Dr. Sue Senger, environment lead for the SGS, outlines the importance of their work in this year's annual report:

The SGS environment team has developed and is working on a series of programs that improve the knowledge and understanding of environmental issues within the St’át’imc nation. It is also developing the tools needed to share that information to help St’át’imc people to make informed decisions.

Tsi7 (mule deer) are an important and traditional food and resource for St’át’imc people. To focus on their long-term sustainability, the Tsi7 Stewardship Project has been drafted. The next step is to create a network of community members to work with mule deer stewardship and management.

In addition, two workshops on mule deer health have been hosted which have helped to educate hunters and community members about deer health issues, what to watch for and how to collect samples.

Monitoring

Trail camera monitoring work has also been done to monitor movement of wildlife. The results from this trial work will be used to formulate a trail camera protocol which will be used to monitor all types of wildlife in St’át’imc territory, using the latest technology to continue and enhance important and traditional activities.

To keep contractors and field crews safe, the environment team has also been organizing formal bear safety training workshops. These are helping to raise the standard of safety measures taken and to provide other bear safety information. Bear Aware booths and information have also been used at a variety of community events and at the Lillooet farmers’ market.

Informing St’át’imc communities and providing opportunities to ask questions and give feedback is a central part of the environment team’s remit. With that in mind, a new program website has been launched including updates and information on projects. A series of ‘meet and greet’ events have also been held in ten communities, a program which will continue in the coming year.

In conjunction with other SGS departments, the environment team has been taking part in the Exploratory Analysis of St’át’imc Knowledge (ASK) project. This has provided an overview of the reports and maps resources available from past work. The next step is to look at ways to organize this information and make it easy for communities to access and use the information.

As it carries out its day to day work, the environment team is also collecting and updating digital mapping information across St’át’imc territory for natural resource values.

Next steps

Much of the work outlined above will continue on the coming year, with new projects also being created. For example:

• A recovery plan for Stein-Nahatlatch unit grizzly bears, which are currently in rapid decline

• Collecting traditional knowledge on natural resource use, management and sustainability

• Initiating planning work on water (use, monitoring and sustainability), plants and species at risk across the territory.

In the coming year, new planning tools and processes will be used to look at resource development. This will include the drafting of a no-development “red zone” map for the territory.

Many of the environment team’s projects also impact land use, and so the team will be playing a role in the creation of a land use plan across the territory.

Lead Archaeologist Nadine Gray talks about her team's ongoing projects in this year's annual report. Below is what she had to say about their progress:

The Archaeological Management Plan is a five year plan that strives to mitigate past impacts to culture and heritage.

Focus

Working across St’át’imc territory, the team works to protect, preserve and manage all aspects of St’át’imc heritage and culture, with a focus on sites that have been impacted by BC Hydro’s past operations.

The team works to:

• Document St’át’imc cultural heritage sites

• Promote the internal exchange of St’át’imc knowledge, beliefs and values for the protection of cultural traditions past and present

• Protect heritage sites through education and communication with St’át’imc and non-St’át’imc organizations

• Provide capacity building opportunities to enable St’át’imc heritage workers to continue to serve as stewards of St’át’imc Territory

• Maintain the integrity of St’át’imc heritage by ensuring heritage sites and objects are protected, preserved and managed in line with St’át’imc values and traditions.

Information

To ensure communities are informed of the team’s work, meetings to explain and answer questions about the Archaeological Management Plan and other protection issues have been held with St’át’imc communities including Xwisten, N’Quatqua, Ts’kwaylaxw, Xaxli’p, T’it’q’et, Ts’alalh and Sekw’el’was.

Incorporating all communities into the upcoming projects will be possible in the later stages of the Archaeological Management Plan. This will include a land use and occupancy study.

The heritage and culture team understands that communities have the capacity to undertake archaeological work. With this in mind, the team ensures that work requiring a Heritage Permit, which is mostly on traditional lands but not on reserves, is done by the team. Trained community workers can then focus on working on reserve land, where no Heritage Permit is required. This past season, the team has employed 12 St’át’imc heritage workers on a range of field work projects.

Past impacts

The heritage and culture team’s field work involves work at registered archaeology sites that were impacted by BC Hydro in the past. These sites were identified by communities during years of negotiations with BC Hydro. There are approximately 200 sites where field reconnaissance, artifact recording, and digital site mapping work is being carried out. The digital mapping is being completed with a GPS machine through a rental agreement with Peg’peg’lha Geomatics. This makes information easy to work with and preserves information for future generations.

The heritage and culture team works closely with other SGS teams including the environment, stewardship and fisheries teams. The Exploratory Analysis of St’át’imc Knowledge (ASK) project was initiated in the winter of 2012/13 to assess the data collected during the years of negotiations and identify any gaps. This project will continue in the winter of 2013/14.

Fisheries manager Janice Billy defines her role in the 2013 annual report, and explains how the fisheries department works with communities:

Through the SGS-DFO Aboriginal Fisheries Strategy (AFS) agreement, the SGS Fisheries Manager has opportunities to facilitate involvement of the SGS in the management, protection and enhancement of aquatic and fisheries resources, with the arrangement in which DFO contributes funding to carry out these activities.

In the 2013 annual report, SGS Chair Darrell Bob explains what they have been up to and some key goals for the coming year.

Here is what he said:

The purpose of the St’át’imc Government Services (SGS) is to carry out the vision of the nation in and around the St’át’imc-BC Hydro Agreement. Through this, the SGS carries out the duties and responsibilities of the Chiefs as a non-political organization that deals with issues and matters on behalf of the St’át’imc authority.

On Tuesday, November 5th. View agenda here: http://www.sgsenv.ca/downloads/livestock-depredation-and-invasion-weeds.pdf

Please note this is only open to: 

• St’át’imc Livestock Ranchers & Livestock producers. 
• Northern SLRD Electoral Area B Ranchers 
• Tsilhqot’in Livestock Ranchers & Producers 
• Nlaka’pamux Ranchers 
• St’át’imc Natural Resource Land Managers & Technicians 

The purpose of the St’át’imc Chiefs’ Council (SCC) is to represent the position of the nation and to uphold and maintain St’át’imc title and rights on a political front. In order to achieve this, St’át’imc Government Services (SGS) was created and structured to try and fill part of the technical capacity-type needs that have been encountered.

Agricultural Issues Workshop