Breaking Water with Dan Lewis and Bonny Glambeck
This Breaking Water highlights Bonny Glambeck and Dan Lewis from Clayoquot Action. We delve into the history of the organization and the movement behind it, how to get involved, and how people power can make a significant change in our society.
Can you please introduce yourself and tell us where you work/what you do?
Our names are Bonny Glambeck and Dan Lewis. We run a small but mighty not-for-profit called Clayoquot Action. Our mission is to protect the biocultural diversity of the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. For the last 30 years we’ve lived on a small island near Tofino BC, and commute to our office in town by kayak. Our daily commute features eagles catching herring, killer whales, and even the odd wolf!
Where did you grow up? Did you have a relationship with water there?
Dan grew up in Toronto and lived in the Beaches. He was a water baby, learning to swim at a young age. Weekends were spent at the cottage, camping, and canoeing. Bonny grew up in Alberta, swimming competitively, drinking water and fishing in lakes with her dad and brothers.
Could you tell us about the origins of Clayoquot Action and the movement you were both part of starting in the sound back in 1993?
Clayoquot Action was founded in 2013, with a mandate to address industrial degradation in Clayoquot Sound, specifically mining, oil spills and salmon farms. We were key leaders of the 1993 Clayoquot Summer uprising, now known as the War in the Woods. Between 1988 and 1993, we both worked hard along with a handful of others to build the movement. Clayoquot Summer resulted in an (almost complete) cessation of clearcut logging in the Sound. But 20 years after, there were 20 fish farms, 2 major mine proposals, and a plan to build pipelines for oil export. (Clayoquot Sound had a minor oil spill in 1989 and it was devastating to the environment and to locals who had to witness it and attempt to clean dying birds etc). In 2018 we decided to focus on salmon farming as it is not a potential threat, but an ongoing assault on wild salmon.
Salmon is the keystone species in our society. The health of this species is very much tied to our existence. How can more people, even those not on the west coast, better take action to protect salmon?
Salmon are the backbone of the BC coast, feeding over 100 species, and providing abundance for humans for millennia. Now wild salmon are literally on the brink of extinction, with spawners returning in the tens where they used to return in tens of thousands. Fortunately, we now have a federal government committed to removing salmon farms from BC waters by 2025, and a Minister who has what it takes to lead this. The transition is already well underway, with 44 down, and 65 to go. What we are seeing as the farms are removed is that the juvenile salmon are coming out of the rivers and no longer picking up lethal loads of salmon lice—they’re clean! Not just salmon, but wild herring are also bouncing back and these two fish species sustain entire ecosystems, feeding whales, people, and even ancient cedars! Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray needs to know that Canadians have her back to make the difficult decision ahead of her. She will have her plan ready for release this June, so NOW IS THE TIME to make your voice heard! We’ve made that easy with an online petition which you can sign in less than a minute. Please take a moment to do that today! https://www.clayoquotaction.org/take-action-home/add-your-voice/
Do you have anything else that you’d like to share about your work, your connection to water, or how we can encourage people to join the movement for a swimmable, drinkable, fishable future?
Democracy only works when citizens participate, and there is much more to this than voting—that is just the starting point. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless. Believe me, that is exactly how the powerholders want you to feel. But it feels great to team up with others and fight back. And here in Tofino, we’ve seen that you can win. When Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht began the fight to save Meares Island 40 years ago, it seemed to be an impossible dream. And when environmentalists expanded the goal of stopping all logging in the whole Sound, people thought we were crazy. But we won—using people power. So many people stepped up. People found ways to contribute their time, passion, talents, and yes, money to win a battle that seemed daunting. Margaret Mead was so right when she said “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” So never give up hope; believe in your dreams of a better world, then roll up your sleeves and get to work making that dream a reality. And remember to make new friends and have fun while you’re doing so!
Clif Family Foundation is proud to support hundreds of organizations that are working tirelessly to strengthen our food system, enhance equitable community health outcomes, and protect the places we play by being stewards of our environment and natural resources. Their desire is to leave the world a better place for our children.
