Download Royal BC Museum - Peace River Regional District

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Received DC Office April 16/16
Chris Cvik, Chief Administrative Officer Peace River Regional (PRRD) P.O. Box 810, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4H8 T: (250) 784-­‐3200 / Dawson Creek T: (250) 785-­‐8084 / Fort St/ John E: [email protected] April 15, 2016 Dear Mr. Cvik, As you know, the municipalities and rural electoral areas within the Peace Region, your home -­‐ include a special landscape rich in biological and cultural treasures. Species from the Rockies, northern forests and prairie grasslands meet here in a landscape of wild mountains, vital rivers and fertile plains. The region’s ecosystems have their roots in the ancient ice-­‐free corridor and glacier-­‐free peaks. A fantastic fossil record chronicles life far beyond the time of the dinosaurs. 1
The region’s spectacular and diverse landscape -­‐ what we call a “living landscape” -­‐ is recognized by the Royal BC Museum as an environmental treasure. We similarly recognize that the region’s natural values contribute to a dynamic and evolving economy. The Royal BC Museum believes that museums must play a vital role in fostering a new way of being a citizen -­‐ informed, engaged and active. Our mission is to promote an understanding of the living landscapes and cultures of British Columbia and to engage its citizens in a dialogue about their future. Royal BC Museum researchers have been studying the Peace Region’s biodiversity during the past five years and as a result, we are pleased to introduce you to an exciting regional program -­‐ The Royal BC Museum’s Environmental Stewardship Project: Peace Region Expedition and Community Engagement (P.E.A.C.E.), a pilot two-­‐year project. Within our project context, the Peace Region broadly encompasses the drainages of the Peace River and most of the Liard River overlapping with the Peace River Regional District’s administrative jurisdiction. Year one of the project is generously supported by the W. Garfield Weston Foundation with matching funds from the Royal BC Museum Foundation. Our new program is both an expedition and a community engagement project. It is an innovative and ambitious approach to chronicle and identify -­‐ with your participation -­‐ the region’s unique natural and related cultural history, share what we learn by engaging with the diverse communities that live and work here, and foster a sense of stewardship of this unique legacy. In 2015-­‐16, the project includes ecosystem field work at key sites in the Peace Region to enhance our existing collections and understanding of the region. The Environmental Stewardship component of the project will bring our knowledge to the region’s residents as we in turn unearth and collect what you know best. Through collections and research, the project will share the region’s stories -­‐ from plants to people, their histories and their futures. These stories will be The term living landscapes is an expression of the Royal BC Museum’s belief that nature needs to be 1
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told through thoughtful and provocative community engagement (educational and exhibit) 2
programs. In 2016-­‐2017 we hope to bring the Species at Risk travelling exhibition to the region and host an Environmental Festival in the study area. The project’s goals include: • To partner in gathering knowledge and collaborate with other cultural and scientific organizations to systematically document the natural and related cultural history of the Peace area for posterity and public benefit. • To bring together traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and different scientific approaches to research and different communities together to transparently talk about our findings, in the truest and broadest sense of engagement and collaboration. • To exchange and share the region’s stories with citizens through community programs and exhibits. • To foster and enable people’s intuitive wish to be thoughtful stewards of their exceptional natural heritage. •
To build inclusivity by asking and answering questions to help all citizens talk about the area’s value and make informed decisions about their future. •
Working with the Peace Region’s communities, Royal BC Museum staff will aid in the identification of the region’s key attributes and put them into the context of challenges and opportunities to the region. •
To invite local residents to share their knowledge, wisdom, observations and connections with the natural world, contributing to -­‐ and shaping -­‐ Royal BC Museum programs. •
To establish a regional advisory board / steering group. To establish a two-­‐way connection where your stories are reflected in our museum and programs and we bring stories of BC to you. •
In the coming years, significant transformations in the Peace Region are inevitable as diverse communities and industry groups sit down to discuss the region’s future. The Royal BC Museum is a vehicle for transformation -­‐ a new kind of natural history museum, involving the public to face challenges ahead with a deep understanding of the natural environment. 2
Will be dependent on funding April 28, 2016
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The Royal BC Museum is currently planning a visit and educational events in Fort St. John on May th
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4 and May 5 and in Tumbler Ridge on May 5 . We look forward to getting to know your communities and will be able to provide you with further details shortly as the planning is finalized. At such time we would also like to invite you to meet The Royal BC Museum Environmental Stewardship Project: Peace Region Expedition and Community Engagement team and participate in developing a program that reflects the specific needs of the Peace River Regional District. For more information, contact: Melissa Knight, P.E.A.C.E. Project Regional Coordinator, Royal BC Museum, Telephone (250) 793-­‐5304, Email peaceproject@royalbcmuseum. bc.ca Sincerely, Dr. Richard Hebda Curator of Botany and Earth History, Royal BC Museum E: [email protected] Attachments cc: Erik Lambertson, Manager of Corporate Communications, Royal BC Museum Pat Pimm, MLA Peace River North Hon. Mike Bernier, MLA Peace River South Karen Goodings, Board Director Electoral Area B, PRRD Bradley Sperling, Board Director Electoral Area C, PRRD Leonard Hiebert, Board Director Electoral Area D, PRRD Dan Rose, Board Director Electoral Area E, PRRD Shannon Anderson, Deputy Chief Administrator, PRRD Jo-­‐Anne Frank, Corporate Officer, PRRD Fran Haughian, Communications Manager / Commissions Liaison, PRRD Ronda Wilkins, Executive Assistant, PRRD Trish Morgan, General Manager of Community and Electoral Area Services, PRRD Bryna Casey, Parks and Services Coordinator, PRRD Jill Rickert, Community Services Coordinator, PRRD Jeff Rahn, General Manager of Environmental Services, PRRD Bernie Roters, Environmental Services Coordinator, PRRD April 28, 2016
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The Royal BC Museum PEACE Project
Living Landscapes
The Royal BC Museum calls the province’s unique landscapes and ecosystems “living landscapes” in
the belief that nature has intrinsic value and plays a vital role in the lives of future generations, who
will rely upon the land for sustenance, safety and the foundations of communities and economies.
Collaborative Stewardship
BC’s unique and rich biological diversity is undergoing accelerated transformation as climate changes
and humans demand more and more.
The future of British Columbia’s globally exceptional heritage requires strong stewardship based on
sound knowledge. The use of land, living resources and water must support the ecological integrity
of our ecosystems. The people who live in and depend upon our living landscapes are well suited to
being good stewards.
The Royal BC Museum’s role is to provide and develop knowledge, bring together people and
institutions and foster discussions about the future.
The Peace Region
The Peace Region of northeast British Columbia—broadly defined to include the mountains,
valleys and plains of the drainages of the Peace and most of the Liard Rivers—is biologically and
culturally unique.
Species from the Rocky Mountains, northern forests and prairie grasslands meet in a landscape of
wild mountains, vital rivers and fertile plains. The region’s ecosystems have their roots in the ancient
ice-free corridor and glacier-free peaks, and fossils chronicle life far beyond the time of the dinosaurs.
In coming years, significant ecological and social transformations throughout the Peace are
inevitable as diverse communities and industry groups sit down to discuss the region’s future. The
Peace Region serves as a test example for an innovative approach to environmental stewardship.
The Royal BC Museum Environmental Stewardship Project: Peace Region Expedition and
Community Engagement (P.E.A.C.E) is a two-year pilot project generously supported by the
W. Garfield Weston Foundation with matching funds from the Royal BC Museum Foundation.
Our Vision
The Royal BC Museum fosters knowledge of, pride in and stewardship of British Columbia’s
exceptional natural landscapes and ecosystems, conscious that we live as part of, not apart
from, nature.
For more information or to find out how you can get involved, contact
[email protected] or visit royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/peaceproject
Photo courtesy of Chris Gale, Wild North Photos
April 28, 2016