Haida surveyors and stewardship staff, along with biologists and researchers, are racing to identify and protect critical old growth forest habitat for the last remaining stads k’un, a subspecies of Northern goshawk that’s unique to the island archipelago.
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First Nations working to manage their territories and invest in their communities may be eligible to apply for funding from Crown governments, philanthropic foundations, and corporate community investment programs. And, through Coast Funds, participating First Nations in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii may have funding available for stewardship, conservation, and economic development projects in addition
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Coast Funds is expanding its team in alignment with our goals to serve First Nations in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii. With additional staff capacity, we’re preparing for new partnerships in the Great Bear Sea, broadening our storytelling and knowledge sharing, and enhancing our support for First Nations’ fundraising efforts. In the last
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Up and down the coast, First Nations are making headlines, winning recognition for their Guardian and stewardship departments, for their investments in businesses and sustainable energy projects, and for their efforts to revitalize language and culture. In 2023, Nations in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii declared new protected areas, increased the reach of
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Coastal First Nations, Na̲nwak̲olas Council, and Coast Funds are welcoming the provincial government’s announcement of a $60 million investment in support of Indigenous-led marine conservation, stewardship, and sustainable economic development in the Northern Shelf Bioregion, also known as the Great Bear Sea. BC’s investment forms part of a broader initiative that will bring hundreds of
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Mamalilikulla First Nation is re-asserting its presence and stewardship responsibilities in the Nation’s traditional territory, which includes Compton Island, Village Island, and a portion of Gilford Island. In support of this important work, the Nation is working with partners, including Coast Funds, to increase their access to self-determined stewardship financing. On November 29, 2021, Mamalilikulla
To revitalize the village of Gwa’yas’dums, the Kwiḵwa̱sut’inux̱w Ha̱xwa’mis First Nation has made generational investments in community planning, housing, renewable energy, and infrastructure.
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On the central coast, Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation leaders and youth are reclaiming power, knowledge, and responsibilities their peoples have held for millennia. Through their stewardship authority, Guardian department, youth program, and in everyday life, generations of Kitasoo Xai’xais peoples are drawing upon traditional knowledge and laws to manage their territory and assert their sovereignty. Keepers
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Spirits were high at the Kwanwatsi Big House as family members, community leaders, and partners filled rows of seats to celebrate and recognize graduates of the 2020/2021 Na̲nwak̲olas and Vancouver Island University (VIU) Stewardship Technician Training Program (STTP). About 100 people attended the June 12 ceremony to recognize graduates’ achievements and share words of encouragement
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Indigenous-owned tourism businesses do more than just provide visitors with a transformational opportunity to experience First Nations culture. They raise the profile of Indigenous entrepreneurs, create seasonal and permanent jobs, connect youth to the land, and honour traditional ways of knowing and being. By placing their cultural heritage at the forefront, tourism businesses in the
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On the central coast of modern-day British Columbia, rainforest ecosystems have always been a source of wealth. That legacy continues today in Great Bear Rainforest Essential Oils, an Indigenous-owned business that draws on traditional stewardship knowledge and demonstrates how non-timber forest products – that are regenerative, not extractive – can create wealth and support families
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Newly released, This Place Is Who We Are: Stories of Indigenous Leadership, Resilience and Connection to Homelands journeys into the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii and invites readers to learn about this part of the world through the eyes of leaders and community members from 10 coastal First Nations. From cultural rediscovery on X̱aaydag̱a
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With new opportunities on the horizon, it’s an exciting time for coastal communities. First Nations in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii are declaring new protected areas, scaling up their Guardian programs, investing in sustainable energy infrastructure, and working with partners to secure protections and conservation financing for the Great Bear Sea. Coast Funds
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The Community Energy Diesel Reduction (CEDR) program is doubling in size, thanks to a $30 million contribution from the Province of BC. Launched last year, CEDR delivers funding and supports for remote communities, including several First Nations, to reduce their need to purchase diesel for generating electricity and transition to sustainable, self-determined energy sources. CEDR
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Gitga’at Development Corporation (GDC), the economic arm of Gitga’at First Nation, purchased a 10,000-square foot office and commercial space in 2017. Since acquiring the building, the GDC has created a community and cultural space for Gitga’at members living in the Prince Rupert area. The space doubles as a commercial hub, expanding the Nation’s economic assets and
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After more than a decade of work, First Nations and their partners shared their plan to establish a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) along the northern coast of British Columbia. On Saturday, Feb. 4, leaders from 15 First Nations joined representatives from the Governments of Canada and British Columbia to announce their endorsement of
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A report released today identifies job creation, economic diversification, and other outcomes from 15 years of First Nations’ investments in stewardship and economic development in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii. Sustaining People and Place, published by Coast Funds, describes how conservation financing has benefitted communities and supported the protection of rainforest ecosystems that
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Through the Community Energy Diesel Reduction (CEDR) program, 12 First Nations that rely on diesel for electricity – including eight communities in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii – will receive $7.1 million for community-driven projects to generate clean electricity, increase energy efficiency, and plan for future needs. Part of the Province of BC’s
Through Ha-ma-yas, Na̲nwak̲olas member First Nations are pooling resources and increasing their access to training, fundraising, procurement, and data storage, and technical expertise.
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In 2022, First Nations in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii have made headlines for their Guardian and stewardship programs, leadership in sustainable energy, and investments in culture and community-owned businesses. Looking back over the last year, there were many bright spots and important wins. Three First Nations declared Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas
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This fall, Coast Funds welcomed Zahra Laarif to the staff team. As the Director, Finance, Zahra leads on accounting and budgeting, financial reporting, and disbursement of funds, ensuring careful stewardship of funds for First Nations’ conservation, sustainable energy, and economic development projects. Zahra is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CGA) with more than 15 years
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Coast Funds welcomes the Government of Canada’s $800-million commitment, announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the COP15 conference in Montreal, to supporting four Indigenous-led conservation initiatives, including one in the Great Bear Sea. Along the Pacific coast, 17 First Nations are working through Coastal First Nations and Na̲nwak̲olas Council, with support from Coast Funds
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Guardians and Indigenous ecotourism guides have a lot in common. In both roles, trained professionals rely on their knowledge of a Nation’s territory, wildlife behaviour, and stewardship practices in order to carry out their work to guide visitors and monitor territory. Frank Brown, a Haíɫzaqv hereditary Chief and experienced leader in stewardship operations and economic
For millennia, the Wei Wai Kum, part of the Laich-Kwil-Tach group of First Nations, have watched over and cared for the lands and waters in their territory. Today, the Nation’s Guardians combine traditional knowledge with scientific tools to carry out that responsibility in a modern way, bringing their findings back to decision makers.
The Heiltsuk Tribal Council has purchased Widsten Holdings Inc., which includes the Shearwater Resort and Marina, as well as other related businesses. Through its Haíɫcístut (reconciliation) process, the Heiltsuk Tribal Council has negotiated agreements with the governments of Canada and British Columbia, which include funding for economic development.
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In recruiting for a new CEO, Coast Funds’ board of directors oversaw an extensive and thoughtful recruitment process and partnered with an executive recruitment agency that works with First Nations. Eddy joined Coast Funds in 2018 and served as Director, Finance and Chief Financial Officer before stepping into the role of Acting CEO, following the
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Community Energy Diesel Reduction (CEDR) is a key part of the Province’s CleanBC Remote Community Energy Strategy, which aims to reduce diesel consumption for generating electricity by 80 per cent by 2030. To deliver this program, the Province has partnered with the New Relationship Trust (NRT) to facilitate investments with remote communities for community energy
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Coast Funds is pleased to welcome Laanas Tamara Davidson, a member of the Haida Nation and a highly respected planning and governance professional, to its board of directors. The Council of the Haida Nation nominated Tamara for a two-year term, and her appointment was approved by Members at Coast Funds’ annual general meeting on July
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Through changes to the governance of Coast Funds, an Indigenous-led conservation finance organization, several private funders are working through Nature United to reduce their roles and transfer power to the 27 First Nations and regional alliances leading the stewardship efforts that the funds were designed to support. “These changes are leading the shift to a
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On June 22, Kitasoo / Xai’xais Nation announced the creation of a new, Indigenous-declared marine protected area (MPA) in Gitdisdzu Lugyeks Kitasu Bay, covering 33.5 acres of the Nation’s marine territory. Gitdisdzu Lugyeks, located less than 20 kilometres from Klemtu, is a spiritually significant place for Kitasoo and Xai’xais peoples, and provides rich habitat for
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Please join us in welcoming Patricia Sayer, Manager, Economic Development, to the Coast Funds team. In her new role, Patricia will work with First Nations to identify opportunities, create business plans, manage risks, and evaluate the impacts of their economic investments with Coast Funds. Patricia is a proud Cree-Métis Saulteaux woman from Treaty 4 territory
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Within the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii, there are 11 “off grid” First Nation communities that aren’t connected to British Columbia’s electrical grid. These communities generate their electricity locally and many rely on diesel fuel for all or part of their energy needs. To gain a better understanding of these First Nations’ priorities, and
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Through the many challenges 2021 brought, First Nations demonstrated incredible leadership and resilience, working together and with partners to uplift youth, launch businesses, and steward their traditional territories. In our annual report, you’ll hear from community leaders who are managing Guardian programs, investing in ecotourism businesses, and transitioning to renewable energy. In 2021, Coast Funds’
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Outside of the city of Courtenay, the K’ómoks Guardians are working with Project Watershed Society to restore a former sawmill site, turning the land back into a saltmarsh estuary. Once restoration is complete, the estuary will connect with the Hollyhock Flats and provide quality habitat for fish, birds, and native plants. K’ómoks First Nation has
The Kitasoo Xai’xais have expanded and modernized their hydroelectric facility, increasing its generating capacity from 0.6 to 1.7 megawatts. This renewable energy will support the growth of the community, providing electricity for homes and businesses.
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Coast Funds is pleased to welcome two new staff members: Melissa Sevigny, Executive Assistant, and Stephanie Butler, Communications Manager, who joined the team in recent months. With the addition of Melissa and Stephanie’s skills and capacity, Coast Funds remains well positioned to continue providing valued program and funding supports to First Nations in the Great
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After nine years with the organization, Coast Funds CEO Brodie Guy will depart on April 15 for a new role, joining Island Coastal Economic Trust as their incoming CEO. “On behalf of our board and staff team, we want to thank Brodie for his leadership and impact over the past decade with Coast Funds,” said
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Through a first-of-its-kind conservation financing model, First Nations in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii are demonstrating how a conservation economy can protect forest ecosystems while creating jobs and providing clarity for forestry operations. How did we get here? Last week, Coast Funds’ founding partners, board Chair, and CEO were invited to share learnings
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This month, Coast Funds was featured in Securing Sustainable Financing for Conservation Areas, a newly-published World Bank and World Wildlife Fund guide to project finance for permanence (PFP). The PFP model is designed to create the conditions needed for permanent, sustainable conservation of globally important ecosystems and is being increasingly considered around the world to
The Mamalilikulla Guardians are re-asserting the Nation’s presence in their territories, conducting research and restoration, monitoring industrial and recreational activity, and protecting cultural assets. With the Nation’s 10-year stewardship vision, they are mapping a path forward to do even more.
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Coast Funds is pleased to announce that Ross Dixon has joined our team as Director, Development. Ross will work in service of First Nations governments to build their endowed funds with Coast Funds to sustainably finance their stewardship authorities.
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Coast Funds is pleased to welcome two widely respected and diversely experienced new directors to our board. Angela Wesley and David Egan were appointed by Members to the board of directors on July 7, 2021.
K’ómoks First Nation have stewarded the lands and waters of their vast territory since time immemorial. Today, that ancestral responsibility is carried out in large part by the K’ómoks Guardian department.
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Just as Xaayda Gwaay.yaay Haida Gwaii is once again welcoming visitors, the Haida House at Tllaal has announced the highly anticipated opening of six ocean view cabins for late July.
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Coast Funds’ board of directors is pleased to announce Dallas Smith has been elected to the role of Chair. Smith has been actively involved with Coast Funds’ since its inception and has spent most of his career working to strengthen the well-being of coastal First Nations people.
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Coast Funds’ CFO, Eddy Adra, will be speaking at an upcoming webinar on best practices in mission aligned investing and asset management for conservation trust funds.
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Follow along with the amazing stories unfolding in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii. Sign up to receive the Talking Stick email.
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The Hith’alis Agreement, a partnership between the B.C. government, KHFN and Coast Funds, provides $721,000 to enhance stewardship and management activities in KHFN territory in the Broughton Archipelago.
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The Nisg̱a’a Village of Gitwinksihlkw is investing in and developing their tourism infrastructure to bring people into their community and keep them coming back. In late 2020, they opened the Welcome House Café and Gift Shop, operated by entrepreneur Sally Nyce.
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Coast Funds’ 2020 annual report highlights First Nations’ investments in healthy and thriving communities and ecosystems throughout the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii.
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An upcoming documentary by Nuxalk filmmaker Banchi Hanuse shines a spotlight on the sputc eulachon—a fish essential to the cultural and physical well-being of the Nuxalk—and features research by Coast Funds’ director and Nuxalk scientist Ts’xwiixw Megan Moody.
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The International Funders for Indigenous Peoples released a landscape scan report that brings together knowledge about Indigenous-led funds and the wisdom of Indigenous leaders in philanthropy.
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Coast Funds’ board of directors today announced that Huux Percy Crosby has tendered his resignation as Chair and is stepping down from the board of directors. We thank Percy for his many contributions to Coast Funds and his dedication to the coastal First Nations we serve.
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Homalco Wildlife and Cultural Tours (HWCT) announced an exciting new expansion for their business coming this spring including a new Whales, Wildlife and Culture Tour.
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The winter 2021 edition of Talking Stick features the Nawalakw Healing Society and Culture Project, the renewable energy projects of Dzawadaʼenuxw First Nation and Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation, and introduces Trevor Loke as our new Director, Partnership Development.
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Coast Funds’ CEO co-authors latest Issues in Ecology, a publication released by the Ecological Society of America. The issue explores how privately financed conservation projects can generate both financial returns and positive conservation outcomes.
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First Nations’ stewardship departments are leading efforts to ensure salmon populations are managed with the best available data.
At Hada River estuary, in the heart of Musga’makw Dzawada’enuxw territory, Chief Maxwiyalidizi (K’odi Nelson) is bringing an ambitious, hopeful vision to life. Nawalakw will offer cultural immersion and wellness programing supported through a world-class ecotourism operation.
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Na̲nwak̲olas Council recently announced its member First Nations had secured the cooperation of the forestry industry to sustainably steward wilkw/ k’wa’x̱ tłu large cultural cedar trees in their territories.
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Recognizing the Indigenous leadership central to our history and governance, along with a range of achievements by First Nations and Coast Funds since our inception, the Conservation Finance Alliance featured Coast Funds as a case study in its new global report on conservation funds.
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The member Nations of Na̲nwak̲olas Council have been enhancing their research capabilities to best manage and steward their territories, which include the diverse habitats of grizzly bears. Part of that work involves investing in and developing a research partnership with the BearID Project, a project that is developing bear facial recognition software.
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Coast Funds, along with a group of investors representing approximately $1.1 trillion in assets under management, congratulated the B.C. Government on its passage of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, an important first step in recognizing Indigenous Rights and strengthening the path to self-determination.
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Tlowitsis First Nation publishes report highlighting important archeological sites throughout their territories. The work deepens cultural understanding and ensures protection of these places from human and natural disturbances.
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A recent McKinsey & Company report examines the significant benefits of protecting our natural world. Coast Funds contributed a case study to the report which explores one of the first “large-scale, multi-party Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) initiatives”—the Great Bear Rainforest Agreements.
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Great Bear Scallops, owned-and-operated by Metlakatla Nation, recently received the 2020 Sustainability Award from BC Food and Beverage. The award was given in recognition of the company’s leadership in sustainability and contributions to helping the environment.
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Watch a new video that highlights the outcomes of five years of marine plan implementation by First Nations on the North Pacific Coast, in partnership with the Province of BC.
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Coastal First Nations and the Council of the Haida Nation are both undertaking new initiatives to protect the coastlines of their territories.
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Coastal First Nations (CFN) has announced a new Guardian Watchmen Strategic Plan that outlines the shared goals and objectives of CFN Guardian programs and presents eight Strategic Priorities to sustain and enhance their work into the future.
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Xwémalhkwu Nation has acquired a building at a remote camp near Bute Inlet, an important first step in re-establishing the Nation’s roots in its traditional territory.
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Aboriginal Peoples Television Network recently aired a feature story on APTN National News about Kitasoo/Xai’xais Nation’s Klemtu Hydropower facility – one of the two Indigenous-owned clean energy projects funded in part through the first round of funding made available under the Renewable Energy for Remote Communities Program.
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A new guide by the Reconciliation and Responsible Investment Initiative outlines how Indigenous trustees and other investors can ensure that their investments align with their community’s values and long-term vision.
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Coast Funds, Dzawada̱ʼenux̱w First Nation, Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation, and the Province of British Columbia announced over $25 million in new First Nations’ investments to transition coastal communities from dependence on fossil fuel-powered electricity to sustainable, locally powered renewable energy systems, eliminating over 175,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
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News Release: The Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis First Nation (KHFN) has purchased Pierre’s at Echo Bay Lodge & Marina, located on Gilford Island in the beautiful Broughton Archipelago and in the heart of KHFN’s traditional territory.
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A new article by CBC Unreserved highlights how growing concern about the fate of Western Red Cedars has prompted First Nations in northeastern Vancouver Island to develop new policies to help protect them for future generations.
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A new interactive educational resource that connects children across Canada to the value of the ocean and the blue economy highlights the traditional ocean harvesting practices and technologies of coastal B.C. First Nations, including the history and significance of oolichan harvesting by the Nisg̱a’a Nation throughout history.
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Haíɫhzaqv Elder and Knowledge Keeper Hilistis Pauline Waterfall shares her personal story of self-isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, and explains why living through the current health crisis is a familiar experience to many First Nations Peoples.
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The Haida Gwaii Management Council—a joint decision-making body that includes equal representation from the Haida Nation and the Province of B.C.—has determined an Allowable Annual Cut of 804,000 cubic metres for the Haida Gwaii Management Area.
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Coast Funds’ 2019 Annual Report reflects on the work that First Nations are undertaking in collaboration with Coast Funds, through new investments that further healthy and thriving communities and ecosystems throughout the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii.
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A new outreach booklet created by the Metlakatla Nation provides a comprehensive guide to First Nations on how to measure the far-reaching impacts of resource development on their territories.
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Coast Funds is striving to uphold the First Nations we serve amidst the challenges we all face with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. On behalf of Coast Funds board and staff, we are wishing you and your loved ones health, safety, and stability in this precarious time.
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La’goot Spencer Greening, an Indigenous scholar from the Gitga’at Nation, draws on his personal experiences as an Indigenous hunter and angler to highlight the value and effectiveness of Indigenous harvesting practices in developing a sustainable path forward.
When the historic Wáglísla band store was lost to a fire in 2013, community members in Bella Bella responded with quick-thinking, hard work, and a lot of love to build a new commercial complex specially tailored to the needs of Haíɫzaqv People.
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Our mission is to partner with First Nations in achieving their goals for conservation, stewardship, and economic development in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii.
The purchase and renovation of a seafood processing facility has created a major economic driver in the coastal community of Lax Kw’alaams.
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A new feature in Canadian Geographic showcases how Homalco Wildlife & Cultural Tours has expanded their successful business model by offering visitors a new way to experience Xwémalhkwu (Homalco) culture – while also providing the Nation with an opportunity to heal.
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Coast Funds announced the Renewable Energy for Remote Communities program with the Province of British Columbia today. This initiative, launching in early 2020, will see $7.9 million in new investments made with coastal First Nations towards transitioning their remote communities’ fossil fuel-dependent electrical grids to renewable energy sources.
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With the signing of Bill 41, BC will become the first province in Canada to legally implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
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It is with heavy hearts and everlasting gratitude that Coast Funds board and staff learned of the passing of our friend, Mulidzas Curtis Wilson. Mulidzas was a loving father and partner, a dedicated community leader, and an accomplished artist.
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Over 2,000 people from across the coast and as far away as Aoteroa (New Zealand) joined the Haíɫzaqv (Heiltsuk) Nation in celebrating the historic opening of the first ƛiác̓i (Big House) in the Nation’s territory in 120 years.
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The fall 2019 issue of Talking Stick features West Sea Otter Water Taxi in Rivers Inlet, Bella Guest Cabins in Haíɫzaqv territory, and the appointment of three First Nations women to Coast Funds’ board of directors.
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First Nations in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii, and across the entirety of what is now called Canada, have been stewarding their lands and waters for millennia. The pivotal work of Coastal First Nations in laying the groundwork for Indigenous Guardian programs was featured in a recent article by Sierra Magazine.
West Sea Otter Water Taxi, a community-focused small business is having a major impact for Wuikinuxv Nation by making travel affordable and getting members out on their territory.
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Coast Funds announced today the appointment of three First Nations women to its board of directors: Christina Gray, nominated by the North Coast Skeena Stewardship Society; Ts’xwiixw Megan Moody, nominated by the Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance; and Kii’iljuus Barbara Wilson, nominated by the Council of the Haida Nation.
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Coast Funds today announced new shareholder proxy voting guidelines that set a new standard with specific and directive proxy voting guidelines to ensure recognition of Indigenous Rights by the boards of publicly traded companies.
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Coastal First Nations has signed a Fisheries Resources Reconciliation Agreement with the Government of Canada. The agreement will enhance First Nations’ access to existing commercial fishing licenses and quota, and deliver an enhanced role in fisheries governance.
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Leaders of the Haíɫzaqv Nation and the Government of Canada signed a groundbreaking agreement that provides an investment of $36.96 million over three years in four Haíɫzaqv priority “House Post” areas, and additional funding for fisheries management, including increased training, enforcement authority and joint management of crab and salmon fisheries in Haíɫzaqv Territory.
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Nawalakw Healing Society holds a vision of hope for Chief Maxwiyalidizi K’odi Nelson. Chief Maxwiyalidizi’s vision is that Nawalakw will serve as a catalyst for social change and become the first place on earth where Kwak’wala is again spoken immersively.
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Over the last decade, First Nations in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii have created a new conservation economy that links a healthy environment with the prosperity and well-being of their communities, according to a report released today by Coast Funds.
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Coast Funds is working to align our investment strategies with our values, including recent work to conduct a proxy voting audit. Responsible investment has emerged as one of the many paths organizations can take to advance reconciliation.
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Na̲nwak̲olas Council member Nations have developed a strategy to protect the largest and most culturally significant cedars in their territories. The work of the Council was featured in a recent video and article by Hakai Magazine.
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A new video series from Connected Communities BC explores place-based and identity-rich stories showcasing how connectivity can and is changing the way communities operate.
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The Council of the Haida Nation (CHN) and communities on Haida Gwaii have worked collaboratively for many years to manage a community forest based on shared principles of stewardship and community benefits and aim to have the forest’s tenure allocated in the coming year.
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A business case commissioned by Coastal First Nations and Nature United showed that Guardian Watchmen programs return a 10-to-1 return on investment.
Bella Guest Cabins—a small, locally-owned accommodation business in Bella Bella—showcases the growing success of Indigenous entrepreneurs in BC, and one of the ways Haíɫzaqv Nation is diversifying the coastal economy.
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Coast Funds’ newly released 2018 annual report highlights the impacts Indigenous-led conservation finance in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii.
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New federal standards for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Canada prohibit industrial activities within the areas, including oil and gas activities, mining, dumping and bottom trawling. The new standards also ban ocean mining and ocean dumping in MPAs.
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The Haisla Fisheries Commission released its 2018/19 annual report detailing the wide range of activities its crew conducts over the course of a year. From stock assessments to food fish distribution, it’s all in a year’s work.
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The Guardian Watchmen programs that collaborate through the Ha-ma-yas Stewardship Network are working to define, identify, verify, and highlight potential protection measures for the rich, cultural and heritage resources within member-nations’ territories.
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First Nations in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii are leading the revitalization of their economies and ensuring resilience through diversification. With support from Coast Funds, First Nations have invested over $266 million into the diversification of their economies.
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From a scallop farm in Prince Rupert to an oceans forum on Haida Gwaii, First Nations are innovating unique approaches to stewardship and economic development throughout the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii.
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A new educational website immerses students in learning about the people, plants, and animals of Great Bear Rainforest from the comfort of their classrooms. The Great Bear Rainforest Education & Awareness website explores the rich human cultures, biological diversity, stewardship endeavours of the region.
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In the fall of 2017, 13 journalists from across North America descended on the Great Bear Rainforest. Their journey was part of the Great Bear Institute organized by the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources (IJNR).
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A feature-length documentary about the Great Bear Rainforest and the First Nations whose territories span the region premieres in Vancouver on February 12, 2019 and opens to the public in four Canadian cities—Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto, and Sudbury—on February 15.
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Updates from Coast Funds Welcome to the winter 2018/19 edition of Talking Stick, a magazine that showcases the stewardship, conservation science, and sustainable development initiatives led by First Nations throughout the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii. Download the print issue: Winter 2018/19 This issue features two projects that reconnect First Nations with their culture by renewing
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An Indigenous ecotourism summit organized by Tides Canada in November 2018 explored the many long-lasting benefits the sector can provide to communities.
Haida Rediscovery camps are revitalizing Haida culture and creating the next generation of leaders to care for and sustain the lands and waters of Haida Gwaii.
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As a director and board chair for Coast Funds, Merv Child has guided the organization to provide the highest possible standards of support for the First Nations in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii.
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In 2018, Coast Funds’ board of directors approved $4.8 million to support 23 First Nations-led projects. Each endeavour is making a big impact on the well-being of First Nations communities and showing the world that a sustainable economy is vitally linked to conservation efforts.
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Randy Frank is making a big impact on the territory of the K’ómoks First Nation. Frank is both a Guardian Watchman and one half of the team erecting Guardian totem poles throughout K’ómoks territory.
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Kitasoo Stewardship Authority and the Kitasoo/Xai’xais Guardian Watchmen busy patrolling their territories, and tracking oversoaked crab traps.
After a forced relocation separated the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations from their homelands, the creation of a Guardian Watchmen program is helping strengthen the Nations’ stewardship practices and cultural connections.
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Author Peter Wohlleben is teaming up with Kwiakah First Nation for a segment of a documentary based on his best-selling book, The Hidden Life of Trees.
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A new feature in Canadian Geographic showcases the work of the Nuxalk Nation’s Guardian Watchmen program and ancestral governance project.
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Na̲nwak̲olas Council has selected Wally Eamer as its nominee on Coast Funds’ board of directors. Eamer has served as a Coast Funds director since 2013 and will continue his current term, shifting into the role of Na̲nwak̲olas nominee effective December 5, 2018.
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Haisla Nation is restoring important riparian ecosystems, thus safeguarding important salmon habitat and providing employment for Haisla members.
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After being displaced from their territories, the Tlowitsis Nation has searched for a new place to call home. In spring 2018 that search ended as the Nation purchased a 635-acre property outside Campbell River.
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The Kitasoo/Xai’xais Nation is expanding its stewardship operations in the Great Bear Rainforest with the grand opening of a new stewardship office and accommodations in Klemtu.
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The Great Bear Rainforest framework could play a role in protecting the Leuser Ecosystem, the last place on Earth where rhinoceros, elephants, orang-utans and tigers all co-exist in the wild.
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Gwa’sala-’Nakwaxda’xw Nations will soon start building a Big House across from their reserve at Tsulquate, adjacent to Port Hardy on northern Vancouver Island.
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Journalist Ian Gill examines the Haíłzaqv Nation’s seasonal herring harvest that took place in spring 2018 and the Nation’s efforts to secure control and management of the fishery.
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The fall 2018 issue of Talking Stick features Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations’ economic development corporation, Nisga’a Nation’s oolichan research project and how First Nations are developing highly skilled workforces.
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The Southern Dakelh Nation Alliance, including Ultkatcho First Nation, signed a reconciliation agreement with the provincial government.
Through in-depth community consultations, the establishment of the k̓awat̕si Economic Development Corporation reinvigorated the economic heartbeat of a community.
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This year marks 25 years since the Council of the Haida Nation and the Government of Canada signed the Gwaii Haanas Agreement. The agreement was the first of its kind and was constructed without compromising Haida rights and title.
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Coast Funds’ Board of Directors is pleased to announce Percy Crosby has been elected to the role of Chair.
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In early June 2018, the Nisg̱a’a Lisims Government opened the doors of the newly-renovated Vetter Falls Lodge, inviting visitors to share the natural beauty and cultural resources of the Nass Valley.
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‘Waadlux̲an KilG̲uhlG̲a (Talking About Everything), a land-sea-people management plan, aims to protect Gwaii Haanas’ ecological and cultural values while also ensuring that livelihoods are protected.
After Ḵ’alii Aksim Lisims (Nass River) oolichan were designated a species-at-risk, the Nisg̱a’a Lisims Government undertook a multi-year research project that would protect their connection to the culturally important fish.
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The first ever Reconciliation Framework Agreement for Bioregional Oceans Management and Protection was announced today by Marilyn Slett, Chief Councillor of the Heiltsuk Nation and President of Coastal First Nations, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
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Through their Coast Funds investments, First Nations have established 17 Guardian Watchmen and regional monitoring programs in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii. These programs monitor 4.1 million hectares of land and water, combining traditional stewardship practices with modern science and regional monitoring.
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Chief Councillor Marilyn Slett of Heiltsuk Nation has been appointed co-chair of a new Wild Salmon Advisory Council. The Council, announced by the BC government on June 15, is tasked with providing insights and guidance on how best to protect wild salmon and maximize its value.
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Coastal Shellfish Corporation is a shellfish hatchery facility and farm owned by Metlakatla Nation. Shellfish farming is considered a sustainable fishing practices and thus is inline with the Nation’s commitment to the sustainable economic activities.
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Coast Tsimshian Seafood employs 100 people from Lax Kw’alaams full-time, and during peak season employment reaches 170.
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The Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance (CCIRA), is expanding on work instigated by Heiltsuk Nation to eradicate invasive species along the central coast of British Columbia.
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A recently announced $10 million investment in the Island Coastal Economic Trust (ICET) provides First Nations on Vancouver Island with an additional funding partnership opportunity.
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More than 1,200 hectares will be added to the Duu Guusd Heritage Site/Conservancy on Haida Gwaii following a unanimous recommendation by the Haida Gwaii Management Council.
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Spencer Greening, a member of the Gitga’at First Nation and PhD candidate at Simon Fraser University, is harnessing Indigenous knowledge to fight for land sovereignty.
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Coast Funds’ newly released 2017 Annual Report highlights the impacts First Nations are having on community well-being in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii.
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The spring 2018 issue of Talking Stick features Kitasoo/Xai’xais’ Spirit Bear Lodge in Klemtu, Nisga’a Nation’s innovative cultural tourism and marketing initiative, and how First Nations are growing resilient economies across the coast.
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1998 was the last time members of the Nuxalk Nation witnessed a healthy eulachon run in Bella Coola. This year, Nuxalk are seeing the biggest eulachon run in Bella Coola in 20 years.
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The Tlowitsis Nation runs a sustainable aquaculture operation that is part of the natural marine ecosystem at Twin Islands and contributes to enhanced water quality for organisms in adjacent waters.
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In October 2017, photographer Richard Sidey visited Gitga’at territory to photograph the rare, white Spirit Bear. He wrote about his experience for SevenSeas Magazine.
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Kitasoo/Xai’xais Nation youth have written and recorded a song that explores life, culture, and community in place these youth call home, Klemtu in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest.
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Last summer 17 youth from Haisla Nation spent ten days participating in a cultural revival camp. The focus of the camp was to teach participants about Haisla culture and to be respectful of Haisla resources.
A cultural tourism and marketing initiative developed by the Nisg̲a’a Lisims Government boosts tourism in the Nass Valley, raises the profile of its entrepreneurs, and reinforces the sovereignty and culture of the Nisg̲a’a Nation.
Spirit Bear Lodge, owned and operated by Kitasoo/Xai’xais Nation, has become a successful model for conservation-based ecotourism. The Lodge has helped strengthen economic, conservation, and cultural well-being in the community of Klemtu.
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The Nisg̲a’a Lisims Government has won an Open for Business Award in the First Nations category. Over the past two years, Nisga’a Lisims Government invested over $1.2 million in infrastructure for tourism and six Nisg̲a’a entrepreneurs.
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The Heiltsuk Nation is pleased with Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s announcement on that it is suspending the 2018 commercial roe herring fishery on the Central Coast. The decision will give stocks an opportunity to recover on the central coast.
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Representatives of two First Nations in the Great Bear Rainforest and a conservation financing group are in Colombia this week to share what they’ve learned about supporting environmental stewardship and sustainable economic development.
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In Spring 2017 a new Gitga’at Cetacean Research Station was built on Fin Island, Gitga’at Territory. The station allows researchers and Gitga’at Guardians to gain a deeper understanding of whale abundance in the area, and marks the first time Guardians will be able to scan for whales during daylight hours from May to September.
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In place of grizzly hunting Homalco and Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nations are building a tourism economy that honours bears, benefits the First Nations and takes their cultural heritage into account
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A $45 million investment to provide new and faster internet connections to 154 communities—including 44 First Nations—along the BC coast will be transformative for many First Nations communities.
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A new management plan is being developed for Gwaii Haanas that is as unique and interconnected as the place itself. The plan recognizes the interconnectedness of land, sea, and people the region and incorporates Haida priorities and perspectives.
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Nuxalk Nation is having a big impact on the landscape of Bella Coola and its members living there. The Nation has developed a groundbreaking housing program designed not only to build homes for its members, but to do so in an economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable way.
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The Gitga’at First Nation celebrated the grand opening of their newly acquired office building in downtown Prince Rupert on December 16, 2017. Purchase of the building allows the Nation to more easily service their community and members living in Prince Rupert.
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Spirit Bear Lodge has won the Indigenous Adventure Award at the 2017 International Aboriginal Tourism Awards. The awards recognize and honour Aboriginal tourism leaders from across Canada.
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Coast Funds’ director Wally Eamer and the role he played in the ground-breaking Great Bear Rainforests Agreements were recently the subject of an in-depth profile on the Harvard Business School Alumni website.
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Kitasoo Seafoods and Kitasoo Development Corporation director Larry Greba were recently featured in the Smithsonian Magazine. Greba spoke with journalist Lorraine Boissoneault about the mysterious and valuable sea cucumber and the role the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation plays in ensuring its population is properly managed.
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The Heiltsuk Nation released a report outlining plans to establish an Indigenous Marine Response Centre formalizing the Nation’s role in oil spill prevention and response in its territories.
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On our new Facebook space, you’ll hear inspiring stories and see the latest news from First Nations across the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii.
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Wuikinuxv Nation has developed the 350 kW Nicknaqueet River Hydropower Project, utilizing abundant hydro resources to displace diesel in the remote community of Rivers Inlet. This clean energy projects supplies over 97% of the electricity in Rivers Inlet, does not impact Wuikinuxv’s globally significant salmon runs, and saves the community over $1 million in operating costs a year.
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A wild, two-year journey through B.C.’s breathtaking Great Bear Rainforest will soon grace the largest screens in the world as a feature-length IMAX movie.
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Na̲nwak̲olas is thrilled to be acquiring the ‘platinum standard setting’ Knight Inlet Lodge – a business that, under the guidance of Dean and Kathy Wyatt, has become the leader in the eco-adventure lodge business in British Columbia, with an international reputation that is second to none.
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In 1999 Kitasoo/Xai’xais launched Spirit Bear Lodge from a little red-roofed float house anchored at Klemtu’s docks. Today a luxurious new lodge accommodates visitors from around the world, most of whom come to tour the nearby islands in hope of spotting and photographing bears.
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This October, Sevenseas Marine Conservation & Travel Magazine is featuring stories previously published by First Nations in Coast Funds’ Talking Stick as well as features on Marine Planning Partnerships in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii.
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Coastal First Nations and the Government of Canada have announced new steps towards reconciliation with a new fisheries agreement during a special ceremony on October 11, 2017.
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Featured on the business section cover in this week’s Campbell River Mirror, the Wei Wai Kum Nation is serving up a powerful example of how First Nations are investing in the expansion of reliably performing tourism businesses to create significant new sources of revenue and jobs for their people.
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The fall 2017 issue of Talking Stick features the Wei Wai Kum Nation’s new seaside cottages in Campbell River, Old Massett Village Council’s longhouse village at Tlielang (Hiellen), and how First Nations are creating family-supporting jobs across the coast.
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New solar panels at the Haida Heritage Centre at Ḵay Llnagaay move Skidegate toward energy independence.
By expanding a reliably performing tourism business—Thunderbird RV Park—Wei Wai Kum Nation is investing in economic development to reach new markets, providing significant new sources of revenue and employment for its people.
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Indigenous communities across Canada have partnered with Nature United (TNC Canada) to produce a first-of-its-kind Indigenous Guardians’ Toolkit.
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Working with the Heiltsuk Integrated Resource Management Department, scientists from Simon Fraser University’s Department of Biological Sciences, University of British Columbia’s Department of Statistics, and the Hakai Institute, the Qqs Projects Society built a traditional fish weir in the lower Koeye River—and then used it to generate a wealth of useful data about salmon health. The
Old Massett Village Council’s promising new venture, Hiellen Longhouse Village, is providing ecotourism experiences of visitors to Haida Gwaii, creating jobs and training for locals, and hosting events that contribute to the Haida Nation’s ongoing cultural revitalization.
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A new study in the peer-reviewed open-access journal Ecosphere deepens our understanding of the connections between salmon and bear populations. Using a chemical technique known as stable isotope analysis, researchers examined samples of hair left by more than 1,400 grizzly and black bears from 1995 to 2014 at the places they feed on salmon in more than 690,000 square
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On National Aboriginal Day June 21st, Old Massett Village Council is welcoming all community members to participate in a joyful event: the raising of a totem pole at Hiellen Longhouse Village. Located at the mouth of the Hiellen River in Haida territory on Graham Island, this site hosts a thriving Haida-owned business that rents longhouse-styled cabins
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The Spring 2017 edition of Talking Stick features a story on the origins and accomplishments of the Coastal Stewardship Network, and reflections from the Council of the Haida Nation on its implementation of the Kunst’aa Guu-Kunst’aayah Reconciliation Protocol.
The Coastal Stewardship Network is supporting its member First Nations as they’ve established sophisticated monitoring programs and their analyses informing vital environmental and resource management decisions.
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Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nation creativity and entrepreneurial optimism shone May 17 in Port Hardy during a ceremony to officially launch the Kwa’lilas Hotel, a game-changing economic venture for its people and a significant contribution to the tourism offerings of Vancouver Island.
By establishing Canada’s first land-based Atlantic salmon aquaculture facility with recirculating aquaculture system technology, the ‘Na̲mg̲is First Nation and its diverse partners are proving that environmentally sustainable salmon farming is possible.
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Coast Funds’ newly released 2016 Annual Report includes highlights of an analysis of community well-being outcomes of investments by First Nations in the Great Bear Rainforest.
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On Saturday, April 1st, a number of us from Coast Funds attended a ceremony held at UBC’s Main Mall to witness a truly unforgettable event: the raising of the Reconciliation Pole.
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New research from the Hakai Institute confirms the village site of the Heiltsuk First Nation was occupied by humans as early as 14,000 years ago, which makes it among the oldest of human settlements in North America.
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Indigenous guardians programs’ delivery of multiple public benefits merits recognition in the Government of Canada’s annual budget.
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An excellent new feature in Nature Conservancy Magazine explores how the Supporting Emerging Aboriginal Stewards program of the Kitasoo/Xai’xais Nation not only brings life-changing experiences to young people but also represents a strategic investment in conservation.
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Coast Funds is pleased to announce a new strategic plan focusing our efforts on three key goals in support of First Nations throughout the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii regions of coastal British Columbia.
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The State of the Gitga’at Ocean Report aims to present Gitga’at members, leaders and research partners with the outcomes of key monitoring activities that have been occurring in the territory in recent years.
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Applications are being sought for Indigenous economic growth and clean technology under a new call for proposals from Western Economic Diversification Canada.
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The Nisga’a Nation has launched a comprehensive new destination marketing program with a new website, auto tour, and international marketing campaigns.
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We’re pleased to announce that Coast Funds has moved to a new downtown Vancouver location. The original location served us well, and our new location is the start of a new chapter in Coast Funds’ history.
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The federal government plans to establish Indigenous Canadian Coast Guard auxiliary units to expand its marine emergency response in partnership with coastal First Nations.
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Westcoast Resorts, a Haida owned and operated premium fishing resort operator, announces major enhancements to fishing lodges based on Haida Gwaii and the launch of a new eco-adventure Haida cultural lodge in 2017.
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The Súa Youth Cultural Program is providing opportunities for Kitasoo/ Xai’xais youth to explore their culture while fostering values that will prepare them to be successful in school and work.
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Featuring the Kitasoo/Xai’xais, Homalco, Heiltsuk, and Haida Nations, the Globe and Mail explores how Coast Funds supports human well-being in the Great Bear Rainforest.
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First Nations are developing a conservation-based economy throughout coastal British Columbia and have announced the latest results from their ongoing environmental stewardship and sustainable development efforts today.
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The summer 2016 issue of Talking Stick features the stewardship work of the Heiltsuk Nation to protect Central Coast herring and Kwiakah Nation’s research and restoration work in Phillips Arm.
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A landmark ruling in 2004 by the Supreme Court of Canada paved the way for the Haida Nation and other aboriginal groups to gain control over resources on their ancestral lands.
In 2009, the Haida Nation and Province of BC signed a historic protocol agreement that ensures protection for cultural features and sensitive ecosystems on Haida Gwaii.
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Join Spirit Bear Research Foundation for a day of field research and data collection in Kitasoo/Xai’xais Territory. Grizzly and Black bear hair samples and remote camera videos provide the data that underpins the Foundation’s research program.
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The Province and 17 coastal First Nations have signed implementation agreements for four Marine Planning Partnership (MaPP) marine plans, collaboratively developed for the North Pacific Coast.
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“Everything you do in our culture is tied to the land and the sea. So when you’re managing salmon or grizzly bears, you can tie that back to stories in our culture and be able to connect the two in a way that government scientists can’t do.”
One of the smallest Nations in BC is working to restore and safeguard the unique marine areas in their territory.
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On the first day of summer the original Watchman, Captain Gold arrives by floatplane to witness the blessing of a new cabin at SGang Gwaay. Captain Gold has been working on a dream since he stepped into his canoe and paddled over 250 km to this small island in South Moresby many years ago.
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Scientists show for the first time that there are 15% more individual plants and animals and 11% more species inside terrestrial conservation zones.
The Heiltsuk Nation is ensuring that community voices are heard and important resources are protected through their stewardship work.
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A new documentary film is taking a close look at how the Kitasoo/Xai’xais, Heiltsuk, Nuxalk, and Wuikinuxv Nations are stewarding their marine territories.
The Gitga’at Nation is protecting ecosystems, wildlife, and cultural assets in their territory through monitoring and research.
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The first phase of Haisla Nation Council’s major land redevelopment project in downtown Kitimat, BC is under construction for completion by the end of 2016.
In BC’s remote Central Coast, the Kitasoo/Xai’xais Nation is supporting the local economy and employment with its community-owned seafood company.
Ownership of their own forestry company has ensured the Haida are able to regulate logging activity on their land and protect important areas for the benefit of their people.
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Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw is developing a new First Nations hotel to provide a level of luxury northern Vancouver Island has never had.
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Coastal Revival is a new documentary series that tells the story of how First Nations, conservationists, researchers and ecotourism are combining to protect some of the most emblematic wildlife on BC’s coast.
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In 2015, Coast Funds continued to make good progress in supporting First Nations to implement projects. In particular, 2015 saw $6,406,189 approved from the economic development fund and $5,063,632 approved from the conservation fund—the second highest combined volume of annual funding since our inception.
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A culture camp for Heiltsuk youth in Bella Bella, B.C., is part of a transformation that has essentially eliminated youth suicide and boosted graduation rates, writes Justine Hunter for the Globe and Mail.
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A new documentary traces the history of the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw First Nation, who were forcibly relocated from their territories in 1964.
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“We had a belief that you can create long-term sustainable employment in a community without cutting down a tree, taking out a fish, and that there’s people all around the world that would pay to view what we have in the Great Bear Rainforest”
Homalco First Nation is recovering their culture and returning to their traditional territory while providing world-class bear watching and cultural tours.
Strategically investing in a processing plant has enabled K’ómoks Nation to expand their existing business, create local job opportunities, and produce delicious seafood.
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In February 2016, the BC government announced a landmark agreement with First Nations to permanently protect 85% of the Great Bear Rainforest.
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My Hamat’sa name, passed down to me through our Potlatch, is Tayanaxwalis. My everyday name is Mulidzas, and my English given name is Curtis Wilson.
The Gitga’at Guardians protect the remote territory of the Nation while providing local employment opportunities.
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In July 2015 the Gitga’at Guardians aided in the rescue of a beached orca whale in their territory.
Through an inclusive land use planning process, Kitselas Nation has a produced a plan to guide the long-term vision for development of their community.