Thank you very much. Way̓ taliʔ x̌ast sx̌alx̌alt. In my language, that's greetings and that means it's a really good day.

The main thrust of my presentation is really to talk about how the conflicts between the two knowledge systems were resolved through two projects I was involved in. While I realize the topic is much broader, I can only speak about and share examples from experiences I have been fortunate to be part of.

In the first example I'll draw from, I was co-principal investigator of a research project entitled “Enhancing Ecosystem Sustainability: A Syilx/Settler Science Collaboration”. The second example I draw from is as co-investigator in a current project entitled “Watershed Ecosystems Project”. Both of these projects are in the Okanagan territory in British Columbia.

I also am drawing from my experience in my 10-year role at UBC Okanagan as Canada research chair in Okanagan Syilx knowledge and philosophy. I'm a fluent speaker of my language and a knowledge keeper.

The two projects are University of British Columbia Okanagan Eminence research projects, which bring together Syilx traditional ecological knowledge and settler science. Both were partnered with the En'owkin Centre, which is the Syilx centre for higher learning that's mandated by the seven reserves of the Syilx Okanagan Nation.

The En'owkin traditional ecological team led in organizing and planning the activities based in selected areas of special environmental concern that were identified by the chiefs of the Okanagan Nation Alliance to reconcile food insecurity in the decline of cultural keystone species. I think it's really significant that they identified the areas for study and the purpose.

The En'owkin team brought knowledge keepers from the seven communities, the language speakers. My role on faculty at UBC Okanagan provided a way to cross-translate from my academic experience and as an insider to Syilx knowledge to clarify areas that are esoteric to each.

I would advise that doing so is an essential prerequisite in easing tensions between the two systems of knowledge. Without that, you're always going to be dominated by western science mechanisms, tools, methods and structures.

The Syilx concern in the decline of the grizzly bear relates in very specific ways to the declines of the black huckleberry in grizzly bear habitat corridors. Black huckleberry is one of their main food sources. That was one focus of research.

In that research, success was measured by the Syilx, in that now two communities with the En'owkin Centre team are in the process of identifying really specific priority corridor areas for indigenous protection of the huckleberry and the grizzly bear and the correlation between the two.

Putting back the Okanagan chinook salmon and the connection between the Okanagan chinook salmon's decline and the decline of the valley floor's black cottonwood riparian system—because much of the river has been channelled and straightened—was another focus. Of course, the chinook salmon is a keystone resource.

The success that's measured by the Syilx in the partnering work between the En'owkin Centre, the Okanagan Nation Alliance, the Penticton Indian Band and numerous government agencies was to create a chinook recovery pond and return a cottonwood flood plain section of the Okanagan River that had been channelled.

The teaming up of the Syilx, settler science researchers and community partners to develop a watershed ecosystem-based science and governance model is also the focus of a new interdisciplinary project that we are heading up as a part of the UBC Okanagan Eminence research cluster.

Success in that project is looking at an interdisciplinary process to develop a new governance model that would integrate not only non-indigenous community members and users but also the way science creates and predicts the cumulative effects in that watershed while including two of the indigenous communities that have jurisdiction in that area.

The main outcome of that project is significant to this presentation with respect to how the settler science tools were engaged to establish and expand on ongoing Syilx works already under way, thus envisioning new works in environmental protection and conservation.

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