Stories

“If we start off talking about how to define traditional lands, we can get stuck.

Two of the communities that participated in Indigenous Guardians Community Visits this summer share some of what they learned.

“I’ve got buy-in from my crew and they’re all focused on following protocol and being safe. It comes down to good pre- and post-trip procedures and making sure that everyone follows them.”  Ernie Tallio, Nuxalk Guardian Watchman Manager

What do sink hole damages at the Inuvik airport, dying birch in Yellowknife, and a spring cold snap in Whitehorse have in common? They are all unusual local observations submitted to the Local Environmental Observer Network (LEO) website that could be indicators of a changing climate.

NOTICE: The Indigenous Guardian Community Visit fund is currently on hold

“Indigenous communities across the country are playing a critical role in collecting water data that is invaluable for informing water stewardship” says Carolyn DuBois who leads Mackenzie DataStream through The Gordon Foundation.

Members of the Kitasoo/Xai’Xais First Nation have been actively observing bears on their territory for millennia. Bears have a deeply rooted cultural significance to the community. Community members have been observing changes in how the bears are using the territory.

“Developing a stewardship vision for the Dehcho took time and had to be done the Dehcho way,” explains Dahti Tsetso, Resource Management Coordinator, Dehcho First Nations. “We did the first workshop on the land, in the bush, and this helped create the right setting. We’d start each workshop by feeding the fire.

Confidence, trust, local knowledge and experience are key to being safe on coastal waters. When the Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Nations (GNN) started their Guardian Watchman program they had one boat that was used for patrols and a water taxi service. In their first year on the water, they racked up close to $50,000 worth of damages and repairs.