Simpcw First Nation announced publicly that it has declared the Raush Valley an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA).
An IPCA is a place that Indigenous Nations identify for conservation.
Simpcw says this self-declaration is made based on the inherent rights and jurisdiction that Simpcw has over Simpcwúl’ecw, its unceded territory.
The Raush River is a tributary of the Fraser River and the two join near the community of Dunster in the Robson Valley.
Designating the Raush Valley as an IPCA is a commitment to Simpcw’s intentions to conserve this biodiverse valley, and to protect Simpcw peoples traditional and ongoing use of the area.
“Creating an IPCA in the Raush Valley is our longterm commitment to conserve lands and waters for future generations. The Raush is important to Símpcwemc historically and currently, and we will exercise our rights to control what happens in this valley,” says Kúkwpi7 George Lampreau.
“The area has had little resource development, and we intend to conserve it. The western approach to conservation bars Indigenous peoples from meaningful decision-making on our territories, preventing us from carrying out cultural practices and learning about our history - this is an extension of the colonial practice of removing Indigenous peoples from our land.”
Two areas of the river are protected: the Lower Raush Protected Area protects 1,279 near the river's mouth, while the Upper Raush Protected Area covers 5,582 hectares of its upper reaches.
Simpcw will be pursuing additional mechanisms to protect the Raush Valley. Simpcw has obtained support for this IPCA and for additional work to develop Indigenous Management Approaches for the valley from relevant industry and government partners and neighbouring First Nations.
