Culturally significant island in Salish Sea returns to W̱SÁNEĆ First Nations
26 February, 2021
On Wednesday February 10, SISȻENEM—a culturally important island located in the Salish Sea off Sidney Island—will be returned to its rightful owners.
The Land Conservancy of British Columbia and the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council will sign a land transfer agreement for SISȻENEM, a 9.67-acre island that forms part of the territory of the W̱SÁNEĆ First Nations.
It’s an historic act of reconciliation that was facilitated, in part, by Dr. Tara Martin, UBC’s Liber Ero Chair in Conservation, Faculty of Forestry, who lives and works in the region. She brought the ecological and cultural significance of the island to the attention of the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership, and then engaged The Land Conservancy in the conversation. With a partnership established, Dr. Martin was also able to find a donor to fund the purchase of the island so it could be transferred to its rightful owners.
- Institutional initiatives
- University news
- Media release
