Product details

In July 2017, the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations in Tofino, British Columbia, Canada, grappled with mounting conservation costs, inconsistent and unreliable funding, and the erosion of their cultural identity within their Tribal Parks. Some of the community's past knowledge had also been lost due to ongoing colonial impacts, and the sacred protocol for visitors to the land was often disregarded. The community also had to contend with the significant expenses required to sustain the lands, aggravated by inconsistent support from tourism operators and the government. Julian Hockin-Grant, a senior consultant with responsibilities spanning the entire Clayoquot region, faced a daunting challenge. In an average year, the Tribal Parks hosted approximately a million visitors engaging with the community in various ways. Managing funding was an arduous task, as donations and grants fluctuated annually, making budgeting and project planning difficult. Relying on volunteers and a limited crew of Guardians only stretched resources so far. Hockin-Grant's mission was twofold: to secure greater funding opportunities and to ensure that financial progress remained within the operations of the Tribal Parks. He also had to craft strategies to strike a delicate balance between sustaining the Tla-o-qui-aht culture from extinction and coping with the influx of tourism that would generate support for the area.