From: Laureen Whyte [mailto:laureen.whyte@arbutusconsulting.com] Sent: Monday, March 18, 2019 6:28 PM To: Kelsey Bates <Kelsey.Bates@prrd.bc.ca> Cc: Shawn Dahlen <Shawn.Dahlen@prrd.bc.ca>; Chair Brad Sperling <brad.sperling@prrd.bc.ca>; Director Karen Goodings <karen.goodings@prrd.bc.ca> Subject: K’ih Tsaa?dze Tribal Park Hello Ms. Bates and Mr. Dahlen, I am working with Doig River First Nation on a proposal for funding to conduct work to develop K’ih Tsaa?dze Tribal Park. We sent letters to your office, and also separately to Chair Brad Sperling and Director Karen Goodings. I also spoke with each of them about the details of the proposal. Doig River is seeking to engage area communities and ideally obtain letters of support for the proposal. Chair Sperling suggests I make the request through the PRRD. I’ve attached another copy of the letter that was sent earlier in March, along with background information. Can we discuss? Thank you, Laureen

Laureen Tel: (778) 229-4791

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From: Laureen Whyte [laureen.whyte@arbutusconsulting.com] Sent: Friday, March 15, 2019 8:29 AM

To: Chair Brad Sperling; Director Karen Goodings Cc: Cec Heron (cheron@doigriverfn.com)

Subject: K’ih Tsaa?dze Tribal Park

Hello Directors Sperling and Goodings, Thank you for making the time to speak with me about Doig River First Nation’s proposal to the federal Nature Fund for conducting the cultural, scientific, government/First Nation/stakeholder engagement, and economic studies to work toward establishing K’ih Tsaa?dze Tribal Park. Chair Sperling, we haven’t found a time that works to discuss this topic in detail. You mentioned it might be best to provide a letter from PRRD rather than individual directors. Can you please advise what you need from us in order to consider providing a letter of support? Here are the points that the funder wants to see in letters from stakeholders and governments.

support the ability of Doig River First Nation to undertake the planning that remains to be done to advance the K’ih Tsaa?dze Tribal Park to establishment. This includes completing the technical work, studies; planning;, government, stakeholder and indigenous engagement; and negotiations for the proposed park.

aware of the rationale and proposal for K’ih Tsaa?dze Tribal Park.

supports and will engage in continued dialogue with Doig River First Nation on the establishment of K’ih Tsaa?dze Tribal Park.

With respect, Laureen Laureen Whyte Arbutus Consulting

Tel: (778) 229-4791 l Laureen.Whyte@arbutusconsulting.com 3025 West 7th Avenue l Vancouver, BC l V6M 2R6 www.arbutusconsulting.com

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Doig River First Nation PO Box 56 Rose Prairie, BC V0C 2H0 ph. (250) 827-3776 fx. (250) 827-3778

January 12, 2019 Dear: Shawn Dahlen, Chief Administrative Officer Re: Doig River First Nation Proposal to Complete K’ih Tsaa?dze Tribal Park - Pathway to Canada Target 1 Challenge Doig River First Nation (DRFN) is preparing a proposal for funding from the Pathway to Canada Target 1 Challenge to complete and finalize the process for establishing the K’ih Tsaa?dze Tribal Park as an Indigenous Protected and Conserved area.

We announced K’ih Tsaa?dze (“kih-tsah-tsay”) in 2011. The area is located about 40 kilometres northeast of Fort St. John, consisting of 90,000-hectares of land straddling the B.C.-Alberta border. It is a unique, world class example of highly productive, biologically diverse boreal ecosystems, including rare and endangered species. This combination of biological richness and biological diversity found in K’ih Tsaa?dze Tribal Park is unparalleled across the circumpolar boreal forest.

More information about K’ih Tsaa?dze and the Pathway to Canada Target 1 Challenge is enclosed with this letter.

We would like to discuss this project with you, answer any questions you may have, understand your views, and ideally gain your support for establishing the K’ih Tsaa?dze Tribal Park as an Indigenous Protected and Conserved area. I hope you will consider the benefits of this proposal.

A member of our consulting team, Laureen Whyte of Arbutus Consulting, will contact you by phone or email soon to inquire if you are interested and would discuss with us further.

Yours truly,

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Trevor Makadahay

Chief, Doig River First Nation

cc. Cec Heron, Interim Lands Manager, Doig River First Nation

Laureen Whyte, Arbutus Consulting

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K’IH TSAA?DZE TRIBAL PARK __________O v e r v i e w a n d P r o p o s a lMarch 2019

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1. Background

1. K’ih tsaa?dze Tribal Park: rationale and work done to-date

2. Funding Opportunity (Canada Nature Fund)

2. Next steps

3. Questions

AgendaC-4

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K’ih tsaa?dze Tribal Park C-4

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K’ih tsaa?dze Tribal Park

Treaty Land Entitlement

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• (Handout)

• Industrial activity has increased exponentially

• Abandoned wells

• Loss of wildlife and their habitat: moose, caribou, grizzly

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Habitat disturbance in Chinchaga Caribou Range: 2012–2016 C-4

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K’ih tsaa?dze Tribal Park

• K’ih tsaa?dze has deep meaning and implications for the nation; it is integral to the survival of Doig’s people.

• K’ih tsaa?dze contains cultural features such as place names, special spiritual sites, spirit sites, birth and death sites, cabins, trails and other features

• Extensive mapping, research, government discussions and community engagement have been undertaken, and will continue.

• Since K’ih tsaa?dze was declared in 2011, there has been no new development on the BC side, although existing developments are running their course.

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K’ih tsaa?dze Tribal Park

• Recent DRFN study found that availability of moose to harvest over the lifetime of our elders has dropped 75%

• The Park would extend the range of Chinchaga caribou habitat further south, forming a closer connection with the existing Chinchaga Wildland Park less than 30 km to the north.

• Grizzly bear habitat range stretches across much of the park listed as Threatened (Alberta Wildlife Act) and of Special Concern (COSEWIC).

• Several types of land protection are available. The objective is to create a balance among land uses to achieve sustainable ongoing use.

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K’ih tsaa?dze Tribal Park Options

o Tribal Parks: Ecosystem sustainability for supporting traditional activities and Treaty rights

o BC Parks Act: Class A, B or C Park, Conservancy, Recreation Area, Wildland

o Conservancies: Crown lands set aside for biodiversity, recreation, for First Nations for food, cultural and ceremonial purposes

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• 2015, Canada’s national targets on biodiversity:

Target 1: “By 2020, at least 17% of terrestrial areas and inland water, and 10% of marine and coastal areas of Canada are conserved through networks of protected areas and other effective area-based measures.”

• Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) are included

• Doig is preparing a proposal, due March 29th, for funding to establish K’ih tsaa?dze.

Canada Nature Fund C-4

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Community meeting 1

Community meeting 2

Community meeting 3

Community meeting 4

K’ih tsaa?dze Project Timeline

Engage FN & stakeholders

Submit Proposal

for Challenge Funding

Answer on Challenge

Fund Proposal

Community meeting 5

Dec. ‘18Jan. ‘19

Feb. ‘19

Mar. ‘19

Apr. ‘19

2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Challenge Funding (4 years)

Engage FN & stakeholders

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K’ih tsaa?dze Tribal Park - Components

• Land-use Planning/Traditional Knowledge/Suitability Mapping

• Management Zones

• First Nation/Community/Govt Engagement

• Governance

• Partnerships

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Moving Forward…

Scientific Work

Cultural Work

Work on the Land

Economic Development Work

Land Management and Regulatory Work

Watershed and hydrology analysis

Comprehensive traditional knowledge and use study

Developing a guardian program

Studies to better understand value of resources in the tribal park

Developing Park management and policy framework

Studies to better understand wildlife habitat, vegetation, ecosystem services

Plans for areas of importance to DRFN

Building trails and cabins

Optimizing land use consistent with modeling outcomes

Engaging First Nations, indigenous groups, stakeholders and all levels of government

Identify reclamation priorities

Implement restoration priorities (e.g. pilot projects)

Cultural and ecotourism business planning

Negotiations with government and industry

Climate change modelling

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K’ih tsaa?dze Tribal Park

Questions?

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K’ih Tsaa?dze Tribal Park and the

Pathway to Canada Target 1 Challenge

K’ih Tsaa?dze Tribal Park Background

K’ih Tsaa?dze Tribal Park (pronounced kih tsad zey) was proclaimed by Doig River First Nation in

2011. It encompasses 44,690 ha of boreal forest, as well as wetlands, deciduous forests, mixed

wood forests and coniferous forests. It is a unique, world class example of highly productive,

biologically diverse boreal ecosystems, including rare plant species such as the balsam fir. The

combination of biological richness and diversity found in K’ih Tsaa?dze Tribal Park is

unparalleled across the circumpolar boreal forest.

These ecological landscapes and sites have been, and continue to be, critical for the survival of

Doig River First Nation’s way of life and culture, and will contribute to the Canadian Nature

Fund Challenge objective of protecting 17% of terrestrial areas through networks of protected

areas and other effective area-based conservation measures.

K’ih Tsaa?dze represents a small portion of our land that is still whole – in its natural state. As

such, K’ih Tsaa?dze sustains Doig River people by providing foods, medicines, shelter, pure air,

pure water, and spiritual sustenance. Like the land, we are whole when we travel and live in K’ih

Tsaa?dze.

K’ih Tsaa?dze represents a relatively undisturbed part of our land where we can be ourselves,

and pass on our way of life and belief system – our culture – to our youth, and future

generations. Thus protection of K’ih Tsaa?dze is necessary for the survival of Doig River people.

Excerpt from: “K’ih Tsaa?dze Tribal Park, Doig River Community Vision”

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K’ih Tsaa?dze Tribal Park is located approximately 40 kilometres northeast of Fort St. John,

consisting of 95,000-hectares of land straddling the British Columbia-Alberta border and

containing old-growth spruce forest and wetlands - crucial habitat for caribou and grizzly bear.

Our objectives in establishing K’ih Tsaa?dze are to maintain Doig River traditional and

contemporary cultural uses and to restore and maintain ecological integrity and biological

diversity.

Doig River First Nation intends to work directly with the governments of British Columbia and

Alberta to reach agreement on the development and implementation of an ecosystem-based

conservation plan (EBCP) that protects and, where necessary, restores the natural ecological

and cultural integrity within K’ih Tsaa?dze. The philosophy, principles and process for the K’ih

Tsaa?dze EBCP will be developed during discussions between Doig River First Nation and the

two provincial governments, but Doig River First Nation is developing a comprehensive

engagement strategy for ensuring that interested and affected third parties are also part of the

process.

Pathway to Canada Target 1 Challenge

The Pathway to Canada Target 1 Challenge is part of Canada’s Nature Fund. It will facilitate the

collaboration of provinces and territories, Indigenous people and the private and non-profit

sectors on making significant progress towards meeting the terrestrial elements of Target 1 of

Canada’s 2020 Biodiversity Goals and Targets. Target 1 states: "By 2020, at least 17% of

terrestrial areas and inland water, and 10% of coastal and marine areas, are conserved through

networks of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures."

Proponents from across the public and private sectors, as well as provinces, territories and

indigenous organizations are encouraged to submit applications for conservation activities that

complement and contribute to Target 1.

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The Pathway to Canada Target 1 Challenge expected results are to:

promote and support enhanced collaboration on the establishment of new Protected

and Conserved Areas and the enhancement of the ecological integrity and connectivity

of Canada’s network

leverage federal investment by at least 1:1 (cash and in-kind) for all eligible recipients

except Indigenous recipients where the required match would be at least 0.2:1 (cash

and in-kind) for the establishment and administration of Protected and Conserved Areas

and the enhancement of the integrity and connectivity of Canada’s network

develop and establish Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas and other Protected

and Conserved Areas in support of Target 1 and consistent with the objective of

reconciliation

Priorities will include:

the proposed size of new Protected and Conserved Areas (i.e., contribution to coverage)

contribution to ecological integrity and connectivity

economic and cultural benefits

co-benefits to species at risk and addressing climate change

For more information, go to https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-

change/services/environmental-funding/programs/pathway-canada-target-1-challenge.html

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