Lands & Stewardship
The Stewardship Department is responsible for the stewardship and protection of Stwecem’c Xget’tem lands and resources in the traditional territory.
For thousands of years, we have occupied and used these lands and waters to sustain our way of life. SXFN Rights include the Crown-recognized right to fish for food, social and ceremonial purposes, and the right to hunt.
Contact us:
Land & Stewardship Office 250-440-5649
Director of Stewardship, Ross Wilson 250-267-2253, stewardshipdirector@sxfn.ca
Rights & Title manager, Judah Melton 250-302-3348
Stewardship Technical Coordinator, Adam Colpitts 250-202-3480
Emergency Management Coordinator, Ashley Camille 250-302-3824
Land Referrals
Judah Melton is the Rights and Title manager who makes land referral decisions on behalf of the Nation. Prior to any decisions or activities that could affect SXFN Rights or impact our lands or resources, there will be a consultation process for SXFN consent.
Big Bar Land Slide
Since the June 23, 2019 landslide at Big Bar, the SXFN has been participating in the stewardship efforts to clear debris from the 85,000 cubic metres rock slide which prevented migrating salmon from moving beyond the landslide to spawning grounds. , assisted in the creation of a fishway and released more than 213,400 Chinook and sockeye fry into the Upper Fraser watershed, of which about half of the Chinook fry, came from the 2020 Big Bar brood stock.
Guardian Program
SXFN Nation has a new Guardian program which will assist the Stewardship Department in protecting the natural resources of the Nation. They will monitor cultural sites and hunting sites, monitor lakes and streams and participate in environmental studies.
Land Use Plan and Cultural Heritage Policy
The SXFN Land Use Plan can be found on the Documents and Forms page.
History of lands
- Our ancestors from Tcexwe’ptem & Komenka’ksxen (Empire Valley), Se’tlemux & S’nhaxala’us (Farwell Canyon), Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation (Canoe Creek and Dog Creek) have left this generation with the responsibility to protect and manage Secwepemculcuw (we are the land and the land is us).
- SXFN is situated on 5,880.4 hectares, much which is rocky hillsides. Dog Creek and Canoe Creek are approximately 50 hectares in size.
- Our combined Traditional Territory spans between 5,300,000 hectares and 5,600,000 hectares and is the Territory we call Secwepemcul’ecw. The jurisdiction and Secwepemcul’ecw has never been surrendered by the NStQ.
Yucwmenúl’ecw: Take care of the Land
“In addition to political chiefs who were political stewards over tracts of Secwepemcul’ecw, the Secwepemc also had appointed caretakers or monitors of resources. The term for “to take care of something” is yucwminem, and for “to take care of the land”, the term is yucwmenúl’ecw. Both refer to the looking after, or stewardship of resource-producing land, including animals, fish, plants and everything else on it, with respect and with a notion of preserving the sustainability of all things. Yucwmenúl’ecw was, and is, the responsibility of the caretakers of communal resource-producing territory. The Secwepemc had, and in the traditions of Elders and even younger generations, continue to have to this day, designated “caretakers” who were put in charge of particular resources, such as game, fish, berry-patches, trails and other important resources and avenues to resources.”
Yucwmenúl’ecw: Take care of the Land
“In addition to political chiefs who were political stewards over tracts of Secwepemcul’ecw, the Secwepemc also had appointed caretakers or monitors of resources. The term for “to take care of something” is yucwminem, and for “to take care of the land”, the term is yucwmenúl’ecw. Both refer to the looking after, or stewardship of resource-producing land, including animals, fish, plants and everything else on it, with respect and with a notion of preserving the sustainability of all things. Yucwmenúl’ecw was, and is, the responsibility of the caretakers of communal resource-producing territory. The Secwepemc had, and in the traditions of Elders and even younger generations, continue to have to this day, designated “caretakers” who were put in charge of particular resources, such as game, fish, berry-patches, trails and other important resources and avenues to resources.”