The UAV Habitat Mapping project aimed to enhance capacity for monitoring and management of wild salmon habitat in First Nations through the integration of community mapping and geospatial technologies. This project inventoried baseline data, local fish habitat knowledge, and geospatial technologies available for undertaking long-term salmon habitat monitoring. This inventory informed opportunities for capacity building by providing targeted training in community asset mapping, UAV data collection and related ground surveys, and spatial analytics of fish habitat data. One key outcome of this project was the development of standardized methodologies and protocols for community-based watershed mapping and monitoring which incorporate Indigenous knowledge and can support the development of similar data collection projects throughout BC. A Rapid Salmon Habitat Assessment Guidebook, UAV & Community Mapping Framework, UAV Training Manual, and a Community Mapping for Indigenous Stewardship of Wild Salmon Guidebook were created during this project. Each of these resources are linked below.

Two videos were also created to share the methods utilized during this project. The first focuses on community mapping and the second focuses on UAV mapping.

For more information regarding this project overall, please refer to our project video.

This project was completed in partnership with the Okanagan Nation Alliance, Skeena Fisheries Commission and University of Victoria Map Shop.

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