LiDAR Technology to Help Protect Tsartlip Land

New collaboration between Tsartlip and Trailmark Systems will help protect archaeologically sensitive areas from colonial intervention.

Since the original colonization of W̱SÁNEĆ territory, settlers and colonial bodies have sought to use land with cultural significance.

Modern day land-use requests are often to install utilities hubs or for other uses that support colonial infrastructure. However, with such a rich history, Tsartlip’s land is full of culturally significant sites such as burial grounds, that could be disturbed by settler land use.

Now, in a significant milestone, Tsartlip is partnering with Trailmark Systems to leverage technology to identify all potentially significant land sites. This will allow Tsartlip to make better-informed decisions regarding colonial bodies’ land-use requests.

The technology is an app that overlays colonial land maps with traditional knowledge of archaeologically sensitive areas. Trailmark’s Peter Evans describes one example as follows:

One that comes to mind right now is this 19th century map, so this is a Nineteenth century landscape map showing ḰENNES Creek coming through here. And it’s draped over a 3D Earth model so that you can actually see the topography. And then the lines are the parcel grid that was created by the first surveyor . . .  when they divided up the land for sales, so it’s an interesting project because we’re actually using colonial land records to reconstruct an environment that was carved up by early colonists for sale. And we’re using those same records as part of you know, what some people will call a land back process.

The app relies on LiDAR technology, a drone-based method of capturing 3D land information. Trailmark uses this technology to “monitor and protect vital cultural, archaeological and environmental resources,” “share experiences of far-away sites with Elders and other less mobile community members through web/accessible 3D models or virtual reality,” and even “share information about the land through animations, VR experiences and more.”

This technology will not only allow Tsartlip to make better informed decisions regarding land-use requests, but will also aid ecological restoration efforts. For example, Tsartlip worked with Trailmark to better understand the land when preparing for restoration efforts at MÁWUEĆ.

Tsartlip is also partnering with Central Saanich to do the remainder of the community using Lidar technology. Tsartlip looks forward to the ways this and continued collaborations with Trailmark will help protect sensitive sites from colonial intervention.

To stay up to date on this story and others, please subscribe to our newsletter.