Sliammon Treaty Society
Lands and Resources
T’amst Qam P’aht nah
{Cooperative Management}
Sliammon has received funding for a treaty related measure (TRM) called Mechanisms for Dialogue on Land Use Planning & Park Management. Despite the cumbersome name – this TRM has a lot of relevance for Sliammon members, particularly natural resource harvesters concerned about protecting access to natural resources for food, cultural and commercial purposes throughout the territory.
The purpose of this TRM is to explore the relationship between Sliammon and British Columbia in planning for land and resource use on Crown land outside of treaty settlement lands and reserve lands. In the current system, the province plans for land and resource use on Crown land with consultation from Sliammon. Through this TRM we will work to design a future system, where the province and Sliammon will plan for land and resource use together and practice some form of cooperative management of natural resources.
This TRM is focused on Sliammon rights to land-based natural resources such as: wildlife (deer, elk, bear, and mountain goat) and forest plants (medicinals, mushrooms, salal, cedar, and berries). This TRM will “not” explore Sliammon rights to water-based resources like fish and shellfish as these will be planned for through a separate TRM on Fish Management.
The future role of Sliammon outside Sliammon Lands is vital to the success of Sliammon treaty negotiations given the small portion of the territory proposed for treaty settlement lands. According to the Sliammon Negotiation Team, the treaty will not succeed without a comprehensive and meaningful approach to cooperative management of natural resources.
What is Co-Management?Protecting access to traditional lands and resources is a paramount concern for First Nations people across Canada. Resolving conflicts over resources is among the greatest challenges facing government agencies with jurisdiction over lands and resources. Over the last 10-15 years, cooperative management has emerged as the dominant strategy for resolving resource conflicts and building partnerships in conservation and management between First Nations and government managers. Cooperative management is also referred to as co-management, collaborative management, joint management or joint stewardship. Cooperative management does not depend on title or ownership of the resource: what is required is mutual recognition by all parties that each other party has a legitimate role in its management (Elias, 1991). A key objective of cooperative management is to affect a superior management regime that will conserve or increase the resource base, primarily for the benefit of those who depend upon it most directly (Pinkerton, 1989). |