A selection of our latest work in resource stewardship planning.
Xwemálhkwu (Homalco) Land and Marine Use Planning (2018–2021)
Land Forest People is working with Xwemálhkwu land managers and community researchers to develop land and marine use policy for traditional territory in Johnstone Strait, Desolation Sound, and Bute Inlet. The project draws on extensive community values surveying, archival and new traditional use interviews, and participatory mapping to support on- and off-reserve planning for sustainable forest practices, ecotourism, and continued access to culturally significant resources.
Nak’azdli Whut’en Land Stewardship Planning (2018–2020)
Land Forest People is supporting Nak’azdli Whut’en land managers in developing land use policy for Nak’azdli’s keyoh – 2.5 million hectares of traditional territory in north-central British Columbia. The project has included extensive engagement with community members on past, present, and desired future land use, and integrates both traditional ecological knowledge and scientific understandings of the keyoh (such as watershed-level hydrological analysis). The project will support the Nak’azdli Natural Resources Office in asserting Nak’azdli rights and title across lands and waters and is an important step towards the protection and recovery of old growth forest, moose, caribou, marten, and grizzly bear in the keyoh.
Lower Nicola Indian Band Solid Waste Management – Phase II (2020)
Despite delivering excellent solid waste services to their members, the Lower Nicola Indian Band knew that they could improve their system to better meet community needs. Building on work done in 2019, Land Forest People collaborated with LNIB to advance the environmental and economic performance of their solid waste management program. With support from the First Nations Land Management Resource Centre we developed implementable recommendations with respect to improving residential garbage collection and disposal services, establishing a community-wide composting program in conjunction with the community garden, practical strategies to mitigate illegal dumping, and a comprehensive community education and engagement plan.
Lower Nicola Indian Band Solid Waste Management Planning (2019)
Land Forest People supported the Lower Nicola Indian Band over three months to develop a plan to improve their solid waste management systems. The plan was informed by members of the community, including advocates for recycling and composting, and is expected to help Lower Nicola achieve better environmental and financial outcomes in all aspects of solid waste management. The project has also been a catalyst for strengthened relationships and new partnership opportunities with the Thompson-Nicola Regional District and the City of Merritt.