Band fights for forest protection

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Chilcotin Chief Roger Williams of the Xeni Gwet'in First Nation was in Victoria on Feb. 8 to raise awareness and funds for his band in its fight to stop clearcut logging of their land.

An environmental group called Friends of the Nemaiah Valley helped to organize a public speaking event for the chief, with Ray Travers, an eco-forester who prepared a sustainable forestry model for the Xeni Gwet'in, and Jack Woodward, noted Aboriginal rights lawyer representing the Xeni Gwet'in, presenting as well.

On a cold, high-elevation plateau, the Taseko and Chilcotin rivers meet, forming the pristine Brittany Triangle. It has never been logged because the rivers have prevented access. Various logging companies are pursuing the timber in the Nemaiah Valley and the Ministry of Forests is intent on building bridges into the area, which was designated an Aboriginal Wilderness Preserve by the Xeni Gwet'in.

This area in the southern Chilcotin, north of Vancouver by 200 kilometres, is set to see the biggest clear cuts in British Columbia, the speakers report.

Chief Roger William's territory is west of Williams Lake in the remote wilderness of the Coastal Mountains. There are no hydro lines or telephone lines into the Nemaiah Valley and telephone service has just been established using a microwave system. Wood stoves are used for heating, and propane refrigerators are used for cooling. Some of the families have little generators and, with satellite systems, they can watch television. A large diesel generator supplies power to the band office, and with the new phone system they will soon be hooking up to the Internet.

Members of the Xeni Gwet'in band of the Chilcotin number about 400, with 75 per cent living within the community.

The Xeni Gwet'in have launched a court case against the ministry of Forests. It is the first and only case before the courts in British Columbia that is specifically seeking Aboriginal title and uses the Delgamuukw decision for leverage, the chief reports.

Both the provincial and federal governments are applying for adjournment of this case. The court that will be considering adjournment will be held in March and logging the Brittany Triangle is scheduled for later this year.

"The best way to protect the environment is to support the first peoples' right to their land," said Jack Woodward, a leading authority in Native law in British Columbia.

"The government has not changed policy since Delgamuukw and the pace of logging accelerated and more mining permits have been issued," said Woodward. "It doesn't work to stand by, be nice, negotiate and talk. To get anywhere in B.C. you have to stand up and fight."

The timber in Brittany Triangle is mostly lodge pole pine with beetle infestations. The trees are only about 80 to 100 years old and there is a lot of dead windfall due to the pine beetles. In the past, the Xeni Gwet'in would use fire as a means of resource management so they could maximize such benefits as food gathering and habitat enhancement.

"Our members used to burn to manage the resources to have medicine, pick berries, to have wildlife to sustain ourselves," said Chief Williams. "If we didn't do that, then we would lose it, but if we burn now, there would be a criminal offence."

Since the government has made it illegal to start forest fires, Brittany Triangle has become overgrown.

"We aren't saying no to logging, but it's going to be the way we want it," said Williams.

"The solution is not far away," said Ray Travers. "We hear of sustainable development all of the time and we think of future generations so as to leave a legacy for the next generations to have the same opportunities. Sustainable development is about the carrying capacity of the land and we need to talk about that when it comes to forestry policy discussions."

Travers said the Nemaiah Valley cannot sustain current clear-cut logging patterns. Travers urges the government to grant a moratoriumo logging the area.

In the past 10 years,the Xeni Gwet'in have held five votes to determine if logging was something they wanted, and each time they have said no.

"Communities around us are making money, but it is a sacrifice we make to preserve our land," said Williams. As an alternative to logging, the community has a company that owns equipment and they do a lot of road maintenance contracts.

On a second battle front is a planned mine for the area. A proposal to set up an open pit mine at Fish Lake to extract coal and copper for 25 to 30 years is currently going through an environmental assessment process. According to the proposal, Fish Lake will be drained. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans does not agree with the proposal and neither do the Xeni Gwet'in.

"Tsiko Mines Company has too much red tape to deal with through the NDP. They are waiting for the Liberals to be elected to government, but right now, it's in our favor," Williams said.

"Our concern is that the mine will drain into the river and it's in our trap line."

The Xeni Gwet'in has two trap lines and they are protected from logging. However, the market for fur has gone down and the Xeni Gwet'in now only trap for subsistence food and fur.

"You can be environmentalists and support trapping because the trappers are the ones who are going to save the forests in northern Canada," said Woodward. "Support them and help save the boreal forest, which are the lungs of the world."

The goal of the Xeni Gwet'in is to control and keep the culture and language at home.

"We want to get into sustainable economic development. But if Brittany Triangle and our trap lines are lost, our goal will also be lost," said Williams.

For more information about the court case, visit http://www.fonv.ca or email info@fonv.ca.