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Indigenous-led Conservation of Caribou

Indigenous-led efforts to conserve caribou, highlight efforts to sustain cultural and ecological connections among First Nations and endangered species. According to a 2013 report by the Assembly of First Nations and the David Suzuki Institute, in Canada, “boreal woodland caribou herds share the land with approximately 300 First Nation communities.” Both boreal caribou and Southern Mountain caribou, in British Columbia, Canada, are listed as “threatened” under the Species at Risk Act (SARA).

Caribou contribute to the lives and cultures of Indigenous Peoples across Turtle Island (the continent of North America). For example, caribou is a traditional food among the Inuit and the parts of the caribou that are not eaten, such as the skin and fur, are transformed into material for tents, clothing, and bedding. The hunting and harvest of caribou play social and spiritual roles in maintaining kinship and community relationships.

Indigenous led-conservations efforts are saving caribou from local extinction (also referred to as extirpation), thus contributing to the protection of Indigenous self-determination. For example, the size of the Klinse-Za caribou herds (one of 54 subpopulations of caribou in British Columbia) on the traditional territories of the West Moberly First Nations and the Salteau First Nations, have declined from approximately “250 in the 1990s to only 38 in 2013.” However, about nine years of conservation efforts by these First Nations have increased the size of the herd to 101 caribou in 2021, and more recently, to 114 caribou . The increase in the numbers of caribou, is attributed to the leadership and conservation actions undertaken through a conservation partnership agreement between West Moberly First Nation and the Salteau First Nation. The partnership agreement provides habitat protection for the Klinse-Za and for other caribou subpopulations in neighbouring areas. In addition, the agreement aims to “stabilize and expeditiously grow the population” to self-sustaining levels and to maintain consistency between traditional caribou hunting practices and harvesting practices and Aboriginal and Treaty rights. The conservation agreement also invites the reinstatement of cultural traditions of caribou hunting.

The degradation of caribou habitats has contributed to the steep decline of caribou in British Columbia as well as in other parts of Canada. For example, in Northern Québec and Labrador, the George River caribou herd has declined by 98% since 2001. Although the numbers of caribou in the herd went up slightly in 2020, they went down again in 2022, and while non-Indigenous people are banned from hunting the caribou, the Innu and Cree Nations are also taking measures to curb hunting. On January 24, 2022, the Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee and Innu Nation of Québec jointly signed the Maamuu nisituhtimuwin/ Matinueu-mashinaikan atik u e uauinakanit or mutual understanding, that “establishes mutually agreed upon terms by which Innu communities in Québec will be able to access caribou within the Cree traditional territory of Chisasibi, Eeyou Istchee.”

Indigenous-led caribou conservation protects not only the caribou, but also Indigenous ways of living with the land, and “maintaining balance” between Indigenous cultures and biodiverse ecosystems.

 

By Leela Viswanathan

 

(Image Credit: Orna Wachman, Pixabay)

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Plants to Limit Coastal Erosion in Ekuanitshit

In 2018, the Ekuanitshit Innu community, in partnership with the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Sustainable Development Institute (FNQLSDI), launched a project to restore and protect the coastal habitats along the traditional territory of Nitassinan.

The coastal stabilization project, entitled “Preserving the Coastal Habitats of Nitassinan” and created in 2016, stems from targeted activities in the Ekuanitshit community’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan. This project addresses the concerns of its members regarding the erosion of the banks of the St. Lawrence River. Actually, coastal erosion threatens the community’s infrastructure, leads to losses of territory and has an impact on activities taking place along the shoreline. Moreover, this phenomenon is intensifying as a result of climate change.

Preserving the coastal habitats of Nitassinan

Initiated in 2018, the project spans three years and its main objective is to the restore the sites degraded by coastal erosion and which community members deem to be priorities. The project was made possible through the financial contribution of the Community Interaction Program (CIP) under the 2011‒2026 St. Lawrence Action Plan.

The project also includes community mobilization activities, awareness workshops, a best practices guide for coastal environments (now available in French and soon in Innu), awareness panels and a data update on the coastal changes of the Nitassinan. These activities are carried out in collaboration with the Council of the Innu of Ekuanitshit, the Kanikaniteht Business Centre, the Innu House of Culture, the Gulf North Shore Zip Committee, the Youth Centre, the Teueikan School, Innu Natukuna and the Laboratoire de dynamique et de gestion intégrée des zones côtières (dynamics and integrated management of coastal areas laboratory) of the University of Quebec in Rimouski.

With the support of community members, the first year of the project focused on the identification and characterization of the priority sites to be restored. Two so-called soft techniques were chosen for the restoration:
– Revegetation: this technique involves planting native stabilizing plants along the river so that their roots will retain sand;
– Sand catchers: owing to the installation of snow fences set up in a zig-zag pattern, this technique makes it possible to rebuild damaged dunes by creating an accumulation of sand at their base.

Summer 2019 was spent restoring selected sites, one of which is in front the Innu House of Culture, and another is located in the western end of the community. To accomplish this, 80-meter sand catchers were installed and an area of 4,100 square meters was revegetated through the planting of 50,000 sand ryegrass and ammophilia plants. Plants used in traditional practices, such as raspberry and juniper, were also planted in collaboration with Innu Natukuna.

Monitoring the restored sites will begin this fall and will be spread out over a year in order to maximize the viability of the habitats. Mobilization and awareness activities with community members (from children to seniors) will also continue until the end of the project.

We thank the community members who have supported the restoration work, in one way or another, and also we thank the Gulf North Shore ZIP Committee for their technical support!

Some measures to protect coastal habitats

As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!” So, taking care of the coast is the best way to prevent coastal erosion.

So, here are some eco-responsible actions that each one of us can adopt:
– Walking or riding on access trails;
– On the shore, walking or riding as close as possible to the water;
– Being mindful of plants by avoiding stepping on them;
– Always taking our garbage to specified locations.

We are responsible for acting right now to preserve and sustain our land. The ball is in your court!

Des plantes pour limiter l’érosion côtière à Ekuanitshit

La communauté innue d’Ekuanitshit, en partenariat avec l’Institut de développement durable des Premières Nations du Québec et du Labrador (IDDPNQL), a amorcé en 2018 un projet de restauration et de protection des habitats côtiers qui longent le territoire traditionnel, le Nitassinan.

Le projet de stabilisation côtière, intitulé « Préserver les habitats littoraux du Nitassinan » et créé en 2016, découle des activités ciblées dans le plan d’adaptation aux changements climatiques de la communauté d’Ekuanitshit. Ce projet répond aux inquiétudes de ses membres face à l’érosion des berges du Saint-Laurent. En effet, l’érosion côtière menace les infrastructures de la communauté, entraine des pertes de territoire et affecte les activités pratiquées le long de la côte. De plus, ce phénomène tend à s’intensifier avec les changements climatiques.

Préserver les habitats littoraux du Nitassinan

Initié en 2018, le projet s’étale sur trois ans et a comme objectif principal de restaurer des sites dégradés par l’érosion côtière et jugés comme prioritaires par les membres de la communauté. Il a été rendu possible grâce à la contribution financière du programme Interactions communautaires (PIC) dans le cadre du Plan d’action Saint-Laurent 2011-2026.

Ce projet inclut également des activités de mobilisation communautaire, des ateliers de sensibilisation, un guide des bonnes pratiques en milieu côtier (actuellement disponible en français et prochainement en innu), des panneaux de sensibilisation et une mise à jour des données sur l’évolution côtière du Nitassinan. Ces activités sont réalisées en collaboration avec le Conseil des Innus de Ekuanitshit, le Centre d’affaires Kanikaniteht, la Maison de la culture Innue, le Comité ZIP Côte-Nord du Golfe, la Maison des jeunes, l’école Teueikan, Innu Natukuna et le laboratoire de dynamique et de gestion intégrée des zones côtières de l’Université du Québec à Rimouski.

Avec le soutien des membres de la communauté, la première année du projet s’est focalisée sur l’identification et la caractérisation des sites à restaurer en priorité. Deux techniques dites douces ont été retenues pour la restauration :
– La végétalisation : cette technique consiste à planter des plantes stabilisatrices indigènes le long de la rive pour retenir le sable grâce aux racines des plantes;
– Les capteurs de sable : grâce à la pose de clôtures à neige disposées en zigzag, cette technique permet de reconstituer les dunes endommagées en provoquant l’accumulation de sable à leur base.

L’été 2019 a été consacré à la restauration des sites sélectionnés dont un devant la Maison de la culture Innue et un autre à l’ouest de la communauté. Pour cela, des capteurs de sable d’une longueur de 80 mètres ont été installés et une superficie de 4 100 mètres carrés a été végétalisée par la plantation de 50 000 plants d’élyme des sables et d’ammophiles à ligule courte. Des plantes servant aux pratiques traditionnelles, comme le framboisier et le genévrier, furent également semées en collaboration avec Innu Natukuna.

Un suivi des sites restaurés commencera cet automne et s’étalera sur un an afin de maximiser les chances de survie des habitats. Les activités de mobilisation et de sensibilisation auprès des membres de la communauté (des enfants aux ainés) se poursuivront également jusqu’à la fin du projet.

Merci aux membres de la communauté qui ont soutenu, d’une manière ou d’une autre, les travaux de restauration ainsi qu’au Comité ZIP Côte-Nord du Golfe pour leur appui technique!

Quelques mesures pour protéger les habitats côtiers

Comme le dit si bien le dicton : mieux vaut prévenir que guérir! Ainsi, prendre soin de la côte est le meilleur moyen de lutter contre l’érosion côtière.

Voici donc quelques gestes écoresponsables qui peuvent être adoptés par chacun d’entre nous :
– Marcher ou rouler dans les sentiers d’accès;
– Sur la plage, marcher ou rouler le plus près possible de l’eau;
– Respecter les plantes en évitant leur piétinement;
– Toujours ramener vos déchets aux endroits prévus.

Il est de notre devoir d’agir dès maintenant pour préserver et pérenniser le territoire. À vous de jouer!

Article Source: Institut de développement durable des Premières Nations du Québec et du Labrador
First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Sustainable Development Institute

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