West Babine Sustainable Resource Management Plan

including villages, home and camp sites, trails, bridges, and culturally modified trees. There are
no identified non-aboriginal cultural heritage sites in the plan area.
The Kispiox LRMP contains the following objectives for cultural heritage resources:
to maintain cultural heritage resources, including archaeological sites, traditional use sites
and trails, and structural features; and
to recognize the significance of House territories and associated resources to First Nations.
Currently, the plan contains no specific management direction for cultural heritage resources.
The Gitxsan are assembling data on types and locations of cultural heritage features in the plan
area (see Map 4, page 69). Once this information is completed, it can be used to inform resource
development activities to ensure that Gitxsan rights are not unjustifiably infringed upon. Future
amendments to the SRMP may include specific objectives to maintain First Nations cultural
heritage resources.
Within the Gitxsan First Nation, the Simoogyet, or House Chief, makes decisions on the issues
affecting cultural heritage resources within their House territory. Consistent with Gitxsan house
system, resource development activities should be referred to the appropriate House Chief
through the Gitxsan Treaty Office (250-842-6780). The Huwilp land use plans, currently being
prepared for each House territory, will provide additional information regarding management of
Gitxsan cultural heritage resources.
Fort Babine should be contacted through the Lake Babine Nation Office at (250-692-4700).
3.2.2 Visual Quality
The Kispiox LRMP recognizes the Babine River as a scenic area, however, these scenic areas
were not formally established under the Forest Practices Code. Visual landscape inventories have
been completed for viewscapes from the Babine and Skeena Rivers and a number of lakes (see
Map 8, page 73). Visual quality objectives (VQOs) have been identified but were not legally
established at the time of preparing this plan. Visual management in the Kispiox TSA is intended
to be similar to practices within the Bulkley TSA.
The Kispiox LRMP contains the following objective for scenic areas:
to maintain visual quality in scenic areas, including the Babine River.
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