museums, and access to volcanoes and cloud forests.
Pacific Coast (including Quepos and Manuel Antonio): National parks, beaches, and adventure tourism.
Caribbean Coast (like Puerto Viejo and Tortuguero): Afro-Caribbean culture, nesting turtles, and rich biodiversity.
Northern Plains (Arenal and La Fortuna): Hot springs, waterfalls, and volcanoes.
Southern Zone (Osa Peninsula and Corcovado): Pristine rainforest, rare species, and incredible biodiversity.

VisitCostaRica.com is the official tourism website and a helpful starting point for researching regions, accommodations, and activities.

For us, this trip was a chance to reconnect, not just with each other, but with the natural world. Costa Rica has a way of doing that. When you’re surrounded by howler monkeys at dawn, or listening to rain fall onto leaves the size of couch cushions, or catching a glimpse of a toucan in flight, you remember what it feels like to be part of something ancient and alive.

And in a world where conservation so often feels like a losing battle, Costa Rica shows what can be achieved when a nation decides to prioritize nature, not just in words, but through action.

Feature Destination

Feature Destination: The Most Awe-Inspiring National Parks in Latin America

The national parks in Latin America are breathtaking, with diverse landscapes ranging from towering glaciers in Chile to lush tropical rainforests in Costa Rica and jaguar conservation areas in Belize. These areas of immense natural beauty enable you to immerse yourself into the rich biodiversity and culture this continent has to offer, where you’ll explore the unique ecosystems and learn about the traditions of the indigenous people.

Here is our list for the best national parks in Latin America.

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Located in the southern reaches of Chile, the Andes are at their most spectacular here, with jagged peaks rising from bright blue fjords and turquoise lakes (photo above)

A true Patagonia adventure awaits in Torres del Paine National Park. The hiking here is legendary, with routes varying from a few hours to a few days’ expedition across the 1,814 square kilometre wilderness. The landscapes are rewarding, with colossal glaciers, snow capped summits and roaring waterfalls juxtaposing the vast open plains.

Go kayaking on glacial lakes that sparkle or ride horses through forests and across pampas plains with the local gauchos, learning about their traditional ways of life in this unforgettable setting.

Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina

Los Glaciares National Park can be found at the heart of Argentine Patagonia. Spanning over 7,000 square kilometres, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is renowned for the sheer scale of its stunning glacial landscapes and rugged mountains.

The Perito Moreno Glacier dominates the landscape, where deep blues merge with ethereal whites, creating a symphony of hues that sparkle in the sunlight. Watch glacial calving from the boardwalk or boat as chunks of ice break off and thunder into the milky blue waters of Lake Argentino below. If you are feeling adventurous, you can even scale the ice field with crampons, appreciating the ice caves and pools along the way.

Admire with awe as you explore the landscape on foot, or even horseback, on the lookout for guanacos, Andean condors, foxes, and bird species. If you tackle the 22 km trek to Laguna de los Tres, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views of Mount Fitz Roy.

Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

Incredible biodiversity and tropical rainforests make up this natural park, situated on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, which is best known for its entangled ecosystem of winding rivers, canals, lagoons, and beaches.

Navigate Tortuguero by boat or canoe using the extensive network of waterways, where you’ll pass through dense foliage, alive with movement and sound. Monkeys swing overhead, their playful chatter blending with the calls of exotic birds like toucans and parrots. Observe and immerse yourself into the rich tropical haven around you, where three-toed sloths hang lazily from branches and river otters frolic in the water alongside you.

During nesting season, in July and August, hundreds of green sea and hawksbill turtles come ashore to lay eggs in the sand. Watch this process in action and learn more about the conservation efforts being made to protect these magnificent creatures.

Cahuita National Park, Costa Rica

On the south side of the Caribbean, this beautiful and ecologically rich national park in Latin America can only be described as paradise.

Follow the well maintained hiking trails through the rainforest on the lookout for monkeys and sloths with scenic coastal views before reaching the soft white sands, fringed with coconut palms. Off-shore, the vibrant coral reefs are teeming with bright tropical fish, rays, nurse sharks, and various types of sea turtles. The warm, clear waters are perfect for experiencing these creatures in their natural habitats through diving or snorkelling.

The culture and traditions in this region are rich, rooted in medicinal plants. Learn more about the indigenous Bribri culture and traditions through a hands-on course in traditional cacao cultivation, following the process from picking the pod to sampling the delicious chocolate it creates.

Iberá National Park, Argentina

Explore the world’s second largest wetland in northeast Argentina, where the tranquil waterways and scenic trails offer a peaceful escape into nature.

Trek among the rich tapestry of lakes, marshes, plains, and forests which are home to capybaras, marsh deer, and howler monkeys, as well as jaguars, tapirs, and giant anteaters which have been gradually reintroduced as part of a rewilding program.

The rewilding of Iberá National Park is a pioneering conservation effort, aiming to restore the native ecosystem by reintroducing keystone species that had vanished from the region. These efforts not only revive biodiversity but also empower local communities through ecotourism and sustainable development.

Canoe or boat down the winding rivers and try spot the 360 different bird species hidden in the foliage of the park. Some of the wildlife is better spotted in the dark, so night game drives are also an option here.

Galapagos National Park, Ecuador

The world famous UNESCO World Heritage Site, located 1,000 kilometres off the coast of Ecuador, is home to many endemic species totally unique to the archipelago, including the Galapagos giant tortoise, marine iguana, and several species of Darwin’s finches.

Explore the volcanic islands, with rugged cliffs and lava fields, where the wild beaches stretch for miles. The clear, blue waters are alive with marine life. Encounter colourful tropical fish, sea turtles, marine iguanas, rays, and even hammerhead sharks while snorkelling or diving amongst the coral reefs and underwater caves.

Weave in between the archipelago’s islets onboard your own sailboat, where you can enjoy Relais & Chateaux dining and relaxing on the sundeck, while watching sea lions and fur seals play in the turquoise ocean around you. As the skies begin to darken, gaze upwards for incredible views of the planets and constellations.

Each of the national parks in Latin America tell powerful stories of conservation, culture, and connection. Whether witnessing glacial calving in Patagonia, tracing the paths of rewilded jaguars in Iberá, or learning from indigenous communities in Costa Rica, these are experiences that stay with you.

At Journeys With Purpose, we design transformational travel experiences that deepen your understanding of the world and contribute to its protection. Every journey supports local conservation and community initiatives — with opportunities to engage first-hand along the way. Get in touch to find out more.

Contribute to Positive Impact on a Hosted Journey. Connect with Impact Partners around the world during a Private Experience. Journeys With Purpose offers immersive conservation and ethical travel experiences. Through private and hosted trips with pioneering conservationists, guests experience rewilding and restoring biodiversity in the wildest corners of the world. Our “Seven Worlds, One Planet” approach is a global curriculum focused on recovering and conserving vibrant landscapes, biodiversity, wildlife and livelihoods across all seven continents.

Feature Destination

Feature Destination – Journeys With Purpose: Restoring Island-Ocean Ecosystems in Palau

Visiting Palau has been one of the most remarkable and affirming experiences of my life. Spending hours in the ocean observing turtles, sharks, rays and a host of other marine species, including cuttlefish changing colour and form to their immediate environment, has proven to be one of the greatest joys and wonders in the world.

I grew up watching and entranced by the TV series ‘The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau’. Such was the impression Cousteau’s series made on me, as a very young child my first pet was called ‘Calypso’, after his fabled research vessel. My experiences in Palau brought back these vivid memories directly. With a particular snorkelling experience on this journey, a fellow traveller commented that this must be “the day you fell in love with sharks” – and it truly was.

Throughout the course of the last 12+ months, Journeys With Purpose has worked alongside the world-class organisations of Island Conservation and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, in association with Re:wild, on a ‘Restoring Island-Ocean Ecosystems’ journey to champion and support the Island-Ocean Connection Challenge (IOCC).

The IOCC aims to restore at least 40 globally significant island-ocean ecosystems from ridge to reef by 2030 to benefit people, wildlife and our planet. This goal is delivering tangible action and successes, and signifying more widely the essential connection between island health and ocean health. Holistically restoring islands delivers outsized benefits for wildlife, oceans, people and climate impacts.

Key IOCC messages:

Healthy oceans need healthy islands
- island and marine ecosystem elements cycle into one another, sharing nutrients vital to the plants and animals within them. Invasive species damage these fragile ecosystems and work to remove these in order to restore balance and endemic species such as the Megapode bird is vital.
Everything is connected – Indigenous Peoples and local communities know this
- Indigenous Peoples and local communities have long understood and managed their natural resources in the context of island-to-sea connections. As Wayne Andrew, Micronesia Director of OneReef says “Community is not people alone. Community is a place, the reef. The respect of all that is so important”. This is rooted in their traditional knowledge and wisdom, including ancient oral stories such as the “Megapode Bird and Hawksbill Turtle”. It is essential to support local leadership and communities in the decisions they wish to make to protect these vital ecosystems.
Collaboration is essential
- taking a collective approach to sustainable science and the importance of collaboration with local communities to achieve more holistic results.
Emerging Science and Impact Monitoring
- global scalability of work informed by science. Emerging research shows people, wildlife and marine environments benefit when island-ocean connections are restored.
Islands are on the frontline of environmental crises
- a staggering 41% of critically threatened species are found on islands
- 27% of all languages come from island communities
- surrounding coral reefs are home to 25% of all marine life

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE IOCC

We travelled with leadership from Palau’s local communities, Island Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and supporters of these organisations. The collective experience of our time with these communities, and snorkelling and diving, was quite remarkable – a true spirit of togetherness and bonding developed that we will treasure for the rest of our lives. And importantly to take forward into action.

My key takeaways are thus:

People make Places
- this is never more true than in Palau. There are approximately 20,000 local inhabitants on Palau’s islands, and they demonstrate an incredible bond, cohesiveness and strength together. This is brilliantly encapsulated by the local Hatohobei community, who rejected sizeable bribes to thwart a significant illegal fishing operation – “… we’re doing it for our people, for the future generations.”
Impact at Scale
- the Palau National Marine Sanctuary (PNMS), effective 1 January 2020 with support from the Palauan government and several NGOs, is one of the largest marine protected areas (MPA) in the world. It was the first MPA of its kind, protecting 80% of a country’s national waters in a fully protected no-take zone.
- the PNMS protects a vast array of marine life and unique geological features within its over 475,000 km2, an area larger than Germany, Japan, Iraq, Sweden, etc. Eight hundred marine vertebrate species call the PNMS home, including nearly 30 different marine mammals and 60 shark and ray species, though these numbers are likely underestimated, as the biodiversity of the PNMS remains understudied.
- all achieved with the spirit of just 20,000 Palauans.
Be Brave
- as above, the Palauans have been incredibly brave in their approach with their communities, natural environment and ambition. Very sadly, this is not the norm around the world, but is, however, a lesson for us all – trust our hearts and do the right thing to help deliver today a viable future. We must turn the currency of hope into the currency of action.

I have observed these three takeaways in the great conservation and rewilding endeavours around the world. It can be done. I urge us all, in the strongest possible manner, to support the work of the people of Palau, Island Conservation and Scripps Institution of Oceanography – brilliant people, doing brilliant work, in brilliant places. My eternal gratitude to our partners and supporters on this journey, and in particular to the exceptional dedication, hospitality and warmth of our local Palauan partners at Island Conservation Palau, Ebiil Society, OneReef, Koror State DCLE (Department of Conservation and Law Enforcement), Ngarchelong State Rangers and many others. Palau, officially the Republic of Palau, is an island nation in the Micronesia region of Oceania in the western Pacific, comprising an archipelago of over 350 islands. Little known to many of us, it is one of the most remarkable ecosystems and communities on Earth. Please connect here – connect@journeyswithpurpose.org – to understand how you can contribute, and visit Palau.

GET IN TOUCH TO START YOUR JOURNEY

A tribute to the people of Palau:- in memoriam to Prince LeeBoo of Palau, 1763 to 1784.

With the consent of his father King Ibedul of Koror, Prince LeeBoo departed Palau with Captain Henry Wilson and the crew of the Antelope to London, England on 12 November 1783. Whilst in London, Prince LeeBoo became Palau’s de facto ambassador of goodwill to England, and a scholar. However, LeeBoo’s plan of returning to Palau to spread knowledge and scientific discoveries to his people ended abruptly when the young prince succumbed to smallpox in the winter of 1784. The remains of Prince LeeBoo and his plans lay buried today in the courtyard of St. Mary’s church in Rotherhithe, London, England.

Despite the dilapidation of time, the spirit of Prince LeeBoo continues to live in the hearts of the people of Palau – their immense strength of community, positive impact and fortitude. His story, and purpose in life, remains widely told amongst the people of Palau today.

DISCOVER OUR HOSTED JOURNEYS

This article was retrived from Duncan’s Field Notes.

Journeys With Purpose offers immersive conservation and ethical travel experiences. Through private and hosted trips with pioneering conservationists, guests experience rewilding and restoring biodiversity in the wildest corners of the world. Our “Seven Worlds, One Planet” approach is a global curriculum focused on recovering and conserving vibrant landscapes, biodiversity, wildlife and livelihoods across all seven continents.