Sustainable Practices
Protecting Nature Through Purposeful Action
Rooted in Respect, Powered by Wild
We believe that caring for this wild place means doing both the big and small things with intention. Since the beginning, sustainability has always been at the heart of every decision made by the Murray family. Our biggest and longest running project was completed in the early 1980s. A small dam was built at the top of a waterfall with a Pelton wheel powering a hydroelectric plant. It continues to provide clean, renewable energy to the lodge for about 85% of the year. This is part of founders Craig and Deborah Murray’s legacy, and the newest generation of Murrays continues to innovate to this day.
Built Consciously
Nimmo Bay aims to have as little impact on the surrounding environment as possible. The resort itself is more than ½ floating, meaning there is significantly less need to remove trees or clear space for the buildings. The rest of the resort is primarily built on raised stilts, connected via cedar boardwalks. Nimmo bay is light on the land and works with the forest-scape, to draw you into its beauty.
Our building materials are sourced as locally as possible and whenever permitted, we opt to use sustainable, recycled, and biodegradable building materials like cedar.
Energy Efficiency
As mentioned above, the Pelton wheel powers our hydroelectric plant and provides clean power throughout most of the year. This drastically reduces our carbon footprint. When we do need to swap away from hydroelectric, we use diesel generators. For the future, we are evaluating solar solutions to reduce diesel use during low-water summer months.
Single Use Free
We’ve eliminated single-use plastics across the property, from straws to water bottles. Every guest receives a beautiful, reusable water bottle to take home and the water that flows from the taps at Nimmo Bay is filtered and UV treated. It tastes so good that it’s one the things that our team misses most during their time off!
All products in cabins—like shampoo and lotion—are in refillable containers, minimizing waste and packaging. We go as far as sourcing sustainable bathroom tissue from Fox Fold, reducing the amount of wasted bathroom paper at the resort. The bath and beauty products are sourced from a BC company, Sangre de Fruta, which is locally made, women owned and consciously produced.
Clean Water
Water is one of the most precious resources in the rainforest. All the water that we use throughout the resort, gets cycled back into the environment. We use an advanced waste treatment system to ensure wastewater is filtered and treated thoroughly before re-entering the ecosystem. The system we use is a Hydroxyl system, originally designed for ships and marine applications. It removes organic pollutants and improves biodegradability.
Beyond that, to ensure the continued safety of people, wildlife, and the waterways, we exclusively use eco-friendly cleaning products.
Purchasing with Purpose
Great care goes into the selection of amenities that are offered at the Nimmo Bay. All team uniforms are sourced from Anian, a Victoria-based clothing company that has the highest standards for sustainability. The entire collection is made in Canada using primarily recycled natural fibres and backed with a lifetime guarantee.
Our online and brick and mortar gift shop at Nimmo Bay is a platform to support Indigenous owned, women owned and Canadian small businesses. Everything we source is selected with intention and purchased to uplift underrepresented communities. The products align with our conservation and sustainability values – if they don’t, we don’t stock them.
Local Organic Produce
Sourcing locally and cooking with the seasons is a priority in our restaurant, Little River. Our kitchen is stocked with the freshest produce and protein from small-scale farms and fisheries on Vancouver Island, supporting local growers economically, diversity in crops, soil health, and reducing transport emissions.
Our menus are also created to make more sustainable choices in ingredients. Dishes are thoughtfully crafted to include less red meat and more sustainable alternatives. We also offer plenty of vegetarian options for both guests and our hardworking team, reducing our reliance on high carbon impact animal proteins.
Recycle and Upcycle
It can be common practice for remote lodges and communities to burn their waste. However, that creates air, land, and water pollution. Nimmo Bay is committed to thoroughly sorting our recycling, garbage, and organic compost.
We also try and upcycle whenever possible. In an industry that typically has a 7-year lifecycle on all furnishing, Nimmo Bay favours custom made and antique furniture. The owner, Fraser Murray is passionate about searching for heirloom pieces that will give the resort a unique and comforting feel. For anything we can’t source that way, we also work closely with local makers, artisans and artists to create and supply. The resort is filled with one of a kind or limited run items that reflect the place and our values.
Ready for an adventure?
Book your trip today with the help of our expert concierge team. They can answer any questions and help you customize your Nimmo package to reflect your ultimate vision for a wild getaway you won’t soon forget.