Trees cut, vandalized in Líl̓wat traditional territory south of Lillooet | CBC News
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Police say they haven’t yet identified any suspects after numerous trees were cut down and vandalized in Líl̓wat Nation’s traditional territory near Lillooet, B.C.
Tara Smith, the nation’s interim chief administrative officer, said the trees were located along Highway 99, also known as Duffy Lake Road, about 40 kilometres southwest of Lillooet and 215 kilometres northeast of Vancouver, by road.
She said the damage was first discovered on Dec. 7, 2025, by a Lillooet resident who was out hiking and took photos of the chopped down trees and blue graffiti.
Photographs shared with CBC News show the words ‘not Indian land’ written in blue paint on a rock and trees.
In a statement, Líl̓wat Nation called the vandalism racist messaging and said it “highlight[s] that there is still important work to do when it comes to understanding, respect, and reconciliation.”
It said the area holds deep cultural, environmental and spiritual significance.
Police were called out to the area, just south of the Rogers Creek and Gott Creek recreation sites, on Dec. 12, according to RCMP Sgt. Vanessa Munn.
She said they don’t know when the damage actually occurred, but that police believe it happened sometime in the past year.
Smith said she felt disappointed when she heard about the vandalism.
“I was, you know, really concerned about it and just thinking about our territory and the impacts that it had.”
She said it’s not the first time someone has vandalized Líl̓wat traditional territory, which spans close to 800,000 hectares.
“We’re not doing anything wrong by protecting the land and protecting our territory,” Smith said. “It shouldn’t just be us protecting our home, there should be a shared responsibility, and whoever did this not only vandalized but cut down trees.”
Munn said no suspects have been identified in the case.
“Should new information come forward, investigators will follow up on any viable leads,” she said.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service and Natural Resource Officer Service have been notified about the incident.