Sustaining the land

One of the most exciting successes in British Columbia over the last decade has been the new vision many First Nations are developing for their lands.

First Nations from across British Columbia are developing their own land use plans to protect their land, water, and air- and all the critters that rely on them –into the future. Many of these land use plans are setting a new standard for sustainability.

The Haida, St'at'imc, Squamish, Wet'suwet'en, Xaxlip, Coastal Nations of Turning Point plans model a different way to live on the land.

For example:

Government Photo

• In 2007 the Haida signed a historic land-use deal that increased protected areas to 50% of Haida Gwaii. The deal also included reductions in logging levels, protection for critical habitat for saw-whet owl and great blue heron with  100% timber retention areas, protection for cedar, new ecosystem-based planning objectives and a commitment to an economic timber opportunity of at least 800,000 cubic metres per year

• 

  In 2004 the St'at'imc released a land-use plan that focuses on what needs to remain on the land to restore a healthy ecosystem after decades on unsustainable extraction. The Statimc land use plan has many innovative provisions including (1) the designation of all of St’át’imc Territory as a Cultural Protection Area, (where St’át’imc written authorization is required before land or resources are allocated, extracted or used); and (2) An extensive, interconnected set of protection areas that include, among other things: all mule deer wintering/fawning areas and migration routes; grizzly bear core habitat; all remaining old growth forests, and (3) protection for streams that dramatically exceeds BC provincial requirements.