Restoration: Before & After

Sallus Creek Headwaters Restoration

The headwaters of Sallus Creek and Tiffin Creek occur in an undulating high-elevation plateau in the north-east corner of the Xaxli’p Community Forest. This area has many streams and wetlands, making it a unique place in Xaxli’p territory. The forests near the streams and wetlands were originally made up of patches of old-growth sub-alpine fir, Engelmann spruce, and lodgepole pine, with openings of willow and other wetland shrubs. This moist area has historically been important habitat for moose that forage on the shrubs that grow in the wetlands and near the streams. In the 1990s, a non-Xaxli’p logging company clearcut large tracts of the forest. Trenches and mounds were dug into the soil, and pine and spruce trees were planted. The clearcutting changed the diverse spruce, fir and pine ecosystems into dense plantations. The open, shrubby wetlands and stream banks were replaced with thick young forests that decreased the value of the moose habitat.

Gibbs Creek Forest Restoration

The dry Douglas fir forest near the headwaters of Gibbs Creek is a common ecosystem type in Xaxli’p Territory. These forests are fire-maintained ecosystems – that is, they require regular low-intensity fires to maintain an open, old growth forest structure. However, in the last century, fire suppression and high-grade logging has changed the forests from open, old growth forests to dense, young forests. The forests at Gibbs Creek now have few old growth trees and a high density of young Douglas fir trees.

Our objectives at Gibbs Creek are to restore an open, patchy old growth structure of the forest, increase understory shrubs and herbs, improve timber quality, and reduce fire hazard. We selected a 2.5 hectare patch of forest to carry out eco-cultural restoration.

Area of Gibbs Creek forest: 112 hectares
Area of completed eco-cultural restoration: 2.5 hectares
Remaining area to restore: 109.5 hectares

Gibbs Creek Riparian Restoration

The Gibbs Creek eco-cultural restoration area is a unique place in Xaxli’p Territory. The water-rich forest along the creek is home to cedar, birch, alder, and other water-loving plants.  Several medicine and food plants that are rare in Xaxli’p territory are found growing here, including red dogwood, sarsaparilla, and hakwa⁷ (cow parsnip). Although the area was logged in the mid-1900s, there are still a few large cedar, spruce and fir trees growing along the stream banks.

Diablo Meadows

Diablo Meadows is a restoration area that represents an overstocked Douglas fir stand typical to Xaxli’p Territory. Because this forest type is common in Xaxli’p Territory, a significant amount of the eco-cultural restoration carried out in Xaxli’p Territory will be similar to the restoration of Diablo Meadows.

The Plantation

The Plantation is the first restoration area that XCFC completed. The Plantation is a 16 hectare clearcut that was logged, burned, and replanted in the 1980s by a non-Xaxli’p company. This restoration area was selected by Elders and other Xaxli’p community members through a number of community discussions about restoration priorities. The main focus of the restoration work is improving the health and vigor of an important cultural resource, xusum (Shepherdia canadensis).  Other objectives include restoring a diversity of plant species, and restoring a forest structure of patches and openings. Xusum is plentiful in the Plantation, especially on the lower slopes. However, as the thick young forest grows, it slowly fills the growing space, leaving little sunlight, water, and nutrients for the xusum.

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