Vancouver Island family returns 18 hectares of former wetland to First Nations

In a transaction believed to be the first of its kind in Canada, a Vancouver Island family has returned 18.5 hectares of former wetland on the Saanich Peninsula to First Nations in the area.

The Berglund family, through Brentwood Developments Ltd., transferred the land to the W̱SÁNEĆ Lands Trust Society (WLTS) under the federal Ecological Gifts Program (EGP), established in 1995 as a way for Canadians with ecologically-sensitive land to donate it to a qualified recipient in exchange for tax benefits.

According to the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council (WLC) — which consists of the Tsartlip and Tseycum Nations — the transfer is the first one in Canada made to an Indigenous organization through the EGP.

The land has been largely drained and converted to farmland, and the WLC says it plans to restore the area to wetland, which would provide the W̱SÁNEĆ with places to reestablish traditional harvesting practices, build connections to culture, exercise rights and title and promote conservation through education. 

A ceremony was held at the site, known by the W̱SÁNEĆ as ȾIKEL, and more commonly as Maber Flats, on Aug. 18.

"We're excited for this opportunity today to be able to have this land transfer and for W̱SÁNEĆ to be able to set our place in our own territories, not only to be back on the land but also to be able to look after the land once again," said Tsartlip First Nation Chief Don Tom, who is also WLC chairman.

The WLC says the return of the land is also significant because the W̱SÁNEĆ have been left largely landless by colonization.

"Our people have experienced a great loss due to colonization," Tom said. "Our land was never ceded or surrendered."

Land has cultural significance to W̱SÁNEĆ  

The WLC says ȾIKEL was originally an abundant wetland network that was used, cultivated and managed by W̱SÁNEĆ peoples as a place to collect food, medicines and other materials central to W̱SÁNEĆ culture, economies and identity.

The WLC also says the site was culturally important for SX̱ ELE,IȽĆ (Pacific willow), harvested there to make reef nets — a unique W̱SÁNEĆ technology that enabled W̱SÁNEĆ to fish at sea.

Even today, ȾIKEL provides habitat for more than 175 migratory bird species, according to the WLC.

'They just became the obvious choice'

The Berglund family had owned the land since 1989. Brian Berglund, vice president of Brentwood Developments Ltd., told CBC it was part of a 56-hectare plot, most of which was leased to farmers or sold to hobby farmers over the years.

Eventually, only the 18.5-hectare piece was left, and it was also leased to farmers. However, Berglund said the area proved difficult to farm until late in each growing season because of rain and boggy conditions.

Berglund said that led to a family discussion "sometime last year" about what to do with the final piece. Knowing it would be difficult to sell, he said family members started focusing on its ecological value.

Berglund then approached Katie Blake, a special projects adviser with the Victoria-based Habitat Acquisition Trust, and said Blake suggested he speak with the W̱SÁNEĆ.

"After meeting with some of the leadership council's board, we really got our eyes opened to some of the historical values and the cultural values of what ȾIKEL was to the W̱SÁNEĆ," Berglund told CBC.

"They just became the obvious choice of who we wanted to look at opportunities to donate this land to."

The transfer of the land was made possible by the WLTS's recipient status in the federal EGP.

Tom said he hopes this move by the Berglund family creates a positive spin-off effect for the W̱SÁNEĆ.  

"The decision by the Berglund family to return this land to W̱SÁNEĆ, at their own personal cost, is a courageous example of how Canadians can support reconciliation initiatives," Tom said. 

"We hope the actions of the Berglunds will lead the way for others to consider how they too can support W̱SÁNEĆ in our efforts to see the return of our homeland."