ABSTRACT
A group of British Columbia North Pacific Coast First Nations (NPC Nations) have been actively developing Geographic Response Strategies (GRS) within their territories since 2018. A multi-year project plan included three years of field work (2019-2021), during which technical experts would support First Nations communities in transferring knowledge and practice. The implementation of lockdowns, travel restrictions, and public health advisories beginning in March 2020 substantially changed the planned approach and ultimately spurred novel approaches to remotely supporting field surveys and mentoring First Nations community members to lead oil spill response surveys. To enable the continuation of field work, a contracting team worked closely with the NPC Nations to create a strategic approach to collaborate through web-based conference platforms and cloud-based GIS. There were several imperatives to continue this work – First Nations communities view marine oil spill planning as a top priority based on past spills in their territories and risks from coastal shipping. The project funding was grant-based and time-bound, expiring at the end of FY2021-22. Despite the pandemic, the participating First Nations still had a successful field season with roughly 40 combined days in the field from April 2020 to November 2021, with approximately 221 sites surveys and close to 500 tactics developed. Through innovation, collaboration, and trial and error, 12 BC First Nations continued to develop GRS to help strengthen their marine response capacity while adhering to the strict COVID-19 guidelines set in place by their local communities, which were often more stringent than provincial and national policies to protect their elders and other vulnerable community members in remote areas with limited medical facilities. This paper discusses the specific modifications to the field surveying process driven by the pandemic and the technology tools used to communicate and capture data accurately. In addition, this paper examines how Geographic Information System (GIS) was incorporated into the GRS development, including GIS training for community members and the use of tablet-based applications to gather field data. It describes a successful approach to peer-to-peer knowledge transfer across First Nations communities, building a community of practice and mutual support. Finally, this paper reports lessons learned and suggests best practices to continue broadening the marine response and preparedness capacity within the BC First Nations. © 2022 44th AMOP Technical Seminar on Environmental Contamination and Response. All rights reserved.