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Belief - We Must Protect and Preserve Our Culture
Our culture and history is rich and respected. It is our way of being and thinking and is more that what can be seen. Our culture is the interaction of the people with the environment. We are part of the land and the water and it is part of our culture. We seek to share, protect, enrich and enhance our culture through our interaction with all people and through their interaction with us.
The Tagish and Tlingit people of this region have a history of being the link between the coast and the inland. This traditional role continues with our tourism activities. We have a need to preserve our history and share our past with the right stories, the true history and to celebrate our future.
Requirement:
1.1 Deliver a Culturally Authentic Experience
Operators must:
- Take the C/TFN Cultural Workshop and ensure guides take the Workshop.
- Demand accuracy of storytelling/stories by consulting C/TFN.
- Understand and respect C/TFN traditions and character to preserve and enhance our culture.
- Understand that preservation of language is important and should be incorporated and interpreted, along with its meaning and intent, by the guides.
- Respect and support the protection of intellectual proprietary rights and be committed to playing an active role in ensuring these rights are not violated.
- Know that counterfeit or pirated products must not be used or sold in the business. Upon development of cultural certification, all products should have C/TFN certification of authenticity.
1.2 Respect C/TFN Culture and Traditions
Operators must:
- Understand that courtesy is key and the need to always ask for permission. People will share more if they know what they are sharing will be respected.
- Ensure that music, dance, art stay true to our culture, and offer authentic and legitimate cultural programming.
- Understand the importance of spiritual, mental, emotional and physical components of self in the C/TFN culture.
- Gain knowledge of what stories can be told and by whom.
- Know which sites are protected and what is allowed and appropriate at those sites.
- Must protect and promote the protection of historical and scientific sites, these are important to local heritage and science. Disturbing the sites diminishes their value and is often illegal.
- Not camp on archaeological or sacred sites.
- Not dig into any archaeological site; not touch nor remove any artifact (cultural or historical); not enter burial grounds.
- Discourage the collection of natural matter and collection of fossils.
- Not make unauthorized use of any copyright, patent, trademark or other intellectual proprietary right before obtaining permission from C/TFN or the legitimate owner(s).
- Know that intentional infringement or misrepresentation of legitimacy to customers for the unauthorized use of such copyright, patent, trademark or other intellectual proprietary rights are strictly prohibited.
- Know that commercial photographers and film-makers must receive permission from C/TFN prior to commercial activities.
1.3 Learn and Share our Culture and Respect Our Cultural Protocols
Operators must:
- Encourage sharing of cultures, it is important to share our knowledge to make sure it is never lost. Sharing culture directly with our visitors is an important part of communicating, learning and connecting with others.
- Understand that we require Elders consultation and permission to tell stories, display crests and address some cultural issues.
- Understand and respect the cultural significance of sites in areas you travel through.
- Uphold the C/TFN cultural protocols.
Belief - The Land Must be Respected
The land has taught us the greatest respect, use only what you need and the land will always provide for you. We invite others to share the land and who we are. We all have responsibility to care for the land for the enjoyment of future generations and all beings that share the land by minimizing the impacts to the wildlife and wilderness.
We will educate and encourage our guests to ensure preservation, reduce impacts on the land, and maintain the quality of the experience for the future.
Requirement:
2.1 Respect that the land has a carrying capacity
Operators must:
- Understand that C/TFN will use traditional knowledge, local knowledge and scientific knowledge in determining the impact of an activity on the land and animals.
- Understand that C/TFN will create a baseline data of use areas and will determine the carrying capacity of the land.
- Get permission from C/TFN prior to harvesting activities.
- Consider compatible use from other users, the community and industry in program development.
- Not use a catch and release fishing policy on lakes, rivers or streams on C/TFN lands.
- Only catch what will be consumed on a trip.
2.2 Deliver environmentally sound programs
Operators must:
- Recognize the potential for negative impact on the wildlife species they encounter and take precautions to minimize these by following the Wildlife Viewing Guidelines.
- Be knowledgeable of animal habits, seasons and patterns in establishing programs and be prepared to amend programs.
- Stay in permitted areas only.
- Adhere to No Trace Guidelines.
- Use existing trails and not create or open old trails without C/TFN Lands approval.
- Be certain every person who fishes must possess a valid fishing license.
- Become familiar with current conservation issues and initiatives in the Yukon.
- Promote responsible conservation of Yukon wilderness.
- Promote responsible resource development.
- Oppose resource development that would have a negative impact on an existing wilderness tourism operator.
- Oppose resource development that can have a negative impact on critical wildlife habitat.
2.3 Operate environmentally sound businesses
Operators must:
- Practice environmentally-friendly programs such as recycling and waste reduction within their business
- Incorporate sustainable, low-energy, low-impact business practices and seek to recycle and reuse as much as possible.
- Choose best environmentally sensitive tools (i.e. 4 cycle engines) and consider footprint left by motorized vehicles
- Respect the rights of users for non-commercial recreational activity and traditional practices
- Consider the practices and products of their suppliers and the environmental impact.
Belief - Communities Must Benefit from Tourism
Our community existed before tourism and must benefit from tourism. As tourism can impact all of our lives it is important that local people benefit from the activities. We also need to maintain a sense of community and place by separating some community activities and places from tourism development.
Local involvement in the planning and delivery of tourism helps address concerns and maximizes opportunity for local benefit. Tourism and business development should maximize benefits and minimize damage to communities. Local community involvement and benefit should enhance the quality of the tourism experience.
Requirement:
3.1 Seek and support local community involvement and benefit in tourism
All operators will:
- Support local businesses through local purchases.
- Respect the need to retain community integrity and a sense of local ownership.
- Support community ownership and integrity.
- Encourage community members to be involved in and supportive of tourism.
- Add to the quality of community life.
- Understand that many decisions need to be community driven and the need to involve the community in decisions that affect its future.
- Respect other user groups and their activities.
3.2 Promote the recruitment, training and employment of local people
All operators will:
- Provide first opportunity and hire qualified local people in job offerings where possible.
- Promote local education and training, and retention of local staff.
- Assist in training opportunities through vehicles such as training programs, internships, apprenticeships, mentoring, or training scholarships.
3.3 Respect the rights of the community to its sacred and special places
All operators will:
- Be provided with information on community places to be respected and the need for separation of community and economic activity.
- Maintain the community’s need for a sense of identity, place, safety and security.
- Protect local sacred spaces by asking for permission before visiting sites that communities currently may use, such as churches and other sacred places including gravesites, camps, trails and fishing sites.
- Be respectful of private property and the privacy of local residents.
- Ensure guests and staff know how to behave appropriately in communities.
3.4 Support local initiatives, events and programs
All operators will:
- Support community events, initiatives and local organizations.
- Inform clients of local events and where to purchase locally manufactured products.
- Encourage visitors to buy local crafts and goods and celebrate local culture.
- Support and respect local infrastructure improvements, waterfront development, and recreational and events facilities.
3.5 Respect and communicate the unique qualities of the community
All operators will:
- Preserve and uphold the heritage value of the community.
- Advance the history of the community and accurately communicate it to visitors.
- Communicate with C/TFN, the community, other operators and other levels of government.
- Operate with traffic flow and rate of visitation that suits the community.
Belief - We Must Have High Quality Business Standards
We seek to support quality business development by permitting good operators with the ability to grow prosperous businesses while preserving and protecting the land and culture.
We have a tradition that we take care of people who are on our land, this includes our visitors, the operators and their staff. As stewards of the land we have a responsibility to maintain the integrity of the land by working with good operators.
We know that good operators are also committed to delivering a unique product or service that also addresses the safety and experience of its staff and customers.
Requirement:
4.1 High standards for the delivery of services and products
The operator must:
- Be market-ready as outlined in Market Ready Criteria.
- Be export-ready to be packaged under Caribou Crossing, have access to the Four Mountains Resort and Cultural Centre and be considered for C/TFN land use permits.
- Submit mandatory trip reporting required for safety and environmental evaluations.
- Provide proof of insurance, workers compensation, necessary permits and licenses.
- Build cooperative business spirit through respect, honesty and good communication.
- Practice sound and ethical business practices.
- Demand integrity in marketing and advertising without misleading information.
- Use quality equipment in safe, good working order.
- Deliver culturally-appropriate programs where appropriate.
- Provide an excellent product and service from booking to completion of tour with opportunity for the customer to provide feedback.
- Possess all applicable permits, a wilderness operator’s license and other licenses where appropriate.
- Know regulations or restrictions that may apply in parks and special management areas.
4.2 High standards for the duty of care to the customer
The operator must:
- Have a safety plan and a safe workplace.
- Practice no trace camping and wilderness experiences.
- Recognize the need to conduct safe trips for visitors by ensuring guides:
- Are familiar with potential hazards and seasonal conditions in areas of operation.
- Have some form of reliable communications, preferably a satellite phone.
- Have an up-to-date emergency contingency plan.
- Carry adequate first aid supplies and include safety orientation in the program.
- Have a guide-to-client ratio that is safe and suitable for activity undertaken.
- Educate clients as to what is appropriate behaviour with possibly hazardous wildlife encounters.
- Are knowledgeable about bear safety protocols based on bear ecology and behaviour.
- Are trained in order to meet the Codes of Conduct.
4.3 High standards for staff development
Until a guide certification program is adopted, all operators must ensure and provide supporting information to ensure guides:
- Have appropriate levels of skill and experience for the activity being conducted.
- Have strong leadership ability.
- Have a first aid certificate, CPR training and first aid equipment.
- Are trained in bear safety.
- Are trained in the Yukon Host program and have completed the C/TFN guide training workshop (when developed).
- Are well informed about the local environment and any conservation issues affecting the integrity of the environment.
- Are knowledgeable about the natural and cultural history of the area being traveled through, and be able to effectively interpret this to clients.
- Have interpersonal communication skills.
- If teaching or providing instruction, have the required certification (i.e. paddling).
- Have proper cooking and food safe certifications.
- Are familiar with applicable laws and regulations.
4.4 Encouragement of partnerships
All operators are encouraged to:
- Work cooperatively, network with existing businesses and respect other businesses.
- Support a community spirit in the business community.
- Support partnerships and cooperative efforts with businesses in Yukon, British Columbia and Alaska.
- Understand that C/TFN may give preference to locally owned and operated businesses or businesses in partnership with local businesses or C/TFN-owned companies.
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