Syilx Stewardship in Fire Maintained Landscapes

This was a collaborative project where local First Nations, industry, the Provincial government, and the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) worked together to develop solutions to benefit and protect citizens, wildlife habitat, ecosystem functioning, and cultural values of the land. Historically, the Syilx Territory and the Thompson-Okanagan Region have been maintained by fire events, but active fire suppression tactics led to vegetation ingrowth and extreme fuel loading throughout Syilx Territory, which is about 69,000 square kilometres. Combined with climate change, fire suppression has led to longer, more intense, and more destructive wildfire seasons and a less resilient forest ecosystem. Thinning the forest to more natural semi-open state was the prescription agreed upon by all partners. One logging contractor did the timber harvesting and fuel reduction treatments creating a very efficient project. Most of the post-harvest biomass was utilized (instead of being slash burned), which helps B.C. and Canada meet climate change targets.