Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site
Feature Type:Réserve de parc national - (National Park Reserve) Lands set aside for the establishment of a National Park, but clear title to which is subject to the resolution of native land claims.
Status: Official
Name Authority: BC Geographical Names Office
Relative Location: S half of Moresby Island and surrounding islands, Queen Charlotte Land District
Latitude-Longitude: 52°20'58"N, 131°26'05"W at the approximate centre of this feature.
Datum: WGS84
NTS Map: 103B/6
Related Maps:
Origin Notes and History:

South Moresby National Park (and the French form Réserve de parc national Moresby-Sud) established in 1988 by Order in Council. Form of name changed to "South Moresby/Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve" (and Reserve de parc national Moresby-Sud/Gwaii Haanas) 30 June 1989 by Parks Canada (Ottawa file 203-19). Changed to "Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve" (and Réserve de parc national Gwaii Haanas) 30 September 1994. Confirmed 30 June 1995 on Parks Canada list. Confirmed 31 March 1997 in Terminology Bulletin 236: Terminology Used by Parks Canada. Name changed to Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site (and Réserve de parc national et site du patrimoine haïda Gwaii Haanas) 14 February 2002, per notification from Parks Canada (BC file M.1.71; Ottawa file SM7915-50/P11-1)

Source: Canadian Geographical Names Database, Ottawa

Size: 1,494 square kilometres. Special features: made up of 138 islands, the park is accessible only by boat or aircraft; its diverse landscape harbours over one quarter of BC's nesting seabirds, high concentrations of peregrine falcons, and Canada's largest sea lion rookery; historic village of Ninstints on Anthony Island is a UNESCO world heritage site; over 100 inventoried archeological sites of an estimated total in excess of 450. Superlatives: harbours 39 species of plants and animals not found anywhere else on the globe. Landscape: island environment with rain forests and alpine meadows. (Information from Canadian Geographic magazine)

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

"Gwaii Haanas is part of a large and complex island ecological system; thousands of years have brought about the evolution of a distinct island flora and fauna.... This protected area is also designated as a Haida Heritage Site....." (from Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve internet site, April 2001. Link through http://www.parkscanada.pch.gc.ca/ )

Source: included with note

The words "Gwaii Haanas" were requested by the Haida, and mean, in a loose translation, "Islands of Wonder and Beauty"

Source: Canadian Geographical Names Database, Ottawa