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When the solar panels went up at T’Sou-ke First Nation last summer – generating hot water for homes and electricity for BC’s power grid – it was also an announcement of a new direction in the journey for the most western of Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council nations.
Three years ago, T’Sou-ke leaders saw that the community had to take important steps – to become transformed – so that it could adapt to climate change and other 21st Century challenges like oil depletion and economic insecurity.
The transformation began with the comprehensive community planning (CCP) process in 2007. Short and long-term goals were identified. Priorities were set and specific projects (like solar power) were started.
Today, as the first anniversary for the solar project approaches, T’Sou-ke is moving ahead in very significant and practical ways.
The sustainability strategy was reaffirmed in February with the re-election of Chief Gordon Planes (who also sits on the executive of NmTC). Also elected were councillors Bonnie Hill and Larry Underwood.
The solar project was just part of a many-pronged approach that is not only making significant changes at T’Sou-ke, but at its neighbours in the District of Sooke and other communities on south Vancouver Island.
T’Sou-ke… a community in transition
T’Sou-ke saw that in order to survive, it had to adapt both to climate change and reliance on fossil fuels as well as food and other products shipped to Vancouver Island.
The sustainability quest includes a variety of projects on its 67.2 hectares of reserve lands. They are all planned to create renewable energy, economic development and a cultural renaissance while living up to the Four Pillars of T’Sou-ke strategy – energy, food, cultural and economic security.
New projects include:
• Five acres of commercial greenhouses;
• A wind-energy farm;
• A retail business park and cultural centre beside Highway 14; and
• Rejuvenation of T’Sou-ke traditional arts, crafts and industries such as fisheries and shellfish harvesting..
Perhaps the best explanation of the T’Sou-ke strategy appears on the website of the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources.
CIER is a national environmental non-profit based in Winnipeg that has been working with T’Sou-ke. It was founded in 1994 by First Nation leaders who recognized the need for Aboriginal peoples to have the capacity to solve environmental problems affecting their lands and resources.
On the website is a presentation entitled Implementing Adaptive Capacity: First Nations in Transition: T'Sou-ke Nation. It documents the T’Sou-ke journey since the CCP process began and outlines the risks, vulnerabilities and opportunities in each of the Four Pillars.
View the presentation at:
www.cier.ca/implementing-adaptive-capacity.html
More info at: www.cier.ca
Turning risk into opportunity
Helping to guide the way through the CCP over the past two years has been Andrew Moore, a British architect and social planner who moved from London with his wife to Sooke 15 years ago.
“When it comes to economic development, we are seeing how we can turn risks and vulnerabilities into opportunities.”
For example, food security risks and health concerns were the drivers behind a planned five-acre greenhouse operation using patented energy-saving technology from the Lower Mainland. Once the greenhouse begins operations, T’Sou-ke could supply select vegetables to 40 supermarkets on the south Island as well as providing fresh produce for the community.
“We will be growing indigenous food plants, different berries, and also running programs for Elders. It’s all about food security, eating local, healthy and affordable foods.”
A similarly comprehensive method is being used when it comes to locally produced goods. Christine George, the T’Sou-ke greenhouse coordinator, said:
“If we can no longer rely on buying products from China, we should produce our own. The arts and crafts group’s skills in making its own products by knitting and weaving is a very big program and is also about having a sustainable community.”
Angie Bristol who organizes a youth led Smart energy group said that conservation begins at home and an entire department exists at T’Sou-ke that works on energy conservation.
“You can achieve almost the same energy reduction by doing conservation for about one-tenth the cost of producing energy,” she said. “We have a youth group working on reduce-reuse-recycle initiatives. They work with BC Hydro, doing things like installing energy saving kits for each house and insulating houses.”
A small greenhouse grows up
Christine George has been singing the praises of homegrown vegetables and healthy foods for the past five years. In that time, she has built up the Ladybug garden and greenhouse to become an important food supply for her community.
The small greenhouse is also serving as something of a ‘test-drive’. Acres of commercial greenhouse will be built on the land next door to Ladybug once gravel has been removed.
George is something of a juggler as she works as a band office receptionist as well as being the greenhouse coordinator in her spare time. It is obvious that her heart is in the greenhouse even when she is answering phones down the road.
She proudly displays the generous crops of salad greens, Haida potatoes and other vegetables growing under the April sun.
“We are able to feed our community lunch people and our Elders,” she said. “It’s important because there are many people who have health issues. They have diabetes, heart problems and high blood pressure. We are showing them how to grow their food. We’ve made food baskets for them and show them that they can grow their own food.”
There are also traditional medicinal and food plants such as camas growing. “We will teach our members how to administer it properly, how to dry and store it,” George said.
Restoring culture makes sense
For the past year, Linda Bristol has been working on both cultural restoration and arts management in the T’Sou-ke community.
The arts and crafts group meets regularly and is developing impressive skills in weaving cedar and grasses as well as wool weaving on traditional Salish looms and knitting. Guest presenters often offer tips of techniques as well as the display and marketing of creations.
Linda said group activities have been guided by three mentors from T’Sou-ke, Ditidaht and Pauquachin who have been passing on their knowledge and wisdom.
“I didn’t pick just mentors that know how to weave or know how to knit,” Bristol said. “They grew up culturally with it. It’s not just about knowing, but also about things like being respectful to your artwork and how you harvest your materials.”
Plans are in the works to soon have a cultural centre selling the products – and telling the T’Sou-ke story – to the thousands of people who pass by every day on Highway 14.
The group recently took part in an event that saw two buses carrying 50 solar installers coming from Victoria for a tour and a feast. Their cedar and wool creations were on display and sold very well.
It is that kind of eco-tourism that is expected to grow. Canoe journeys may also be added in summer months.
Aboriginal Day will see the next big event with arts and crafts displays and sales being combined with solar tours, Four days later, T’Sou-ke will host a First Nations renewable energy symposium group in partnership with the University of Victoria.
Working with municipalities
T’Sou-ke has been forging relationships with neighbouring municipalities and they are starting to pay dividends.
Mayor Janet Evans of Sooke District attended the solar celebration in 2009 and signed a pledge to reduce energy consumption by 10 per cent. When asked if she meant herself or the entire district, she said, “Okay, let’s go for it.”
High on Sooke District’s priority list for 2010 is to work with T’Sou-ke to develop climate action plan. T’Sou-ke is seen as a leader in the sustainability field and the municipality sees the advantage of working in partnership.
One early result of that partnership is a big one. Extension of the municipal sewage system means that not only will T’Sou-ke and hundreds of homes around the Sooke Basin get off septic fields, but also there will be a revival of fisheries and shellfish opportunities.
Municipalities throughout the province are working on BC’s Climate Action Charter. The Charter is aimed at achieving carbon neutrality in municipal operations by 2012. Carbon neutral plans are being developed with solar energy seen as one way to help reduce the dependency on fossil fuels. The Charter also sees that renewable energy provides energy security, price stability and reduced energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions over the long run.
T’Sou-ke is also working with Colwood’s municipality in a joint scheme that will see 1,200 houses retrofitted. Another 500 new Net Zero houses will be built that will produce surplus summer electricity.
The T’Sou-ke Smart Energy Group’s installation technicians will be working on those and other projects as more municipalities face the 2012 deadline.
Watch Out
Look for the TV program featuring T’Sou-ke on APTN’s Down2Earth show.
See the YouTube video of T’Sou-ke solar day at: www.youtube.com/user/TsoukeNationsTSEG
