June 9, 2022

LandAwards REFBC 2022 Gala Hero Place Setting - Pardeep Singh

the 2022 Land Awards

We hosted the 2022 Land Awards Gala on June 9 at the Anvil Centre in New Westminster.

It was wonderful to celebrate great people and projects, and to honour so many who are working to advance sustainable, equitable, and socially just relationships between land, water, and people.

Almost 250 guests attended the Gala. We presented seven awards to people and projects that are raising the bar for innovation and forging new partnerships.

Fred Lee, Metro Vancouver’s “Man About Town,” emceed the event. Special guests included Elliott Slinn, poet laureate of New Westminster; Shawna Davis, author of Majagalee: The Language of Seasons; Tzo’kam, a family of Líl̓wat singers; and Brejera, a Brazilian music ensemble.

Thank you to everyone who joined us.

We were grateful to gather in place and in person, on the unceded territories of hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓-speaking peoples, including the Qayqayt, Musqueam, Kwantlen, Katzie, Kwikwetlem, Tsawwassen, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations — the stewards of these lands and waters since time immemorial.

Almost 250 guests attended the Gala. We presented seven awards to people and projects that are raising the bar for innovation and forging new partnerships.

Fred Lee, Metro Vancouver’s “Man About Town,” emceed the event. Special guests included Elliott Slinn, poet laureate of New Westminster; Shawna Davis, author of Majagalee: The Language of Seasons; Tzo’kam, a family of Líl̓wat singers; and Brejera, a Brazilian music ensemble.

Thank you to everyone who joined us.

We were grateful to gather in place and in person, on the unceded territories of hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓-speaking peoples, including the Qayqayt, Musqueam, Kwantlen, Katzie, Kwikwetlem, Tsawwassen, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations — the stewards of these lands and waters since time immemorial.

Individual Winners

Land Champion

Winner

Wayne McCrory

Legendary conservationist and professional biologist Wayne McCrory has dedicated his life to protecting large and small tracts of ecologically important land across BC. McCrory is a founder of the Valhalla Wilderness Society and the Valhalla Foundation for Ecology.

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He is also the foremost expert on human-bear conflict and conservation in Western Canada. Over five decades, McCrory, his VWS colleagues, First Nations, and many others protected the Khutzeymateen/K’tzim-a-deen Grizzly Sanctuary, Kitasoo Spirit Bear Conservancy, Valhalla Provincial Park, and Goat Range Provincial Park. His research led to the creation, by the Xeni Gwet’in, of the first wild horse preserve in Western Canada. McCrory worked with the Foundation to protect the Snk’mip Marsh Sanctuary and Jaŝ Chinook Salmon Nature Sanctuary. For 30 years, he worked with many others to end BC’s grizzly bear trophy hunt. McCrory’s leadership has created a rich legacy for BC and the world and has inspired countless people to stand up for bears, wildlands, and endangered species.

Emerging Leader

Winner

Taylor Wade

Taylor Wale is Lax Gibuu from Wilps xGwoimtxw and works as a fisheries biologist with the Gitksan Watershed Authorities, where she plays a key role in watershed stewardship and fisheries management in Gitksan territory.

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Wale has a BSc in natural resources conservation and an MSc in forestry from UBC, where she was recognized with the Peter H. Pearse Forestry Award and Skills Award for Aboriginal Youth. She honours the Elders and role models who have guided her and serves as a mentor to youth in her community. Wale volunteers as a girls’ basketball coach and plays for the Gitxsan Mystics. Through her professional and volunteer work, she sets an incredible example for youth and anyone working to protect and restore land and water and uphold Indigenous rights and title.

Project Winners

Land Use & Conservation

Winner

Tŝilhqot’in Wildfire Management Project
(Gathering Voices Society)

In partnership with Yuneŝit’in and Xeni Gwet’in First Nations, this project involves the revitalization of fire knowledge and practice, to protect and restore ecosystem function, mitigate wildfires, and enhance biodiversity. The project aims to expand Indigenous fire practices across BC, empower communities to implement their stewardship approaches, and reduce wildfire risk.

Finalists

Green Shores

Stewardship Centre for British Columbia

Tenquille Lake Visitor Use Management Project

Province of BC, Líl̓wat Nation, and N’Quatqua First Nation

Wildlife Habitat Stewards

Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Society

Fresh Water

Winner

Water for Fish
(First Nations Fisheries Council of British Columbia)

The Water for Fish project is a unique initiative that brings together dozens of First Nations, fills collective capacity gaps, and enables Indigenous leaders to improve watershed health and governance. It plays a critical role in connecting diverse First Nations and non-Indigenous partners that are interested in improving water management and governance in BC

Finalists

Columbia River Field School

Wildsight

Developing Water Responsibilities Plans Using the Syilx Methodologyl

Okanagan Nation Alliance

Knowledge Mobilization Across the Skeena Watershed

Skeena Knowledge Trust

Xwaaqw’um Village Watershed Restoration

Stqeeye’ Learning Society

Built Environment

Winner

First Nations Home EnergySave
(Fraser Basin Council)

First Nations Home EnergySave empowers First Nations communities in BC to transition towards energy efficient housing. The project has helped build a network of leaders and practitioners in First Nations communities and inspired new programs and policies.

Finalists

Greater Victoria District 2030

BOMA BC

Temporary Community Gardens

Community Garden Builders

Tsawwassen First Nation Comprehensive Housing Strategy

Tsawwassen First Nation

Food Lands

Winner

Tea Creek Farm
(Tea Creek)

Tea Creek is an Indigenous-led, culturally safe, land-based Indigenous food sovereignty initiative in Gitxsan territory. Tea Creek Farm is helping to restore the ability of Indigenous nations to grow fresh, healthy food and medicine in an interdependent economy.

Finalists

Farmland Advantage

B.C. Investment Agriculture Foundation

KPU Farm Schools Program

Institute for Sustainable Food Systems at Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Qwal̓ímak Nlep̓cálten/Mosquito Garden

Líl̓wat Nation

Real Estate

Winner

Radon in Real Estate: Transforming BC’s Indoor Environments
(British Columbia Lung Foundation)

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas and carcinogen that occurs widely in soils, and which can, over time, reach high concentrations in buildings. This project researched policy solutions for radon in the real estate sector and advocated for change.

Finalists

Building Climate Resilience in the Okanagan: A Homeowner’s Resource Guide

Association of Interior Realtors

Housing for Women by Women

Soroptimist International of Vancouver and Purpose Driven Development

Real Estate Energy Efficiency Program

Vancouver Island Real Estate Board

Judges

Thank you to our esteemed judges for 2022.

Individual Awards

Ramona Faust
Mandy Hansen
Roberta J. Stewart

Project Awards

Emilie K. Adin
Mark Angelo
Jennifer L. Archer
Cara Basil
Toni Boot
Gwen Bridge
Deborah Carlson
Anita Georgy
Cheeying Ho
Kevin Huang
Darlene Hyde

Tony Joe
Kelly Lerigny
Dori Munday Lionello
Lana Lowe
Deana Machin
Divine Ndemeye
Carys Pinches
Patrick Stewart
Aaron Sumexheltza
Jess Úst̓i (Housty)
Keely Weget-Whitney
Andy Yan

Presenters

Emcee

Fred Lee

Fred Lee’s sense of humour and unique style makes him Metro Vancouver’s “Man About Town.” The social butterfly steps out and shares with readers all of Vanhattan’s red-carpet parties, must-attend galas, and fabulous fundraisers. In 2020, UBC awarded Lee the President’s Staff Award for Advancing Diversity & Inclusion

Poet

Eliott Slinn

Elliott Slinn was named New Westminster’s fifth (and youngest) Poet Laureate in 2021. Slinn isalso a singer-songwriter whose first single, “It’s You,” was featured on Apple Music’s Hot Tracks list and in BeatRoute magazine. He is currently working on his first book of poetry and aims to record more music in the future.

Author & Artist

Shawna Davis

Shawna Davis is Laxskiik (Eagle Clan) from Wilps Sakum Higookxw of the Gitksan Nation, with a Nisga’a father clan. She has been practicing beadwork for four years and is grateful for the opportunity to tell stories through the medium of beadwork. She was born and raised in the Northwest Coast of what is currently known as BC and now lives in New Hazelton with her family.

Musical Guest

Brejera

Brejera is a Brazilian music ensemble that plays choro, samba, forró, baião, and other authentic Brazilian styles of music. The group has been active for over a decade and is composed of Mario Silva (seven-string guitar, vocals), Bruno Matos (pandeiro), Trevor Murray (cavaquinho), and Tobias Soley (clarinet, percussion).

Musical Guest

Tzo’kam

Tzo’kam means “chickadee” and “visitors are coming” in the Stl’atl’imx language. Flora Wallace, from Xaxlip (near Lillooet), her children, and grandchildren have sung together at community events for many years. Tzo’kam sings songs of the Stl’atl’imx that Flora learned as a child. Today, Tzo’kam continues to teach, share, and maintain a tradition that has been kept alive by dedicated elders