Following the lead of the , Tseshaht First Nation re-opened the Broken Group Islands (BGI) with a refreshed stewardship initiative called the B次元官网网址楤each Keepers ProgramB次元官网网址�.
Tseshaht First Nation Elected Chief Councillor Ken Watts (Wahmeesh) says they have three Beach Keepers, plus one youth, that help with patrolling, monitoring, surveying and education.
B次元官网网址淥ur Beach Keepers are out there. They are the faces of the Broken Group Islands,B次元官网网址� said Watts.
The BGI, a small group of islands in the middle of Barkley Sound, is the birthplace of and territory of Tseshaht First Nation. BGI is also part of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Made up of more than 100 islands, the archipelago is a kayakerB次元官网网址檚 dream.
To help sustain the Beach Keepers Program, Tseshaht is encouraging operators to implement a $10 per day per guest B次元官网网址淏each Keeper feeB次元官网网址�.
B次元官网网址淲e canB次元官网网址檛 just rely on parks to run the program all year-round. We need to generate other revenue and other opportunities to help pay for the program,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e always wanted to do it as a Nation we just needed to take the initiative.B次元官网网址�
Kayak guiding companies like Hello Nature Adventure Tours, Wild Root Journeys, and Majestic Ocean Kayaking had no issues stepping up.
B次元官网网址淭hey see the value of the work our Beach Keepers do. These companies are a part of reconciliation,B次元官网网址� Watts said.
B次元官网网址淭here are still several other operators that take kayakers out that arenB次元官网网址檛 charging it. I just think it has no harm on business, itB次元官网网址檚 a small amount, and it will help out the program. Every bit makes a difference right now.B次元官网网址�
Majestic Ocean is one of the busier kayak operators out of Ucluelet. Owner Tracy Eeftink believes what Tseshaht is doing is smart.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 their territory. They need to be recognized and included,B次元官网网址� said Eeftink, going on to note that Majestic simply tacks the Beach Keeper Fee onto the invoice, similar to the Parks Canada permit.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just passing the cost on to the guests. ItB次元官网网址檚 not a cost to me. Nobody has said anything. ItB次元官网网址檚 just accepted and no one has complained or anything, so IB次元官网网址檓 quite happy to do it,B次元官网网址� she said.
Over the 28 years of offering kayak tours to the BGI, Eeftink says her staff have taken training with the Tseshaht, but itB次元官网网址檚 not really their place to share that cultural history.
B次元官网网址淭hey donB次元官网网址檛 really want us to be telling the stories. ItB次元官网网址檚 their stories to tell. They come to the beach and say hello to the campers, and they are there to tell their stories. I think thatB次元官网网址檚 really a special way to do it,B次元官网网址� said Eeftink.
Gus Hank has been a Beach Keeper for almost a decade. He says heB次元官网网址檚 shared the creation story more times than he can remember. ItB次元官网网址檚 also written on a plaque in three languages (English, French and Nuu-chah-nulth) on Benson or Tseshaht Island within the BGI.
B次元官网网址淏roken Group Islands is a very beautiful place and we want to welcome people to that part of our territory,B次元官网网址� said Hank.
Tseshaht First Nation is a coastal community of about 1,200 citizens. In 2018, there were 9,115 overnight users to the BGI and in 2019, there were 8,932, according to Parks Canada. The area was closed in 2020 to overnight night camping due to COVID-19.
B次元官网网址淧arks Canada greatly values the relationship with Tseshaht First Nation. Parks Canada supports initiatives by First Nations, including the Tseshaht, to establish fees or protocols related to services they provide within their territories. Visitors are encouraged to contact the Tseshaht First Nation to learn more about their laws, protocols, programs and fees,B次元官网网址� said Parks Canada communications officer Emma Badgery.
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