TWN’s shoreline is actively eroding and up to 13 m of land has already been lost in some parts. Large boulders (rip-rap) previously laid down along sections of the shoreline have not stopped erosion from occurring. Coastal erosion, coastal flooding, and coastal squeeze (including the loss of marine intertidal habitat) are all anticipated to worsen with sea level rise and climate change.
Project Partners and Funding Agencies
Community Involvement & Events
Example Shoreline Adaptation & Restoration Initiatives
Introduction to the Project
səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) is leading an initiative to protect the reserve shoreline from further loss of land, and damages to sensitive archaeological sites and community infrastructure. This work also aims to improve the health and biodiversity of marine ecological systems that once provided an abundance of food for generations of səlilwətaɬ people.
Key Project Objectives
Key objectives for the reserve shoreline adaptation and restoration project are to:
- attenuate wave action and protect community lands and sensitive archaeological sites from coastal erosion and flooding;
- use nature-based solutions that integrate Indigenous Knowledge and stewardship technologies to restore marine ecology and culturally important local species;
- reconnect community members to the shoreline by facilitating shoreline access at suitable places; and
- build TWN capacity and stewardship role through training and community member involvement in all stages of the project.
All TWN community members are encouraged to take part and help shape the Project. See Community Involvement & Events for ways to be involved and provide your input.
Connection to Burrard Inlet
Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) is a growing Indigenous community whose occupied reserve land is located on the north shore of səĺilẃət (Burrard Inlet) in the Vancouver Lower Mainland. Many generations of səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh, which means “People of the Inlet”) have lived and thrived in the wider area surrounding səĺilẃət, and the lands and waters of the traditional territory have shaped TWN culture, language, practices and laws. Honouring our deep connection to the nature and our sacred responsibility to be stewards and protectors of the lands and waters, səlilwətaɬ are leaders Indigenous knowledge and environment science, habitat enhancement and restoration, contaminants and cumulative effects monitoring, marine stewardship, and climate change vulnerability assessment.
TWN’s vision is to maintain our identity as səlilwətaɬ, respecting our past and being mindful of our future, sharing a collective vision for a healthy, holistic community in harmony with our surroundings (TWN Land Use Plan Law, 2019).
Project Location & Map
The Project will focus on the most vulnerable and sensitive parts of the reserve shoreline. This includes the area from the western boundary of the shoreline up to the canoe shed. See the accompanying map for the estimated linear length of the area of interest.
Meet the Project Team
TWN’s Climate Action & Energy Management (CAEM) team in the Public Works Department are providing staff project management support for this project. This team will be working closely with other Public Works teams (e.g., Lands) and other TWN departments including Treaty Lands & Resources, Health & Wellness, Community Development and others to bring a full breadth of relevant technical expertise to the project.
TWN has retained a multi-disciplinary consulting team (Westmar, DHI, Hatfield, PWL, Modern Formline Design and Inlailawatash) that are leading the coastal engineering and modeling, design planning, environmental and archaeological assessment, community engagement and permit application stages of the project.
Benji Eisenberg Consulting is also working with the CAEM team to support the project through expertise with shoreline adaptation design and visualizations, marine ecosystem health, native plant and seaweed propagation, Indigenous marine technologies research, community engagement, mapping and videography.
Project Partners and Funding
The Project requires a multi-disciplinary approach and will see TWN Knowledge Holders, community members, biologists, planners, archaeologists, cultural specialists, referrals analysts, environmental and archaeological monitors from different departments and teams working alongside Public Works (project lead) climate action specialists, land use planners, land tenure analysts, civil engineering, legal and asset management specialists.
TWN welcomes opportunities to work with external partners, other First Nations, agencies, researchers and non-governmental organizations that may be able to provide valued technical and Indigenous expertise. Some groups that we have already reached out to include Wild Bird Trust, Ocean Wise, World Wildlife Fund – Canada, University of BC (Coastal Adaptation Lab), Ducks Unlimited, West Coast Environmental Law, and more. The Project team will continue to build connections with relevant partners throughout the Project and will invite partners to participate on the shoreline adaptation technical working group.
Tsleil-Waututh gratefully acknowledges federal, provincial and other funding that has made this Project possible.
Background Information
This Project is preceded by, and builds on a progressive series of completed works to:
- build understanding of TWN’s vulnerability to climate change,
- to develop actions to mitigate climate impacts and build community resilience to climate change,
- to build understanding of TWN determinants of community health impacted by climate change, and
- to explore a vision for the future of the TWN reserve shoreline and potential ideas for exploration.
Related reports are displayed below.
The Project aligns with TWN’s Land Use Plan Law (2019) that includes policies to protect and restore the foreshore, and build community resilience to climate change, and TWN’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan that identifies climate action as a one of seven key pillars and focus for action.
The Project also builds on and supports implementation of TWN’s Comprehensive Community Plan, Stewardship Policy and Burrard Inlet Action Plan.
Project Status and Timelines
This is a multi-year Project that will involve early and ongoing engagement and involvement with TWN community members. Key Project stages are envisioned as follows:
Community Involvement & Events
Looking for ways to be involved with this Project? The Project offers a variety of different pathways for TWN community members to be involved and we welcome your participation and input!
Upcoming Events
Shoreline Adaptation Advisory Group: This community-based group was established in early 2023 and held its inaugural meeting on Feb 1, 2023. New members are welcome to join. The next meeting is anticipated to take place in early Fall 2023. Stay tuned as we find a suitable meeting date.
Past Events
TWN siʔáḿθɘt School & Summer Camp Intertidal Area Exploration: In June and August 2023, TWN staff and Benji Eisenberg Consulting hosted two (2) separate events for TWN school aged Youth to learn about and experience the marine life in intertidal area on the mudflats.
Maplewood Mudflats Plant Cuttings Workshop: In March 2023, Wild Bird Trust & Benji Eisenberg Consulting hosted a native plant cuttings workshop for TWN community members. Participants took part in a tour of the Maplewood Mudflats, collected and planted a variety of native plant cuttings including salmonberry, thimbleberry, nootka rose, twinberry, red osier dogwood and hardhack. These cuttings, and more collected by TWN staff, are being grown in the Wild Bird Trust Coast Salish Plant Nursery and will used to provide a stock of local native plants for restorative planting as part of the reserve shoreline adaptation & restoration project.
Shoreline Clean Up Day: On World Oceans Day 2023 (8 June) members of the Project team joined TWN community members in taking part in the reserve shoreline cleanup day hosted by Sea Smart.
Community Shoreline Walking Tour: On 6 May 2023, following a delicious pancake brunch hosted by Wild Bird Trust, the Project team and Benji Eisenberg Consulting led a community-based shoreline walk on 6 May 2023. This event – attended by TWN Elders, families, and youth – provided an opportunity to share information about the plant, algal and animal species found growing along the shoreline; to discuss historic and current shoreline uses and changes; and share ideas about shoreline needs and opportunities.
Kelp Test Plot Propagation & Monitoring: Working with Benji Eisenberg Consulting and Ocean Wise, over 300 bull kelp plants were propagated (from sori collected in səĺilẃət (Burrard Inlet), attached to rocks and planted in March 2023 as part of a pilot test plot in an area east of the canoe shed. Monitoring to assess the survival of planted kelp took place in May and June 2023. Thick bull kelp forests were once abundant along the reserve shoreline, cleansing the water and providing habitat for salmon, crabs, herring, octopus and other species.
Shoreline Adaptation Advisory Group: This community-based group was established in early 2023 and held its inaugural meeting on Feb 1, 2023. New members are welcome to join. The next meeting is anticipated to take place in early Fall 2023. Stay tuned as we find a suitable meeting date.
Climate Action & Environmental Fair: In September 2022, TWN Public Works staff organized a Climate Action & Environment Fair. Staff and Climate Change Advisory Committee members hosted four (4) display booths at this Fair to share information and to gather community ideas regarding TWN climate change resilience plans, early ideas for shoreline adaptation, shoreline access and envisioning the future of the TWN shoreline.
Example Shoreline Adaptation & Restoration Initiatives
Shoreline adaptation and restoration projects in other communities provide useful case studies and learning opportunities to help inform this Project. Click here to see some examples of nature-based shoreline projects.
Tell us what you think and share any other examples that you like.
Research & Learning
This Project offers exciting opportunities for knowledge sharing, researching and learning about coastal processes and biodiversity, for reconnecting to Indigenous marine stewardship practices, and more. Here are some of the ways that this work is happening.
Coastal Native Plant Inventory
We’re building a list of native plants found growing along the shoreline and need help from TWN Indigenous community members and Knowledge Keepers with sharing information on the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ names, and commonly used community names for these plants as well as the cultural, food and medicinal values of these plants.
Youth Internships
This Project welcomes interest by TWN and other Indigenous Youth in conducting research alongside this Project. Two TWN interns have been retained to help support Project related community engagement events and at least one other intern is doing related research as supported by the CLEAR SEAS Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping.
Community Workshops
The Project team has hosted a number of informal community workshops to share knowledge and information about the shoreline. See the Community Involvement & Events for more information about past and upcoming workshops. Community workshops will continue to be held throughout the Project.
Contact Information
For questions about the project, please contact our Climate Action & Energy Management team at climate@twnation.ca
