This PhD project use multiple disciplinary traditions to develop comprehensive and united representations of caribou variation through an exploration of population genetics, phylogenetics, traditional knowledge, language, and visual approaches in the Sahtú region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. 

This project is part of an holistic approach to assess impacts of climate change on Arctic terrestrial ecosystems. It focuses on current, short-term phenotypic, and longer-term genetic responses of plant, animal (including caribou) and microorganism species to a changing climate and UV-B regime. Information in the study is taken from indigenous observations, scientific monitoring, experiments and models.

This is a masters project completed through the Geography and Environmental Studies program at Carleton University. Sharing stories in Inuit culture has been the foundation of knowledge transfer for generations. This is my story of learning, of research, learning through relationships, and learning from the land through the stories of Elders and youth of Gjoa Haven, Nunavut, during Elder-youth land camps to learn about caribou in 2011/2012. Using the Qaggiq model, I explore how nuna (land) connects us with iliqqusiq (culture), uqausiq (language), and unipkaat (living histories). The land camps are a place for knowledge renewal, to build and strengthen the connections between generations, and a place for communities and researchers to connect. Learning on the land provides the place for strengthening inuuqatigiittiarniq (relationships), inuusiqaqttiarniq (living a good life) and allows the youth to experience how the land provides niqiqainnarniq (sustenance). Storytelling connects us with others and by listening carefully there are many lessons that can guide youth in living a good life

Project Objectives:

• To document local and traditional knowledge on caribou, caribou hunting, hunting conflicts
• To support subsistence and caribou resources
• To have Noatak people give feedback on caribou management

Purpose of this Study:

• Document the traditional knowledge of Noatak hunters' on caribou distribution and movements, and to document how Noatak hunters' interactions with non-local hunters are affecting their caribou hunting experiences
• Part of a larger National Park Service funded project, examining perceptions of sport hunters, soundscapes effect on caribou, and collared caribou movements
• No previous effort has documented local and traditional knowledge of caribou as held by Noatak people
• We sought to understand to what extent Noatak caribou hunters have experienced encounters with non-locals hunters, and how those encounters are affecting their hunting experience and success
• We also examined perceived importance of not seeing non- locals while caribou hunting, compared to other facets of hunting
• This poster presents preliminary results from the first phase of the study, which included surveys with 62 active caribou harvesters in Noatak. The second phase of this study included participatory mapping with local caribou "experts"

Project Outcomes or Intended Outcomes:

The Noatak Caribou Traditional Knowledge Project documented a wealth of knowledge by local Noatak hunters about a range of topics ‒ on caribou behavior, migration, and hunting practices. The study also documented the interactions and experiences of local hunters with non-local hunters and commercial operators working in and near the Noatak National Preserve.

The findings of this study show that caribou hunters of Noatak are concerned that caribou migration is changing. These changes are seen to be due to a number of factors, but mostly because of the presence of aircraft and non-local hunters in the region. Predation by wolves and bears, climate change, and habitat change were also identified as having negative impacts to caribou migration and caribou hunting. Noatak hunters reported that safety and harvest of caribou largely determine what makes for a successful caribou hunt. Noatak hunters reported that these changes have resulted in a decrease in harvesting caribou, with hunters having to go on longer and more caribou hunting trips, and seeing more people out while hunting. Local and non-local hunters often used the same areas along the Noatak River, both inside and outside special areas, such as the National Park Service Commercial Use Area and the Noatak Controlled Use Area, and often during same hunting seasons (fall). Noatak hunters have specific ideas on how management of caribou hunting could be improved and hope their ideas will be considered by decision makers.

Project Description:

Biigtigong Nishnaabeg has developed a (draft) caribou Stewardship Plan for its traditional territory, which includes a portion of the Lake Superior Caribou Range and the discontinuous distribution between the LSCR and the continuous ranges to the north. The Stewardship Plan contains 11 interlinked strategies. As the project unfolds we anticipated that technical elements of each of the 11 strategies will be further developed. The important first component of the strategy is re-establishing caribou on Michipicoten Island, so that the population there can grow and be used as a source of animals to re-populate the nearby mainland.

Project Outcomes or Intended Outcomes:

The long-term goal of Stewardship Plan is: "Establish a secure and self-sustaining population of caribou in the area centered on the northeast portion of Lake Superior, with particular emphasis on the area encompassed by the Biigtigong Nishnaabeg Title Lands"
The Plan has four objectives under this goal, that relate to protecting/managing caribou on the offshore islands, managing caribou populations on the mainland, collaboration with other First Nations, governments and other parties, and raising cultural awareness of caribou and their role in the ecosystem and Indigenous culture.

This is the first collaborative, landscape range restoration project of this scale in Canada, with Golder leading this group of stakeholders through the development of the project permitting, barriers to implementation, project planning, and an Indigenous Inclusion and Contracting Plan process. The plan has been designed to be implemented over a five year period, starting with a desktop disturbance and vegetation mapping exercise and implementation planning, through to applying restoration treatments and tactical implementation design. The project involves archaeology assessments, watercourse crossing assessments, local contractor procurement, tree planting, wildlife monitoring, and post-treatment monitoring.

Project Description:
This report considers Tłı̨chǫ knowledge of the relationships that tǫdzı (boreal caribou) have with their habitat, including human and other-than human beings.

The current research grew from elders’ discussions at Ɂedèezhìi field camp about the importance of tǫdzı habitat around the Whatì area as the frequency and extent of forest fires continued to grow. The elders strongly suggested we pay more attention to tǫdzı winter habitat around Whatì and how they use islands in this area.

Project Outcomes or Intended Outcomes:
Final Report: Tǫdzı (boreal caribou) and the State of Their Habitat.
https://www.cclmportal.ca/resource/todzi-boreal-caribou-and-state-their-habitat

Principal Researcher: Allice Legat

Community Researchers: Camilla Nitsiza and Charlie J Nitsiza

Report Authors (see resource): Allice Legat and Mary McCreadie

Project Description:

ALCES models future changes based on known environment and landscape cover, an understanding of historic changes, and projected indicators of change to the environment, human footprint and landscape.

The project provides a forum to look at potential future outcomes of environmental changes to support decision-making in the Sahtu. Partnered with the Sahtu Environmental Research and Monitoring Forum, community members are helping define future scenarios of landscape change. These scenarios are then used to project simulations over the next 50 years. Simulations are being developed for climate and fire, population and settlements, energy and mining development, woodland caribou range disturbance and mountain caribou population dynamics.

Project Outcomes or Intended Outcomes:

Presentation available here:
https://www.cclmportal.ca/resource/sahtu-environmental-models-presentation

Sahtu Regional Environmental Decision Support Tool Set presentation:
https://www.cclmportal.ca/resource/sahtu-regional-environmental-decision-support-tool-set