Staff & Board

Blackstock combines university education with positions at international bodies and an artistic First Nations heritage. Holding a Master of Art degree in First Nations Studies from the University of Northern British Columbia, 1997, he is also a chartered mediator with the ADR Institute of Canada (Alternative Dispute Resolution), and served as a member of the UNESCO-IHP (Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme) Expert Advisory Group on Water and Cultural Diversity for four years. In addition, Blackstock helped draft a water policy paper for the United Nations.

Of Gitxsan/European heritage, he is a member of the House of Geel, Fireweed Clan, where he is known as Ama Goodim Gyet. Blue Ecology™ theory benefited greatly when, in 2000, Blackstock interviewed the Elder, Millie Michell, shortly before she died. Passing the torch to him, she asked what he would do with her worries about water. His uncle, Walter Harris, mentored him as a northwest coast carver, and he has produced over a dozen limited edition northwest coast art prints. As the resident artist at Echo Valley Ranch and Spa and curating an art project on water, he is an inspiration to youth artists around the world.

Among his awards is the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and the Bill Reid Scholarship.

With his Water First framework, Blackstock is building bridges of intercultural understanding that enable a new vision of sustainable survival.

Michael Blackstock was influenced to take action and start the Blue Ecology movement by Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring.

Norm’s friendship with Michael Blackstock led to him becoming involved with the Blue Ecology Institute. Michael connected Dove to the aboriginal way of thinking, which inspired him to join Michael and take action. Norm Dove believes in the difference that the interweaving of Aboriginal knowledge with science can make on a local and global level – specifically, it adds a missing fundamental component to scientific thinking, spirit.

“I believe the vast majority if not all, have and do sense spirit, some more often than others; what is novel is the concept of interweaving an intangible with logic by changing attitudes – it will have a profound effect.”, says Dove.

Flavia sees Water First as a remarkably simple notion that we are all connected by water, and if you treat water with respect, our relationships with all organisms and the environment will be healthy and harmonious.

Most importantly, her skills assist Michael and his associates to focus on BEIF’s educational activities. Keeping an oversight on governance, Flavia brings balance and credibility to the institute for donors, associates and clients.

Flavia’s inspiration comes from nature, rather than a person. For the past few years, a few orca pods fish and play in front of her home, and recently a new calf was born into the pod – the first in 11 years. Flavia kept wondering what life would be like without these majestic creatures (and so many others) and decided to take action.

He joined the Blue Ecology Institute Foundation because of his love for nature and belief that people can make a difference in reducing our impact on the planet by making more informed decisions.