Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB)
Átl'ka7tsem/Howe Sound
A short distance from Vancouver the biosphere reserve encompasses the fjord and islands of Átlka7tsemHowe Sound over a 218723 ha of which 16 are marine areas This mountainous coastal ecosystem of great altitudinal range influenced by the Pacific Ocean is home to high levels of biodiversity with some 721 native terrestrial animal species including grizzly bears wolverines and bald eagles It also sustains thousands of marine species including living glass sponge reefs which were long thought to have gone extinct 40 million years ago Átlka7tsem pronounced AtKatsum is the Swxwú7mesh Squamish word for paddling up the Sound and First Nation people have prospered in the region since time immemorial
Canada