--- title: Indigenous-led environmental mapping across Canada | Osprey description: We’re a majority Indigenous-owned, CCIB-certified consulting firm in Edmonton, mapping land across Canada with drones, LiDAR, GIS and GeoAI analytics. image: https://www.osprey-enviro.com/hubfs/environmental-mapping-hero.webp --- [Skip to content](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/services/environmental-mapping#main-content) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. [![Osprey Logo\_horizontal full colour RGB](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/hubfs/Osprey%20Logo_horizontal%20full%20colour%20RGB.svg "Osprey Logo_horizontal full colour RGB")](https://www.osprey-enviro.com?hsLang=en) - [Our Services](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/services) - [Linear Restoration](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/services/linear-restoration) - [Land Reclamation](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/services/land-reclamation) - [Indigenous Values Assessment & Integrations](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/services/indigenous-values-assessment) - [Construction Monitoring & Environmental Field Services](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/services/construction-monitoring) - [Environmental Mapping](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/services/environmental-mapping) - [Industries We Work With](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/industries) - [Oil & Gas](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/industries/oil-gas) - [Pipelines & Powerlines](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/industries/pipelines-powerlines) - [New Highway Construction](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/industries/new-highway-construction) - [Government](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/industries/government) - Resources - [News](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/news) - [FAQ's](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/faqs) - [Video Library](https://www.youtube.com/@ospreyenviro) - [GeoAI](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/geoai) - [About Us](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/about) - [Get In Touch](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/contact-us?hsLang=en) - Search Search Search ![](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/hubfs/Website%20images/Hero-enviro-mapping-1600-x-800-with-gradient-1.jpg) Service # Indigenous-led environmental mapping across Canada Osprey Environmental Solutions is a majority Indigenous-owned environmental consulting firm headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, working with clients across Canada. We map land for environmental assessments, regulatory applications, restoration planning, and construction projects using drones, LiDAR (light detection and ranging), satellite imagery, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and GeoAI analytics. We're a Certified Indigenous Business through the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB). ![Environmental mapping](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/hubfs/Website%20images/Environmental%20mapping%201000%20x%201000%20(3)-1.png) ## What is environmental mapping? Environmental mapping turns aerial, satellite and field data into maps and spatial analysis that show what's on a piece of land and how it's changing. It's how a project identifies sensitive habitat, water, and existing disturbance before the design is finalized, and how it shows what changed afterwards. Our work covers habitat mapping, including identifying sensitive habitats and delineating ecological zones; spatial analysis of land and water resources; baseline mapping for environmental assessments and regulatory applications; land use planning support; and change detection to track disturbance and recovery between surveys. A baseline map records conditions once. Monitoring repeats the survey on a set schedule and measures change against that baseline. Clients use the results to plan around sensitive areas, support permit applications, prioritize restoration and report progress to regulators. [Contact us](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/contact-us?hsLang=en) ## How our environmental mapping process works   We run mapping projects in four stages from scoping to the final maps. ![mapping-stage-1-scoping](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/hs-fs/hubfs/mapping-stage-1-scoping.webp?width=400&height=300&name=mapping-stage-1-scoping.webp) #### Stage 1 ### Scoping We agree on what the map needs to answer, the project area, and the regulatory or planning requirement it supports. That sets which data we capture, at what resolution, and whether the project needs a one-time baseline or repeat monitoring surveys. ![mapping-stage-2-data-capture](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/hs-fs/hubfs/mapping-stage-2-data-capture.webp?width=400&height=300&name=mapping-stage-2-data-capture.webp) #### Stage 2 ### Data capture Most projects combine several sources, because each answers a different question. Drones capture high-resolution imagery of a specific site, including areas that are hard to reach on foot. LiDAR measures terrain and vegetation structure with laser pulses, so it can map ground elevation under tree cover that imagery alone can't show. Satellite imagery covers large project areas and builds a record over time, allowing us to compare a site's condition from one year to the next. Field observations check what the remote data shows, and where the project calls for it. Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) from community members adds context that imagery can't capture. ![mapping-stage-3-analysis-and-mapping](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/hs-fs/hubfs/mapping-stage-3-analysis-and-mapping.webp?width=400&height=300&name=mapping-stage-3-analysis-and-mapping.webp) #### Stage 3 ### Analysis and mapping We bring every layer together in GIS, from imagery and LiDAR to field observations and existing spatial data, so it can be analyzed and mapped in one place. We use GeoAI, which speeds up or standardizes analysis and then produces maps for the decision in front of you. Our geospatial capability comes through Silvacom, which has provided forestry, environmental and remote sensing consulting since 1983. ![mapping-stage-4-reporting](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/hs-fs/hubfs/mapping-stage-4-reporting.webp?width=400&height=300&name=mapping-stage-4-reporting.webp) #### Stage 4 ### Reporting and ongoing support You get the maps and supporting data for your application or plan, and we stay involved through project planning. For monitoring work, we repeat surveys on a set schedule and report changes against the baseline, as maps, data files or a monitoring dashboard. ### How GeoAI improves environmental mapping and monitoring GeoAI applies artificial intelligence to geospatial data such as satellite imagery, drone footage, LiDAR and GIS layers. It automates analysis that would otherwise be done by hand, so results come back faster and stay consistent from one survey to the next. We use GeoAI for change detection. It compares imagery from two dates and flags where disturbance or recovery has happened, so field crews and restoration budgets go where they're needed first. It also gives clients audit-ready monitoring data for compliance reporting. [Read more about our GeoAI work](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/geoai?hsLang=en) ## Who we map for We work with clients across Canada from our head office in Edmonton, Alberta. ### Oil and gas operators Baseline mapping, monitoring and restoration prioritization, including legacy seismic lines in caribou ranges. [Oil and gas](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/industries/oil-gas?hsLang=en) ### Highway and road proponents Fast-turnaround mapping and field assessments for environmental impact assessments and permitting. [New highway construction](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/industries/new-highway-construction?hsLang=en) ### Pipeline and powerline operators Corridor-length mapping and monitoring of vegetation and erosion along rights-of-way. [Pipelines and powerlines](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/industries/pipelines-powerlines?hsLang=en) ### Government agencies Change detection to prioritize restoration sites, and monitoring data for program reporting. [Government](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/industries/government?hsLang=en) ## Why Indigenous-led environmental mapping A map is what a project plans around, so what goes into it matters as much as the technology that captures it. Indigenous-led environmental mapping brings Traditional Ecological Knowledge into the work from the start, alongside the technical data, so it shapes the plan before design is locked in. Community members lead the TEK work, starting with team members from Kee Tas Kee Now Sawmills Limited (KSL), and our field and mapping teams build around it. If your project needs a formal values assessment, our [Indigenous values assessment and integration service](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/services/indigenous-values-assessment?hsLang=en) identifies those values before design starts. ![CCIB - 2026 - Osprey](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logos/CCIB%20-%202026%20-%20Osprey.png?width=400&height=240&name=CCIB%20-%202026%20-%20Osprey.png) ### ### We're majority Indigenous-owned and CCIB certified Osprey Environmental Solutions is majority Indigenous-owned. We launched in September 2025 as a partnership between KSL and Silvacom. KSL is owned by five First Nations: Loon River First Nation, Lubicon Lake Band, Peerless Trout First Nation, Whitefish Lake First Nation and Woodland Cree First Nation. [Silvacom](https://www.silvacom.com/), established in 1983, brings regulatory expertise and remote sensing technology. Our CCIB certification gives procurement and environmental, social and governance (ESG) teams a verifiable Indigenous-ownership credential, not a subcontracted line item. Every project supports training, employment and capacity for KSL's five member Nations. ## Our related services   ### [Linear restoration](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/services/linear-restoration?hsLang=en) Restoring seismic lines and other linear disturbances, including in caribou range. ### [Indigenous values assessment and integration](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/services/indigenous-values-assessment?hsLang=en) Identifying traditional and cultural values and building them into project plans. ### [Land reclamation](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/services/land-reclamation?hsLang=en) Returning disturbed and abandoned sites to a stable, productive, certifiable state. ### [Construction monitoring and environmental field services](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/services/construction-monitoring?hsLang=en) On-site compliance monitoring and field assessment through construction. #### Frequently asked questions ## Environmental mapping FAQs How does GeoAI improve environmental mapping and monitoring? GeoAI applies artificial intelligence to geospatial data such as satellite imagery, drone footage, LiDAR and GIS layers. It automates analysis that would otherwise be done by hand, so mapping and monitoring results come back faster and stay consistent between surveys. Osprey Environmental Solutions uses GeoAI for change detection, which flags where disturbance or recovery has occurred over time and helps clients decide where restoration and fieldwork should go first. How is drone and satellite imagery used in environmental site assessments? Satellite imagery gives a wide view of a project area and a record of how it has changed over the years. Drones capture higher-resolution imagery of specific sites, including ones that are hard to reach on foot. In an environmental site assessment, both are combined with LiDAR, field observations, and GIS data to map habitat, water, and land use, identify sensitive areas, and establish a baseline against which later monitoring is measured. How does Indigenous-led environmental mapping use traditional knowledge? Indigenous-led environmental mapping brings Traditional Ecological Knowledge into the map from the start, alongside technical data. Community members who hold that knowledge add contextual imagery that can't be captured on its own, shaping project planning before design is locked in. At Osprey Environmental Solutions, community members lead this work, starting with team members from Kee Tas Kee Now Sawmills Limited (KSL), which is owned by five First Nations. How does environmental mapping support regulatory approvals and land use planning? Environmental mapping provides regulators and planners with clear, defensible data on sensitive habitats, land use, and water resources. It shows where a project can avoid or reduce its impact while design is still flexible, and it records baseline conditions against which later monitoring and reporting are measured. Proponents who map early can plan around constraints instead of discovering them during regulatory review. Is Osprey an Indigenous-owned environmental mapping company? Yes. Osprey Environmental Solutions is a majority Indigenous-owned environmental consulting firm headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, working with clients across Canada. We're a partnership between Kee Tas Kee Now Sawmills Limited (KSL), owned by five First Nations, and Silvacom, which has provided remote sensing and environmental consulting since 1983. We're a Certified Indigenous Business through the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB). ## Talk to us about a mapping project Tell us where the project is, what decision the map needs to support and when you need it. We'll tell you what data to capture and how we'd approach it. [Get in touch](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/contact-us?hsLang=en) [![Osprey Logo\_horizontal full colour RGB](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/hubfs/Osprey%20Logo_horizontal%20full%20colour%20RGB.svg "Osprey Logo_horizontal full colour RGB")](https://www.osprey-enviro.com?hsLang=en) ##### **Head Office** 201 - 4723 52 Ave NW Edmonton Alberta, T6B 3R6 Canada [osprey@osprey-enviro.com](mailto:osprey@osprey-enviro.com) [+1 587 686 5052](tel:+15876865052) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/osprey-environmental-solutions) [Follow us on X](https://x.com/Ospreyenviro) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/OspreyEnviro/) [Follow our YouTube channel](https://youtube.com/@ospreyenviro) - [Home](https://www.osprey-enviro.com) - [About](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/about) - [Contact](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/contact-us) - [Terms and Services](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/terms-of-services) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/privacy-policy) ![CCIB - 2026 - Osprey](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CCIB%20-%202026%20-%20Osprey.png?width=200&height=120&name=CCIB%20-%202026%20-%20Osprey.png "CCIB - 2026 - Osprey") ![Top employer & SME 2026 - Osprey](https://www.osprey-enviro.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Top%20employer%20%26%20SME%202026%20-%20Osprey.png?width=200&height=120&name=Top%20employer%20%26%20SME%202026%20-%20Osprey.png "Top employer & SME 2026 - Osprey") Osprey Environmental Solutions © 2026. A partnership between Kee Tas Kee Now Sawmills Limited (KSL) and Silvacom. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.osprey-enviro.com/services/environmental-mapping#webpage", "@type" : "WebPage", "about" : { "@id" : "https://www.osprey-enviro.com/#organization", "@type" : "Organization", "name" : "Osprey Environmental Solutions" }, "description" : "We’re a majority Indigenous-owned, CCIB-certified consulting firm in Edmonton, mapping land across Canada with drones, LiDAR, GIS and GeoAI analytics.", "inLanguage" : "en-CA", "isPartOf" : { "@id" : "https://www.osprey-enviro.com/#website", "@type" : "WebSite", "name" : "Osprey Environmental Solutions", "url" : "https://www.osprey-enviro.com/" }, "mainEntity" : { "@id" : "https://www.osprey-enviro.com/services/environmental-mapping#service" }, "name" : "Indigenous-led environmental mapping across Canada", "url" : "https://www.osprey-enviro.com/services/environmental-mapping" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.osprey-enviro.com/services/environmental-mapping#service", "@type" : "Service", "areaServed" : { "@type" : "Country", "name" : "Canada" }, "audience" : [ { "@type" : "BusinessAudience", "audienceType" : "Oil and gas operators" }, { "@type" : "BusinessAudience", "audienceType" : "Highway and road proponents" }, { "@type" : "BusinessAudience", "audienceType" : "Pipeline and powerline operators" }, { "@type" : "BusinessAudience", "audienceType" : "Government agencies" } ], "description" : "Indigenous-led environmental mapping for environmental assessments, regulatory applications, restoration planning, and construction projects, using drones, LiDAR, satellite imagery, GIS, and GeoAI analytics. 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