Conservancy Management Planning

Six Nanwakolas member First Nations have signed protected area collaborative management agreements with the Ministry of Environment ("MOE").  In general, these agreements create a collaborative management structure between the relevant First Nation and MOE in respect of provincially created protected areas - calling for collaborative planning, management and use of protected areas.

The Nanwakolas Council is providing planning and advocacy support to the Mamalilikulla-Qwe'Qwa'Sot'Em First Nation, Da'naxda'xw Awaetlala First Nation and the Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nations regarding their protected area management agreements - with such services primarily focusing on the newly created conservancies within these First Nations' traditional territories.  Decisions regarding the content of the plans remain with the individual First Nations, in collaboration with MOE, and not with the Nanwakolas Council. 

These three member First Nations have not ceded any authority or jurisdiction to the province of BC by signing these agreements, but, rather, they expressly assert that:

• their Aboriginal rights, including aboriginal title, exist in their respective traditional Territories, including the protected areas;
• the lands, waters and resources within their respective traditional territories belong to them and are subject to the collective rights of their respective citizens, and the sovereignty and the jurisdiction of each First Nation; and
• their traditional territories have never been ceded, sold or surrendered.

Through the collaborative management agreements the Mamalilikulla-Qwe'Qwa'Sot'Em, Da'naxda'xw Awaetlala First Nation and Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nations seek to manage and protect the natural, cultural, spiritual, recreational and heritage resources in protected areas and to maintain and make use of them in a way that:

• recognizes and affirms their Aboriginal rights;
• respects the culture, traditions and history of the First Nation;
• furthers the education and enjoyment of all people; and
• provides economic benefits to the First Nations.

The conservancies that Nanwakolas and these member First Nations are currently addressing include:

1. Qwiquallaaq/Boat Bay
2. Broughton Archipelago Extension
3. Burdwood Group
4. Hunwadi /Ahnuhati - Bald
5. Wahkash Point
6. Dzawadi/Klinaklini Estuary
7. Dzawadi/Upper Klinaklini
8. Cape Caution
9. Cape Caution - Blunden Bay
10. Calvert Island
11. Cranston Point
12. Mahpahkum-Ahkwuna/Deserters Walker
13. Nekite Estuary
14. Tsa-tatl/Smokehouse
15. Seymour Estuary

View a larger version the Conservancy map.

For further information regarding conservancy management planning please contact our Campbell River office.