Past Regional Work
Here is a selection of past initiatives in the Cariboo-Chilcotin region.
Managing conflicts between wildlife and agriculture, including competing demands for rangeland, can be a challenge. In the Cariboo-Chilcotin, discussions about a range management strategy began in early 2009, with participation of the Province of BC, First Nations, agricultural producers and organizations, and guide, outfitting and hunting organizations.
Throughout this planning process, there was a shared acknowledgement that Aboriginal rights must be respected in any actions taken to mitigate wildlife impacts on the agriculture sector.
A working group, later to become the “Cariboo-Chilcotin Regional Agriculture-Wildlife Committee,” was formed to look into the economic impact of wildlife on agriculture in the region and propose a strategy to prevent loss of forage, annual crops and livestock. Coordinating the Committee’s work was the Cariboo Cattlemen’s Association, BC Sheep Producers and two provincial ministries, with funding from the BC Agriculture Research and Development Corporation (ARDCorp). FBC provided secretariat services. In June 2011 the Committee adopted a draft plan with agreement on these priorities:
- Mitigating forage loss, crop damage and impacts on infrastructure — The approach included hunter coordination, modified hunting regulations, experiments in ungulate behaviour modification and improved fencing and infrastructure.
- Mitigating the impact of predators on livestock — Steps included better coordination of trappers, guide outfitters and First Nations.
- Improved Crown land and resource management — More research was needed on migrant and resident deer populations and better mule deer management. Techniques included lure cropping (to draw deer away from private land) and better grazing opportunities through prescribed burning and ecosystem restoration.
- Small landowner impacts — More information was needed on the impact of small landowners and any link between deer habituation on small properties and crop losses on agricultural lands.
Horsefly River Roundtable
The Horsefly River Roundtable — for which FBC has served as secretariat — brings together a variety of interests, including citizens, government agencies, industries and forest licensees, to maintain a healthy watershed. The Roundtable was well-known for hosting the popular Horsefly River Salmon Festival. It has also managed riparian habitat restoration projects on the Horsefly main stem, as well as in the Moffat and Woodjam sub-watershed, with a focus on sites impacted by past agricultural practices.
Learn more about the Roundtable’s current work at www.horseflyriver.ca.
San Jose Watershed Roundtable
The San Jose River flows northwest from Lac La Hache to Williams Lake in British Columbia’s Central Cariboo region. The watershed is critical to the region and includes the aquifer that supplies the City of Williams Lake with most of its water.
The San Jose Watershed Roundtable was formed in 2013, following a workshop facilitated by FBC during which participants explored developments in collaborative watershed governance. Roundtable members then included agricultural operators, community members and regional staff from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Northern Shuswap Tribal Council, the Williams Lake Indian Band, Ducks Unlimited, City of Williams Lake, Cariboo Regional District and Interior Health.
The overarching goal of this collaborative group was to advance sustainable water management and use in the San Jose watershed by increasing awareness of watershed health issues among water users, the general public and decision-makers.
FBC provided secretariat support to the Roundtable and helped participants to assess options to carry out their work.
Friends of Churn Creek
Friends of Churn Creek is a non-profit society that helped BC Parks achieve a conservation and cultural heritage vision for Churn Creek Protected Area, home to some of BC’s most rare and threatened bunchgrass grasslands. This area has longstanding importance for First Nations. It also offers opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, biking and wildlife viewing, and carefully managed cattle grazing.
FBC lent a hand to Friends of Churn Creek at the time they began their work in 2009, which included invasive plant control and public education. Visit their site: www.friendsofchurn.ca.
Six BC First Nations have worked together on revitalizing the historic Nuxalk-Carrier Grease Trail (Alexander Mackenzie Heritage Trail). This trail runs from Quesnel to Bella Coola.
The Nuxalk-Carrier Grease Trail stretches over 400 km from the confluence of the Fraser and Blackwater Rivers north of Quesnel, through Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, to the Bella Coola Valley. This is part of a network of traditional trails used for many thousands of years by Aboriginal peoples of the Coast and Interior. Historically the trail was important for maintaining ties — and sometimes for waging warfare. It was also a conduit for trading eulachon grease, obsidian, hides, salmon and other items of trade between First Nations.
In more recent times, the grease trail has presented both opportunities and challenges. As always, it connects six First Nations — the Nuxalk (Bella Coola), Ulkatcho (Anahim Lake), Lhoosk’uz Dene (Kluskus), Lhtako Dene (Red Bluff), Nazko and Lheidli T’enneh. In 2011 representatives of these communities formed a working group to explore options for future care and management of the trail. FBC was project secretariat for the First Nations in their initial work and collaboration on a new management plan for discussion with the Province. The vision of the Nations was to manage the trail in a way that brings social, cultural, environmental and economic benefits to their communities and offers better tourism options.
For a look, visit the Nuxalk-Carrier Grease Trail site.
Between 1950 and 2001, average winter temperatures in the Cariboo-Chilcotin rose 3.5° C. Under climate change, winters have been projected to grow even warmer, with more precipitation falling as rain than as snow, and summers becoming somewhat drier. A changing climate has ripple effects on ecosystems, the economy and community life.
FBC has helped to advance climate adaptation planning projects in the region. In 2012 the Cariboo Regional District prepared an adaptation strategy, and Xat’sull/Soda Creek First Nation explored climate adaptation in conjunction with its comprehensive community planning process. Both projects were funded by the BC Regional Adaptation Collaborative.
Cariboo Regional District
The Cariboo Regional District worked on a regional development strategy (RDS) to guide development over a 10-year period. Within this context, FBC helped facilitate a process to address climate change. Through regional and sub-regional workshops in 2011-2012, the District canvassed possible climate change scenarios and related impacts.
Key questions included: What local government services may be vulnerable to climate change? What are the priorities for action? What adaptation options are available for the RDS and in other plans, strategies and operations?
The resulting climate adaptation strategy, adopted by the Regional District in 2012, addressed such issues as water quality and supply, stormwater and infrastructure management, interface fire management and riparian area management. To learn more, see the BC RAC Adaptation Case Study: Cariboo Regional District.
Xat’sull / Soda Creek First Nation
In March 2012 two Climate Change Adaptation workshops were held in the community of Xat’sūll (pronounced “Hat’sull”) First Nation, also known as Soda Creek First Nation, approximately 30 km north of Williams Lake. The purpose was to explore how an Interior First Nation could incorporate climate change adaptation into community planning processes and decision-making. Xat’sūll First Nation then had a Comprehensive Community Planning process underway, and climate change was an important consideration.
Workshop participants discussed climate trend data as well as changes observed over time, and related impacts on the environment and community. They canvassed services that could be affected, including community planning, housing, snow clearing, roads, water, sewer, emergency services, waste management and more. Possible actions were considered, both for mitigation and adaptation.
Recommendations for next steps included the creation of climate adaptation checklists in planning, evacuation procedures, housing upgrades, including those that are energy and water efficient, and continued work to ensure that watersheds are protected under Aboriginal rights and natural resource agreements. For details, see the BC RAC Adaptation Case Study: Xat’sūll First Nation, summarizing this work.
Central Cariboo Art Route
The Central Cariboo Art Route was a local initiative to encourage residents and tourists to tour the studios of artists and artisans in Williams Lake.
Created in 2013 with FBC support, the Art Route was a collaborative project of the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association, Cariboo Regional District, Community Futures Cariboo Chilcotin, and the BC Community Tourism Opportunities program.
Williams Lake Diversity Mural
Community art can inspire, empower and unite people. That was the idea behind the community mural installed at Jubilee Place in Williams Lake in 2013 ― to reflect the creativity and diversity of people in the region.
FBC hosted “Embracing our Diversity,” a forum in Williams Lake to explore diversity issues and experiences through art and dialogue — and to introduce the mural project. Both the forum and creation of the mural brought people together in a collaborative fashion, encouraging dialogue on ways to address racism and build a more inclusive community.
Project partners included the Canadian Mental Health Association, Boys and Girls Club, City of Williams Lake and PeerNetBC, with provincial funding from EmbraceBC Arts.
Williams Lake and Area Interface Fire Plan
Fire is no respecter of persons, property or boundaries. Making communities safer in the face of wildfire and other natural hazards takes good planning, coordination, and a commitment of time and resources.
Back in 2003 FBC began facilitating sessions on interface fire planning for the City of Williams Lake and surrounding area. A plan was completed and adopted by the City and the Cariboo Regional District in 2005. A top priority was to reduce fuel (especially dead trees, brush and wood debris) in interface zones near residential areas.
From 2009 to 2011, and thanks to provincial funding for community development, crews of resource workers treated 300 hectares of high-risk public lands to help safeguard communities. The work also created the equivalent of 20 full-time positions for a year, of benefit to unemployed resource workers during the economic downturn. Private sector land users and individual residents also played a critical role under the plan by taking preventive action on their own land.
Quesnel and Area
FBC offered support for the development of a Quesnel and Area Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The City of Quesnel adoped the plan in 2007. FBC’s role was to facilitate meetings of local government, First Nations, the forest industry, fire experts and the public.
