The Westcoast IPCA Support Program (WISP) is a program of the Pacific IPCA Innovation Centre, created to strengthen Indigenous-led stewardship across BC and the Pacific west coast. WISP supports a thriving Indigenous-led regional economy that generates social, ecological, and economic value through culturally grounded approaches to stewardship and development.
Rooted in the Nuu-chah-nulth principle of hishuk-ish tsawalk (everything is one, everything is interconnected), WISP is a collaborative initiative led by the IISAAK OLAM Foundation (IOF) and the Canadian Indigenous Conservation Innovation Centre Association (CICICA)
Through gatherings, regional dialogues, and shared learning, WISP supports Indigenous Nations to connect, collaborate, and strengthen their collective capacity to establish and sustain Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs).
A core initiative of WISP is the Estuary to Old Growth (E2OG) Gathering, an annual event that celebrates cultural heritage, fosters knowledge exchange, and connects communities across coastal territories. Seasonal Regional Circles complement these Gatherings throughout the year to ensure continued collaboration and momentum.
Together, this work honours our shared responsibility to care for the lands, waters, and one another, weaving the knowledge, capacity, and relationships that will nurture an abundant future for generations to come.
IOF conceived of and designed the Westcoast IPCA Support Program (WISP) as a way to ensure long-term, continuous support for Indigenous Nations that are interested in working together to heal broken lands and broken communities across the Pacific West Coast. Through WISP, we help to strengthen the networks, relationships, and capacities needed to bring Indigenous-led futures to life.
We host large gatherings and more intimate regional dialogues that create space for connection, knowledge exchange, and collaboration among Indigenous leaders, land and water protectors, and partners. We create and distribute resources on IPCAs, including practical tools and learning materials, that uplift Indigenous laws, governance, and place-based conservation approaches.
Our work supports the weaving together of a living network of coastal Nations who are advancing IPCAs in their territories, fostering peer-to-peer learning, sharing pathways for policy and funding alignment, and supporting intergenerational leadership rooted in both cultural and ecological well-being.
We are encouraging Nations and allies wishing to sign on to the the Estuary to Old Growth Declaration to contact us: wisp@iisaakolam.ca
