Corridor Corridor REPORT 2012 13

2. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The Sekwʼelʼwas Seton Wildlife Corridor Restoration Feasibility Study, and the ongoing vegetation, spawning gravel, fish and wildlife surveys carried out in 2010-13 were implemented as a result of the restoration work taking place at the Powerhouse Restoration site and the increasing awareness of loss of intact wildlife corridors and habitat, both in-stream and upland. The question was by enhancing and creating wildlife habitat at the Powerhouse site, are we creating a wildlife sink? Can we provide corridors that wildlife can use to traverse the area between and the in a safe way for both wildlife and people? Can we increase both spawning and rearing habitat in the corridor, including the rivers and the three existing spawning channels?

The Goals of Sekwʼelʼwas Seton River Corridor Conservation and Restoration Project are to:

⇒ determine the health of the river, spawning channels and upland corridor; and ⇒ gather data that will provide information to stakeholders on possible: • Category 1: Conservation areas • Category 2: Restoration areas • Category 3: Sustainable Management areas • Category 4: Wildlife Corridors that provides movement across the landscape.

The Objectives during the 2012-13 study were to:

⇒ continue networking with interested stakeholders and engage partners in development of a long-term ecological plan for the corridor; ⇒ map and survey upland ecosystem habitats in the middle corridor (building on work already completed in the lower corridor); ⇒ complete spawning gravel condition sampling of the Lower and Upper Spawning Channels; ⇒ complete fish stock assessment at the Lower and Upper Spawning Channel; ⇒ establish baseline reptile survey grids and monitor; ⇒ complete two Interior Western Screech-owl surveys; ⇒ remove invasive weeds and replant with native plant species at Lower Spawning Channel (0.5ha area); ⇒ provide training and capacity building in ecological survey methods and restoration techniques; ⇒ provide watershed educational and volunteer stewardship opportunities.

Cayoose Creek Stʼatʼimc have exceeded the goals and objectives set out in the revised Application 12.W.SON.02.

The work carried out during 2012/13 provides a strong framework on which to develop a management strategy with various stakeholders that will increase the resilience of the Seton River corridor, decrease fragmentation and conserve critical habitats that benefit a wide range of wildlife species, including species-at-risk.

The ultimate goal is to conserve and/or restore a functioning habitat network that maintains ecological processes and provides for the movement of native species between key ecosystem spaces, while still taking into account the human impacts and requirements. Seton River Corridor Corridor REPORT 2012 14

3. STUDY AREA

3.1 Site Location The project site is located within the traditional territories of the Stʼatʼimc, just southwest of the town of . The Seton River basin is located in the rainshadow of the southern coastal mountains about 235 kilometres northeast of Vancouver. The Seton watershed begins in the headwaters of Gates Creek, which flows into Anderson Lake, through , spilling into Seton Lake. The Seton River flows east out of Seton Lake and runs approximately 4.7 kilometres where it drains into the Fraser River. Much of the flow coming from Seton Lake is diverted via the Seton Canal to the on the Fraser River.

The area includes three spawning channels - Upper Seton River Spawning Channel (USC) and Lower Seton River Spawning Channel (LSC) and a smaller spawning channel on Cayoose Creek within the FortisBC hydroelectric complex.

The boundaries created for the corridor plan includes the entire stretch of the Seton River corridor from Seton Lake to the Fraser River, and incorporates the Seton and Cayoose Rivers, three spawning channels, the Seton Canal, Powerhouse site, the upland habitats and cliffs on both sides of the rivers (Map 2 - blue boundary). This map also shows the work already carried out at the Powerhouse and Mariposa Flat sites (orange boundary), and the Lower Seton Corridor (purple boundary).

The 2012-13 survey areas include the LSC, USC, and the riparian/upland areas running along the south bank of the Seton River between the LSC to the USC. Working with stakeholder partners we were also able to complete surveys of the Cayoose Creek area at the FortisBC IPP complex and under the BC Hydro Transmission Lines. Map 2 - green and yellow shaded areas indicated 2012-13 survey area.

Map 2 Sekwʼelʼwas Seton Corridor Project Area (Seton Lake to Fraser River)