Lands
Fulmore Watershed Treaty Related Measures (TRM) Report – 2020-2021
This report provides a detailed update on work completed in 2020-2021 on the Tlowitsis’ Fulmore Watershed. Port Neville and the Fulmore Watershed are core lands for treaty settlement. These areas are of cultural importance as well as being ecologically diverse and productive. The area in the Fulmore watershed and near it includes two reserves: Hanatsa and Har-khom (Port Neville). Historic records have indicated that both were set aside as fishing stations in 1886. For these reasons and many more, the Tlowitsis have identified Port Neville and Fulmore watershed as a logical place to begin the work of becoming active partners in the management of our traditional lands and waters as we move toward treaty settlement.
Our work to date on this TRM project is to become informed of the condition of the ecosystem including the health of the terrestrial, freshwater and marine aquatic environments and the associated populations of fish and other fisheries resources and grizzly bears; to utilize outcomes in the Fulmore Watershed to contribute to strategic planning and encourage and build local community capacity to maintain and restore fish populations and habitats; to advance the technical expertise and knowledge of our current Guardians in lands and resource management; and, to recruit other Tlowitsis people interested in skills development, education and work out in the territory. This work will continue in the year ahead.
With the momentum we’ve created on this project, the Tlowitsis are finally in a position – with Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) – to do proper fish stock assessments in the Fulmore, and make a plan to rebuild fisheries for Tlowitsis.
Interested in learning more about this project? Read the full report TRM 2020-2021 Final Report – Final or contact us at the Tlowitsis Nation Office.
Tlowitsis Lands Treaty Related Measures (TRM) Report – 2020-2021
The 2020-2021 Lands TRM allowed the Tlowitsis Nation to collect lands data; further develop, assess, and refine Treaty Settlement Land (TSL) Scenarios to support negotiations; and develop tools for extensive consultation with Tlowitsis Leadership, Tlowitsis Community Advisory Group, and the wider Tlowitsis membership, in order to continue to build community support for and decision-making capacity for Treaty negotiations.
The project focused in 2020/21 on the finalization of a Functional Land Use Plan which was used to determine how potential TSL lands would ‘function’, in terms of high-level land use. This work on this project is occurring in seven main (and overlapping) phases, ranging from community consultation, todevelopment of an Indigenous and Protected and Conserved Area concept, to development of a pilot “Tlowitsis Living Map” as a tool for Tlowitsis citizens and the general public to learn more about Tlowitsis traditional territories, place names and history. This summary report 2020-2021 Tlowtsis Lands TRM End of Year Report provides an overview of sample outputs of the key stages of the TRM.
Tlowitsis Lands Tour – June 2019
The Tlowitsis Citizens Advisory Group (TCAG) joined Chief John Smith and Councillor Thomas Smith for an emotional journey to Tlowitsis traditional territory in June. Most citizens on the trip were visiting Tlowitsis territory for the first time in their lives. The full-day voyage took TCAG members up Johnstone Strait, past Port Neville, and from Tlowitsis Island to Turnour Island, where we stopped to visit Kalagwees, the site of our nation’s former winter village. Over eight hours on the water, TCAG members had a chance to see current Tlowitsis reserves, along with some of the vast lands currently under consideration as part of the Tlowitsis’ treaty negotiations with BC and Canada. The group was also thrilled to see a pod of orcas during their journey up Johnstone Strait, and a humpback whale on the return home.
Please take a moment to watch the video below, documenting our journey. For photos from the trip, visit our Photo Gallery
Virtual Lands Tour – 2018
A key aspect of treaty negotiations is the identification of Treaty Settlement Lands. In 2018, Tlowitsis identified its core lands for negotiation at the treaty table. We have produced this ‘virtual tour’ of Tlowitsis territory focusing in on the ‘core’ lands identified for treaty settlement.
The on-going Lands negotiation process involves moving from [a] identifying a wider Statement of Intent area (i.e., traditional territory), to [b] identifying key Areas of Interest (more specific areas to potentially become TSL), to [c] identifying focused “Core” lands within the AOIs (lands considered “must haves”).
In early 2018, Tlowitsis identified its Core lands for discussion at the Treaty table. In order to aid discussions and provide members with a virtual connection to these lands, high-quality videos were captured using drones and 4k video technology. The video below is a “Virtual Lands Tour”, showing views of the Tlowitsis Areas of Interest, with a focus on the “Core” lands which are currently being negotiated.
We hope you enjoy it.