IPCA 101: What you need to know about Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas
Image by Philip McLachlan via Indiginews
In April of 2022, the sməlqmíx (Lower Similkameen Indian Band) self-declared an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area, or IPCA, covering the entire Ashnola Watershed, an area they call nʔaysnúlaʔxʷ snxaʔcnitkʷ.
“Protecting the cold, pure waters of our watershed is essential if the smelqmix, the land, all beings, as well as settlers to the Similkameen, are to thrive in a time of climate change and increasing water scarcity,” said xitulax̣ʷ Ira Edward, a band councillor.
Now what? And what does the declaration mean? Both remain unclear.
The Ministry of Water, Land and and Resource Stewardship (WLRS) is developing a formal process for recognizing the values and vision of IPCAs; they expect to release some guidance later this year.
But in the absence of facts, there are a lot of misconceptions, admits Rhonda Cage, a director in land use policy at WLRS, who is leading the province’s efforts to develop an IPCA process.
“Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area is a new term for something that has existed for decades,” she says. “It is an Indigenous-led process that elevates the role a First Nation community and its government has on the land.”
That vague definition hints at the complexity involved. The ORCBC has also established a connection with Lori Halls, the Deputy Minister for WLRS, to advocate on behalf of its members with regard to the formation of IPCAs. As well, the ORCBC has posed some questions to Cage about IPCAs and what they mean for outdoor recreation in B.C. (Her answers have been edited for space and clarity.)
ORCBC: What is an IPCA?
RC: The B.C. government sees IPCAs as a vision statement for how a First Nation wants to steward land in their traditional territory. It’s Indigenous led and defined by the First Nation and it’s an opportunity for a government-to-government process.
What are Nations looking for when they declare an IPCA?
It could be a vision specific to managing forestry or a vision that integrates sovereignty and self-determination. The spectrum and potential complexity of IPCA’s makes a single response approach impossible for B.C. For instance, the Simpcw’s declaration of an IPCA in the Raush Valley, between Valemount and McBride, focuses on forest management. The Ashnola IPCA is more all encompassing to address cumulative impacts to the important watershed. The scope and goals of each individual IPCA, like these examples, varies with each community’s vision and needs. Our process to respond must address this complexity.
Why are we talking about IPCAs now?
The Indigenous Circle of Experts (ICE) recommended the creation of IPCAs in its 2018 We Rise Together report, which provided recommendations for Canada to meet its international conservation commitments. This created an additional avenue for First Nations communities to express their vision for stewardship in their territories. We believe IPCAs will play an important role in B.C. meeting its commitment to protect 30 percent of its land and water by 2030. And by adopting the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act in 2019, the provincial government made commitments and acknowledged that it must partner with Nations to come to shared visions and objectives for land stewardship. IPCAs are an opportunity to develop these partnerships and work towards shared goals in an open and transparent way.
How many IPCAs have been declared in the province?
Since the ICE report and national interest in IPCAs, there have been increasing declarations of IPCAs in B.C. There are approximately 13 or 14 publicly declared IPCAs currently [April 2024], although our understanding and knowledge of First Nations interests continues to grow through these and other partnership processes.
What does a self declared IPCA mean to tenure holders and the public?
It is really important to understand that the declaration of an IPCA, in of itself, does not change the legal status of a space. It is not a veto power. A unilateral declaration does not necessarily mean a change to land management or that non-Indigenous use must cease. Declaring an IPCA shows a Nation’s interest in stewardship. We want to work with the Nation on how those objectives are expressed and work to find shared objectives with tenure holders. Any changes to land management will be done in a transparent way.
Are IPCAs synonymous with parks and protected areas?
No. This is one of the biggest misconceptions. Some IPCAs are very conservation focused. Most will involve some level of stewardship, but stewardship is not necessarily conservation. In many cases the vision is more holistic, involving economic, stewardship and conservation goals.
What happens after a Nation declares an IPCA?
The expression of the First Nation’s stewardship intentions provides important information to assist in building a positive relationship and to inform future engagement with the Nation. The provincial government engages with the Nation to understand their vision and see if there is an existing model for engaging at a government-to-government level. In some situations, there may be shared interest in undertaking a joint land use plan to build shared understanding of the land management in the area, such as a Modernized Land Use Planning processing or Forest Landscape Planning. Or there may be other opportunities to address stewardship interests for specific outcomes in other frameworks, such as species at risk or wildlife management.
Where will funding come from to create IPCAs?
The federal government has contributed significant funding. Last fall the provincial government joined the federal government to fund the BC Nature Agreement, more than a billion dollars for creating IPCAs that contribute to the 30 by 30 biodiversity commitments. Provincial funding is also available for government-to-government partnerships that fit within the framework of the province’s MLUP or FLP processes. A third potential funding source is through conservation finance, the practice of raising private money to support land, water and resource conservation. The Conservation Finance Mechanism, launched in partnership between the province and B.C. Parks Foundation is one such source.
What should ORCBC members do when an IPCA is declared in an area they care about?
For recreation users and tenure holders the declaration should be viewed as a recognition that the Nation has interest in the area. I hope that that will be acknowledged and respected on both sides. They should reach out to their contacts in the Nation and see what role they can play.
Can you direct readers towards more resources and information sources?
The provincial Land Use Planning site is a good source of information: Home - Land Use Planning (gov.bc.ca) and the policy site: Land Use Planning Policy & Guidance - Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)
The following are external sites that are good sources of information on IPCAs: