Lands Department
Keeping the land and the people connected — protecting clean air, clean water, and resilient land on Treaty 8 territory for future generations.
“If you take a step back and look around, you’ll see that everything is connected.”
🌍 Our Mission
That’s what the Lands Department is responsible for — keeping the land and the people connected. It’s about making sure there’s clean air, clean water, and resilient land. It’s not about drawing circles and protecting the bits that are left over from development. You can’t cut a piece of land off from everything else because sooner or later that piece of land will die. Our job is to keep things connected so that the animals can move back and forth.
📷 Wildlife Monitoring Programs
The Lands Department has several wildlife monitoring programs. The programs help to gather western science data to support balanced management of wildlife habitats.
📷 Pacific Canbriam Partnership
Pipelines often cross creek and river systems important for fish and wildlife including moose. This program helps inform pipeline construction decisions through riparian habitat.
📷 Petronas Partnership
When a wellsite reaches end-of-life, Petronas reclaims disturbed land. This program gathers wildlife data to support restoration choices for re-establishing wildlife habitat.
🦡 Marten & Fisher Habitat
Mature forests along creek systems are rich in biodiversity including marten and fisher. Wildlife cameras produce evidence of marten presence and the need to carefully manage these habitats.
🦌 Mineral Lick Study
This study showcases the importance of mineral licks for threatened wildlife species such as caribou. Camera data was used as evidence to redesign a forestry cutblock to protect this all-season mineral lick.
“The animals cannot speak for themselves so we must speak for them in preserving what their needs are.”
⚖️ Government & Industry Negotiations
Halfway River First Nation is made up of Dane Zaa people who are signatory to Canada’s Treaty 8. In 1900, Halfway adhered to Treaty 8, which defines the land rights of the Nation.
Government agencies make decisions on land activities that have potential to impact Halfway’s treaty rights. Industrial land activities include commercial logging, petroleum and natural gas development, mining, and cattle ranching. These activities have potential to place enormous pressure on Halfway’s treaty rights, which may also be defined as cultural practices and way of life.
It’s the responsibility of the Lands Department to review industrial project proposals and highlight concerns. The government has a duty to consult on potential impacts prior to making decisions. The court agreed (Yahey v. British Columbia, 2021 BCSC 1287) that industrial cumulative effects authorized by the Province have had significant adverse impacts on Treaty 8 members’ way of life.
📚 Cultural Projects
🌱 Culturally Significant Plants Book
The book presents common plants used by Halfway River First Nation — how to identify them, when to harvest, what parts to use, and how to prepare them. Provided to Halfway community members and distinguished guests.
🏗️ Site C Plant Display
The Lands Department worked with BC Hydro to construct a plant display case for the Site C Camp, showcasing plant species used for medicines and honouring elders who have passed down this knowledge.
