FEBRUARY 2019 SITELINESLandscape Architecture in British Columbia Fraser Watershed Initiative Fraser Watershed Restoration Conference 2019 I Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and Mother Earth I A Global Game Changer: What Restoration Means to Canada and the World I Restoring Terrestrial Habitat I Post-fire restoration and the need to address the risk from the next disturbance I The Heart of the Fraser I Protecting the Lower Fraser River I LACF Update 450–355 Burrard St. Vancouver, BC V6C 2G8 T 604.682.5610 TF 855.682.5610 (Canada and US) E [email protected] I [email protected] W www.bcsla.org I www.sitelines.org PRESIDENT Stephen Vincent PRESIDENT ELECT Yolanda Leung PAST PRESIDENT Scott Watson REGISTRAR Jacqueline Lowe TREASURER Wai-Sue Louie DIRECTORS Debra Barnes Teri Cantin Katherine Dunster Illarion Gallant Liane McKenna Jordan McAuley The Fraser Canyon, Photo: cmh2315fl, Flickr Donna Rodman CSLA Representative Katherine Dunster BC Interior Chapter Chair Teri Cantin Vancouver Island Chapter Chair Illarion Gallant DIRECTORS (non-voting) BCSLA Intern/Associate Representative TBA FRASER WATERSHED Initiative By Justine Nelson, Coordinator University of BC Representative Susan Herrington Fraser Watershed Initiative BCSLA Student Representative Alix Tier Executive Director, BCSLA (Hon.) Tara Culham The Fraser Watershed Initiative (FWI) is a multi-year effort Sitelines is published six times per year; February, April, June, August, October, and November to restore the Fraser River, its tributaries and the land, by the British Columbia Society of Landscape Architects and is mailed to all BCSLA members, wildlife and people in this vast area. registered landscape architects, associates and affiliates. The editorial deadline is the 8th and is the longest remaining free-flowing river on the Pacific Coast of advertising is the 16th day of the intervening The Fraser River months. Advertising rate information is available the Americas, at just under 1,400 kilometres. The 225,000 square kilometre watershed on request. Inquiries regarding editorial, advertising, represents one quarter of British Columbia, including the majority of BC’s “heartland” or or other issues should be addressed to the Sitelines Editor, c/o the BCSLA at the above address. To view “interior.” It is the most productive salmon producing watershed on the planet, and one the full-colour version of Sitelines, please visit of North America’s most biologically diverse watersheds. > www.sitelines.org. SITELINES GROUP In this Issue: Fraser Watershed Initiative ..........................................................3 GUEST EDITOR Justine Nelson, Coordinator Fraser Watershed Restoration Conference 2019 .................6 Fraser Watershed Initiative Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples CO-EDITOR Tara Culham and Mother Earth ..............................................................................7 FELLOWS EDITOR Don Vaughan, LMBCSLA, FCSLA, FASLA A Global Game Changer: What Restoration ADVERTISING Tara Culham 604.682.5610 Means to Canada and the World ...............................................8 GRAPHIC DESIGN Addon Creative 604.379.5943 Restoring Terrestrial Habitat ........................................................9 PRINTING Initial Printing Inc. Post-fire restoration and the need to address 604.669.2383 the risk from the next disturbance ..........................................11 The purpose of Sitelines is to provide an open forum for the exchange of ideas and information pertaining Cover photo: A view of the Fraser River The Heart of the Fraser................................................................. 12 to the profession of landscape architecture. Individual along the Coquihalla Highway. Photo Protecting the Lower Fraser River ............................................ opinions expressed are those of the writers and not credit: Craig Sheppard, Flickr 14 necessarily of those of the BCSLA. LACF Update ...................................................................................... 15 FEBRUARY 2019 SITELINES 3 ACO Drain - Linear Drainage Systems No drain looks as good as an ACO Drain. 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(877) 226-4255 I [email protected] I www.acocan.ca 4 SITELINES BC Society of Landscape Architects There is an ecological and economic crisis in BC’s interior forests, precipitated by the cumulative effects of historic develop- ment, including the managed depletion of forest resources known as “fall-down,” the dramatic climate change-related impacts of the mountain pine beetle epidemic and recent catastrophic forest wildfires. These and other ecological impacts are exacerbating the stresses on salmon and a myriad of terrestrial and riverine species, such as moose, caribou, and other species at risk, impacting cultural practices, recreational activities, and employment in local communities. The FWI is working towards creating a $500 million restoration fund, to initiate the largest restoration project in Canada – Restoring the Fraser Watershed. A multi-year The endangered woodland caribou in its natural habitat. Photo credit: Bubba55 Flickr project that will require the involvement communities and conservation of critical conservationists from British Columbia and of people across sectors and throughout habitats and cultural treasures. the watershed. The FWI offers a path across North America, who are interested in advancing watershed restoration and forward to address identified threats. By The Fraser Watershed Restoration Conference reconciliation with First Nations thought-out bringing together Indigenous & Non-Indige- 2019 will be held at the Thompson Rivers nous decision-makers, local community, University Conference Centre in Kamloops, the watershed. The conference has been conservation and philanthropic leaders in BC on April 24 & 25, 2019. The conference designed with First Nations participation and a dialogue around watershed restoration, will bring together; Indigenous leaders, insight to ensure that traditional knowledge collaborative government-to-government industry experts, government representa- and indigenous rights are integrated into all land-use planning, fire-hardening of local tives, academics, community officials, and focus areas. SL adaptive outdoor structure See things differently. Inside. Outside. Upfit. FEBRUARY 2019 SITELINES 5 Fraser Watershed RESTORATION CONFERENCE 2019 Image above: Sockeye Salmon in the Adams River, within the Fraser Watershed. Photo credit: KSI Photography, Flickr Image below: Cariboo region of British Columbia. Part of the Fraser Watershed. Photo credit: Tjflex2, Flickr The Fraser River is the most productive species at risk, impacting cultural practices, maintaining ecosystem health for generations. salmon producing watershed on the planet, recreational activities, and employment in Over the past 150 years, Indigenous people and one of the most biologically diverse in local communities. within the Fraser Watershed have been alienated North America. It covers one quarter of from their territories and their traditional role British Columbia, and has been the unceded, The Fraser Watershed Initiative’s Fraser as guardians. As Bev Sellers, former Councillor untreatied home to almost 100 Indigenous Watershed Restoration Conference 2019 and Chief of the Xat’sull First Nation states, Nations for over 12,000 years. Despite the will be a two-day event at Thompson Rivers “Restoration is reconciliation”. watersheds significance to communities, University Conference Centre in Kamloops, BC Restoration of land and waterways within industry, and cultures, there is an ecological on April 24 & 25, 2019. The conference will bring together, Indigenous leaders, industry the Fraser Watershed, is necessary for recon- and economic crisis in BC’s interior forests. experts, government representatives, academ- ciliation. Reconciliation, means in part, the This past summer we saw this crisis surface ics, community officials, and conservationists honourable resolution of land claims and again in catastrophic wildfires, with smoke from British Columbia and across North the return of vast tracks of the Fraser from BC making its way across the continent. America, who are interested in advancing Watershed to the sovereignty of Indigenous These fires, along with climate change, watershed restoration and reconciliation with governments. The governments of Canada development, and other ecological impacts Indigenous Nations thought-out the watershed. and British Columbia have committed to are exacerbating the stresses on salmon advancing reconciliation and pursuing and a myriad of terrestrial and riverine Indigenous people have been guardians of the government-to-government land use planning species, such as moose, caribou, and other Fraser Watershed for thousands of years, as a vehicle to advance these negotiations. 6 SITELINES BC Society of Landscape Architects “The Fraser Watershed Initiative has