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CNA is working to create a Wildlife Health Report to inform the CNA’s review of Highland Valley Copper (HVC) operations, the HVC Mine Life Expansion Project, as well as HVC’s Wildlife Management Plan.
As part of this study and with help from nłeʔképmx hunters, the CNA has collected biological samples (muscle, liver, kidney, gonad, hair and skin, blood, tooth, and fecal samples) from ungulate (mule deer, elk, white-tailed deer, and moose) kills at varying distances from HVC for metal analysis.
These samples are currently being analyzed to determine if metal concentrations in wildlife is significantly higher in the Highland Valley than in other areas of nłeʔképmx territory.
This report will inform nłeʔképmx communities of the safety of consuming wildlife found on and around the HVC site. It will also allow HVC and the CNA to work together to create a new wildlife management plan and inform wildlife mitigation for the HVC Mine Life Extension Project
The TSD has begun Phase 2 of the Cattle and Range Study which was part of a commitment from HVC originating in 2011. Phase 1 of the study looked to document the impacts to range and tenure holders that have occurred over the life of Highland Valley Copper Mine. Phase 2 of the study will fill the gaps that were identified during phase 1. The TSD has been in the field working on range health assessments and forage analysis to determine rangeland ecosystem health and record the important grazing areas that are potentially being lost during the Mine Life Extension. We look forward to sharing the results with you when the study is completed.
The Nlaka’pamux Lakes Enhancement project is a result of the draining of 4 lakes where Highland Valley Copper (HVC) Mine was built. As a result of the loss of these lakes, HVC was required to build a new lake at the end of the mines life. As time went on, perspectives changed, and it was decided that the disturbance with creating a man-made lake was not in alignment with current values, so the project shifted to becoming an enhancement project for the existing lakes in the nłeʔképmx Territory.
The main goals of the Nlaka’pamux Lake Enhancement Projects are to enhance the 4 or more lakes in the nłeʔképmx Territory to restore some of the loss associated with HVC mine. This project is in partnership with HVC and the Province to determine different projects that will enhance traditional nłeʔképmx use activities at different lakes.
The first project identified with community members is at Roscoe Lake, which is 40km north of Merritt. Some of the projects that have been discussed are establishing a hiking trail that circles the lake and a nłeʔképmx use only campsite. These projects will also consider preserving our culturally important plants and resources that are naturally occurring such as the rainbow trout that inhabit the lake, the sx̣ʷúsm (soapberries), c̓əlc̓ále (huckleberry), kéceʔ (labrador tea) and other resources we value.
Reach out to our Sr. Technical Coordinator, Rachel Riley (rriley@cna-trust.ca or 250-378-1864) if you have any questions or input.
We are looking for interested CNA members to help with environmental data collection such as water quality, fish health and native plant inventory at various lakes this summer as part of the Nlaka'pamux Lakes Enhancement Project.
Must be able to walk on rough terrain and be outside for a few hours at a time.
Days and times will vary, and you can pick the trip that works best for you!
To sign up use the link https://forms.office.com/r/Q4etAjPLDa or call the office at 250-378-1864
If you have any questions, please contact Rachel Riley at rriley@cna-trust.ca or 250-378-1864
The Territorial Stewardship Department is in the process of developing a Cultural Heritage Study that will provide a comprehensive summary of traditional use and history of nłeʔképmx in the Highland Valley.
This will include documenting precontact traditional activities, and activities during the colonial period up to contemporary times. From the Territorial Stewardship Department’s perspective, there are knowledge gaps regarding some aspects of how nłeʔképmx people occupied, used, and stewarded the land over the course of this timeframe. The purpose of this study is to fill those gaps in knowledge and further understand the various ways that mining and other industries have and continue to impact nłeʔképmx access to and use of cultural practices and resources.
nłeʔképmx knowledge gathered throughout this study will have the potential to inform development of a Cultural Heritage Policy (e.g., potential mitigations of cultural resources not protected under the Heritage Conservation Act that support the interests of the communities), changes to the Cultural Heritage Program if necessary, and creation of a community resource (e.g., cultural-historic book containing nłeʔképmx Knowledge, not subject to confidentiality) to allow membership to reconnect with their culture.
Some of the information collected may also be used as supporting documents for Rights and Title related lawsuits and land claims. This Nlaka’pamux Knowledge will also aid in the review of various operation management plans and their annual updates that HVC is required to provide for feedback from the CNA under the M-11 Mines Act Permit.
The main objective of the Historical Water Conditions Study is to assess the impacts of mining in the Highland Valley to surrounding watersheds and downstream users over time.
The CNA in partnership with CoreGeo Sciences Inc. is conducting this study to clearly outline, from an nłeʔképmx perspective, how mining activities have impacted water in the Highland Valley since 1962. Historic conditions for the valley will be described by those families that used the area pre-mining. The study will include how these impacts have affected communities, including past quality and use of water in the valley with current quality, uses, and availability.
Mining operations in the Highland Valley are currently conducted by the Teck Highland Valley Copper Partnership (HVC), an amalgamation of three mining operations - Bethlehem Copper, Lornex, and the Highmont Operating Corporation. Since the Participation Agreement between HVC and the eight Participating CNA Bands was finalized in 2013, many hydrological and hydrogeological investigations have been conducted by HVC; however, these investigations have not assessed the impacts to water and nłeʔképmx water interests from mining over time; or shown how nłeʔképmx water-related concerns are integrated into environmental management and decision-making.
An understanding of impacts from mining over time is a key input into decision-making by the CNA for the HVC Mine Life Extension Project and HVC operations.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about this study, please contact Erica Kabotoff at ekabotoff@cna-trust.ca or 250-378-1864.
nʔeye ne tmixʷkt (Here on our Land) principles are broad guiding principles for natural resource activities within nłeʔképmx territory. These broad principles have been drafted using nłeʔképmx Knowledge from stories, interviews, and our past engagements and will be further developed with the eight nłeʔképmx bands that the CNA represents. nʔeye ne tmixʷkt supports the protection of nłeʔképmx Rights and Title, values, and interests and will be the standards that the CNA will hold mineral resource companies to within nłeʔképmx territory.
These are currently in a draft version, and we are seeking community input on these principles.
For more information, please contact Kyla Horsting-Minnabarriet at khminnabarriet@cna-trust.ca or 250-378-1864
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