Protecting lands, water and the natural world. That’s the overarching mission of the Gitanyow stewardship guardians and, for the past five years, the guardians have been monitoring fish, wildlife, hunting activities and environmental impacts in Gitanyow traditional territory. They recently began a new pilot project with the support of the B.C. government and five First Nations organizations: Lake Babine Nation, Gitxsan Hereditary Chiefs, Gitanyow First Nation, Office of the Wet’suwet’en and Wet’suwet’en First Nation.

Through the new project, the guardians are monitoring low flow issues in the Nass River system and how this has affected salmon spawning habitat. They are also monitoring Goshawk populations through field assessment and mapping the nesting areas of this endangered bird species, which it is believed is being harmed by climate change. Another part of the project involves monitoring hunting activity and moose populations in the territory, which have seen a 65% decline in moose numbers according to an earlier provincially-led study.

“We have a right and responsibility to hold, protect, and pass on the Gitanyow territory in a sustainable manner from generation to generation,” says Tara Marsden, Gitanyow wilp sustainability director. “The guardians are extra ‘eyes and ears’ that help us monitor the health of the natural world in our territory including any industrial impacts.”

There is a four-person guardian team for the pilot project whose members have been trained in the monitoring of construction projects as well as wildlife and fisheries, and archeological assessment. At times, they work in partnership with the Province, federal agencies and their First Nations neighbours, the Gitxsan and Wet’suwet’en.

B.C. government support of $150,000 for the stewardship guardians pilot project is being provided through the B.C. government’s Liquified Natural Gas Environmental Stewardship Initiative (LNG ESI), a $30 million fund that was created to address First Nations environmental priorities and provide a new collaborative approach to resource stewardship. A second phase for the project has also been proposed for 2017-18.

The LNG ESI is a new form of collaboration between the Province, First Nations and the LNG sector that is designed to result in high-quality, accessible and trusted environmental information. LNG ESI is one way the Province and First Nations can use to incorporate Aboriginal values into resource management decisions.

LNG ESI is one of several key provincial commitments to provide LNG-related benefits to First Nations. In addition to LNG ESI, the Province has committed up to $30 million in funding to skills training development for First Nations, and is negotiating Pipeline Benefits Agreements to share financial benefits from natural gas pipeline development.