We all love the southeast corner of British Columbia for its unique towns, friendly locals, and laid-back lifestyle. But what sets the Kootenays apart is the incredible access to nature in its purest, raw form. Within minutes of any town, you can find yourself alone in the wilderness, taking in views of snowy peaks, swimming in a pristine lake or floating our untamed rivers. 

PURPOSEFUL TRAVELLER

As visitors to the region, we are responsible for keeping our the surrounding nature pristine and sustained for generations to come. By committing ourselves to practice sustainable tourism on our journeys through the region, we can ensure the Kootenay’s stay natural & wild. 

To help guide your sustainable Kootenays journey, keep these guides top of mind:

• Get informed:  Know what activities are permitted in the areas you plan on exploring. Understanding what areas are non-motorized only, knowing where you can cast your fly, and sharing the trail with other users helps make everyone’s day more enjoyable.
• Leave the area better than you found it: We’re blessed with some of the cleanest lakes, rivers, and trails in the world. Let’s keep it that way. Pack out what you packed in, pick up after your pets, and make sure there’s no sign of your presence once you leave.
• Respect everything local: Whether it’s the Indigenous people who care for our land (from the past, the present & the future), to the shop keepers who provide for our needs, or for the wildlife that graces us with their presence, respect for our spaces and places allows us to live in harmony with our surroundings.

SUSTAINABLE EXPERIENCES

Burton City Cidery produces crafting crisp, dry ciders for your enjoyment. Their sip & savour farmstead has a solar panel system and irrigation system in place.

Cathedral Mountain Lodge, in Yoho National Park, strives to reduce its ecological footprint as a luxury lodge while also minimizing the footprint of its guests and staff.  The management team focuses on energy, electricity and water conservation, solid waste reduction, habitat rejuvenation and recycling. They strive to preserve and respect the land  so that it can be experienced and enjoyed for generations to come.

CMH Heli & Summer Adventures has been an industry leader in sustainable practices since their first Sustainability Report in 2003. CMH is constantly looking for ways to reduce their impact on the land and wildlife in their tenures.

Emerald Lake Lodge carefully selects local, sustainably grown and harvested foods to supply their restaurants to help keep their impact low. And, their GreenKey Eco-Rating – 3 Key Rating recognizes that they are committed to improving their environmental and fiscal performance.  Best Practices for Sustainability Success in the Hospitality Industry include: develop a sustainability policy, engage employees, hire green suppliers, measure and track progress.

You don’t have to hike to enjoy a holiday with Golden Alpine Holidays. You can go exploring at your own pace – abundant wild flower meadows, high ridges, easily accessed summits straight from the lodge door, or choose to lounge by crystal clear mountain lakes all day. The lodge’s power source is solar, generator and propane lights, heat with wood and propane, obtain water from nearby stream or lake and produce water turbine electricity.

Island Lake Lodge, near Fernie, has received a ‘Gold Rating’ from Sustainable Tourism 2030. The Sustainable Tourism Assessment consists of approximately 81 questions related to various areas of sustainable tourism operations. Each question of the assessment has been assigned a specific point value based on the environmental, social and economic impacts of the particular action.

Mistaya Lodge is an eco-friendly wilderness adventure destination. Sustainability Initiatives include using energy / fuel efficient equipment and technologies, provide guest and staff education on said efficiencies, have investments in water conservation and offer education towards it, promote climate friendly transportation and have waste reduction initiatives in place.

Nipika Mountain Resort is a spectacular eco-resort and ‘Green Leader Golf Certified’ – they operate in harmony with the natural environment.

Mount Carlyle Lodge has registered with the ‘Kootenay Rockies Tourism Sustainability Lens Program’ to measure and improve their sustainability performance. Their primary power source is solar. They provide natural soaps, self-propelled nature activities, educate guests on the natural environment and promote local businesses.

Talus Lodge has reduced their impact on the environment by encouraging local travel to their lodge. They also recently transitioned to only self-propelled access in the summer months.

Since first planting, Valley of the Springs Winery has practised sustainable farming practices, no herbicides are used, work continuously to build up the soil to enhance water holding capacity, build soil using natural materials, production is low waste and products are sourced locally, they use limited machinery – harvest is done by hand.

Valhalla Mountain Touring use energy/fuel efficient equipment and technologies and offer staff & guest education for it, use a micro-hydro system to provide power to the entire operation, implement operational changes that reduce demand for transportation, energy and fuel, they produce renewable energy/fuel on-site, have waste reduction initiatives to divert waste from the landfill, operate 4 stroke snowmobiles and for the most part, walk in the mountains with their guests.