Project Details

Based on an Interview with Trent Moraes

About

Skidegate Band Council is fostering climate adaptation and resilience in numerous ways. One of the most prominent initiatives is a network of coastal First Nations working to enhance coastal climate adaptation and resilience. Ocean levels are rising and some communities are at risk of flooding and/or erosion from storm surge. “It seems redundant for us all to be spending $90,000 on the same coastal vulnerability studies,” Trent Moraes explains. “It just made more sense for us to start networking more and working together while sharing our information.” The network is called  the Indigenous Coastal Climate Coalition (ICCC) and we also work on initiatives with the Coastal First Nations, Great Bear Initiative. At a local level, Skidegate has attempted to manage erosion with riprap, but every year the ocean pulls a little more out. “We have to start looking at more inventive ways to mitigate the erosion.”

In addition to rising sea levels, not long ago “Skidegate entered its first drought ever in history,” says Trent. Coastal regions are experiencing unusually hot and dry summers, severely impacting local water sources, including Slarkdus lake, which was recorded in the lowest level in our history recently. “Half of it was climate-related; dry and hot for a long period, but half was also our management,” Trent explains. The community has since upgraded household infrastructure to include low flow toilets and shower faucets as well as rain barrels for water retention. They have also organized community presentations on water usage and conservation. Further, staff were trained to monitor water usage and look for leaks throughout the community. We promoted water conservation and worked with the community to improve our knowledge of our water source and conservation measures.

Several other climate resilience projects are underway, such as home energy efficiency projects and programs through heat pump installations and solar panel feasibility studies, sustainable logging practices and old growth protection, eco-energy workshops in schools and solar power installation training with community members.

Some challenges are the complex and interconnected impacts of climate change on the community. For example, kelp beds reduce the force of waves as they reach the shore, serving as a coastal defense. They also serve as a hotspot for biodiversity and protection for several species and are where herring lay their eggs, a traditional food for the Haida people. However, due to the rise in ocean acidification and sea temperature the kelp forests are decreasing, putting the shorelines at risk and also impacting the community’s food security. There is concern about the potential loss of history and undiscovered ancestral remains due to this erosion, as well as loss of a community food staple and severe impacts on herring spawning locations.

Positive Impacts and Outcomes

Community members are benefiting significantly from these projects: Energy affordability, guaranteed access and sources to water during heat waves and droughts, economic opportunities through jobs, beautiful old growth forests, protected coastal buildings and infrastructure and, ultimately, community self-sufficiency and independence. 

Challenges

Challenges to climate adaptation initiatives include lack of funding and opportunity to research or monitor events that arise. There were also capacity challenges for staffing, impacting the ability for the work to be carried out.

Funding

The long-term planning requests expressed by the membership through the Skidegate Comprehensive Community Plan have been instrumental in acquiring government funding. There has also been success through funding applications for Skidegate-owned companies or organizations as it opens doors to different available funding streams. 

Community Climate Resilience

Every year Skidegate is experiencing natural disasters as a result of climate change. In addition to the aforementioned projects, the people of Skidegate continue to actively seek locally-led strategies to enhance community sustainability, resiliency, and independence in the face of new challenges resulting from climate change. 

“This is where Indigenous people are so important; We are so closely connected to the Land and Sea, we are like an indicator species. We feel the changes first and respond first for protection and ensuring sustainability” - Trent Moraes

Next Steps

Skidegate’s long term goal is to become the greenest community in all of Canada. “That's actually something that's been a long term goal for at least six years now,” explains Trent.

The community has plans to rewrite their comprehensive community plan (seeing as they have successfully implemented almost all of the community’s goals) as well as an updated community energy plan. 

Recommendations for other Indigenous communities hoping to do similar work

Trent stresses the importance of connecting with other Nations, especially those who are willing to offer mentorship. “And it comes back, right? We're openly sharing and creating stronger bonds with nations—we've done a lot of those studies in open arms with other communities and now we're closely partnered with people like the health sector.” 

Skidegate exemplifies that success comes from openly sharing knowledge and creating stronger bonds with other Nations and organizations. “We all travel the same path, sharing information ensures all Indigenous people reach a quality of life and security met by most Canadians.”