PROGRAM HISTORY

There are two phases to this program. The first was the Hadia Forest Watch Program which began in 1995. It included a forest watch field program, watershed restoration, traditional use study, and a CMT inventory program. The Forest Guardians Program was set up in March 2000 to provide technical support for the CHN. In its first year,
the Forest Guardians focused on developing a strategic plan for the program and established an organizational structure to implement the goals, objectives and tasks specified within the plan.

In 2001, our work was focused primarily on strategic land use planning and
policy development, reviewing, commenting, and monitoring forestry plans
and developments, forestry litigation, and developing initiatives to protect
and restore Haida values in the forest.

In 1002 the Council of the Haida Nation winning in the BC Supreme Court against the province of British Columbia and Weyerhaeuser. Known locally as the TFL Case and outside of Haida Gwaii as the "Haida" case, this has resulted in negotiations which are currently ongoing between the CHN and Weyerhaeuser.

The CHN FGs are assisting with the development of the Haida Land Use Vision, conducting monumental cedar and wildlife surveys in proposed cutblocks, developing a long term strategic plan for introduced species, monitoring restoration projects which were initiated the previous year, continuing to track activities and respond to referrals of forest companies, and providing and facilitating information to the Coast Annual Report. This Report is assessing coastal forest practices following the signing of the
April 4th, 2001 agreement between First Nations, the BC government, environmental non-governmental organizations, and industry declaring a commitment to ecosystem-based logging practices.