sc̓e:ɬxʷəy̓əm (Salmon River)* Corridor

“sc̓e:ɬxʷəy̓əm” is the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ word for the Salmon River. hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ is the Downriver dialect of Halkomelem. Translations provided by Knowledge Keepers and language learners from Kwantlen and Katzie Nations.

Rivershed is implementing a Foodlands corridor on the sc̓e:ɬxʷəy̓əm (Salmon River) in Langley, in the shared territory of the Kwantlen, Katzie, Semiahmoo and Matsqui Nations. We are working in collaboration with səýeḿ Qwantlen (the business subsidiary of the Kwantlen First Nation), Langley Environmental Partners Society, Kerr Wood Leidal, Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance, Kwantlen Land Guardians, and multiple landholders along the river.

At various stages throughout project planning, Rivershed is consulting and working with Kwantlen and Katzie Knowledge Holders to integrate culturally significant plants in the habitat restoration plans, which also focus on the animals and other targeted species that have been harvested and hunted for spiritual, nutritional, and/or medicinal purposes. To uphold the traditional place, plant and animal names, Knowledge Holders are providing translations in local dialects of Halkomelem.

Drag the line to the right and left to see a “before” photo of a floodplain at the site during construction, and “after” the restoration work was finished.
“Before” photo by Al Jonsson. “After” photo by Kendra Nelson.

In 2021, work began in the sc̓e:ɬxʷəy̓əm corridor with two parcels located on the floodplain of the river. In an area wrought with invasive Reed Canary Grass, the team replanted 4,642 m2 of the riparian zone with endemic species that will provide abundant instream and overhead cover for salmon and enhance the biodiversity of aquatic, avian, and terrestrial species within the corridor. The project has also created approximately 2,870 m2 of new or restored wetted habitat for overwintering kwóxweth / kʷəxʷəθ (coho salmon)*.

As of Fall 2022, Foodlands has restored 6 of 12 potential parcels within the sc̓e:ɬxʷəy̓əm corridor. With 12,000 endemic plants already in the ground and nearly 11,000 m2 (1.1 hectares) of restored natural area along the river, Foodlands aims to restore another 1.5 to 2.5 hectares to create a fully restored Foodlands Corridor on the sc̓e:ɬxʷəy̓əm.

*Capitalized translations are Halq’eméylem (the Upriver dialect of the broader language of Halkomelem), and the lower case words are hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (the Downriver dialect). Halkomelem translation provided by Knowledge Keepers and language learners from the Kwantlen and Katzie Nations.

Drag the line left and right to see an off-channel wetted habitat that was created. The before image is during construction, and the after photo is the off-channel habitat one year later.
“Before” photo by Brendan Chu of NERV productions.

Project Goals

Restore species-at-risk habitat on the sc̓e:ɬxʷəy̓əm (Salmon River) through the removal of invasive species, endemic replanting, building bat and owl boxes, creating off channel wetlands and creating a robust riparian buffer.

Cultivate cross-cultural understanding of Indigenous food systems and land management at the direction of səýeḿ Qwantlen and Kwantlen First Nation through the planning, implementation and maintenance of the project site.

Testimonials

Photo by Ali Grant.

Collaborators

“Rivershed is nothing short of a first-class organization. From the leadership down to the boots on the ground! The pilot project was well organized, and everyone involved knew exactly what the plans were on a daily, weekly basis. One day, I was building fencing and walked over to where the main stem channel connected to the Salmon River and was stopped in my tracks. I saw a six-inch Coho leave our habitat and enter the river! That moment made all the hard workdays worth it! The feeling of seeing that fish using a habitat I was part of creating will stick with me forever.”
Kelly Yates, Kwantlen First Nation Elder and key team member.

About the Foodlands Corridor Restoration Program

Foodlands Corridor Restoration Program Funders

This restoration work was supported by the Healthy Watersheds Initiative, a program funded by the Government of British Columbia and delivered by The Real Estate Foundation of BC in partnership with Watersheds BC.

This project was undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada through the federal Department of Environment and Climate Change. Ce projet a été réalisé avec l’appui financier du gouvernement du Canada agissant par l’entremise du ministère fédéral de l’Environnement et du Changement climatique.

Additional funding support provided by Dr. Bronner’s, Instafund and the Pacific Salmon Foundation Community Salmon Program.

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