The killing of wildlife on Skwl膩x te Secwepemc煤lecw band land has forced Kukpi7 (Chief) James Tomma鈥檚 hand in keeping unauthorized mushroom pickers out of the already fragile area.
The 2023 Bush Creek East wildfire resulted in an influx of morel mushrooms this spring. The band said the valuable fungi have attracted 鈥渉undreds鈥� of pickers who don鈥檛 always respect the still recovering land.
Tomma explained the band has been having problems with trespassers leaving garbage behind, having fires, setting up permanent camps and cutting trees. Slain wildlife, however, was the final straw.
鈥淲e鈥檙e getting people that feel that they鈥檙e entitled and have a right to be there, but with that, they鈥檙e not doing their due diligence or responsibilities鈥� and sadly we鈥檙e seeing some animals being killed,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hether that鈥檚 mushroom pickers or not, the fact is when we find dead does and fawns and bears being shot for no particular reason is quite disheartening.鈥�
Tomma said photos have been submitted to BC Conservation, but until someone is actually caught in the act, they can鈥檛 know who鈥檚 responsible. The band鈥檚 Territorial Resource Stewardship (TRS) department confirmed that in addition to a dead deer they鈥檇 found, two bears had also been killed and 鈥渢here was two people bragging about doing it to buyers鈥� on the may long weekend.
Tomma said the band will now be putting up a gate on Scotch Creek Forest Service Road to block public access, which he expected to be in place a day or two after talking to the Observer on May 29, with a permit system to be implemented the following week.
In early May, the band had requested assistance from the province, but that has been 鈥渓imited.鈥� Tomma has been speaking with Assistant Deputy Minister Jamie Jeffreys, adding 鈥渟he鈥檚 actually in my chambers now talking to some of my Guardians [of the Land].鈥�
Skwl膩x is not only working to keep people out because of the disrespect being shown, but also environmental protection as the area, Tomma said, is still in a state of emergency and more vulnerable since the fires.
鈥淚t鈥檚 something that we and the rest of the public have to understand and do to help Mother Nature recover,鈥� he said, adding that the things being done are 鈥渏ust not conducive to recovery.鈥�
There is also the concern of safety, not only for band members that have been threatened with violence, but also the pickers themselves, with one having had to be rescued by the RCMP and search and rescue after getting lost near Adams Lake.
鈥淪ome of these people, these weekend warriors鈥� go in there just totally unprepared. And there鈥檚 been a few situations where people had to be helped out by some of the locals because they鈥檙e just not equipped or understand the danger that is posed out there鈥︹�� Tomma pointed out. 鈥淭hey not only put themselves in danger, but also the kind people that end up helping them if something happens to them. And they take away resources that should be put to use in better places.鈥�
He added that while the threat against his band members hasn鈥檛 yet escalated to actual violence, 鈥渢he potential for it is always there.鈥�
鈥淪o there鈥檚 a lot of reasons behind me putting a gate up, and if I don鈥檛 get the help from the province鈥� I have no choice but to lock it. I just hope that all the locals are understanding that what we鈥檙e doing here is to protest of to have a confrontation, it鈥檚 all for the protection of the land, because as First Nations people, we鈥檙e the original stewards of the land and we鈥檙e going to exercise that now.鈥�
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