Spirit Lake and MEIDS

Well, my last morning in Haida Gwaii included an hour and a half hike around Spirit Lake. I was accompanied by Travis Glassman, the Executive Director of the Misty Island Economic Development Society (MIEDS) and Karen Church from the Haida Gwaii Trails Strategy.

It’s hard to explain the ethereal feel of Spirit Lake – the name is accurate. Spirit Lake is an easy to moderate hike full of examples of culturally modified trees – which I learned from the Haida Cultural Centre yesterday – was the traditional Haida way of harvesting wood for art, tools, weaving and even canoes without jeopardizing the life and health of these large thousand year old cedars. Karen has been studying culturally modified trees on the island for a number of years and was the perfect guide pointing out the types of tools used for the cuts in the trees, indicating what period of time the work was done. Travis, on the other hand, contributed to my learning about edible berries (of which is clearly a big fan!) and, of course, the value and significance of the modern and ancient Haida trails.

It is with some melancholy that I leave Haida Gwaii after such a short time. I grabbed a coffee in Jags cafe before I made my way over to the terminal to await the ferry to Sandspit. While in Jags, I overheard the locals discussing the preparations for the upcoming potlatch. At another table a discussion was taking place about a medicine man who could conjure spirits. I did not mean disrespect by listening to these conversations, but I was fascinated at the integration of these communities and felt there was something very special here.

Thank you to everyone who made my trip here very worthwhile.

Karin

Queen Charlotte - Thursday

It was a beautiful morning when I got up today in Queen Charlotte. My first point of business was to meet with Bernie Howlett of the Queen Charlotte Seniors Housing Society. The Real Estate Foundation provided a grant to the society in 2005 as seed funding for an assisted living complex. Today I was able to get a tour of the facility and have to say I was very impressed with what they have done.

Martin Manor Assisted Living is home for four residents requiring supportive care services. And when I say ‘a home’ I mean it really feels that way. Martin Manor provides private one bedroom apartments for each resident but with shared common areas - a dining room, living room, gardens – and 24 hour staff available for their needs.

Assisted living can sometimes feel like a medical facility – but not Martin Manor. This facility has enabled the residents to remain in the community with a fair level of independence. Otherwise, they may be in hospital or moved out of the community for care. The Real Estate Foundation is proud of its contribution to this project.

I’d like to thank Bernie for touring me around Queen Charlotte and its neighbouring Skidegate today and sharing the stories of the people and the communities. I discovered through our time together that Bernie is the epitome of an entrepreneur. Like me, he originally hails from Toronto. But when he came here 25 years ago (rough estimate!), he decided to stay. Outside of his very important role with the Housing Society he owns the local pub and the nice bistro I ate in last night for dinner. He asked what I ordered and was informed that he had also cooked my dinner (I always order some strange vegetarian combination so it was easy to spot). On top of that, he is the local house painting contractor. I have a feeling there may be one of two more businesses in addition but I was afraid to ask. In a community of 1100 people you must wear many hats.

After I left Bernie and quickly dropped by the Misty Isles Economic Development Society, the rain began to pour and the wind was blowing up. This was the case for most of the rest of my day while I explored from Skidegate to Tlell to Port Clements to Masset. Aside from a distinct lack of restaurants – which is also part of Haida Gwaii’s charm - it’s a very nice drive with many parks and beaches to stop at along the way.

I spent two hours at the Haida Heritage Centre at Kaay Llnagaay (between Queen Charlotte and Skidegate). This is an award-winning Aboriginal cultural centre located in a magnificent 53,000 square foot cedar multi-complex of five contemporary monumental timber longhouses. It contains many of the Haida cultural items which have been repatriated over the years from other parts of Canada and internationally. I found it quite interesting and packed full of history which I think all Canadian’s should be aware of. Although I wasn’t there for a performance today, here is a peak at traditional Haida dance at the centre.

I think I will head off to Bernie’s again for dinner.

Karin

Haida Gwaii

Well, today I’m in Haida Gwaii. I have wanted to come here for a number of years but for someone with limited time it is neither quick nor inexpensive to travel here. Now that I have arrived, however, I know it is a place I must make time to come back to.

The Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii) are an archipelago of between 150 and 200 islands, located off the northwest coast of British Columbia. Tucked under the coastline of islands that form the Alaska panhandle they are 75 km from the American border, approximately 120 km west of the outer islands of the northern BC coastline and 770 km by air from Vancouver, BC.

Tonight I am staying in the Village of Queen Charlotte at the south end of Graham Island – at Gracie’s - to be more specific.

There was some confusion as to whether I was in Queen Charlotte City or the Village of Queen Charlotte. But with a year round population of 1045 people, I guessed the Village moniker was correct. In fact, Queen Charlotte City officially was incorporated as the Village of Queen Charlotte in 2005.

Located along the shoreline of Bearskin Bay in Skidegate Inlet, what is today the Village of Queen Charlotte was founded when the North American Timber Holding Company began to build a sawmill here in early 1908.

This early sawmill ran from 1908 until 1912 and was put into operation again towards the latter part of the First World War to saw clear spruce for aeroplane lumber. It shut down when that market closed.

In 2010 we find that much of the traditional resource based industry is now in decline and a community such as the Village of Queen Charlotte, located in one of the most beautiful places in the world, is looking to tourism to diversify its economy.

I am here for the next two days to look at some projects the Foundation has funded and to learn more about the unique issues posed for housing and land development in a remote resource based community such as this. I'll let you know what I learn.

Ecotrust and Clayoquot Sound

On Tuesday and Wednesday I had the great fortune of touring parts of Clayoquot Sound with Satnam Manhas from Ecotrust Canada.

To begin my experience, Satnam organized a dinner at his home in Tofino for me to meet some of the folks he works with. The fresh salmon we dined on was caught the day before in the remote community of Ahousaht where he spends much of his time working with their housing committee and the Forest Communities Program.

Now, although an initial attempt to meet Satnam and Eli Enns was thwarted by no cell phone reception at the top of summit pass, I was able to learn later from Eli about some of the work the Tla-o-qui-aht Nations Tribal Parks.

Wednesday morning we hopped on a water taxi for the 45 minute trip to the remote community of Ahousaht (the source of the previous night’s salmon). Ahousaht is home to almost 900 people and the current housing stock is insufficient in both quality and quantity. This photo is of my daughter (in the pink) learning about fishing for mackerel from some local boys.

Ecotrust, as a key part of the Clayoquot Forest Communities program, has been working with a plan to solve this long standing housing crisis and create more employment opportunities in the community. Named the “Circle of Wealth” meaning ‘everything is one – all is interconnected’, the plan includes the communities using their own resources to rebuild their community infrastructure, put their own people to work, and heal through the process of building.

The community has building plans for 150 homes, has just completed an eight-unit apartment complex, is nearing completion on a school, and a visitor centre and cultural centre longhouse is underway.

After an exciting (and bouncy) trip back to Tofino, I had a chance to meet with some other local NGOs which Ecotrust works with - the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust, Raincoast Education Society, and Tofino Botanical Gardens field station.

My feet hurt and I was exhausted by the end of the day – but it was a very valuable trip for me.

O.U.R. Ecovillage

On Monday I had a tour with Brandy Gallagher of O.U.R. Ecovillage where I got to see first hand some of the great work they are doing - not just in designing and living sustainably - but in teaching others how they can do so as well.

Eco-village is a sustainable learning community and demonstration site located in the beautiful Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

Brandy took me on a tour of their gardens, workshops, buildings, and kitchen. I reflected upon how living sustainably means very different things to different people. I might think I am being sustainable by taking a bus to work. But living sustainably here means making much bigger changes. They harness solar power for energy, use well water and recycling systems, grow the food they eat, and use only natural and recycled materials to build their homes and buildings.

It sounds pretty tough, doesn’t it? But the buildings are beautiful, the gardens are green, and the food served in their Zero Mile Bistro rivals any restaurant you might find anywhere. What they teach in this demonstration community is that it is possible to make changes to how we live, with little if any personal inconvenience, for the greater benefit of our community and ourselves.


Take a look at a hay bale structure going up (http://ourecovillage.org/our-activities/education-2/2010-natural-building-workshops/small-straw-bale-100-square-feet/). This is definitely a course I will sign up for in future – I just need to figure out how to get my partner to agree to let me build this in the yard! But my job is all about selling good and responsible ideas to those who may be skeptical.