*"Our Way "*

[3^rd^ Annual Coast Salish Gathering]{.underline}

[Tulalip Washington]{.underline}

[Table of Contents]{.underline}

1.  2008 Coast Salish Gathering Executive Report

    -   Page 3

2.  2008 Coast Salish Gathering Outcomes

    -   Page 4

3.  2008 Coast Salish Gathering Canoe Journey Water Quality Gathering
    Project

    -   Page 8

4.  2008 Coast Salish Gathering News Article: Indian Country Today

    -   Page 14

5.  Our Coast Salish Gathering History

    -   Page 16

6.  Our Coast Salish Gathering Environmental Inventory of Concerns

    -   Page 22

[2008 COAST SALISH GATHERING EXECUTIVE REPORT]{.underline}

In February 2008, the Coast Salish People gathered in the Tulalip
traditional homelands to speak with One Voice for the protection of our
ancestral homelands and waters of Salish Sea. We shared our common
concerns on environmental impacts that are destroying our rich lands and
resources and, developed our strategy of how we, as One, would take
action to restore and protect our Mother Earth. Our focus was to find
means of resolving critical issues together and to strengthen the
environmental policies and practices in our homelands. Coast Salish
leadership made it clear that the Gathering is not a form of a
government-to-government consultation process, but rather, a culturally
appropriate process for an open dialogue to reach consensus and advise
policy makers of issues of concern.

Over 300 Coast Salish elders, chiefs, chairmen, mothers, grand mothers,
and environmental staff participated in the Gathering, sharing concerns,
developing an action agenda and recommending environmental policies to
restore and protect the Salish Sea Eco Region. As One Voice, our
leaders, protectors and policy makers, worked in collaboration to share
issues and concerns within our shared homeland and waters with
representatives from Environment Canada, US Environmental Protection
Agency, Province of British Columbia and Washington State. The Gathering
sustained a spirited policy dialogue that generated a mission and
expansive prologue statement to guide Coast Salish environmental
actions. These discussions produced a vigorous environmental action plan
focused on the protection of our shared ecosystems and related
activities that will sustain the capacity of the Coast Salish effort.

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[OUTCOMES FROM THE]{.underline}

[2008 COAST SALISH GATHERING]{.underline}

1\. APPROVED COAST SALISH GATHERING PROLOGUE AND MISSION STATEMENT

Adoption of a Coast Salish Gathering Prologue

*We, the indigenous peoples of the Salish Sea, honor and respect our
sacred trust to restore, preserve and protect our culture, treaties,
aboriginal rights and the land, air and waters of the Salish Sea. Our
sacred trust has been given to us from our ancestors and defines our
role as protectors of our Mother Earth. We are entrusted with the
protection and sustainability of environment and natural resources of
our ancestral lands, watersheds, and estuarine waters of the Salish Sea.
Our ancestors have passed down the traditional teachings of songs,
dances, and spiritual ceremonies that reflect our relationship to the
natural world and depict our identity and strengths of our peoples. Over
the decades our lands and waters have been severely impacted by
pollution that affects our culture, food, health, and economy. Most
importantly hurting our elders who have relied on these since the
beginning of time and threatening the life ways of our children's
future.*

*We have always defended and protected our ancestral lands and waters,
we seek to acknowledge our sacred alliance so we may work together as
one proud nation. Our elders, leaders and community members have given
us a strong message that our homelands and waters need to be protected,
preserved and restored for future generations. With our commitment to
our Sacred Trust, we will work together with the six governing bodies of
the Salish Sea to overcome the environmental challenges to our shared
homelands.*

Adoption of a Coast Salish Gathering Mission Statement

We, the indigenous peoples of the Salish Sea, our autonomous status as
sovereign Coast Salish Tribes and First Nations and our inherent
responsibility as protectors of our Mother Earth, will continue to work
together and speak with One Voice for the preservation, restoration, and
protection of the Salish Sea Eco Region for the sustainability of our
sacred inherent family rights and values that have been passed on to us
by our ancestors.

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2\. APPROVED ACTIONS

Coast Salish Gathering Environmental Action Plan

[Outcome:]{.underline} To conserve and restore the Salish Sea ecosystem
to a level that ensures the sustainability of the Coast Salish People
and our cultural life ways.

[A. Coast Salish Priorities:]{.underline} Adequate clean air, water and
land to sustain and protect the health of our Coast Salish People.

-   Traditional Foods \~ Toxics and Depletion

    -   Adequate terrestrial resources to sustain the diet, ceremonial,
        medicinal and cultural crafts of our Coast Salish People.

-   Water \~ Quality and Quantity

    -   Adequate marine resources to sustain the spiritual, subsistence,
        and economic endeavors of our aboriginal Coast Salish
        communities of the Salish Sea.

    -   Clean water quality to sustain the Coast Salish communities of
        the Salish Sea

    -   Clean water quantity for the present and future Coast Salish
        communities of the Salish Sea.

-   Climate Change Impacts and Planning for Coast Salish Communities

    -   Adequate planning and support to address the impacts of climate
        change in the Coast Salish communities.

[B. Coast Salish Actions:]{.underline}

-   Governance/Policy Actions

    -   Equality in the shared roles for the Federal, State, Provincial
        and Coast Salish Tribes in the planning, implementation and
        management of Salish Sea eco region restoration and protection
        efforts.

    -   The incorporation of traditional ecological knowledge in the
        restoration, implementation and management of the Salish Sea eco
        region.

    -   The incorporation of climate change variables as critical
        factors in the planning of conservation and restoration efforts
        in the Salish Sea eco region.

-   Ecosystem Priorities

    -   An adequate supply of riparian waters Salish Sea of a quality
        sufficient to maintain a healthy functioning estuarine ecosystem
        habitat.

    -   Reduction of toxic depositions in Salish Sea to a level that
        supports a healthy functioning ecosystem.

    -   Restoration and conservation of adequate marine and near-shore
        habitat to support Coast Salish goals for the Salish Sea.

-   Technical Priorities (examples)

    -   Reduction to elimination on non-essential hard-armoring of the
        Salish Sea shoreline.

    -   Adequate buffers and storm-water management practices to improve
        water quality in riparian systems.

    -   Adequate in-stream flows to provide sufficient fresh water to
        maintain the estuarine character of the Salish Sea.

    -   Eradication of invasive species that damage the Salish Sea
        ecosystem.

    -   Adequate funding to address and plan for Climate Change impacts
        in the Salish Sea Eco Region.

    -   Ample funding to support environmental program and project
        capacity (policy and science) building for the long-term
        sustainability of Coast Salish Tribes and First Nations.

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3\. APPROVED ACTION PROJECTS

[A. Coast Salish Environmental Information Sharing Project]{.underline}

A collaborative effort based coordinated by the Coast Salish Gathering
to support and develop a website based information sharing program with
GIS capabilities between Coast Salish Tribes and First Nations. The
Coast Salish leadership has joined forces to begin the process of
gathering information on all Coast Salish environmental projects,
issues, and actions that have been or are being developed and
implemented throughout the Salish Sea Eco Region.

Outcome: An information sharing website for the Tribes and Nations with
access under a secured system.

[Capabilities:]{.underline} The website will provide the project
abstracts, location and contact information as a research tool for the
tribal participants.

[B. Water Quality Information Gathering Project]{.underline}

A collaborative effort coordinated by the Coast Salish Gathering to
support and develop a water quality gathering project by the Coast
Salish Tribes and First Nations. The Coast Salish leadership has joined
forces to begin a unique process of gathering and sharing water quality
information from the Salish Sea.

The Annual Canoe Journey is a traditional gathering of Coast Salish
peoples, who travel through the water ways of the Salish Sea. The
project proposes to collaborate with several canoe participants and
request their permission to equip the canoes with water quality
gathering tools and staff. The purpose is to gathering water quality
information throughout the Salish Sea: from the waters of Bella Coola,
British Columbia, through the Straits of Juan DeFuca and Puget Sound.

The outcome of the Water Quality Information Gathering Project will be
an extensive gathering of water quality information that can be shared
between the Coast Salish Tribes and First Nations. The long term
objective will be to establish an annual collaboration with the Annual
Canoe Journey to collect and provide water quality information through
out the Salish Sea.

[Capabilities:]{.underline} The information will be gathered and stored
under the secured Coast Salish Gathering website and will be annually
maintained and managed under the responsibility of the Coast Salish
secretariats.

[C. Coast Salish Environmental Indicators Project]{.underline}

A collaborative effort based under the Coast Salish Gathering to support
and develop a Coast Salish Environmental Indicators project between the
Coast Salish Tribes and First Nations. The Coast Salish leadership has
joined forces to begin the process of gathering and developing
environmental indicators that incorporate modern and traditional science
from the Salish Sea. The outcome is to incorporate traditional
ecological knowledge (TEK) with the science based environmental
indicators of the Salish Sea. The blending of modern and traditional
science will provide the leadership with information to develop policy
to protect and sustain the culture of the Coast Salish Peoples.

[Capabilities:]{.underline} The information will be gathered and stored
with the Coast Salish Gathering website and will be annually maintained
and managed under the responsibility of the Coast Salish secretariats.

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OUTCOMES of action plan and Information sharing projects

Outcome 1: The Coast Salish Tribes and First Nations will share
environmental platform nation wide to protect the Salish Sea Eco Region
and with the shared responsibility will develop, manage and implement
environmental policy to sustain the Coast Salish way of life.

Outcome 2: The Coast Salish Tribes and First Nations will streamline
shared information and projects that will support the shared efforts of
protecting and restoring the quality and quantity of the environment in
the Salish Sea.

Outcome 3: The Coast Salish Tribes and First Nations will develop the
policy and protocol for a Coast Salish TEK Environmental Indicator Plan
that will be shared by the Coast Salish People to protect and restore
the Salish Sea Eco Region.

The 2008 Coast Salish Water Quality Project

A BLENDING OF SCIENCE AND TRADITION

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![](media/image5.jpeg){width="1.6770833333333333in"
height="9.0in"}**Canoe Journey Water Quality Project Proposal**

**Project Summary:** The Canoe Journey Water Quality Project (Project)
is a unique opportunity for the Swinomish Tribal Community, Coast Salish
Canoe Journey Families, the Coast Salish Nation and USGS to provide
significant water quality information that will support Coast Salish
Nation and governing bodies to be better informed of the conditions of
the Salish Sea Ecosystem. The Project is a unique concept that brings
tradition and science together to accomplish a data gathering process
that is ideally done with a canoe, eliminating the impacts of boat
engine and exhaust disturbance that interferes with data collection and
quality.

The Project's success relies upon the leadership and support from the
Annual Coast Salish Canoe Journey (Journey), which includes over 44
First Nation canoes that travel from north of Vancouver Island through
the water ways of the Georgia Basin and 29 western Washington Tribal
canoes that travel through Puget Sound. The Project has an enormous
spatial domain (water area) that only the Journey covers on an annual
basis. The Coast Salish Gathering leadership has established a
partnership with the Canoe Journey Committee and Captains/Skippers to
support the Project. Both partners have approved the Project with
consensus and embraces the Project as a way of sharing and integrating
traditional ecological knowledge responsibility to protect Mother Earth.
Our third partner is the United States Geological Survey (USGS) who will
be providing the science, technical and GIS capability for the Project.
USGS provides a solid science background for the data collection
methods, processing and analysis capacities of the Project.

The timeline of the Journey is from July through the first week of
August. Each year a different final landing destination is chosen. For
2008 the final destination will be Cowichan, located in the inside
passage of the Georgia Basin, on Vancouver Island. We are planning to do
a first year test run with four water quality probes in the 2008 Journey
to measure water temperature, pH, conductivity, salinity, dissolved
oxygen, and turbidity. These data will be merged with Geographic
Positioning System (GPS) position and time information along each of the
four "test run" canoe paths. The test run will enable us to create a
baseline water quality study for the Salish Sea, identify "hot spots" of
water quality concern if they exist, and to plan for the two journeys
listed in the grant project for 2009 and 2010. The Project, at this
capacity with the Canoe Families, is best conducted by the aboriginal
tribes and nations of this area, as it would be difficult for any
governing or academic agencies to coordinate and complete this type of
water quality data gathering for this large water system and across
political borders. We plan to assist the governing agencies by sharing
our data information. Our timeline reflects the period of data
collection, analysis and reporting, and we will provide our baseline
study to governing agencies and publish the data and results for the
public to see. If successful, the Project will be an annual tool for the
Coast Salish Nations to support policy development and implementation in
the Salish Sea Ecosystem.

**Project Objectives and Activities**

Develop a baseline strategic plan and timeline that includes consistent
growth and planning to manage the project:

1.  Establish Canoe Journey Routes, Landings and Canoe Equipment
    Carriers

    a.  Meet with Canoe Journey Committee to finalize routes and
        landings

    b.  Finalize Canoe Family selections for carrying equipment/data
        gathering

    c.  Coordinate with Canoe Families to define project participation

    d.  Develop and Implement quality control and assurance procedures

    e.  Finalize plans with the Project Team and USGS

2.  Develop, review, and approve data collection methods and tools

    a.  Collaborate with USGS to develop, review and approve data
        collection methods

    b.  Coordinate with Northwest Indian College for water quality
        technician internships

    c.  Coordinate rental of data collection equipment

        i.  Train water quality technicians on equipment and procedures

        ii. Introduce equipment to Canoe Family Captains/Skippers

    d.  Finalize the plans with Project Team, USGS and Canoe
        Captains/Skippers

3.  Plan and Conduct the Journey

    a.  Plan and finalize Journey travel plans

    b.  Coordinate with Swinomish and USGS for Support Boats in the
        north and south Salish Sea region.

4.  Analyze and Share Information

    a.  Analyze data and review for reporting , publishing, and
        dissemination

    b.  Analyze and synthesize information into maps

    c.  Create interactive GIS data layers

    d.  Develop database and examine results to identify hot spots of
        water quality concern

    e.  Download information into CSG Shared Information Database

**Initial Project Data Parameters & Analysis**

In year 1, baseline data will be analyzed to characterize summer water
quality conditions that existed along Salish Sea Canoe Journey pathways
in July 2008 and to identify any hotspots of concern. For example, many
areas are known to have low oxygen and increasing surface water
temperature owing to increased warming and/or reduced summer stream
runoff associated with lower snow packs. In addition, high turbidity
from increased summer transport of fine sediment (glacial flour)
commonly channelized through river floodplains may be leading to changes
in light availability, depth of the photic zone, productivity and
benthic substrates. Combined, these stressors may create harmful
conditions for migrating young salmon, forage fish spawning, and
submerged aquatic vegetation.

Initial phase parameters of interest include water temperature, pH,
dissolved oxygen, conductivity, salinity, turbidity, location and time
along Traditional Canoe Journey routes. The Canoe Journey data will be
analyzed and synthesized into maps, GIS data layers, and databases and
examined to identify hot spots of water quality concern. Plans will be
made for the science to accompany the 2009 Salish Sea Canoe Journey. The
2009 Salish Sea Canoe Journey science plan will be conducted.

**Outcome:**

The outcomes of the Project will support the Coast Salish Nation's
effort to address the environmental impacts upon our own communities. As
the aboriginal owners of the Salish Sea Ecosystem, we are responsible
for the well being and health of our communities and we want to ensure
sustainability of the environment and its resources for our families and
be able to live a safe life today and in the future.

**Funding Contributors:**

a.  Northwest Straits Foundation (TBF): \$25,000

> The Northwest Straits Foundation is a non-profit organization
> established to support the scientific, restoration, and education
> projects and programs of the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation
> Initiative. The Foundation's mission is to protect and restore the
> marine resources of the Northwest Straits by supporting research,
> monitoring, restoration, stewardship, conservation and education
> programs and projects both at the local and regional level.
>
> The Foundation seeks funding for projects and programs in partnership
> with the Northwest Straits Commission, the seven County Marine
> Resources Committees, Tribes, federal/state/local agencies,
> universities, other non-profit organizations and businesses.
>
> The Northwest Straits Foundation was created in 2002 to augment the
> ability of the Northwest Straits Initiative to pursue funding for its
> programs and projects. The Foundation works closely with the Northwest
> Straits Commission and the Marine Resources Committees to set
> priorities and develop projects to achieve its marine conservation
> objectives.

b.  US Geological Survey (TBC): \$11,739

    i.  USGS is the Nation\'s largest water, earth, and biological
        science and civilian mapping agency, the U.S. Geological Survey
        (USGS) collects, monitors, analyzes, and provides scientific
        understanding about natural resource conditions, issues, and
        problems. The diversity of our scientific expertise enables us
        to carry out large-scale, multi-disciplinary investigations and
        provide impartial scientific information to resource managers,
        planners, and other customers.

        1.  Program Mission: The Mission of the USGS Cooperative Water
            Program is to provide reliable, impartial, and timely
            information needed to understand the Nation\'s water
            resources through a program of shared efforts and funding
            with State, Tribal, and local partners to enable decision
            makers to wisely manage the Nation\'s water resources.

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1.  Contacts:

    a.  Charles O'Hara, Planning Director and Coast Salish Gathering
        Steering Committee

    b.  Debra Lekanof, CSG Coordinator and Coast Salish Gathering
        Steering Committee

-   Swinomish Indian Tribal Community

-   360-466-7200

-   <cohara@swinomish.nsn.us>

-   dlekanof@swinomish.nsn.us

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**COAST SALISH GATHERING ARTICLE:**

**INDIAN COUNTRY**

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  **Coast Salish leaders commit to environmental action**                 ![](media/image7.png){width="0.26944444444444443in"
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  Posted: March 10, 2008                                                  

  by: [[Staff                                                             
  Reports]{.underline}](http://www.indiancountry.com/author.cfm?id=263) / 
  Indian Country Today                                                    

  TULALIP, Wash. - \'\'Enough talk, it\'s time for action.\'\' Billy      
  Frank Jr., chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission,       
  summed up the consensus at the second day of the Coast Salish Gathering 
  at the Tulalip Tribes Feb. 27 - 29.\                                    
  \                                                                       
  \'\'We are the Indian people, the Coast Salish Indian people, who live  
  on all the watersheds, on the headwaters and on the bays throughout the 
  Salish Sea region. We\'ve got a message for all the nontribal           
  governments and communities and we\'re delivering it.\'\'\              
  \                                                                       
  In the second full day of planning, Coast Salish leaders from British   
  Columbian First Nations and western Washington tribes committed to a    
  goal of environmental action, including a Salish Sea-wide information   
  sharing database, a water quality information gathering project, and a  
  Coast Salish environmental indicators project. (Visit                   
  www.coastsalishgathering.com.)\                                         
  \                                                                       
  Brian Cladoosby, co-chair of the Coast Salish Gathering and chairman of 
  the Swinomish Tribe, said: \'\'We are true leaders here. True leaders   
  have the confidence to stand alone if they must, and make tough         
  decisions. We want to work with the other governments and other         
  communities if we can, but we will continue to look to our traditional  
  strengths and tie our culture to our objectives.\'\'\                   
  \                                                                       
  \'\'Our objective here is to turn the tide on all the environmental     
  destruction that the white society has heaped upon us over the past 150 
  years. Our objective is to speak with one voice as Coast Salish people, 
  and to adopt action plans that will make a difference,\'\' said Tom     
  Sampson of the Tsartlip First Nation in British Columbia.\              
  \                                                                       
  Cladoosby also pointed out that over the past 150 years of              
  environmental deterioration, there has been a philosophy that people    
  must make as much money as they can without regard for the environment. 
  Thus, he said, we have seen a destruction of the air, water and plants. 
  \'\'Mother Earth is not a commodity to be dominated and exploited, but  
  rather a gift to be loved and respected.\'\'\                           
  \                                                                       
  \'\'We\'re on a journey here that has no end,\'\' Frank said.           
  \'\'We\'re the only ones who are willing to do it. The other            
  governments haven\'t done it. We are the Indian people, people of the   
  land. We know what the problems are and we\'re trying to address them   
  in an honorable way. If we have to take things into our own hands,      
  that\'s what we will do,\'\' he said. \'\'Action is needed right now if 
  we are to have any hope to have a healthy environment for the future.\  
  \                                                                       
  \'\'We tell the truth. The U.S. government does not tell the truth. The 
  Canadian government does not tell the truth. The states don\'t tell the 
  truth. They lie to their people. They say, \'It\'ll scare the people    
  and hurt the economy, so let\'s just lie to them.\' Well, we won\'t lie 
  to our people, and the other governments cannot fool us. We know where  
  our trail is, and we\'ve got to stay on that trail - together.\'\'\     
  \                                                                       
  One component of the Coast Salish Gathering Environmental Action Plan   
  calls for greater controls and tribal consultation on fish farming - a  
  form of aquaculture that has become commonplace in Canada and is being  
  explored in the northwest United States. The tribes voiced deep concern 
  about the sea lice problem that is hand-in-hand with fish farming, a    
  major challenge to fish survival. The consensus at the gathering was to 
  oppose continued destructive fish farms and to continue working toward  
  the replenishment of natural runs.\                                     
  \                                                                       
  The delegates to the gathering determined to collectively urge the      
  United States and Canada to adopt the 2007 United Nations Declaration   
  on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a statement of principles that     
  took 25 years to develop. The declaration represented fundamental       
  changes in international policies toward indigenous peoples. It calls   
  for the human rights of the 370 million indigenous people in the world  
  to be respected.\                                                       
  \                                                                       
  The United States and Canada joined Australia and New Zealand as the    
  only four nations to oppose the declaration. One hundred and            
  forty-three countries adopted it. Since then, Australia has issued an   
  apology for its position and has indicated it will support the          
  declaration. There is a strong movement in Canada moving in the same    
  direction.\                                                             
  \                                                                       
  However, the United States has not altered its position.\               
  \                                                                       
  In the climate change arena, state and federal guests at the gathering  
  acknowledged that the tribes\' long-term memory of the region offers    
  the only opportunity to gain comprehensive historic data.               
  \'\'Non-tribal environmental data only goes back to the 1930s,\'\' said 
  Terry Williams of the Tulalip Tribes. \'\'Ours goes back thousands of   
  years. Without our traditional knowledge, nobody truly has the ability  
  to compare the status of fish and wildlife habitat today with its       
  condition before the white man came.\'\'\                               
  \                                                                       
  Williams said such traditional knowledge is just one example of the     
  values tribes bring to natural resource management. The representatives 
  at the gathering concurred that tribes must receive more equitable      
  management funding to deal with climate change conditions. \'\'These    
  are tribal resources being destroyed,\'\' Williams said. \'\'We have    
  got to have the ability to build the capacity and staffing necessary to 
  help clean up the mess, even though the tribes didn\'t create it.\'\'   
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OUR COAST SALSH GATHERING HISTORY

The Annual Coast Salish Gathering is an environmental policy forum for
the Coast Salish Peoples to continue to speak with One Voice for the
preservation of our culture and the protection of the land and waters of
our aboriginal homeland. Our event will host 49 Coast Salish British
Columbia First Nations and 29 Western Washington Tribes and will provide
a policy platform for dialogue that will focus on the need for
strengthening environmental policies and practices in our homelands. The
Coast Salish Gathering extends its invitations to Environment Canada, US
Environmental Protection Agency, Washington State and Canadian
Provincial agencies to hear our deliberations and policy
recommendations. We value the input of all participants and believe,
together, we can encourage a successful policy dialogue that will
generate actions to advance the protection of our shared ecosystems. We
do not observe the gathering as a government to government consultation
process, but merely a means of coming together to find common grounds on
environmental and natural resources issues, concerns and projects.

.

1.  The common concern

> The Coast Salish Tribes and First Nations are surrounded in the every
> growing urbanization of the Georgia Basin area. The Gathering provided
> a table to discuss the steps towards the collaboration of First Nation
> and Western Washington Tribal of the Salish Sea environment concerns,
> issues and projects in the international trans-boundary region
> consisting of the Puget Sound region in the United States and the
> Georgia Basin in Canada, including the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
>
> The leaders discussed the need to collaborate and find, protect and
> develop policy to address mutual concerns regarding environmental
> stressors and human responses that account for the present state of
> this shared ecosystem. The Gathering provided a place for a common
> understanding of the current state and trends in the Tribal ecosystem
> in an integrated way across the Canada-United States boundary. It
> provided for all participants the information that can help them make
> better decisions for the future of this richly endowed, yet fragile
> region the Canadian First Nations and American Tribes share.
>
> The Salish Sea Gathering consisted of Policy Builders from Tribes,
> First Nations, Environment Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection
> Agency, Washington State government representatives and Canadian
> Government officers. The discussion was held at the highest level of
> Policy Dialogue, and provided opportunities to develop policy and
> actions to uphold the protection of the shared Georgia Basin Region.
>
> The shared concern is the lack of recognition by the policy and
> regulatory makers to the rightful owners of the shared eco region.
> There are policies and regulations being made on Coast Salish
> homelands with out their participation at the table. The Gathering
> shared testimony from leaders, delegates, elders and children who
> describes the segregation of their life ways due to regulation and
> policies being developed with out their input or consent. The way of
> life for Coast Salish is depleting around them; gone are the fish,
> deer, sheep, berries and the quietness. Their cultural existence is
> being pushed to the brink of extinct and the challenge is how do they
> stop it before it is too late.

2.  Our steps towards a solution in 2005 and 2007

> The 2005 Coast Salish Gathering initiated a dialogue regarding
> Tribal/First Nations environmental concerns, issues and projects in
> the international Trans-boundary region of the Salish Sea. Our Elders
> reflected on the Salish Sea of their youth and the changes they have
> witnessed. Our dialogue shared our aboriginal perspective on the
> current state and trends of the environment in this unique estuarine
> ecosystem that we call "home". The objective of the Gathering was to
> provide a forum for Tribal and First Nations leaders to collaborate on
> environmental issues and share that information with governmental
> policy makers to assist them in making more protective and cultural
> sensitive decisions concerning the future of this richly endowed, yet
> fragile, region that we share, the Salish Sea.
>
> The Gathering delegation moved to develop the Coast Salish Aboriginal
> Council which would consist of the Coast Salish Leadership. The
> purpose of the Council is to provide a policy dialogue to discuss
> environmental and natural resources issues and recommend policy and
> actions to federal and state agencies. The second outcome was to
> appoint several secretariats to the Gathering who would manage the
> administrative and financial needs for the Coast Salish Leadership.
> The secretariats would provide support and follow through for the
> Coast Salish Leadership and coordinate discussion at the federal and
> state level on policy and action issues. The third outcome was the
> establishment of the Coast Salish Steering Committee; which consists
> of representatives from either side of the border to coordinate the
> next gatherings. The purpose of the Committee is to share the
> responsibility to support the Coast Salish Gathering and Coast Salish
> Aboriginal Council's in our shared effort to sustain the Coast Salish
> life ways.
>
> The Gatherings provided the environmental policy platform for the five
> government bodies of the Salish Sea Region; i.e. Tribal, First
> Nations, State, Provincial and Federal, to discuss and determine the
> effective participation of Coast Salish peoples in the various
> treaties, agreements and polices that protect the Salish Sea
> Ecosystem. The overall conclusion was the Coast Salish People were not
> being included as decision makers by the federal, state, provincial
> and policy organizations at the environmental policy development and
> implementation levels.
>
> • Federal Joint Statement of Cooperation: The policy between the US
> Environmental Protection Agency and Canadian British Columbia
> Environment Canada only requires the policy to "engage the tribes and
> first nations". There is no formal agreement between the federal
> governments and the Coast Salish Tribes and First Nations to develop
> and implement environmental policy and actions together for the Salish
> Sea Eco Region.
>
> • State and Provincial ECC: The MOU between US Washington State and
> Canadian Province of British Columbia includes participation from the
> NWIFC representation through the International Trans boundary Task
> Force. There is no formal agreement between the state, provincial,
> Tribes and First Nations to develop and implement environmental policy
> and actions together for the Salish Sea Eco Region.
>
> By no means is the gathering considered a government to government
> discussion, but rather, the gathering provides a place for Coast
> Salish Leadership to share their environmental issues and concerns and
> provide a unified voice to protect the shared homelands and waters.

3.  2008 Coast Salish Gathering continued steps towards solutions

> The past two Coast Salish Gatherings have provided the five governing
> bodies with the opportunity to find common grounds to develop and
> discussion environmental policies and actions that protect the
> ancestral homelands and waters of the Salish Sea Eco Region.
>
> The upcoming Gathering will provide the next step between the Coast
> Salish Tribes and First Nations:
>
> • Establish a formal mutual understanding of agreement in the
> environmental policy and actions of their rightful ancestral homelands
> and water.
>
> • Adopt the Coast Salish Gathering Prologue and Mission Statement
>
> • Adopt and implement the Coast Salish Environmental Action Plan
>
> • Adopt and implement the Coast Salish Environmental Information
> Database Sharing Program and the Coast Salish Water Quality
> Information Gathering Project
>
> • Approve the 2008 Tribal Salish Sea Environmental Indicators Project

4.  Measurable Accomplishments

    -   The past four years the Coast Salish Gathering has brought
        together the six governing bodies of the Salish Sea for a
        meaning full dialogue on environmental issues and policies. The
        efforts has strengthened the relationship and networking between
        the Coast Salish Tribes and Nations, enabling future discussion
        and planning for projects, information sharing and collaboration
        on supporting shared environmental issues.

    -   The establishment of the Coast Salish Aboriginal Council is to
        amplify their individual voices and find collective solutions to
        protect their homelands that do not put one groups well being
        against one another. The leaders who formed the CSAC continue to
        focus on traditional shared decision making and unify to protect
        shared interests and concerns.

    -   The future recommendations to develop a shared and unified
        policy to address the environmental issues will be addressed in
        the 2008 Gathering. The unification recommendations will support
        the development of Coast Salish shared projects and information
        sharing tools, enabling Coast Salish Tribes and First Nations to
        sustain the protection of their homelands and waters.

##### 2005 and 2007 Coast Salish Inventory of Environmental Concerns

A historic gathering of Coast Salish Leaders and representatives of
United States and Canadian Government, and environmental organizations
convened at the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribal Community Center. The
Gathering brought the British Columbia First Nation Chiefs and the
Western Washington Tribal Chairmen and council members of the Salish Sea
Region together to express their environmental concerns on problems
confronting the long-term sustainability of their culture and the shared
eco region that supports their cultural diversity.

Participants met to discuss the protection of the Salish Sea's rich
marine diversity and other resources unique to the area that stretches
from the Georgia Basin, down through the Pudget Sound and the Straits of
Juan de Fuca. These diminishing resources are essential to sustaining
the cultures, economies and homelands of the tribes in western
Washington and First Nations in British Columbia, and are under
significant pressure from population growth, industrial expansion and
climate change. The Salish Sea Gathering was a Tribal policy dialogue
regarding tribal environmental issues, policies and projects in the
trans-boundary region. Participants discussed the need to collaborate in
determining the impacts and human responses that shape the state of this
shared eco-region. The Gathering's objective was to provide government
officials with the perspectives of the indigenous people of the region
to better inform decision making processes regarding the future of the
fragile Salish Sea.

The ongoing collaborative efforts of Tribes and First Nations to protect
their diverse eco region is found in the jointly development of the
Treaty of Indigenous Peoples International in 1994. This Treaty was an
initial step towards the development of the Joint Statement of
Cooperation on the Georgia Basin Puget Sound Ecosystem, which was signed
January 2000, by the minister of Environment Canada and the
administrator of the EPA. The Gathering was a symbolic formalization of
the unity of Tribes and First Nations to further strength and
sustainability of their homelands.

The Gathering was supported with funding from the Environmental
Protection Agency, Environment Canada, Canadian Consulate, the Office of
Indian Affairs and Northern Development, and the Tribes and First
Nations. The efforts of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Jamestown
S'Klallam Tribe, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, Tulalip Tribes,
and the Coast Salish Initiative to host, coordinate and facilitate this
policy dialogue on the cultural and spiritual concerns impacting the
Coast Salish People.

The government and municipal representatives were welcomed and asked to
share their thoughts, issues and ideas to the congress ion. Many
representatives were moved by the Gathering and were able to share
knowledge and show commitment to the Georgia Basin Action Plan of
"engaging Tribes and First Nations". The monumental testimonies was a
time for the non Tribal policy makers to realize how important the
environment is incorporated into the Coast Salish life ways and their
survival.

The Coast Salish People stretch from north of the Powell River, down
through the Georgia Basin and through the waters of the Puget Sound and
the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The Coast Salish People live their life
interdependent with the land, air and water and the resources the
ecosystems provide. The protection of the environment is ingrained in
their traditions and life ways. Their culture and existence depends on
the fish running though the rivers and bays, the shellfish in the
tidelands, the deer in the woods, the native plants for their medicine
and the noiseless woods for their spiritual places. With out a healthy
productive environment, their way of life has no foundation and will
cease to exist. The importance of protecting the ecosystems of their
homelands is a priority for Tribes and First Nations. If the denigration
of the environment is allowed to continue,, they risk the loss of their
voice, bodies and souls.

The 2005 Gathering brought the Coast Salish Leadership together to
discuss their shared environmental concerns and after two days of
heart-filled testimony, the assembly of Coast Salish spoke with "One
Voice"; the leaders of the Coast Salish resolved to form a list of
prioritized environmental concerns and issues, the Coast Salish
Inventory of Environmental Concerns. The leadership further extended
their commitment to the continuity of protection for their homeland by
establishing the Coast Salish Aboriginal Council.

The next step in the process of articulating concerns and implementing
protections will be to expand and refine the Coast Salish Inventory of
Environmental Concerns (CSIEC). This process will include coordinating
with the Tribes and Nation's environmental leaders to engage their
guidance in the refinement of concerns and development of action plans
to address the identified issues. The process will include networking
through face to face meetings to discuss and critique the CSIEC, sharing
their knowledge and project experience, and incorporating traditional
ecological knowledge to support the drafting of a unified Coast Salish
Environmental Action Plan (CSEAP).

Presently, there are a variety of treaties, environmental action plans
and initiatives in the Puget Sound/Georgia Basin Region that are
supported by either the US governments, Canadian governments and other
non-governmental organizations. These plans, programs and initiatives
include; the Puget Sound Partnership, EPA and EC Statement of
Cooperation, Puget Sound Action Team, and Northwest Straits Commission;
Marine Resource Committees, People for Puget Sound, to name a few. But
none include comprehensive participation from all 26 Western Washington
Tribes. Although most groups have included a Tribal representative to
provide an aboriginal voice on their committee, comprehensive tribal
representation is limited in the area of policy development for the
protection of the ecosystems that are the foundation of their homeland.

The shared issues are categorized by the following:

-   Overarching Issues

-   Governance Issues

-   Capacity Issues

-   Development Issues

[Over-arching Issues]{.underline}

-   The environmental degradation impacts on the traditions and life
    ways of Coast Salish Tribal and First Nations people today and for
    generations to come. The degradation of the environment causes the
    loss of tribal traditional foods such as salmon, shellfish, elk,
    deer, berries and native medicines. The loss of our traditional
    foods is a leading cause of health issues for tribal members. The
    concern is if the degradation of the environment continues the Coast
    Salish traditional life way risk extiction. The action may be to
    develop a Tribal Environmental Protection Action Plan to protect the
    shared homeland's environment and natural resources.

-   The degradation of the environment causes the loss of tribal
    traditional rights such as hunting and fishing. Tribes have been the
    rightful owners and managers of the natural resources of the shared
    region; Tribes have taken the initiative to collaborate to restore
    the habitat and natural sources that have been mismanaged by
    non-rightful owners. The concern is the Tribes have rebuilt their
    capacity to protect their environment and have the capacity to
    develop policies and actions plans to protect their shared region
    however they have not been brought to the policy development and
    making level. The action may be to collaborate with one voice to
    bring recognition and due rightful policy placement to the Coast
    Salish Leaders.

-   The Coast Salish Tribes have been long tied together through
    bloodlines that stretch north of the Powell River and down through
    the Straits of Juan de fuca, and down the beaches of Makah and down
    the coast of through Quinault. The concern is the Coast Salish
    culture has sustained burdens of disease, wars, death, and
    assimilation. Now we face the degradation of our environment, and
    the threat of extinction of our tribal culture. The action may be is
    the Coast Salish People will develop a long term Coast Salish
    Environmental Action Plan to begin the long journey of regaining the
    policy making seat to restoration and protection of the shared
    homeland and to establish the long-term sustainability of the their
    culture.

-   The Coast Salish Tribes will need tools to expand and develop the
    Inventory of Tribal Environmental Concerns; and to support the Coast
    Salish Environmental Tribal Action Plan. The tools are important to
    the long-term sustainability of the Plan and protecting their life
    ways.

    -   Needed Tools

        -   Language: The Coast Salish language supports the grass roots
            of our culture. The Coast Salish language provides the
            guidelines of the families, governments, policies, health,
            and history. The language provides the historical terms and
            knowledge needed to support the Plan.

        -   Collaboration: The Coast Salish Tribal Organizations are
            supportive of a common goal: to protect our environment,
            restore our rightful fishing and hunting habitats, and
            protect our cultural life ways. Through these two
            organization we will create a Tribal Environmental Coalition
            for BC and Western Washington to work through the
            organization to develop and support the Plan.

            -   The Western Washington Tribes have collaborated to
                establish the NWIFC to support the recovery, restoration
                and protection of the Salmon and our life ways. The
                commissioners represent a majority of the Western
                Washington Tribes and are a leading force in
                environmental and salmon protection.

            -   The newly created Coast Salish Aboriginal Council
                consists of one nation, the Coast Salish. The Council
                holds 81 seats, 54 BC First Nation Chiefs and 26 Western
                Washington Chairmen.

            -   Funding: The concern is the lack of funding to support
                the capacity to protect the environment and with the
                current cut back in environmental funding, the Tribes
                and organizations will need to develop a funding plan to
                sustain the efforts of the Plan.

[Governance Concerns and Issues]{.underline}

-   The Salish Sea is the only eco region that contains one aboriginal
    nation, the Coast Salish. The eco region is managed by multi
    transboundry governments managing one, with difference environmental
    action plans, difference government types, different regulations and
    policies. The rightful landowners of the eco region, the Coast
    Salish, share the same culture that has been shared through
    generations and teachings from shared bloodlines and stories. The
    Coast Salish Peoples share the same environmental teachings and
    natural resource management style, same governance styles, same
    family bloodlines and the same values.

-   The US and Canadian border and the governance issues has separated
    the alliance of Coast Salish Tribes and First Nations which has
    resulted in loss of the control of policy development in our
    homelands. The Coast Salish Tribes and Nations have restarted the
    alliance of knowledge, strength and support to regain their rightful
    place as the owners of the land, water and air of the shared eco
    region. One nation, one eco region, one policy, one plan.

[Capacity Concerns and Issues]{.underline}

-   The US and Canadian Governments have established several agreements,
    task forces and action plans to manage and protect the Georgia Basin
    Puget Sound Region. In the past three years, there are native
    organizations that have invited Coast Salish Representation to
    assist and advise the policy makers in developing environmental
    policies. The concern is the lack of representation of Coast Salish
    Tribes and Nation on the international trans boundary environmental
    policy development. The action may be to increase the awareness and
    due rightful place for Coast Salish People to sit at the policy
    development table; to implement the Coast Salish Environmental
    Action Plan to the present and future environmental action plans,
    task forces, councils, committees and policy making decisions
    entities.

-   The Coast Salish People have a historical tradition of gatherings;
    whether it is canoe journeys, potlatches, naming ceremonies, or
    spiritual ceremonies. The traditional networking system of the Coast
    Salish is a process and place for the Coast Salish leaders to
    gather, network, share information and establish quorums for
    important policy and protection decisions to be made. The concern is
    the lack of funding to support the traditional gathering process;
    the past and current funding resources will not fund the traditional
    gathering process and events; and we will need to develop and action
    that provides to the funding resources a tribal policy to respect,
    honor and support our gathering process and event.

-   The Coast Salish Tribes and Nations have many successful
    environmental tribal projects and programs. We do not have a
    centralized storage area that contains the projects and programs;
    and with today's technology, management and security capacity there
    is an opportunity to increase our shared efforts through a secure
    comprehensive database of Coast Salish Tribal and First Nation
    environmental projects and programs. The concern is the lack of
    funding to develop a database of this magnitude, and the action may
    be to incorporate a shared trans boundary funding resource to
    provide the technical and money to support a project. The second
    concern is the lack of technology to those smaller Tribes and
    Nations who do not have the capacity to participate in the shared
    database, and an action may be to coordinate with trans boundary
    funding agencies to support the technical capacity issues.

-   The Coast Salish Tribes and Nations have been building their
    capacity to manage their own environment and natural resources. The
    government agencies have provided funding capacity through the stop
    and go funding sources. The concern is some Tribes, Nations have
    reached their capacity, and now realistic needs for funding
    resources are needed for implementation, long term planning and
    action planning, which are not available by current funding
    resources. The action may be to coordinate with funding resources to
    re evaluate and re construct new funding opportunities to fit the
    realistic needs of those Tribes and Nations who have reached their
    capacity levels to be effective managers of their environment and
    natural resources.

-   Coast Salish belief in the circle of life, the dirt is the body and
    the water is the blood running through her veins. The belief is
    Mother Earth is the creator and provides all the resources and needs
    for the Coast Salish to live and survive in harmony. When we pollute
    her lands, her waters, and her air, we are killing our creator. The
    concern is non-tribal policy makers lack the knowledge and cultural
    significance of Mother Earth to the Coast Salish People. The
    importance of the environment to the survival of the Coast Salish is
    not clearly understood or respected by outside policy developers and
    the action may be is to develop an outreach and education program.
    The program will coordinate and support the establishment of a
    long-term process to guide the non-natives in understanding the
    cultural significance of Mother Earth to the Coast Salish Peoples.

-   The collaborative efforts of the Coast Salish Tribes and Nations
    have been evident in the success the Northwest Indian Fisheries
    Commission and the Aboriginal Fisheries Commission. They have
    provided an organized environmental protection of the salmon and the
    environment. These organizations have a long-standing history with
    the Tribes and Nations; and when the funding cutback occurs; they
    are the first to be effected. These organizations may not be a Tribe
    or a Nation; but they are the warriors that fight for our Coast
    Salish fishing and hunting rights and to protect our environment.
    When their funding resources are cut back, our ability to stand
    together with one voice is smashed into multiple voices with no
    leader. The concern is the funding cut backs effect the Coast Salish
    representation and efforts to protect the environment and natural
    resources. The action may be to collaborate with the funding
    agencies to develop funding opportunities that fit our
    organization's realistic needs and future goals.

[Development Issues]{.underline}

-   The Coast Salish People have lived for centuries without a border
    across their lands; they shared their hunting and fishing rights
    depending on traditional family, land and bloodline rights. In the
    past 150 years the Canadian and US Governments have drawn a border
    that has divided the Coast Salish People and brought land, fish and
    hunting wars to a harmonized nation. The Tribes and Nations have
    rekindled their bloodlines through their traditional gatherings of
    canoe journeys, potlatches, naming ceremonies, and spiritual
    ceremonies; this has allowed them to strengthen their voices to
    support their political needs to protect their shared homeland. The
    rekindling of the Coast Salish People has brought the environmental
    protection issues into full speed; and the Tribes and Nations are
    struggling to share their knowledge, projects and programs. The
    shared efforts need to be developed into a stable program that
    supports trans boundary projects, policymaking, and protection of
    their homeland. The concern is we are lacking the funding resources
    to support trans boundary environmental program. The action may be
    as the Coast Salish establish their position in policy development
    committees and councils, whom support shared trans boundary
    projects, they can begin to implement the process for a stable
    shared environmental program and begin to support and coordinate in
    shared projects and policy development.

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-   The Georgia Basin/ Puget Sound Region is rich in a diverse array of
    ecosystems and species unique to this area that sustain the life
    ways of the Coastal Salish Tribes and First Nations. Salmon are an
    excellent example of the integral and yet vanishing connection the
    people and their land. The concern is as the shared homelands are
    under significant pressure from population growth, industrial
    expansion and economic demands. The action that may be the political
    stand and policy management plans will need to be developed and
    recognized by the government agencies.

-   The Coast Salish People have shared the water ways of the shared eco
    region. The trans boundary pollution movement between the land, air
    and water is evident is several river systems, the Frasier River,
    Skagit River, and Marine Waters. The concern is the Tribes do not
    have a developed process or system to share the information needed
    to restore, protect and manage the problems. The action may be to
    develop an online networking system and establish a security system
    and host to develop a website to network and share information.

-   The Diesel Emissions policy making is not effectively managed by
    both governments; and each emission decision is not directly related
    to the overall health of the environmental, but rather the price of
    oil and oil company owners. The concern is the diesel emission's
    policy making process is not environmentally friendly. The action
    may be to collaborate with EPA and EC to support the increase of
    diesel emissions policy making problems, in hopes of strengthening
    the protection of the environment with one collective voice.

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-   Agricultural run-offs

    -   Bio-accumulative Toxics in marine life

    -   Health Risk Assessments

    -   Not sensitive to indigenous lifestyles

Tools to Succeed

-   Consensus

    -   The need to establish a prioritized list of shared issues,
        tools, and long term plan to protect and preserve our homeland's
        environment and resources.

-   Communication

    -   Establish a means of an Ongoing Communication Network System

    -   Use our existing system to come together

        -   Gatherings

        -   Families

-   Collaboration

    -   Shared Information

    -   Joint Projects

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-   Language

    -   Our Language is an essential tool that ties us to the our lands
        and our culture Use our language to establish our rightful place
        at the table

-   Funding

    -   Long term planning

    -   Sustainability

    -   Implementation Funding