The Big Issues

“We are starting to realize that mother earth is suffering and our human health is declining and that these are interconnected.  If we want to make our health better then we have to make our environment better and if we want to make our environment better then we have to make our health better. We have an opportunity to create this awareness and make this a reality for our future generations.”

Dan Roronhiakehwen Longboat

As part of the plan the Joint Stewardship Board identified the main goals or issues to be tackled through community input and research into the creation of master plans in other communities. The JSB identified four main areas that needed to be addressed, including:

  1. Education on deeper insights on how ecosystems work, how culture impacts in ecosystems and what our personal responsibilities are.
  2. Communication of stimulating ideas and values, not just rhetoric.
  3. Restoration of Relationships to the land, to each other and to the future legacy we leave.
  4. Enlightened Access to heighten the visitor experience for our multiple audiences.

Delving deeper into the issues the JSB also identified the following long-term goals:

  1. Protect Burials and First Nations sites
  2. Link Haudenosaunee and Hamilton citizens
  3. Provide Enlightened Access to valley to multiple audiences
  4. Protect and Enhance Ecosystem
  5. Acknowledge and Honor Ancestral Experiences
  6. Understand Potential Human Impacts on Ecosystem
  7. Capitalize on Economic Opportunities within values framework
  8. Provide clarity on future land use

Through multiple initiatives the JSB is accomplishing many of these goals and hopes to incorporate community input on how to meet all needs.