Natural Resource Dept

NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT

Mission Statement: By developing management processes through direct involvement from the community as well as Chief and Council we will ensure our lands are being utilized in a sustainable manner while making sure we protect our culture and heritage for future generations.

The purpose of the Natural Resource Department is to insure ALIB is developing capacity to engage with government and proponents on land use planning and development projects throughout the territory.

Strategic Priorities

The Adams Lake Indian Band Natural Resource Department continues to be self-sustaining through generating external revenue and building capacity. With the assistance of our supervisors, crews and employees we strive to make all our projects a success. Dave Nordquist oversaw the Natural Resource Operations securing and managing contracts for all facets of the Natural Resource Management.

Jen Pooley managed the safety program, administration of equipment and office procedures, finances, assisting with project management, report writing and scheduling of crews.

Sandy Andrew continues to supervise crews for archaeology, fuel management and brushing projects. He also assists as a silviculture surveyor, layout and development for Fuel Management work and assists with forestry.

Brennan Lund has joined the team to looks after the Adams Lake Salmon Restoration Project as well as build and expand the Fisheries Program.

Natural Resource Staff:

Dave Nordquist, RPF, Acting Director of Natural Resource Jen Pooley, Natural Resource Office Manager Stuart Parker, Forester Avis Deneault, GIS Technician Margaret Weaver, GIS Technician Sandy Andrew,Forestry/Field/Archaeology/ Supervisor Technician Leah Gaze, Finance Bookkeeper Brennan Lund, Fisheries Technician Employees that have assisted the Natural Resource Department over the last year – Corey Saul, Ruben August, Dylan John, Kevin Sampolio, Jamie August, Mark Michel, Cody Gaze, Jamie Kenoras, Daylen Williams, Fern Jules, Harold Narcisse, Shawn Kenoras, Agnes John, Donald Boulette, Gary Michel, Karen August, Brent Oscar, Hunter Jeanson and apologies for those that have been missed.

Thank you to all these employees for your hard work and dedication to making our projects a success.

Training hosted by NR; completed by staff/ technicians

Due to Covid 19 the training scheduled for the crew was delayed. The only course completed was a falling and bucking course.

Continued… Natural Resources Dept Ministry of Transportation Projects

GIS Department – Avis Deneault

Throughout the year contract opportunities came up which we push to ensure ALIB has the opportunity to do the work • Clearing and Brushing and fencing of the Chase West

Project • Cultural and Archaeological Monitoring on Chase

West Project • Further Archaeological Work on various projects like the Kicking Horse Project.

Project involved in this year: • ALIB Forestry Development; operational mapping (Recce, Site Plan, Cruise, Appraisal

Maps), data management, track our data and update government with data using Phoenix

Pro. • ALIB Silviculture Programs; use our system to report data/spatial data to government (ensure we meet our obligations), data management (track our data and update government using

Phoenix Pro), planting mapping, survey mapping. • Verifying Civic Addresses for ALIB reserve parcels; this will be brought forward to emergency services, they will then be able to serve communities efficiently. • Support ALIB departments and community mapping; overlay, banners/poster printing/ design, data management, parcel mapping, land management mapping, hunting camp direction map. • Shuswap Trail Alliance; attend meetings and contract mapping.

GIS Technician—Forestry Referrals Margaret Weaver

Complete AOA (Archaeological Overview Assessment) Report to decided which blocks ALIB will field review. Create Field Maps for crews (Access map & map with AOA/TUS information)

Schedule crews for PFR reviews.

Report field results back to company. Were there any archaeological and/or cultural heritage concerns? No (Negative), Yes (Positive) Manage and organize field data from the crews.

If results are positive: A second assessment is completed to confirm the recommendations. The company is given option to complete an AIA or remove the area of potential from harvesting.

The PFR crew started their season slowly but with the larger increase in lumber prices more PFR’s where completed from May through to the beginning of November. The crew took the Falling and Bucking course toward the end of May. The crews are always in the forest and have even had a few encounters in the past to validate good reason for the crew to have this training. There were over 100 blocks assessed this year for roughly 10 different proponents throughout the season. The crews found archaeological and/or cultural heritage concerns within some of these blocks and recommended a second opinion. Some of the features recommended this year include debitage/flakes, possible CMT’s (culturally modified trees), possible traditional trails and potential traditional overnight areas. Other non archaeological/cultural features are often observed also .

Receive referrals for proposed forestry development.

If results are negative: PFR reports indicate no concerns with the proposed development and the company will continue with harvesting plans. PFR report is finalized and sent. Referral is closed and can be invoiced to company.

An AIA (Archaeological Impact Assessment) is the inspection of the area which often requires subsurface testing to verify if archaeological materials are present (below the surface). If positive, the area is recorded and protected from harvest and recorded.

Continued next page

Employees: Gary Michel and Karen August We have a co-management agreement with Recreations Site and Trails BC to manage and maintain the recreation sites around Adams Lake including Dennis Lake, Johnson Lake, Skmana Lake, Squaam Bay, Gannet Lake, Gordon Bay, Honeymoon Bay, Rocky Point, Stukemapten Lake, Tsikwustum Creek North & South. Brennon Creek Site is closed indefinitely due to the land sliding down the mountains.

Fisheries Program

Adams Lake Fisheries Communication and Management

• This program allows for consultation with the general membership on fisheries policy and planning issues; • This also includes reviewing local conservation concerns, facilitating development of fishing plans, issuing permits, organizing communal fishing events and arranging enforcement protocol discussions with

DFO; • Coordinate annual Salmon Ceremony and • Organize the canning of salmon.

Adams Lake Catch Surveying:

• Catch Survey is the bands community fisheries program. We use the boat to set nets and catch salmon to bring to the fish cleaning station for processing. Due to Covid things were run differently this year with the Salmon handed out directly to the community members and the rest processed and delivered to the community freezer.

This year we caught and shared and stored over 500 salmon. Special shout out to Greg

Witzky who volunteered to lead and make sure this program happened. Rec Site map created by Avis D

Adams Lake Watershed Coho Surveys:

• The purpose of the project is to conduct Coho assessments on the tributaries of Adams Lake.

The enumeration method consists of stream walk surveys at set intervals and within set stream sections during the period of adult Coho presence within the tributaries. Data collection standards have been set by local DFO Stock Assessment Division. Data collected from these surveys will be used by SFC, the Secwepemc communities and DFO Stock Assessment to estimate Coho escapements. • NR employees conduct Coho Stream assessments on the following creeks (tributaries): Sinmax, Huihill, Nikwikwaia, Harbour, Cayenne and Momich River.

Adams Lake Creel Survey:

• NR Employees conduct patrols of the South

Thompson River, Adams Lake Bridge, Hoffman’s Bluff, Pritchard Bridge and interview sport fisherman for the purpose of collecting harvest information such as type of gear used, length of time spent fishing, species caught and released, hourly levels of gear type (fishing activity), biological sampling, relay of fishing opening or closure information and reporting of illegal fishing activities.

Other Fisheries:

• Adams Lake implemented year one of a 4-year program to fertilize the upper Adams Lake with the goal of replicating what used to happen when millions of Salmon returned to the Adams

Lake system in order to see the return of these runs. This projects consists of environmental monitoring such as limnology, C14 sampling,

Smolt sampling, perch monitoring and bull trout monitoring in order to make sure no further harm is done as the fertilizer is applied.

Archaeology Department

We continue to develop our Archaeology Department each year with equipment and trained staff. We will continue to push having First Nation Archaeology Technicians monitor all ground disturbances within our Traditional Territory. As Archaeology Consultants we will continue to issue our own permits for companies who wish to operate in our territory with the condition we have our certified technicians accompany them. ALIB continues to push for contracts for Archaeological Impact Assessments (AIA), Mitigation and Monitoring.

Projects our Arch Field Technicians assisted with

• Chase West AIA (MOTI) • Chase West monitoring (MOTI) • Guardian Watch Arrow Lakes (Hydro) • Tappen to Ford 4 Laning (LSIB) • Kinbasket RAP (Tipi) • Kicking Horse AIA (Stantec) • Chase Hydro Pole Replacements (Hydro) • Many others….

Continued next page

We have continued to be SAFE (Safety Accord Forestry Enterprise) Certified for 10 years. This program is designed to ensure the health and safety of our employees. We aim to ensure our Health and Safety policy and program meets current industry safety standards.

Community Wildfire Protection Plan (Fuel Management)

• This plan identifies wildfire threats that could impact reserves and surrounding areas of Adams

Lake Indian Band. Treatment includes danger tree removal, spacing, pruning and surface fuel removal. This past year our fuel management crew completed the area close to the Squaam

Bay Reserve. • Planting: Spring and Summer planting was completed by our regular contractor, Blue Collar Silviculture. Planted over 300,000 trees. • Silviculture surveys are used to measure reforestation (tree planting) success and predict inventory conditions of our forests • Brushing Crew: Brushed approximately 20 hectares. We also planted a few thousand Traditional Plants as part of a new program. Soopallallie,

Rose, Huckleberries and Choke cherry. • Brushing involves using either manual or power saws to cut back competing vegetation around the planted trees. • Pruning involves cutting select branches off trees to encourage height growth and minimize disease

• A new cover was put on the greenhouse this year • Power was delivered to the greenhouse • A new is being installed to protect the area • Water will be installed • A heating system will be devised moving forward • Water will be run this year. • A potential plan would see NR and the community sharing the greenhouse.

Other On-going Projects

• Firewood is cut and delivered for funerals and homes with wood stoves. This year over 100 pickup loads of firewood were delivered to the community. • On reserve monitoring of projects for Cultural,

Heritage and Archaeological protection.

Goals for 2021—2022

• Meet with Ministry to discuss new recreation site locations. • Continue to pursue contracting and employment opportunities • Continue to educate band members regarding archaeology, plants, animals and birds • Protect sensitive cultural/berry sites • Further Develop the field staff to undertake guardian activities. • Plant 300,000 plus trees • Plant additional tradition use plants and gather berries • Further fire safe the community • Complete PFR’s and associated works • Pursue forestry related economic activities • Ongoing development and silviculture work • Implement a more comprehensive Wildlife Program.