The Hidden Devastation of Burrard Inlet
A recent study by researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the Tsleil-Waututh Nation has revealed something heartbreaking: nearly 90% of Burrard Inlet’s intertidal and subtidal ecosystems have been destroyed due to colonization. This is the first study to quantify the ecological impact of colonization on the inlet, highlighting dramatic declines in key species like herring, smelt, and eulachon, once the foundation of the food web.
This research echoes the stories I’ve heard from Elders of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and other local Indigenous communities. They speak of times when salmon were so abundant you could walk across their backs, when eulachon oil was a vital source of nourishment, and when shores teemed with oysters, mussels, seals, otters, and whales—keystone species sustaining both the ecosystem and the people.
As I painted murals of whales, dolphins, otters, seals, salmon, and other keystone species, I shared these stories with passersby: tales of abundance, food security, and the deep connection between humans and nature. These were more than beautiful images—they represented life itself.
Walking along the shores now, seeing polluted waters and empty oyster and mussel beds, it’s impossible not to feel the weight of loss. The destruction is recent enough that we can still imagine the richness that existed not long ago. This study confirms what the Elders have long known: colonization has had lasting, devastating impacts, and our ecosystems are crying out for restoration.
The researchers and the Tsleil-Waututh Nation stress the urgent need to restore these ecosystems and revisit historical ecological baselines. But beyond science, it’s about remembering, honoring, and learning from those who lived in harmony with this land and sea for generations.
We may no longer be able to feed ourselves like we once did, but by listening, remembering, and taking action, we can begin to heal both the land and our communities.
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