Taan Forest: Protecting Haida Values through Sustainable Forestry

Haida Nation

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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Funding Round-Up: Summer Grants for First Nations

Estimated Reading time

3 Mins

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. Through Coast Funds, eligible First Nations in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii may have funding available for stewardship, conservation, and economic development projects. On

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Keepers of the Land

Estimated Reading time

2 Mins

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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Na̲nwak̲olas Council Celebrates Guardian Graduates

Estimated Reading time

6 Mins

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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23 Indigenous-Owned Tourism Businesses to Visit in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii

Estimated Reading time

11 Mins

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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Smells Like Success: Coastal First Nations’ Great Bear Rainforest Essential Oils

Estimated Reading time

3 Mins

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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This Place Is Who We Are: Stories of Indigenous Strength, Ingenuity, and Connection to the Coast

Estimated Reading time

4 Mins

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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Coast Funds’ 2022 Annual Report Celebrates First Nations’ Leadership in Building a Conservation Economy

Estimated Reading time

3 Mins

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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CEDR Funding Doubled to Support Remote First Nations’ Energy Transition Goals

Estimated Reading time

2 Mins

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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With Rinse Rupert Laundry, Gitga’at Development Corporation Puts a New Spin on a Community Space

Estimated Reading time

5 Mins

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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15 First Nations, Crown Governments Endorse Plan for Network of Protected Areas in the Great Bear Sea

Estimated Reading time

5 Mins

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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First Nations Have Created Over 1,250 Jobs, 120 Businesses Since 2008

Estimated Reading time

5 Mins

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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First Nations Invest in Community Energy Plans, Renewable Energy Projects

Estimated Reading time

4 Mins

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

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Year in Review: 22 Wins from First Nations in 2022

Estimated Reading time

9 Mins

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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Coast Funds Welcomes New Director, Finance: Zahra Laarif

Estimated Reading time

2 Mins

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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COP15: Government of Canada Commits Funding for Indigenous-Led Conservation in the Great Bear Sea

Estimated Reading time

3 Mins

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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Guides and Guardians: Blending Ecotourism and Stewardship Training to Build a Conservation Economy

Estimated Reading time

10 Mins

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

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Wei Wai Kum Guardians: In the Steps of Our Ancestors

Wei Wai Kum Nation

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.

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