Second row, left to right: Claire Peyton, (LSV team), Laine Twigg, Shelley Sebastian, Sherry Sebastian, Kristen Whitehead (LSV team), Darcy Fisher, Pete Sanchez, Julian Griggs (LSV team), Maureen McEachen. Third row, left to right: Bryan Evan (LSV team), Seb Martinez, Bertha Andrew, Natasha Burgoyne and son, Doreen White, Naya Duteau (LSV team), Tyson Cristales. Back row, left to right: Joann White, Roberta Gravelle, Max Andrew, Marisa Phillips, Kris Belanger (LSV team).
Introducing the ʔamakʔis Ktunaxa Land Stewardship Vision Initiative
(Originally published in Spring, 2025 issue of Ktuq̓ȼqakyam)
(Contributed by the LSV Team)
Since time immemorial, Ktunaxa ʔaqⱡsmaknik̓ have been stewards of ʔamakʔis Ktunaxa, as outlined by ʔa·knumuȼtiⱡiⱡ (Ktunaxa Law). The ʔaqⱡsmaknik̓ have a sacred responsibility to care for the land: yakaⱡ hankatiⱡiⱡki na ʔamak: “Our people care for the land, the land cares for our people.”
For many years, Ktunaxa have been considering how a territory-wide approach to stewardship might benefit our Nation and strengthen our ability to fulfill this sacred responsibility. Such an approach would be grounded in a vision for how we want ʔamakʔis Ktunaxa to be looked after, now and into the future.
In January 2024, the Ktunaxa Leadership directed the KNC Lands and Resources Sector to start comprehensive community engagement and technical work—in close collaboration with each Ktunaxa First Nation—to draft a Land Stewardship Vision for ʔamakʔis Ktunaxa.
What is a Land Stewardship Vision?
A land stewardship vision can help to identify broadly what makes each part of ʔamakʔis Ktunaxa unique and give direction for what kinds of activities can happen in what parts of the territory under what conditions.
A clear vision for the B.C. portion of ʔamakʔis Ktunaxa would also enable us to decide how best to balance the need for conservation, restoration and the responsible use of areas of land or resource values for economic development.
A Ktunaxa Land Stewardship Vision enables us to describe—for ourselves and for others—how we wish to see ʔamakʔis Ktunaxa managed now and into the future. Our vision will fundamentally be an expression of our cultural values and bring to life our cultural perspectives on how the lands and waters across our homeland should be respected and used wisely.
This work will be informed by the many years of past work undertaken with Elders and citizens. It will draw on the many past studies and reports that have been completed to support our collective efforts.
In all aspects of this initiative, the need to protect and manage sensitive or confidential information will be respected.
While the precise format of the land stewardship vision has yet to be determined, it is anticipated that it will be map-based with Ktunaxa stewardship areas, spanning the entire 8.3M hectares of ʔamakʔis Ktunaxa in B.C.
The work needed to develop a Ktunaxa Land Stewardship Vision assumes that when the land is healthy, there are also healthy opportunities for Ktunaxa social and economic well-being.
Why is a Ktunaxa Land Stewardship vision needed?
Since the time when settlers first arrived, our territory has faced many pressures from development and use. While we have generally been supportive of responsible economic development that respects our culture and values, the pace and scale of resource extraction in ʔamakʔis Ktunaxa has often been of concern.
Across many different parts of our territory, land and waterways have been impacted in many ways, for example through the cutting of our forests, the loss of habitat for wildlife, and the pollution of lakes and rivers from mining or residential development.
Ktunaxa have been active in managing these development pressures as best we can.
For example, we have responded to referrals from B.C. which are triggered when a development proponent applies for an authorization from a provincial agency.
Ktunaxa representatives have also engaged directly with industrial proponents to discuss ways to mitigate impacts from individual development projects.
We have cooperated with provincial agencies and local governments to develop stewardship plans or conduct monitoring.
We have also been working to
strengthen our role in decision making within our territory and ensure that we benefit from development projects, by negotiating government-to-government agreements with B.C., or Impact Management Benefit Agreements (IMBAs) with industry.
Despite these efforts, it is often expressed that we are in constant struggle to protect our land and our culture.
In the face of development pressures across the landscape that takes many forms, there is a risk that ʔamakʔis Ktunaxa will suffer ‘death by a thousand cuts.’
A Ktunaxa Land Stewardship Vision will enable our nations to shift from being defensive to being more proactive.
It will help us go from dealing with individual development proposals or impacts on a case-by-case basis to a more strategic approach which covers larger areas of ʔamakʔis Ktunaxa.
How will Ktunaxa First Nations be engaged with
this initiative?
Ktunaxa Leaders have been clear in their direction to the project team that the development of a Land Stewardship Vision must include comprehensive community engagement and that any products must reflect community interests, values and objectives.
The Ktunaxa Land Stewardship Vision will be developed through engagement with citizens and in close collaboration with staff and advisors from each Ktunaxa First Nation.
Once completed, a Land Stewardship Vision would enable us to engage with greater confidence in any joint planning in different parts of the territory in collaboration with B.C., or with industry, or with other prospective partners.
In addition to the review of past surveys and interviews with Ktunaxanin̓tik, and the review of past studies that reflect the views of Ktunaxa citizens and communities, the approach for community engagement includes:
- A series of community events through 2025 including in-person meetings in all four KFN communities and ʔuk̓iniǂwitiyaǂa (One Heart) sessions on specific topics related to the land stewardship vision.
- Information sharing with ʔaqⱡsmaknik̓ through newsletters and through the Hakq̓yit website.
- Close liaison and cooperation with the Lands Directors and their staff from each Ktunaxa First Nation.
- Regular updates and discussions with the Lands Advisory Working Group (LAWG).
As the work moves ahead, the project team is committed to being transparent and inclusive of the communities and welcomes all your input to ensure the vision is Ktunaxa led and reflects Ktunaxa values.
The Land Stewardship Vision will be a living product, meaning it isn’t the only or final representation of Ktunaxa stewardship. As new information is collected, circumstances change, and conditions arise, the vision can be updated and evolve to meet Ktunaxa needs
Gathering on April 8-9, 2025
All Ktunaxa ʔaqǂsmaknik̓ were welcome to join a Nation-Wide Gathering in Cranbrook on April 8 and 9, 2025.
Forty-two Ktunaxanin̓tik and five KNC staff and contractors gathered to contribute to the creation of a Ktunaxa-led, territory-wide approach to stewardship that can benefit our Nation and strengthen our ability to care for the land.
There were presentations, lunch, and open dialogue.
