CHNHAIDA NATIONWORKING GROUPPROGRAMSHAIDA LAASLEGALGOVERNMENTAGREEMENTSLINKSCONTACT
PROGRAMS
Land Use Planning
Communications
Haida Fisheries Program
Cultural Wood
Cultural Feature Identification
cultural feature identification
In December 2010 the Haida Gwaii Land Use Objectives Order (HG LUOO) was signed, initiating the one of the first legal implementation measures for Ecosystem-based Management on Haida Gwaii. The HG LUOO, developed by the Council of the Haida Nation (CHN) and the Province, set the requirements for the forest industry to maintain ecological, aquatic, biodiversity and cultural values on Haida Gwaii. One of the cultural objectives requires that all forestry cutblocks be surveyed for cultural features by a person who is certified by the Council of the Haida Nation.
The Cultural Feature Identification (CFI) Program was started in 2010 by the CHN in order to establish standards for survey methods, feature identification, data collection and reporting as well as auditing to help ensure that Haida cultural features are identified and managed in forestry development areas in accordance with the HG LUOO.
Cultural features include those features that are most threatened by forestry development. These include Heritage features such as seasonal camps, trails or middens, Monumental cedar, Culturally Modified Trees, Yew trees, Crabapple and many Haida traditional plant foods and medicine.
TRAINING AND MENTORSHIP
Cultural Feature Identification certification is awarded by the Council of the Haida Nation based on competency, as proven through testing.
Training courses that cover the identification of cultural plants, monumental cedar, heritage features, culturally modified trees and survey standards and methodology will be offered through the Council of the Haida Nation on a demand basis (approximately 10-12 participants required) and funding availability. Individuals can challenge the certification exams.
The first training program was held in November 2010 and consisted of 4 course modules.
Each module ranged between 2 to 6 days in length and was taught by 2 instructors who were experts in their field. The training was partially classroom based in Skidegate and Masset as well as offering a substantial field component.
A mentorship program was held this summer (2011) in partnership with Taan Forest Products to give four Haida forestry workers and four Haida youth hands on experience to help towards achieving CHN certification. Each group had 10 days of field experience on two Taan blocks (SHAN001, SHAN002). Three of the Haida youth continued to work with the CHN and Taan through the month on August on a variety of forestry related jobs and one youth continues to work full time for a local engineering company for Taan Forest Products.
Another 6 day training program covering Culturally Modified Trees and Archaeological features will be offered in the fall of 2011 for up to 12 participants. Contact the CHN’s Natural Resource Department at 250-626-5252 for more information.
STANDARDS
The CHN’s cultural feature identification standards manual (2011)
RESOURCES OR CERTIFIED SURVEYORS
LIST OF CERTIFIED SURVEYORS
Guy Edgars
David Zimmerman
Jaalen Edenshaw
Jim Sullivan
Karen Church
Kylie Harrison
Phil Bruce
Ryan Biller
Rob Stewart
Sean Brennan
Stan Swanson
Cal Lowther
Nick Reynolds
Chris Gruenwald
NEWSLETTER
A newsletter to keep certified surveyors up to date with current program news can be downloaded here:
• May 2011