As part of our Earth Day activities, MONOVA staff began work on a Coast Salish Garden in Museum Muse under the guidance of Indigenous Cultural Programmer Tsawaysia Spukwus (shown right). Photo: Laurel Lawry

“Celebration Through Action, on Earth Day – April 22 – and Every Day” is the 2022 campaign to promote national activities that highlight the commitment to make positive change by individuals, community groups, and organizations. Earth Day Canada’s mission is to help people and organizations reduce their environmental impact.

Earth Day Events at MONOVA

Earth Day was first celebrated on 22 April 1970 and over the years, Earth Day has become the largest participatory environmental movement on the planet. Locally, MONOVA is set to engage, strengthen and inspire our community through fun and educational activities (and a little old fashioned roll-up-your-sleeves hard work!).

This includes:

• Discovery Session: Name that Plant and Planting Activity: Indigenous Cultural Programmer Senaqwila Wyss will share knowledge on local indigenous plants and plant-based dies for art projects. Friday, April 22 from 11:00am to 4:00pm.
• Campfire Capers Fast Frogs: The Campfire Capers program Fast Frogs is a fun, 30-minute pre-school program about frogs and includes songs, games, stories and more. Friday, April 22 at 11:15am.
• Gallery Tour with Charlie Cook: This special gallery tour will look at North Vancouver history through an Earth Day lens!  Our galleries explore stories from First Nations, our urban wilderness and wildlife, and the connections between land, water, and people. Friday, April 22 at 1:00pm.
• Spirit Trail Clean Up: Wear your MONOVA colours and join our staff and volunteers for this community clean up of the Lower Lonsdale section of the Spirit Trail for Earth Day. Meet at MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver (115 West Esplanade) and walk the trail together to take care of our trail and shoreline. Friday, April 22 at 3:30pm.

2020 marked the first Association of Canadian Archivists conference to include a panel session on the impact of climate change on archival practices. MONOVA Archivist Jessica Bushey sat on the panel and spoke about The Forest, an archival exhibition presented at the Archives of North Vancouver in Lynn Valley and its related public program Living with Wildfires.

Climate Action at the Local Level

Earth Day Canada’s Municipalities Mobilizing campaign highlights participating municipalities from across the country, who are “celebrating with Earth Day Canada and driving ecological transition”.

In February 2019, based on the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidance, the City of North Vancouver created its Climate and Environment Strategy which will provide a vision for a resilient and sustainable future; goals to help support the vision and respond to the climate and nature crises; and strategies to cut carbon pollution and promote a healthy environment.

Also in 2019, District of North Vancouver Council declared a climate and ecological emergency. Since then, the DNV has accelerated its actions, reflected in the District’s 2019-2022 Corporate Plan, which declares its intent to “…make the District a leader in climate emergency action, mitigation, and adaptation, and continue to care deeply for its natural assets. Healthy, biodiverse ecosystems are proactively protected and restored through policy, stewardship and community education.”

Gateway to the Spirit Trail by Sḵwx̱wú7mesh carver Wade Baker. Photo: City of North Vancouver

The Important Role of Indigenous Knowledge

Recently, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released it Sixth Assessment Report, Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability in which it recognises the diverse forms of knowledge to better understand and evaluate climate adaptation processes. Scientific knowledge, as well as local and Indigenous knowledge, will help us reduce risks from human-induced climate change.

In 2019, the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) passed a motion recognizing that we are in a climate emergency, and that Indigenous knowledge is key to fighting climate change. “Urgent action is needed to protect and strengthen the rights of the Squamish People, advance self-determination, protect quality of life, and enhance the health of our community. In order to build a sustainable and resilient community, the Nation is developing the Wa Lhkwáyel Skwiyíńtsut.”

Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) embarked on a phased, community-based Climate Change Resilience Planning process in 2018. “This work produced a values-based assessment of the impacts of sea level rise, increased precipitation, rising temperatures, and changing oceanic conditions on key TWN community sectors; and a climate action toolkit to guide TWN climate action over the next 10 years and beyond.”

The IPCC 2022 Report also discusses urban settings, where “observed climate change has caused impacts on human health, livelihoods and key infrastructure.” And the report authors encourage a wide range of participants in working towards shifting practices: “Climate resilient development is facilitated … by governments at all levels working with communities, civil society, educational bodies, scientific and other institutions, media, investors and businesses; and by developing partnerships with traditionally marginalised groups.”

Salal, with its ripe berries, has glossy green leaves year-round. Photo: Nancy Turner for Hakai Magazine

The Coast Salish Garden Project

An exciting project that MONOVA is undertaking is the Coast Salish Garden, where museum guests can learn about traditional indigenous plants and Indigenous ways of knowing, fostering respect and understanding for First Nations practices, culture, and language.

The outdoor gardens will create a welcoming environment where users feel invited to linger in the area and renew their connection to nature in an urban setting.  It will also provide up-close-and-personal contact with plant varieties that you might not see in your local nursery but can be sourced at specialized nurseries, which can be found throughout Greater Vancouver (resources listed below).

Making the switch to gardening with plants native to our region, you can have a garden that is not only beautiful and low-maintenance, but also provides habitat for local wildlife. Native plants can attract birds, bees, butterflies, and more – and will help conserve water over the summer months.

“Last summer, our region experienced a record-breaking heatwave … This challenging event, during which we were confronted with the urgency of the climate emergency, highlighted the need to further reduce consumption of water for cosmetic outdoor uses through the whole summer,” said Sav Dhaliwal, chair of Metro Vancouver’s Board of Directors.

According to the Audubon Society, “Restoring native plant habitat is vital to preserving biodiversity. By creating a native plant garden, each patch of habitat becomes part of a collective effort to nurture and sustain the living landscape for birds and other animals.”

For more information and resources on how to create your own Coast Salish plant garden:

• Backyard Enhancement | Species at Risk, South Coast British Columbia, Canada (sccp.ca)
• The Harmony Garden
• Wild Bird Trust’s Coast Salish Plant Nursery
• Fraser Valley Conservancy: Gardening with Native Plants
• Farm To School BC: Learning From The Land