Researchers collect data along the Deadman River to assess post-wildfire impacts and the effectiveness of restoration efforts as part of the Tsecmenulecwem-kt (We Repair the Land) project.
A new, multi-party research project funded by the BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (BC-SRIF) is taking action to restore the Deadman River, located west of Kamloops, while simultaneously investigating how mitigation measures following severe wildfires can help protect landscapes and important salmon habitats.
Tsecmenulecwem-kt (We Repair the Land) is a three-year, $4 million project led by the Skeetchestn Indian Band in collaboration with Skeetchestn Natural Resources Corp., University of Northern British Columbia, University of British Columbia, Thompson Rivers University, BC Ministry of Forests, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Salmon Foundation, SLR Consulting, Secwépemc Fisheries Commission and Urban Systems. The Deadman Watershed was severely impacted by the Sparks Lake wildfire, the largest wildfire in B.C. in 2021. The fire burnt more than 900 square kilometres of land including 60% of the traditional territory of the Skeetchestn Indian Band.
Skeetchestn Natural Resources Corp, along with partners such as Urban Systems, are leading the design and implementation of the land- and channel-based restoration and mitigation measures, while the "science team" are monitoring the response to these measures and assessing how landscapes respond to severe wildfires. The project involves testing how nature-based, culturally appropriate mitigation measures can be used to stop water runoff, soil erosion, mass movements and sediment transport in creeks and rivers that typically follow major wildfires.
For more information
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