Merran Smith

Merran Smith "is the Director of ForestEthics new climate program, which focuses on ‘Stopping Dirty Energy’ and ‘Climate Solutions’. This growing program is working to stop the Tar Sands and coal bed methane in BC, and supporting climate solutions.

"Prior to this, Merran was one of the key leaders in the campaign to protect Canada's Great Bear Rainforest. Her work culminated in one of North America's largest conservation agreements in February 2006. The agreement protects five million acres of rainforest from logging, and commits to new sustainable logging practices and a new economy in the region.

"Merran is at the vanguard of a new environmentalism that actively promotes economic innovation and diversification as an integral component of environmental sustainability.

"Merran played a key role in both the negotiations and in uniting a divergent coalition--First Nations, logging companies, corporations, government and environmentalists. Merran also played an integral role in developing the Conservation Investment and Incentives Initiative (CIII) which raised $120 million in public and private funds to ensure that the ecological gains in the Great Bear Rainforest are coupled with sustainable economic growth for First Nation coastal communities.

"Merran was the recipient of the Wilburforce Conservation Leadership Award (2006) and the Sierra Club of Canada Award (2001). The conservation agreement in the Great Bear Rainforest was awarded WWF International’s ‘Gift to the Earth’ Award in 2007.

"Merran has a BSc in Biology. She spent over a decade as an entrepreneur-owner of Variations on a Wave, a video production company that created award-winning documentary videos focused on social justice and environmental issues in Central America and Canada. Merran also worked with Environment Canada, Parks Canada, and the BC Ministry of the Environment.

"Merran currently sits on the boards of the Coast Opportunity Funds, Hollyhock Leadership Institute; the Driftwood Foundation; and Rights Action Canada. She has served on the boards of the Forest Stewardship Council-BC; the Silva Forest Foundation; Project Accompaniment; and the GAIA Project."