Presentation Abstract
Sea level along the B.C. coastline has changed dramatically over the past 10,000 years due to isostatic rebound following deglaciation from the Fra ser Glaciation (Clague & James, 2002). In the future, sea levels globally are also predicted to rise according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (2014), due to climate change. Lemmen et al. (2008), suggest that in the near future some B.C. coastal communities will have to deal with changes in shorelines due to rising sea levels, and hence erosional patterns, modifications to ecosystems and habitats, and potentially an altered marine food supply. This thesis examines local paleo-sea level curves for Southern Georgia Strait and the Southern Gulf Islands constructed from a literature search, GIS analysis, and archaeological data from clam gardens. Clam gardens are rock walls, created by First Nations, that expand the natural habitat of clams in a sustainable and environmentally responsible manner. Pollen maps of the area from the literature are used to add landscape change to GIS-modelled paleo-sea level “shorescapes”. This project is part of an on-going research project undertaken with Parks Canada, in partnership with Royal Roads University and the Clam Garden Network, in the Gulf Island National Park Reserve (GINPR) to research and potentially restore First Nations nearshore archaeological features in GINPR.
Session Title
Strengthening Connections to Place in Changing Times: Clam Garden Knowledge, Research, and Stories
Conference Track
Food and Food Security
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Poster
Genre/Form
presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Sea level--British Columbia--Gulf Islands National Park Reserve; Glaciers--Climatic factors--British Columbia--Gulf Islands National Park Reserve; Mariculture--British Columbia--Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Subjects – Names (LCNAF)
First Nations Summit (Organization)
Geographic Coverage
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve (B.C.); Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Included in
Fresh Water Studies Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons
Sea Level change in the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, southern British Columbia: implications for the interpretation of nearshore archaeological features
2016SSEC
Sea level along the B.C. coastline has changed dramatically over the past 10,000 years due to isostatic rebound following deglaciation from the Fra ser Glaciation (Clague & James, 2002). In the future, sea levels globally are also predicted to rise according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (2014), due to climate change. Lemmen et al. (2008), suggest that in the near future some B.C. coastal communities will have to deal with changes in shorelines due to rising sea levels, and hence erosional patterns, modifications to ecosystems and habitats, and potentially an altered marine food supply. This thesis examines local paleo-sea level curves for Southern Georgia Strait and the Southern Gulf Islands constructed from a literature search, GIS analysis, and archaeological data from clam gardens. Clam gardens are rock walls, created by First Nations, that expand the natural habitat of clams in a sustainable and environmentally responsible manner. Pollen maps of the area from the literature are used to add landscape change to GIS-modelled paleo-sea level “shorescapes”. This project is part of an on-going research project undertaken with Parks Canada, in partnership with Royal Roads University and the Clam Garden Network, in the Gulf Island National Park Reserve (GINPR) to research and potentially restore First Nations nearshore archaeological features in GINPR.
