Canada
Tundra sod is an ideal material for tundra rehabilitation: it provides immediate vegetative cover, insulation, and water management. My team and I used traditional ways of knowing to repair damaged tundra at two houses in Arctic villages, Kaktovik and Point Lay (Kali), Alaska. The Iñupiat in Arctic Alaska historically used tundra sod to built their homes, and currently use tundra sod to insulate their ice cellars (siġḷuaq) and cover graves. Using tundra sod in rehabilitation and restoration activities was introduced by an elder, Charlie Hopson, in 2006 in response to an oil spill on tundra. The techniques for cutting tundra from a donor site have evolved and now include using heavy equipment, when possible. In Kaktovik and Point Lay, the only available donor sod is found at the base of the ocean bluffs. The tundra sod was cut by hand using long serrated bread knives and transported by ATV or by dragging sled-loads across the tundra. The tundra sod is stitched together at the repair site, much like horizontal stone masonry. Aside from the gratification of repairing damaged tundra, the most rewarding aspect of this work is the reception and gratitude we receive from the Iñupiat locals. They are excited to see us using Indigenous Knowledge and applying this knowledge to make improvements in their villages.
Presenter: Lorene Lynn, Owner Red Mountain Consulting LLC, CERP and Certified Professional Soil Scientist. providing ecological restoration services in Alaska.