INTERESTING NEWS Canada’s Oldest First Nations Newspaper - Serving Nuu-chah-nulth-aht since 1974 Canadian Publications Mail Product Vol. 50 - No. 22—November 16, 2023 haas^i>sa Sales Agreement No. 40047776
Mowachaht/Muchalaht get $15M to protect old growth Salmon Parks project marks major step forward as it aims to reverse damage from decades of industrial logging By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor Nootka Sound, BC - A project to protect a significant portion of Mowachaht/ Muchalaht territory has been pledged $15-million from the federal government, fueling an initiative to save old growth and salmon populations in Nootka Sound over the next generation. On Oct. 30 Canada’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change sent a letter to Eric Angel, project manager for the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation’s Salmon Parks initiative. This confirmed over $15 million in funding for the project, payable up to March 31, 2026. “I seek the highest level of environmental quality in order to enhance the well-being of Canadians,” wrote Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault. “In this regard, one of my priorities is to advance conservation of biodiversity and sustainable development.” Other funding has been secured from the Ancient Forest Alliance, the Endangered Ecosystems Alliance, the Indigenous Watershed Initiative, Nature Based Solutions Foundation, Nature United and the Sitka Foundation, as well as other organizations providing expertise at no cost. The project, which is titled ‘Mowachaht/ Muchalaht Salmon Parks Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area – Old Growth Estuary Protection’, is designed to conserve critical parts of the territory by changing the tide of industrial activity in Nootka Sound. “Salmon parks, fundamentally, is about setting things right again in this wonderful part of the world so that the chiefs are in a position to look after the ha-hahoulthee,” explained Angel during a tour of the Salmon Parks in October. A major part of setting things right is halting logging in the designated areas. According to the Salmon Parks project application, at the current rate of harvest all old growth forests in Mowachaht/ Muchalaht territory will be logged in the next 15 years. As industrial forestry developed in the region, wild salmon populations in Nootka Sound have declined by 90 per cent, according to the project description, and could become extinct in the next 20 years without serious intervention. “Old growth ecosystems are salmon ecosystems. They evolved together,” said Angel. “We’re witnessing another extirpation series, small extinctions of salmon throughout the Pacific northwest,” he added. “There’s no one cause of that, but old growth forests, the destruction of
Eric Plummer photo
Mowachaht/Muchalaht member Jamie James grew up on the shore of Muchalaht Inlet, where his father taught him how to fish. The First Nation has recently been awarded federal funding for Salmon Parks to protect a large portion of its territory. them has been nothing short of cataThe old growth forest that Ottawa Salmon Parks as well as external contracstrophic for salmon populations.” tors and guardians from the Mowachaht/ recently funded for protection is part The federal funding allows the Salmon of 66,595 hectares of critical habitat in Muchalaht community to monitor and Parks project to protect 38,868 hectMowachaht/Muchalaht territory that the report on the designated areas. ares of old-growth forest, areas in It’s possible that Jamie James could play Salmon Parks project encompasses. The Mowachaht/Muchalaht territory that a leading role in this management. The First Nation hopes to have this whole contain “critical salmon ecosystems”, First Nation’s field logistics coordinaarea protected by 2030 – the same year according to the application. The majorthat the federal Liberals and have pledged tor spent his childhood on the shore of ity, or almost $12.5 million, of the federal Muchalaht Inlet in Ahaminaquus, where to have 30 per cent of Canadian waters funding is set aside for land acquisition his father taught him how to fish. and land protected. costs, such as the buyouts of tenures held On Nov. 3 the feds put serious money “It was really about living off the land, by forestry companies on the Crown behind this promise, with the announceunderstanding what it meant to provide land. Currently Western Forest Products for the family but also for the commument of the Tripartite Framework and BC Timber Sales hold these tenures, nity,” said James, who is concerned about Agreement on Nature Conservation. The which are legally recognized under procarrying on the teachings of sustainability result of negotiations between the federal vincial law. from his father, who grew up in Yuquot. government, the province and the First “We have to deal with the existing Nations Leadership Council, this brings a “Once you start losing all of this stuff, industrial and commercial interests on you can no longer depend on the land to fund that could reach over $1 billion over the landscape,” explained Angel. “That’s make a livelihood. That’s what scares me the course of the agreement, shouldered primarily forestry, and they’re going to a lot.” equally by Ottawa and the B.C. governwant to be compensated.” Although industrial-scale logging will ment. The Salmon Parks are already recogno longer be permitted in the Salmon Although the Government of Canada nized under Mowachaht/Muchalaht law, Parks, other small-scale activities can cannot declare IPCAs in a province, the but provincial designation is now necesagreement could lead to such designation continue, particularly hunting, fishing sary for the areas to be protected into the and the cultural harvesting of trees. For in a First Nation’s territory. future. “The Framework agreement supports James, these traditional practices are part “For Salmon Parks to be considered by of an interconnected way of living that a collaborative approach to landscapethe chief forester, or any other agency for he hopes the Salmon Parks will foster, a based ecosystem health and biodiversity that matter, requires some form of legisnetwork that includes animals and people conservation in B.C.,” wrote Cecelia lated protection,” said Roger Dunlop, the who rely on salmon-bearing streams. Parsons, a spokesperson for Environproject’s technical lead and Mowachaht/ “The broader part of the whole thing ment and Climate Change Canada, in an Muchalaht’s Lands and Natural Resource about the Salmon Parks, to me, is really email to Ha-Shilth-Sa. “The agreement manager. being able to protect the landscape, the will support indigenous partners estab“British Columbia made a huge mistake habitat, the resources, the environment lish Indigenous Protected and Conserved when they decided to liquidate all the the sustainability for people that depend Areas.” timber harvesting land base, which means on all those things,” he said. “It’s the This story was made possible in part by every tree in British Columbia that’s acconnection of all those things that depend an award from the Institute for Journalcessible,” continued Dunlop. “This is the on those resources.” ism and Natural Resources and the Gornation’s alternative to that mistake.” “As humans, we need to adapt to nature don and Betty Moore Foundation. The federal funding will also go toitself, rather than getting nature to adapt wards professional services necessary for to us,” said James.
Inside this issue... Family accues WCGH of negligence.............................Page 3 Indigenous group pushes to alleviate housing crisis......Page 7 Fish farm talks at Tin Wis........................................Pages 8&9 Ha’wilth passes hereditary seat....................................Page 11 Tseshaht rugby player takes home silver......................Page 15
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