This restoration work takes place within the hahuułi of hišqʷiʔatḥ ḥawiiḥ (traditional territory of Hesquiaht First Nation’s hereditary chiefs).

“At least 50 per cent of our streams in Hesquiaht Harbour are covered. The streams provided a lot of fish for our people, and now they’re all covered up with landslide debris. If it wasn’t for Redd Fish, I don’t think we would have started landslide stabilization.”

— Hesquiaht First Nation Fisheries Manager Rufus Charleson

Background

Before B.C.’s forest practices code came into effect in 1995, extensive harvesting and road construction was carried out in Hesquiaht’s traditional territory. 

The legacy from unregulated harvesting and poorly built logging roads in the Hesquiaht watershed have triggered a number of landslides. These landslides are burying the lower rivers in Hesquiaht’s traditional territory with excessive amounts of sediments and debris, making it difficult for salmon to access the rivers.

Until the upslope instability is addressed, it’s impossible to start restoring fish habitat.

Ultimately, this project is intended to decrease the sediment input to downslope resources and improve the productivity of salmonids and their habitats.

Summary

After conducting a landslide assessment in January 2022, at least 150 landslides were identified in Hesquiaht’s traditional territory.

By initiating and accelerating the natural rehabilitation process to reduce slope instability, Redd Fish is aiming to mitigate further erosion and sediment from entering yaaqḥsis Creek. 

Logging roads in the lower reaches of the watershed have been deactivated, so the only way to access the remote part of Vancouver Island is by helicopter. This involves a high level of planning to move crews and rehabilitation supplies to the site.

In the summer of 2021, five hectares (12 acres) of terrain was rehabilitated on Mount Seghers. This work is ongoing.

To reduce further erosion of existing landslide paths and to improve the stability of the slopes, Redd Fish is:

• Planting and seeding trees to help build up the soils and provide a root system within the slopes – a total of 5,950 sitka elder, 1,110 western hemlock, 1,110 western red cedar, and 1,110 Douglas fir were planted in the yaaqḥsis Creek and Hesquiaht Lake watersheds

• Building steps into slopes using a bioengineered technique called modified brush layers (MBLs), which are an effective way to reduce the length of a slope and provide stable sites for vegetation to grow

• Seed was spread on sandy and silty soils to help develop the soil and prepare sites for colonization of successional species

Research & Monitoring

• Annual monitoring and qualitative assessments are being conducted to determine the effectiveness of the work and to document any changes in the quality of fish habitat.