Early discussions have started about a quarter-millennium-long plan to protect siw涩kw (water) in the Okanagan-Similkameen region香蕉视频直播檚 watersheds.
The early steps to creating a 250-year, multigenerational roadmap comes months after syilx Okanagan leaders and local government officials formally pledged to increase their water protection advocacy.
香蕉视频直播淭he biggest thing will be communicating to our constituents that it香蕉视频直播檚 about the fish, it香蕉视频直播檚 about this place, it香蕉视频直播檚 about us, it香蕉视频直播檚 about our future,香蕉视频直播� said Tim Lezard, a councillor with the Penticton Indian Band.
香蕉视频直播淲ith the 250-year plan, those will be the goals 香蕉视频直播� Some people don香蕉视频直播檛 have that worldview.香蕉视频直播�
More than 20 members of the Okanagan Similkameen Collaborative Leadership Table gathered for a meeting in the District of Lake Country on April 24.
The meeting brought together elected leaders from the syilx Okanagan Nation, municipal governments, and regional districts.
Protecting watersheds, protecting everyone香蕉视频直播檚 future
It was the group香蕉视频直播檚 fifth formal meeting since 2023, and their first since , which solidified their commitment to protecting the regional watersheds.
While the meeting aimed its sights seven generations into the future, leaders with leadership table also discussed immediate actions they could take as a collective to address ongoing water issues across their jurisdictions.
They hope a collaborative approach will lead to policies and legal structures towards the group香蕉视频直播檚 long-term vision: to restore and conserve both regional waterways and the ecosystems that depend on them.
y虛ilmix史m (Chief) simo Robert Louie, of Westbank First Nation, described the ambitious 250-year vision as 香蕉视频直播渞eal香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播渟ignificant.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淗istory is being made every time we meet,香蕉视频直播� he said during the April 24 meeting. 香蕉视频直播淓very time we meet, we香蕉视频直播檙e discussing the context of collaboration.
香蕉视频直播淗ow do we protect our watersheds? How do we protect our future? The only way we can do that is to work together.香蕉视频直播�
Various concerns about threats to siw涩kw in the region were raised during the meeting.
Okanagan Indian Band Chief Dan Wilson spoke about drinking water wells on reserve at Okanagan Lake香蕉视频直播檚 north end 香蕉视频直播� Inkumupulux (head of the lake) 香蕉视频直播� that were 香蕉视频直播減erfectly fine for generations香蕉视频直播� but are failing due to arsenic contamination.
The source of the highly toxic heavy metal in the contaminated wells remains unknown.
Arsenic, which can cause cancer in people and wildlife, can be naturally occurring in groundwater, but normally in trace amounts 香蕉视频直播� however, it can be deadly when released from industrial activities.
It香蕉视频直播檚 a concern that emerged after the 2021 White Rock Lake wildfire, which impacted the community.
香蕉视频直播淲e find that really concerning,香蕉视频直播� Wilson said. 香蕉视频直播淏ecause if it香蕉视频直播檚 getting into the groundwater, it香蕉视频直播檚 certainly getting into the lake as well.香蕉视频直播�
(According to the , 香蕉视频直播淐ontaminated water used for drinking, food preparation and irrigation of food crops poses the greatest threat to public health from arsenic.香蕉视频直播�)
Meanwhile, multiple officials raised concerns about algae blooms threatening drinking water and the region香蕉视频直播檚 waterways 香蕉视频直播� from Kalamalka to Okanagan lakes.
Blooms of blue-green algae, known as cyanobacteria, can produce harmful toxins that disrupt aquatic ecosystems and pose a risk to water quality 香蕉视频直播� impacting the health of humans, wildlife and aquatic beings, according to .
increased development and ingredients in products such as fertilizers can contribute to excessive algae growth.
香蕉视频直播淲ood Lake is really suffering, which flows into Kal Lake, and Kal Lake goes into Okanagan Lake,香蕉视频直播� said Blair Ireland, the mayor of the District of Lake Country.
He said in ki蕯l谩wna蕯 (Kelowna), 香蕉视频直播渢hey香蕉视频直播檙e already having algae problems there, when they thought that wasn香蕉视频直播檛 going to happen.香蕉视频直播�
Hopes for improved farming practices
Other concerns officials raised in the meeting included harmful agricultural practices such as over-irrigation and the use of toxic chemicals.
The degradation of both waterways and fish habitats, as well as the loss of lake foreshore and stream ecosystems due to development, were also identified as regional issues.
Fifty-nine per cent of natural shoreline along Okanagan Lake has been lost,.
Continued disturbances to the lake香蕉视频直播檚 natural shoreline 香蕉视频直播� caused by an increase in density and land use around the lake 香蕉视频直播� could result in the direct loss of fish habitats, wildlife, ecosystem functions, and even risks to clean drinking water, the report concludes.
And since natural shorelines help filter runoff into the ground, losing more of them could increase both peak water flow and the likelihood of flooding.
香蕉视频直播淎ll you have to do is look along this foreshore in the Okanagan Valley 香蕉视频直播� Kal Lake, Wood Lake, or anywhere,香蕉视频直播� Ireland said. 香蕉视频直播淲e are not doing a very good job of protecting our environment.香蕉视频直播�
Citing the example of Okanagan Lake 香蕉视频直播� the area香蕉视频直播檚 largest reservoir 香蕉视频直播� Ireland added that every day, 香蕉视频直播渟omeone is interfering with that in a way that香蕉视频直播檚 not good for that lake.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淚f we really truly want to do something about it,香蕉视频直播� he added, 香蕉视频直播渨e gotta protect the foreshores.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播楳ultiple generations of messaging香蕉视频直播� needed for plan to work
All members of the leadership table agreed there must be a public education campaign on the purpose of the group.
Such a campaign, they agreed, needs to include awareness-raising messages explaining why protecting and conserving water is more important than ever, given the threats.
And it香蕉视频直播檚 even more urgent because of more frequent droughts linked to climate change.
Officials agreed there must be ongoing educational discussions, relationship building, and policy changes within the agricultural sector to promote environmentally-friendly farming practices including water conservation.
香蕉视频直播淎ll of the pesticides they put into the ground go into the water,香蕉视频直播� Lezard said. 香蕉视频直播淲e have to talk about those things.香蕉视频直播�
Meeting participants also stressed the need for a specific focus on Youth in the leadership table香蕉视频直播檚 public messaging 香蕉视频直播� so there can be opportunities for them to be involved in their educational and advocacy efforts.
香蕉视频直播淚 think we need to start the educating of our children, and let them know we香蕉视频直播檙e doing this for them,香蕉视频直播� Lazard said, 香蕉视频直播渇or their children, their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.香蕉视频直播�
Amanda Shatzko, director of the Regional District of North Okanagan, called for 香蕉视频直播渕ultiple generations of messaging.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淎s much as we香蕉视频直播檙e educating ourselves and educating the other adults, we香蕉视频直播檙e trying to protect this area for future generations,香蕉视频直播� Shatzko said.
香蕉视频直播淚f you want people to buy in, you often need to get children involved 香蕉视频直播� you need them to understand, because they香蕉视频直播檙e really good influences to their parents and families.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播楾raditional knowledge can help all of our ways of being香蕉视频直播�
During the meeting, members split off into smaller groups based on their regions 香蕉视频直播� North Okanagan, Central Okanagan and South Okanagan-Similkameen 香蕉视频直播� to brainstorm different collaborative strategies each would work on.
In addition to more public education about the importance of clean water, other action items from the meeting included: collecting water samples and developing a water quality database; inviting graduate students to participate in water data research; restoring creeks and fish habitats; and educating based on syilx knowledge and values around water.
, said it香蕉视频直播檚 crucial the leadership table develop relationships and build trust with syilx Knowledge Keepers.
That way, they can come to a place where Knowledge Keepers are more comfortable educating others and helping to 香蕉视频直播渄ispel the reluctance, help dispel the denialism香蕉视频直播� among the public.
香蕉视频直播淯nderstanding that traditional knowledge can help all of our ways of being,香蕉视频直播� Coble said. 香蕉视频直播淚t isn香蕉视频直播檛 just for us as Okanagan people 香蕉视频直播� it香蕉视频直播檚 for everybody to be able to live, breathe, work and play in the same area.香蕉视频直播�
He made his comments after another participant shared an anecdote about a farmer in the Similkameen whose peach trees washed away when a creek flooded in 2018.
The farmer had removed black cottonwood trees and shrubs along the creek 香蕉视频直播� which in the natural ecosystem maintain the integrity of the creek banks and absorb potential flood waters 香蕉视频直播� and instead planted peach trees in the cottonwoods香蕉视频直播� place.
Coble said that, according to syilx traditional knowledge, the cottonwood 香蕉视频直播渋n and of itself can help bring water香蕉视频直播� to dry landscapes 香蕉视频直播� and help retain that water, too.
He cautioned others planting orchards to reconsider removing trees along riverbanks.
香蕉视频直播淚t might be in your best interest 香蕉视频直播� because water香蕉视频直播檚 gonna cost a lot of money these days 香蕉视频直播� to actually keep those trees,香蕉视频直播� he said, 香蕉视频直播渢o help maintain that water preservation that you need for food growth.香蕉视频直播�
Working together to balance economy with ecology
Participants suggested the group use the syilx Nation香蕉视频直播檚 Four Food Chiefs as a guiding model in their approach to internal consensus-building and decision-making 香蕉视频直播� a model Westbank First Nation already uses across their governance structures, Louie said.
He said Chief sk蓹mixst (Black Bear) represents governance; Chief ntyxtix (Spring Salmon) represents the economy; Chief sp始i茮虝蓹m (Bitter Root) represents the land; and Chief siya蕯 (Saskatoon Berry) represents the community.
香蕉视频直播淵ou have to be mindful of the land 香蕉视频直播� which includes the waters,香蕉视频直播� Louie explained. 香蕉视频直播淲e have to be mindful of the economic aspects of it.香蕉视频直播�
And while it香蕉视频直播檚 important to have governance processes clearly designated to achieve results, he said, all members of the broader community must also be front of mind.
香蕉视频直播漌e香蕉视频直播檝e got to be mindful of the community 香蕉视频直播� all of the constituents, the people who live in this valley and who we represent.香蕉视频直播�
One of the challenges, he said, will be striking a balance between the four values, particularly between protecting water and maintaining the economy.
香蕉视频直播淲e need education, we need acceptance of the need for protecting the water and conservation,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淏ut you have to balance it with the right to survive and make money in some cases with agriculture.
香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 the mindset that we香蕉视频直播檝e gotta be respectful of and mindful of 香蕉视频直播� sometimes, it may simply take education and understanding, and then you香蕉视频直播檝e got acceptance. Then you work together to find solutions.香蕉视频直播�
A duty and responsibility to plan ahead
Meeting attendees agreed to gather three times a year, with the next meeting scheduled for November in the Similkameen Valley.
Deborah Curran, of the University of Victoria香蕉视频直播檚 Environmental Law Centre, shared with participants several examples of long-term planning and collaboration between Indigenous nations and municipalities in 香蕉视频直播淏.C.香蕉视频直播�
She encouraged local governments to 香蕉视频直播渢hink about their existing operations, planning and approvals processes in the context of syilx authority.香蕉视频直播�
West Kelowna Mayor Gord Milsom attended the meeting as an observer, as the city香蕉视频直播檚 council has yet to fully commit to the leadership table. He said his council 香蕉视频直播渘eeds more time to understand香蕉视频直播� the group香蕉视频直播檚 terms of reference 香蕉视频直播渁nd get educated.香蕉视频直播�
As was the case with the MOA signing, there was no representation from the City of Kelowna at the leadership table香蕉视频直播檚 latest meeting, despite the municipality being the largest in the Okanagan-Similkameen.
Louie said the leadership table has more work to do in providing support and information to municipalities like Kelowna to encourage them to join.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e not giving up one or the other香蕉视频直播檚 jurisdiction,香蕉视频直播� he emphasized. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e not treading on issues of the other.
香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 not the purpose of why we香蕉视频直播檙e here; we香蕉视频直播檙e here because we have to be here. It香蕉视频直播檚 our duty 香蕉视频直播� it香蕉视频直播檚 our responsibility to be here.香蕉视频直播�
Chief Greg Gabriel, of Penticton Indian Band, reminded the leadership table that the group 香蕉视频直播渃arries a lot of influence,香蕉视频直播� and that 香蕉视频直播渢hey can make a change.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淭hat message needs to go out to the ones that are not here,香蕉视频直播� said Gabriel.
syilx Nation member q史蓹q史im虛cxn Tessa Terbasket 香蕉视频直播� one of main leads on the leadership table香蕉视频直播檚 co-ordination team and watershed responsibility planning process 香蕉视频直播� said from now until November, they will focus on community-engagement, relationship-building, educating, and getting more Youth involved.
Along with co-lead Scott Boswell, of Okanagan Collaborative Conservation program, Terbasket said they香蕉视频直播檒l be preparing an outline for the 250-year watershed responsibility plan to be shared with the rest of the leadership table in November.
She said she has 香蕉视频直播渟o much hope香蕉视频直播� for the leadership table as it moves forward, too.
香蕉视频直播淲ater really moves 香蕉视频直播� it香蕉视频直播檚 interconnected. It香蕉视频直播檚 ancient,香蕉视频直播� said Terbasket, head of the Okanagan Nation Alliance香蕉视频直播檚 Water Strategy. 香蕉视频直播淚t connects us through the generations, it香蕉视频直播檚 always moving forward."
