Sensitive Habitat Mapping by the Cheam Band

The Cheam band is one of 19 Stó:lõ Bands. The traditional Cheam territory includes the Cheam Lake watershed, located between Mount Cheam and the Fraser River.The band has undertaken two habitat mapping and inventory projects:

1.  An Overview Study of the entire watershed was undertaken in partnership with the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection (MWLAP); Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO); and, the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD). Within the watershed boundaries, the project collected information from elders, biologists, governments and other stakeholders. However, the project lacked a mechanism to involve all stakeholders and user groups in all relevant issues, and generated too much information for the band to deal with.
2. A Mapping and Inventory Project included:

•   spatial mapping, including Sensitive Habitat Inventory Mapping (SHIM)
•  a downstream fish trap for collecting out-migrant coho
•   water quality testing with a general water quality test kit over a period of one month

The SHIM mapping project was initiated with a view to involving young members of the Cheam First Nations band with the watershed, in line with the inherent First Nations relationship with all streams and water, to reaffirm and rebuild an old relationship with the land.

The mapping crews took training from the Langley Environmental Partners Society (LEPS), which also provided the data entry templates. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and the BC Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection (MWLAP) also provided support. Information is shared with other Community Mapping Network (CMN) partners.

The majority of the Cheam Lake watershed was mapped with SHIM methodology using a Trimble Pathfinder GPS unit, employing members of the Cheam band. The data was entered into a database.Following the SHIM mapping, some further mapping was done to produce a jurisdictional map of the watershed.

The SHIM watershed mapping verified the existence of some streams and found some tributaries that did not appear on existing maps.The SHIM mapping led to riparian planting, stock assessment, and spawning bed development work, and to relating the numbers of fish to different parts of the watershed.

The jurisdictional map shows the areas of the watershed that are under the jurisdiction of different agencies, including DFO, MWLAP, the BC Minsitry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries (MAFF), and the BC Ministry of Forests (MoF).

An important benefit for the band is information sharing with SHIM partners, e.g. neighbouring municipalities and cities.

Mapping information has been transferred into the Stó:lõ Nation GIS.

The GIS information will be updated regularly with data collected by partners, as the Cheam band has no plans to do additional SHIM mapping. Information will also be shared with other bands that do not have access to the GIS.

This case study was prepared by Glen L. Porter with assistance from Ernie Victor (Sto:lo Development Corporation) for the ‘Planning Sustainable Communities Workshop’ sponsored by the Community Mapping Network (www.shim.bc.ca) and the Township of Langley. The workshop, held March 15, 2002, showcased examples of mapping as a tool for sustainable planning. These examples were compiled in the workshop’s summary document ‘Planning Sustainable Communities’ by Glen Porter of G.L. Porter Consulting with support from Brad Mason (Fisheries and Oceans Canada); Rob Knight (Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection); Gretchen Harlow (Environment Canada); and, Kathleen Moore (Environment Canada). These case studies were later added to the BC Stewardship Centre Case Study Library by Sara Muir Owen with support from Rod Silver (Habitat Conservation Trust Fund).

Stol:lo Development Corporation
Ernie Victor
Unit #29 – 6014 Vedder Road
Chilliwack, BC Canada
V2R 5M4
Email: stolodev@uniserve.com

Project partners include: • Langley Environmental Partners Society (LEPS) • Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) • BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection (MWLAP) • Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) For more information about community mapping projects, visit the Community Mapping Network at www.shim.bc.ca.