Visitors able to help protect P.E.I. National Park with Park Promise

WARNING: This story contains distressing details.

Visitors to P.E.I. National Park will now be able to show their support in stewardship of the Parks Canada sites by takingthe Park Promise.

It's a new initiative that kicked off on June21, 2021 National Indigenous Peoples Day.

The idea started in January of 2020with acollaboration between Parks Canada andMi'kmawartist, actor and the poet laureate of P.E.I., Julie Pellissier-Lush.

"We were talking about creating something beautiful and long lasting that would be dedicated to the heart and soul of Parks [Canada] here on P.E.I.," said Pellissier-Lush, who is also a knowledge keeper for the P.E.I. Mi'kmaqrights organization L'nuey.

Pellissier-Lush wrote a poem talking about the beauty of the parks and the workeveryoneshould be undertakingto protect them.

After working on multiple versions to see what would work best, Pellissier-Lush discovered an underlyingtheme that was coming out.

"I was embracing my teachings that I grew up with my seven sacred teachings and the seven directions and how all of those things could be used to create something beautiful," she said.

A Promise to the Park

byJulie Pellissier-Lush

How people can take part

Parks Canada launched a website to help visitors to the P.E.I. National Park learn more about the promise and actions people can take.

"As stewards of the park it is our role to present it so that Canadians can enjoy it and also to protect it," said Jennifer Stewart, manager of external relations with Parks Canada on P.E.I.

Stewart said the parkand its ecosystems face some external threats with the impacts of climate change and some species at risk that call the habitats home.

"This is where the concept of shared stewardship really comes into play," Stewart said. "We love the park and we know that our visitors love the park as well and want it to continue and to be here for future generations to enjoy."

The website includes best practices for visitors with things like properly sharing the space with wildlife, reporting invasive speciesandbringing out all the things they bringin.

Stewart said they will be working on community engagement over the coming months to help get the word out about the Park Promise.

The poem was mixed into two different musical versions including a slower version set to be sung around campfires.

Bonding with seeds

Parks Canada had some special paper created with embedded Island wildflower seeds for visitors to create a deeper bond with the parks onP.E.I.

"Visitors are invited to write their promise to the environment on this paper and then it gets planted in a pollinator garden," Stewart said.

People are also able to get a certificateby writing out their Park Promise onlinebeforehand.

A timely reminder

Work began on this project more than a year ago butPellissier-Lush said the timing of it came at an pivotal moment.

"It's been a very difficult time for Indigenous people since the uncoveringof the 215 children in B.C. and I know our community right now is in mourning," Pellissier-Lush said.

"But I have always stated and always sharedthat part of healing is sharing and part of that sharing is allowing people to hear our storyand to be able to move forward together."

Supportis available for anyone affected by their experience atresidentialschools, and those who are triggered by these reports.

A national IndianResidentialSchoolCrisis Line has been set up to providesupportforresidentialschoolsurvivorsand others affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.

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