A few hours to the north of Vancouver lies the St'át'imc Nation. St'át'imc (pronounced Stat-lee-um) is both the name of the people and that of their ancient land which encompasses the biggest mountains, canyons, rivers and lakes in southwest British Columbia, with abundant clean water and wildlife such as salmon, sturgeon, eagle, spotted owl, mule deer, mountain goat, cougar, grizzly bear, wolf and many plants used for food or medicine.

Welcome to St'át'imc Territory

Wilderness Committee Educational Report Vol.26 - No.06, Summer 2007

St’át’imc and Tsilhqotin Peace Gathering at Graveyard Valley

St’át’imc Vision
Adapted from the St’át’imc Land Use Plan

We the St’át’imc view our territory as the basis for our survival. We acknowledge the creator and our responsibility as caretakers of our territory. We are inseparably connected to our land, its water, air, wildlife and plants. What happens to one part impacts the other parts.

Our vision is of a continuing and renewed relationship between the St’át’imc people (ucwalmicw) and the land (tmicw) which:

  • Respects St’át’imc cultural traditions by using the ways (nt’akmen), laws (nxekmen) and standards of our people as passed down through the generations.
  • Respects nature by putting the health of water, air, plants, animals and the land itself before all else.
  • Is under St’át’imc authority and is letting our people decide collectively how the land and resources of St’át’imc territory will be managed.
  • Serves the St’át’imc communities and recognizes that resources continue to provide sustenance in old and new ways to our people.


    • St’át’imc Land and Water Designations
    Adapted from the St’át’imc Land Use Plan

    Basket making in St’át’imc territory.

    The St’át’imc Land Use Plan separates our territory into areas for “resource access” and “protection”. Protection areas prohibit: logging, mining and mineral exploration, road building, cattle grazing or other range use, chemical, pesticide or herbicide use, oil or gas development including coal bed methane, and new commercial or residential development. The St’át’imc rely on the precautionary principle to guide our land use decisions in which the burden of proof is placed on the advocates of development so that no development may occur unless it is proven to have no negative environmental consequences. Sustainanble resource use is encourgaed and welcomed on all lands that are not otherwise protected by the Land Use plan.

    The St’át’imc Protection Designations include:

    General Habitat Protection - All old-growth forests and rare ecosystems are fully protected Deer Protection Areas - All winter range, migration habitat, and fawning areas are fully protected Grizzly Protection Areas - Large intact natural regions are fully protected

    Cultural Protection Areas - Ancient and current residential areas, travel routes, sacred and spiritual areas, sites of legendary and historical events and traditional resource harvesting areas are fully protected.