Launch of ambitious landslide stabilization project with Hesquiaht First Nation
HESQUIAHT HARBOUR – Redd Fish Restoration Society (Redd Fish) has partnered with Hesquiaht First Nation on the west coast of Vancouver Island to address the impact of landslides on salmon habitat.
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.
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.
“It's impossible to start restoring fish habitat until we address the upslope instability,”said Redd Fish Executive Director Jessica Hutchinson. “The company that logged is long gone and dissolved. The nation doesn't have the funding or the resources, but they're dependent on these rivers for the salmon. And yet, the rivers aren’t producing.”
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.
“We're frustrated by the lack of support and the lack of funding that’s needed to do this work,” said Hutchinson. “Where is the funding from forestry being allocated? It’s certainly not being allocated back into correcting the damage that's been done. We shouldn’t be alone. We should be supported in these endeavours.”
After rehabilitating 5 hectares (12 acres) of terrain last summer on Mount Seghers, Redd Fish crews are preparing to return in September.
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, 1110 western hemlock, 1110 western red cedar, and 1110 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.
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
Quotes:
Hesquiaht First Nation Fisheries Manager Rufus Charleson
“The streams provided a lot of fish for our people, and what changed is that they’re all covered up with landslide debris. At least 50 per cent of our streams in Hesquiaht Harbour are covered. If it wasn’t for Redd Fish, I don’t think we would have started landslide stabilization. They’ve been a lot of help for Hesquiaht First Nation.”
Jaime Eggers Onsite Engineering Ltd. Geoscientis
“This work should have been done years ago. The roads should have been deactivated immediately following harvesting and landslides should have been rehabilitated right away for the best results. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case. Now is the best time to start. There has been so much damage to fish bearing streams in the Hesquiaht area. They need all the help they can get to begin the recovery process.”
About Redd Fish Restoration Society:
Redd Fish Restoration Society is a non-profit organization focused on ecosystem restoration, research, monitoring and education. For over 25 years, Redd Fish has worked with Nuu-chah-nulth nations in Clayoquot, Barkley and Nootka Sound on ecological restoration within their ha’houlthees (traditional territories).
Since the organization began in 1995, Redd Fish has completed over 87 kilometres of stream habitat restoration, deactivated 249 kilometres of high-risk logging roads, planted 101,771 trees and has raised and invested over $28 million in habitat restoration on Vancouver Island.
To set up interviews with any of our spokespeople, please contact:
Sarita Mielke | (250) 713-6755 | sarita@reddfish.org