“Overview of the Canadian and US community aquatic stewardship initiatives in the Okanagan Basin”

“Overview of the Canadian and US community aquatic stewardship initiatives in the Okanagan Basin” June 22, 2003 International Okanagan Ecosystem ConferencePresenter: Michelle Boshard, Rural Resource Associates Ltd.

Outline Thoughts after 3 years of going between community and government groups throughout the valley and on both sides of border: -Perceptions & other barriers -Importance of community, and how community stewardship is going in the Okanagan • Quick list of aquatic community projects—sharing time at end • Proposed session goals • Open discussion

Thoughts on “Stewardship” and “Ecosystem” • Meaning of the words vary with who says them • For this session: • “Stewardship” refers to Volunteer, landowner, and NGO efforts—those in the general community who do it aside from a legal mandate or as a business. • “Ecosystem” refers to inter-relations of physical and biological world in this valley, but also includes human interactions

General observations • “Nature is not more complex than we think—it’s more complex than we CAN think” • We seem to have problems getting our brains around the complex interactions of nature, and don’t admit how far we are from understanding it • We also seem to have problems agreeing about “boundaries” and what should and shouldn’t be included -- definitions, programs, funding

What if we could get out of our boxes? (and into nature’s) • We have tied ourselves with borders upon borders upon borders Topical, mandates, “turf”, funding, even borders themselves! • Instead of debating over what human “borders to use”—erase them all and look to nature. This is difficult. • Physical environment and water drive any ecosystem—biology adapts to physical environment, & nothing can survive without water. • Habitat and species respond firstly to above things, then to each other—physical properties even drive human responses and behaviour. • Watersheds are the only naturally defined habitat unit that integrates across all species Point: we need to operate on a WATERSHED BASIS to truly restore ecosystem function

Our Watershed-Based Ecosystem • The Okanagan Watershed Ecosystem continues to deteriorate in health • various species & habitats indicate this • top 3 endangered ecosystems • 5th most endangered river Canada, 1st in BC. • Non-point source pollution: rapid urban growth, extensive forestry, intensive agriculture, • Highest population growth in BC-- At current rate, it is estimated that 1 million people will live here by the year 2020 • Much of the aquatic and terrestrial habitat has been altered or replaced • We are significantly impacting our own Ecosystem: water, land & air – and therefore our ECONOMY and SOCIETY

Our Watershed-Based Ecosystem • Borders and divisions still fragment us. • minimal communication between major programs • inter-government / inter-departmental non-coordination • topical divisions: “Fish people” use watershed-based approaches, “Terrestrial people” other • policies not harmonized • no common ecosystem vision • Community groups have to fight over money and validity of work • “Environment” versus “Economy” when it doesn’t have to be • Gap in government vs community perspective

Our Watershed-Based Ecosystem • Aquatic issues, in particular fisheries, have become a focal point to initiate communication between Canadian and US portions of the Okanagan (PS--they spell it Okanogan!) • Community stewardship groups—Transboundary Community Network could help facilitate and link between watershed-based community groups interested in multi-disciplinary approach • “Senior” Governments: Canadian and US Federal, Provincial / State, and First Nations governments—BOBTWG. Doesn’t include Environment Canada • Others are interested in aquatics (SOSCP, OBWB, academia, industry) but there is a severe lack of communication with community, plus inter-government / inter-departmental non-coordination What the heck does this all have to do with community stewardship??

Lynchpins in our Systemecosystem and management parallels Importance of Community: Just as salmon are a lynchpin species to the ecosystem, community is a lynchpin to management and smooth implementation of ecosystem restoration plans (if included)

Benefits of Community Engagement Well organized regional / transboundary community involvement makes government programs more cost-efficient, and environmental regulations more effective at watershed level

Community coordination has been missing at the watershed level. But how are community members and community stewardship groups supposed to operate at a watershed level and share and cooperate and coordinate everything else, when they cant even keep the lights on?? They cant by themselves. Yet.

That’s why we’ve been working towards obtaining senior government and science sector support for the role of community stewards of “Place”in aquatic resource management. • Spokane Okanagan Session—discussion paper • UCG Salmon Summit • BOBTWG—verbal encouragement Community stewards are the implementation partners on the ground that government has historically not partnered with

That’s also why we’ve been looking for ways to diversify funding for community stewardship. • Economics -- Green Economy, Hwy 97, Smart Growth, Tourism, Chamber activities • International Salmon Center • Industry and Technical partners • US partners We cant always go to government as the source

So how is community stewardship going? • On the ground: Fewer individual groups are carrying on despite the bottom falling out from provincial sources—in BC portion aquatic groups hardest hit, in WA terrestrial groups are less funded • Government: Senior aquatic-mandated government regional staff give encouragement • Projects: Regional / local government buy in on concepts for individual projects that facilitate this (eg. Fish screening/water consumption project) • Interest from academia • Interest and funding from private sources • Interest and funding from economic sector But this doesn’t solve the needs of individual community groups.

What do we still need to do to make community stewardship and groups here successful? • Community group agreement on ecosystem principles and vision for the watershed ecosystem • Need community assistance with push for inclusion • Funding for community projects but also capacity • Rather than just verbal support from government, money to let community facilitate stewardship activities and communication between community stewardship groups and governments • Find new ways to get money to groups without asking government sources • Less apathy, politics, and defensiveness on all parts

Everyone has a role to play in this ecosystem… U.S.A. Canada NOAA US FWS BR BLM EPA USDA (incl. USFS) WFWD WDOE WDOT Colville Confederated Tribes Counties: Okanagan, Douglas, Chelan, Ferry Towns: Wenatchee, E. Wenatchee, Brewster, Leavenworth, Pateros, Omak Okanagan, Tonasket, Oroville Twisp Winthrop Nespelem, Republic, Curlew Many Other Stakeholders not listed! DFO EC PC AC BC WLAP BC MSRM L&W BC BCMOH MB MOT Okanagan Nation Alliance SOSCP Regional Districts: North Okanagan, Central Okanagan, Okanagan Similkameen, Thompson Nichola, Kootenay Boundary Towns: Armstrong, Vernon, Winfield, Kelowna, Summerland, Penticton, OK Falls, Oliver, Osoyoos, Keremeos, Princeton, Rock Creek Midway, Greenwood, Grand Forks, Christina Lk Many Other Stakeholders not listed! Transboundary Community Network “Communities of Place” go between all these “Communities of Place” go between all these

One Watershed, One Vision • Watershed-Based Management (land, water, air) • Ecosystem Principles (multi-species) • Balance society, economy & environment • Cooperation and Partnerships that are inclusive of all “communities”: Government, Science, Place • Use of Adaptive Management Approach • Adoption and active stewardship of the watershed by all its inhabitants

NGO / Community Aquatics Projects / Stewardship in the last year • Canada • OSBFP Vernon Creek Cleanup • Lake Country Watershed Roundtable / Oceola Fish & Game • BCLSS Foreshore Project • Trout Creek Watershed Roundtable • SOSCP Riparian • Peachland Cleanup • Penticton Creek Roundtable / Penticton Flyfishers • BCLSS Okanagan River Cleanup • Educational events • More to be shared by attendees…

NGO / Community Aquatics Projects / Stewardship in the last year • USA • UCG Similkameen Okanogan Confluence Project • UCG Tributary restoration projects (Bonaparte, Sinlahekin, Hancock, etc) • UCG International Salmon Centre • UCG Salmon Festivals • UCG November Salmon Summit • PWI Twisp Watershed Assessment • NRCS Fish Passage Barrier Assessment • More to be shared by attendees…

NGO / Community Aquatics Projects being worked towards… • Transboundary • Water Consumption Reduction & Fish Screening • Real-time visual & data monitoring • Standardized information / access for public • Landowner contact (watershed committees and other) • Community Visioning Sessions • Festivals and Salmon Summit • Formation of Transboundary Community Network and linkage of corridor projects across border • More to be shared by attendees…

Session Goals • Information sharing to bring people up to speed on impacts of what’s happened over this last year • Share benefits of community involvement with agency representatives • Identify ways around barriers • Discuss transboundary mechanisms to draw attention and larger funding to volunteer and NGO projects and efforts • Introduce Monday session topics on funding and economic development to support community stewardship, vision / ecosystem principles section

Upcoming EventsJuly—”Leading Edge” National Stewardship Conference(Victoria BC Cda)July—Bonaparte Creek Cleanup(Tonasket WA USA) Sept/Oct—Okanogan River Salmon Festivals (Up and down the river!) Contact Information Rural Resource Associates Ltd Michelle Boshard Phone: (509) 322 3584 Email: michelle@ruralresource.com

“Overview of the Canadian and US community aquatic stewardship initiatives in the Okanagan Basin”