Community Report Hesquiaht Food Planning to Action Project
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Community Report Hesquiaht Food Planning to Action Project Presented to: Community Coordinator Community Food Planning to Action Project Public Health Agency of Canada Prepared by: Clayoquot Biosphere Trust Hesquiaht Food Project Team Draft Date: January 27, 2009 Contract #4500218622 Table of Contents Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 3 Authors of the Community Report: The Hesquiaht Food Project Team ........................ 3 Background ......................................................................................................................... 4 The Project ...................................................................................................................... 4 Hesquiaht First Nation .................................................................................................... 5 Literature Review................................................................................................................ 7 Project Team Development................................................................................................. 9 Regional Interest in the Project ....................................................................................... 9 Community Meeting #1: Public Consultation ................................................................. 10 Pre-Consultation Meeting ............................................................................................. 10 Consultation .................................................................................................................. 10 Key Messages ............................................................................................................... 11 Transportation Challenges: Boats, Trucks and Roads .............................................. 11 Food Choices, Food Options..................................................................................... 11 Gardening and Community Gardening ..................................................................... 11 Agriculture, Farming and Hunting ............................................................................ 12 Wildcrafting .............................................................................................................. 12 Hunting ..................................................................................................................... 12 Food as Medicine, Lifestyle and Traditional Food ................................................... 13 Youth and Children ................................................................................................... 13 Government and Governance Issues ......................................................................... 13 Next Steps ..................................................................................................................... 15 Additional Project Research ..................................................................................... 15 Interviews .................................................................................................................. 15 Site Visits .................................................................................................................. 15 Regional and Community Connections .................................................................... 15 Works Cited ...................................................................................................................... 16 2 Introduction This Community Report represents the unofficial mid-way point in the Hesquiaht Food Planning to Action Project. Since the orientation session in early October, the project team has been building its capacity to connect with the Hot Springs Cove community of Hesquiaht First Nation and identify solutions to diverse and challenging food security issues in the territory. This report comprises information on the preliminary research, communications and organization of the community consultation that took place in late November 2009. Authors of the Community Report: The Hesquiaht Food Project Team Each team member has contributed to the creation of this community report. Additionally, each team member has contributed to the design development and implementation of the community consultation. The core team identified in the original proposal has grown to include an additional Hesquiaht Community Representatives, as well as two team members from the Hesquiaht Band Administration (local government). The participation of these individuals enhances the team’s capacity to successfully fulfill the project without affecting the budget. The team comprises the following individuals (in alphabetical order): Dolores Bayne – Hesquiaht Elder and Community Representative Curtis Cook – Project Manager, Executive Director, Clayoquot Biosphere Trust Jessie Fletcher – Project Team Member, Clayoquot Biosphere Trust Carol-Anne Hilton – Hesquiaht Band Council Stephanie Hughes – Project Team Member, Clayoquot Forest Communities Program Rebecca Hurwitz – Project Team Member, Clayoquot Biosphere Trust Moses Lucas – Hesquiaht Elder and Community Representative Cecil Sabbas – Hesquiaht Band Administrator Jean Wylie – Project Team Member, Clayoquot Biosphere Trust 3 Background The Project As identified in the work plan submitted in the original proposal, The Hesquiaht Food Planning to Action Project is a community-based, participatory project to: • Identify and examine food security issues, assets, resources and goals in the Hesquiaht First Nation; • Engage the community in a culturally-sensitive, meaningful and collaborative partnership to commence effective planning and action on community food security; • Apply the Community-led Food Assessment model as the foundation of the process; • Collect and document relevant food security information for Hesquiaht First Nation and the surrounding Clayoquot Biosphere reserve region; • Develop a community action plan founded on the research and community engagement processes; and • Implement a process for evaluating the outcomes and impacts of the planned activities. The methodology proposed for this project comprises the following: • Literature review of existing food security documents relevant to the Northwest Pacific coast, First Nations Communities and the Biosphere Reserve region; • Research of existing projects and organizations engaging in food security activities in these territories; • Culturally sensitive community engagement, including feasting and sharing, open houses, focus groups and one-on-one discussions ; • Site visits using interviewing and surveying techniques; • Broad-based community consultation processes; • Information presentation and feedback activities, including action plan outlines; • Peer reviews of draft reports; • Communications strategy for final action plan; and • Ongoing monitoring and performance measurement. For the purpose of this community report, the first five bullets under the methodology have been completed or are underway. 4 Hesquiaht First Nation The Hesquiaht First Nation was chosen for this project because of its previously expressed interest in, and commitment to, food security solutions for its community. The Nation is the most northerly of five Central Nuu-chah-nulth Nations on Vancouver Island and one of three with traditional territory within the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Region. Hesquiaht First Nation (top left) in the context of the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve 5 Although many members of the Nation live outside the traditional territory in cities such as Port Alberni, Nanaimo or Victoria, the focus of this project are the communities of Hot Springs Cove and Hesquiaht Harbour. These communities are accessible by boat or float plane only and depend primarily on Tofino (up to 90 minutes by boat) for commercial good and services, including groceries. Source: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hesquiaht.png) Despite the overwhelming natural beauty and sense of peacefulness, the remoteness of the traditional communities contributes to the departure of many families and community members. To a large extent, the expense and challenge of obtaining food and household goods required for everyday living negatively affects population retention. The collapse of the regional fisheries and forestry activities has affected the local economy as well. While tourism continues to grow in the area, the infrastructure and training required to launch profitable business models is still a few years away. Hesquiaht Band and Council are seeking solutions to address “quality of life” issues from social, spiritual, cultural, economic and physical health perspectives. Food security transcends many of these perspectives. This project will produce a community-inspired action plan based on the priority issues identified in the consultation and the potential solutions brought forward during the remainder of this project. 6 Literature Review The Clayoquot Biosphere Trust project team members undertook a literature review of recent, credible, published food security research relevant to both Hesquiaht First Nation and the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Region as a whole. The integral connection between the remote communities, such as Hot Springs Cove and Hesquiaht Harbour, and the peninsula communities of Tofino and Ucluelet necessitates a regional study of food security issues as well. The literature review revealed that quantitative