The ELC recently partnered with Coastal Stewardship Network (CSN) to update a tool that Indigenous Guardians use in the field as they monitor and protect their territories. Environmental Laws: A Field Guide for BC’s North and Central Coast and Haida Gwaii is a user-friendly guide to the most common state laws and regulations that Guardians in the field may need to know. Originally produced in 2011 by the ELC, the Field Guide is probably one of our most widely used resources.
The new Field Guide reflects changes in federal and provincial laws and updates to the Great Bear Rainforest Agreements, and it focuses on the parts or sections of laws and regulations that are most relevant to the work of Guardians on the coast.
Indigenous Guardians provide a critical function in their territories, acting as the eyes and ears on their lands and waters. Patrolling their waters and lands, Guardians monitor and record data about the unique habitats and species, take part in data collection for research projects, conduct public education and outreach, and observe activities on that may need to be reported to Crown agencies.
Many Guardian teams have a copy of the Field Guide on their boats and use it during their daily patrols. The Field Guide is also used for training purposes, such as in the Stewardship Technician Training Program course on compliance and enforcement, where it is used as reference material.
The Field Guide describes environmental offences, regulations, and policies to assist Guardians in identifying, documenting, and reporting environmental infractions in their respective territories. It covers a variety of subject areas, including wildlife, hunting, commercial, sport, and recreational fishing (freshwater and saltwater), commercial recreation, shellfish harvesting, plant harvesting, marine pollution, terrestrial pollution, logging, forest practices, disturbing cultural/archaeological sites, species at risk, and conservancies. The new Field Guide has an updated layout for easier use in the field and prominently features the artwork of Haíɫzaqv artist and knowledge holder Maxwell Johnson Sr. Maxwell is known in the community for mentoring Haíɫzaqv youth and leading the painting of the Haíɫzaqv λiác̓i (Heiltsuk Bighouse) in Bella Bella. In his Artist Statement, Maxwell notes the Hemas with Eagle Headdress image represents the one who oversees things in the territory.
In writing this report, what surprised you the most?
I was taken aback by how inaccessible the wording of environmental legislation can be. These laws are meant to inform the general public’s relationship with lands, waters, and wildlife, but they are often wordy, dense, and full of double (or even triple) negatives. It was quite a challenge translating the laws into language that anyone could understand at a glance.
What would you want people to remember or to do after reading this work?
Report all Poachers and Polluters! After working on this guide, I started seeing infractions of environmental laws all over the place – loose dogs in migratory bird sanctuaries, logging setbacks that looked suspiciously small, fishing within 100 meters of a salmon ladder during spawning season. Anyone can report a suspected conservation-related infraction by calling 1-877-952-RAPP.
Learn more about Guardians on the Coastal First Guardians Great Bear Initiative website