Chris Hoffmann
HEAD OF PARTNERSHIPS, AMBASSADORS & SPECIAL PROJECTS
Moments that set your inner compass straight
Moments in life occasionally arrive that realign my inner compass. For me, that moment is an annual expedition into a wilderness area where I feel deeply at home—a place I’ve come to know inside out through my daily work at my laptop: the Misty Forest in British Columbia, Canada.
The geographic coordinates and aerial photos are firmly etched in my mind, and in our meetings, we constantly discuss the impressive statistics and global importance of this temperate rainforest ecosystem. Yet once a year, our team sets off on an expedition into this extraordinary wilderness.
This is the third time I've had the privilege to join our Canada team, and the anticipation is just as thrilling as it was the first time. Alongside our international team from Germany, Peru, and Canada, inspiring ambassadors, and dedicated partners, we organize this journey together with Tobi, our expedition leader and Managing Director of WI Canada. Weeks of intense planning go into every detail to ensure all our goals and expectations for the expedition are successfully met.
Between research, nature conservation and adventure
Our mission on the expedition to the Canadian protected area is the same every year: to collect data, monitor our conservation measures on the ground and draw up plans for new research projects. And yet we can never be one hundred per cent sure of what lies ahead. That’s where I come in.
In my role, I’m responsible not only for numerous planning tasks and scheduling arrangements ahead of the expedition, but also for collaborating with organizations and ambassadors who are committed to protecting these majestic wilderness areas. With their help, we’re able to bring the forest—in all its breathtaking facets—closer to even more people and communities. On our expeditions, it’s not uncommon to bring together people with vastly different backgrounds, mindsets, needs, or fears—all working toward the exact same goal.
Impossible? There’s no such thing.
But I love this challenge too. My motto: “Nothing is impossible!” We coordinate a wide variety of processes and sort out countless details together:
- Who is traveling with whom and when?
- What stories do we want to tell?
- Who documents what, and with what equipment?
An expedition is all about sticking together. And that’s exactly what we’ve done again this year. I love this mix of meticulous planning, boundless teamwork and the knowledge that, in the end, something will emerge that moves people.
And below, I’d like to share some of these moving impressions from our two-week expedition to Canada with you.
Back to the roots
21 June 2026, 11.00 am: Together with a group of awestruck people—some of whom are also feeling a bit seasick after a very choppy boat crossing—I set foot once more on Porcher Island, part of our Misty Forest conservation area. Far removed from civilization, it's so unspoilt here that you can almost hear the silence. And instantly, I feel it again: no digital record could ever capture the sheer power of this wilderness in all its reality. I am grateful and hope that everyone could experience this feeling at least once—from my friends and all our donors to sustainability managers and managing directors, but more on that later.
Far away from any sort of infrastructure
Arriving in an "all-weather vessel", lugging countless 25-litre water containers, duffel bags and crates into camp (we could even "market" it as a boot camp), pitching tarps to shelter from the unpredictable wind and rain, gathering firewood for nights of campfire chats—and drifting off to sleep to the sound of the Pacific Ocean on one of Canada’s wildest beaches. And then there’s the matter of food. Thanks to our expedition leader Tobi (“Only those with something decent in their stomachs can work productively and in good spirits”), our menu doesn’t consist of packet soups and tinned ravioli, but mainly of vegetables, wraps, porridge, home-cooked stews and, thanks to me, litres of fresh lemon-honey-ginger tea. The fact that our kitchen team is basically all of us makes it all the more wonderful (though, to be fair, special thanks go above all to Noel, Isi, Anna and Friederike). As you can see: teamwork makes the dream work.
Follow the call of the wild
This year, too, the experiences in the wilderness push some members of the group to their physical and mental limits. But that is precisely where the magic lies: when we overcome this extreme remoteness together, support one another, show understanding for one another and, in the end, stick it out, we learn a great deal about ourselves once again. Raw and unfiltered. Overwhelming. Beautiful. Anyone who has ever experienced just how closely nature and human wellbeing are intertwined will understand why the wilderness is so much more than just unspoiled countryside. It grounds us, brings clarity and reminds us of what really matters.
The wilderness is the best teacher. That’s why, after a certain amount of time, we take our permanent team members out into our conservation areas. Sarah is someone who loves to lend a hand and is always there for others—often quite naturally and without making a big fuss. It was all the more wonderful to see her experience the Misty Forest for the first time with her own eyes this year, together with Cody. What had previously consisted of maps, satellite images, scientific reports and numerous video calls suddenly came to life.
Anyone who has ever trudged through this rainforest comes to understand our work on a whole new level—and carries that experience with them forever. The fascination ranges from the temperate rainforest to millennia-old, metre-deep bogs and on to the tidal pools—a unique transitional zone between ocean and land.
It's these close connections that makes the Misty Forest so extraordinary: otters search for food along the rocky coasts, even the rare coastal wolves use the intertidal zone to hunt for mussels, fish and marine creatures washed ashore. Moments like these transform the way we view our work in the Partnerships Team. Numbers become landscapes. Protected areas become places teeming with life. And a professional task becomes, even more so, a personal responsibility. This is what makes these trips are so valuable to our team—because every decision, every partnership and every square metre of protected land takes on a significance that goes far beyond what can be expressed in impact reports or presentations.
The tidal pools are far more than just small bodies of water – they form a vital lifeline for numerous species throughout the coastal ecosystem.
Life is flourishing in the tidal pools on Porcher Island – quite literally!
Starfish are just one class of the many unique creatures found in the intertidal zone.
Water is an essential element for ecosystem functions in the temperate rainforest – not only in the intertidal zone, but also far inland.
Sarah, Cody and some of our partners, in particular, were a constant presence on the beach from early in the morning.
A diverse team and a range of forest wildlife
Our focus on expeditions remains on expanding our biodiversity monitoring program. Our science team has tirelessly covered many kilometres (Chris Ketola is clearly top of the rankings. If he were given sweets for every extra step, he’d probably manage 50,000 steps a day) while analyzing and repositioning numerous wildlife cameras.
Our partner cameras in the CAUDALIE nature reserve regularly capture images of majestic coastal wolves – proof of an intact wildlife population.
As well as the camera traps, we were also very lucky enough to see many of the reserve’s inhabitants in the wild, such as white-tailed deer.
Elegant grey herons
Majestic bald eagles. Although the young birds do not (yet) have their distinctive white plumage, their appearance is nonetheless impressive!
Never have we ever…
This year, we set up our first unmanned field station on Porcher Island. The fully solar-powered station is our first practical experiment in a self-sufficient monitoring system right in the heart of the nature reserve. It collects ecological data all year round without the need for a permanent human presence on site. This allows us to continuously observe changes in the ecosystem, analyze them scientifically and soon share our findings with you almost in real time.
This is made possible by state-of-the-art technology: a solar panel system supplies the system with energy. A weather station continuously measures climate data, audio recorders capture the soundscape of the forest, and a hydrophone records the underwater acoustic world— from whale songs to other underwater sounds. All data is transmitted from the wilderness via a Starlink system and analyzed using AI. This first Unmanned Field Station demonstrates how cutting-edge technology and consistent conservation can combine to collect valuable scientific data even in the most remote regions of our protected areas.
What did it take to make this happen? Passion, expertise and many hours of preparation, tinkering and on-site installation work by Tom (Land Digitalization). And, of course, funding: the station is part of a long-term monitoring project funded by the Audi Environmental Foundation.
On to even greater heights!
This year we ventured into the vertical dimension of the forest in Canada for the first time. Together with professional tree climbers Sophie and Gabriel, we're testing various methods of tree-canopy monitoring at a height of over 25 metres—in an area where a large proportion of biodiversity thrives and yet remains surprisingly under researched. Our goal is assessing which methods are feasible and appropriate under the given conditions, with a view to incorporating them into our long-term monitoring program in Canada.
Strong ties with the local community
We made further progress on two additional projects during the expedition. Part of our team met again with the Homalco First Nation to further develop our long-term partnership. Our focus was on the mutual exchange of knowledge and on how we can work even more closely together in the future to develop joint environmental education projects and conservation. This dialogue is of central importance to us, as the knowledge of the First Nations, passed down through generations, complements scientific findings in a unique way.
We also used the trip to carry out several Land Rapid Assessments. During these, our team evaluates potential conservation areas directly on site: assessing the ecological condition of the areas, documenting their conservation value and holding discussions with private landowners who may wish to sell their land to Wilderness International. These visits often mark the first step towards securing permanent protection for valuable wilderness areas.
Visualizing our work is essential
As you can imagine, we produced a wealth of environmental education content in the forest and in the bogs, so that we can continually provide our donors with new, exciting insights and facts about the wilderness and our work. That’s why our photographers, drone pilots and cameramen, Mattis Weber and Sebastian “Basti” Unger, were essential members of the team on this expedition too!
One of this year’s biggest highlights was welcoming reporter Imke de Vries from Germany's Pro7 network onto the expedition. She will soon release a multi-part feature on our conservation work (only available in Germany). What’s more, in the evenings after all the day’s adventures, we’ll be recording the newly launched podcast “Wildbaden – the expedition podcast” with our guests.
The hidden treasure of the bogs
While these landscapes appear almost minimal from the air, their true ecological wealth lies metres deep beneath the thick layer of peat, acting as a gigantic carbon store. The moors of Porcher Island—living archives of our climate history—are, for me, among the most impressive places of all. Beneath every step lie millennia of natural history and vast quantities of sequestered carbon.
Bogs store more carbon than almost any other ecosystem on Earth; they regulate the water cycle with the surrounding forests and are a quiet, but indispensable ally, for our global climate stability.
My personal highlight—apart from the forest and the bog themselves? Heading out into the field with Kai and Cody. The two of them are walking encyclopedias, and every trek we take together feels like a masterclass in the wilderness.
Kai in particular—our founder, CEO, and forestry scientist—never fails to break down the complex web of the temperate rainforest in a way that is clear, inspiring, and full of infectious passion. He has this rare gift of unraveling the story of an entire ecosystem from an inconspicuous patch of moss, a fallen tree, or a handful of soil.
I listen in complete fascination, convinced every time that this is the day it all finally sticks. That confidence usually lasts until the very next bend in the trail—where another incredible story is already waiting. An hour later, Kai is diving into the next chapter from the vast scientific library he carries in his head. I’ve accepted by now that his head start in knowledge isn’t a gap I can bridge—it’s a life’s work.
Together with Cody, we explore the peatlands and bogs of Porcher Island. Reporter Imke is also fascinated by these giant carbon sinks!
From the bog, we head into the woods with Kai – a walking encyclopedia of the wilderness.
The stories that these centuries-old giant trees can tell often go beyond our imagination.
Experience, learn, protect
These intensive learning sessions are the heart of how we make our work transparent and tangible for our partners—showing them firsthand why their support is so vital.
Joining us on this journey is Manja Hoffner from the Healthy Earth – Healthy People Foundation (Gesunde Erde – Gesunde Menschen), founded by Dr. Eckart von Hirschhausen. The foundation works to inspire leaders across politics, business, and society to protect planetary health and secure a thriving future for generations to come.
Together with Manja and long-standing partners from GERL, Bühnenkunst, MyMerch, and HomeToGo, we spend days roaming through dense undergrowth, unraveling the fascinating web of life in this unique ecosystem—and eventually even diving into the ice-cold Pacific. Claudi and Dennis are without a doubt the true adventurers of our group: our self-proclaimed cold-water special forces! Submerged among vast kelp forests, they explore a hidden underwater world that is not only breathtakingly beautiful, but also stands as one of the largest natural carbon sinks on our planet.
This forest is not some faraway place. It's part of the web that sustains us all. And once you’ve been there, you realize that protecting nature is not something abstract, but something quite personal.
Our scientific team managed to spark that sense of wonder in all of us once again—because nothing replaces experiencing this place firsthand.
When you experience the Misty Forest with all your senses—surrounded by ancient trees, or stepping across (and occasionally sinking deep into!) millennia-old bogs—you instantly feel why this wilderness is worth every effort to protect.
Out of that shared experience, curiosity, and desire to make a difference, genuine and lasting partnerships are born. And that is precisely why our ambassadors and partners can share the impact of these forests in such an authentic, passionate, and meaningful way.
Our ambassadors going all out for conservation!
Since that expedition, Cindy has also become a cherished member of the Wilderness International community. On her Instagram channel, she shares her DIY home renovation journey and practical skills, all while critically questioning traditional gender roles—both in the trades and everyday life.
Since July, she and her community have been on a mission to protect Canada’s temperate rainforest. Through every order placed in her online shop, her forest protection project—playfully named “Weil Frau Kan(n)ada Wald” (a German pun on “Because Women Can”)—automatically expands, safeguarding wild forest forever. Because women absolutely can!
Sasan Amir was also joining us for the first time, volunteering for WI to capture the wildlife of the Misty Forest – with boundless patience and a keen eye for the perfect moment. From sea otters to bald eagles—his photographs tell stories that inspire people to protect this unique landscape. But Sasan doesn’t just document the wilderness—he also helps to preserve it for the long term. Together with his huge community, he’s also helping to protect the temperate rainforest, demonstrating that inspiring images and practical conservation can go hand in hand.
Last but not least, there are two further points I’d like to make – particularly as I hope that many people from my professional network will also read this report.
Here's what I wish for:
Here is what I wish for everyone to experience: after every single expedition, I come back with the biggest smile on my face and a deep sense of hope. Intact wilderness is truly the key to preserving our shared world.
Thank you for taking the time to join me on this journey!
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