Sask. Metis people laying ground work for land preservation near Île-à-la-Crosse
A Metis led project has completed the first phase of studies to protect 22,000 square kilometers of boreal forest in Northern Saskatchewan.
“Because we’re Metis we don’t have treaty land entitlement so we are using our trapping block that was established by the government as a boundary that we are working to protect,” said Sakitawak IPCA Manager Peter Durocher.
Durocher says the goal of the Sakitawak Indigenous Protected and Conserver Areas (IPCA) group is to preserve the N14 Fur Block from industry and development.
Like many people in Île-à-la-Crosse, Durocher is a trapper who hunts and fishes in the area for food for his family.
“Just being able to feed my family, fish once in a while, some ducks once in a while and if I’m lucky enough I’ll get a moose,” said Durocher. “Whatever you use to feed your family, that’s living off the land.”
He says Sakitawak IPCA wants to protect habitats of vulnerable species such as woodland caribou, moose, old growth pine, migratory birds and various fish species. The goal is to also preserve the land for sustainable hunting, trapping, fishing, berry picking and traditional medicine harvesting.
The next step for the group is to use all the information collected over the last two years to create a conservation management plan to share with the province. The provincial government has the authority to grant areas protection for reasons such as conservation management.
Funding for the project’s preliminary studies is coming from Environment and Climate Change Canada under the Target I Challenge to conserve 25 per cent of land across Canada by 2025.
The program aims to meet climate change targets in a United Nations agreement.
IPCA is partnering with organizations such as Nature Canada, Ducks Unlimited Canada, and Prairie Adaptation Research Collaborative (PARC) at the University of Regina to conduct studies.
“We’re collecting numbers and data to complement what they already know about this forest,” said professor & Director of PARC David Sauchyn.
PARC traveled to Île-à-la-Crosse in July 2021 to conduct research and interview community members, elders and youth.
Core samples from trees were collected and used to determine past climate history of the area in relation to precipitation levels.
IPCA research shows the total organic carbon stores by wetlands and uplands in the N14 Fur Block is approximately 823 million tonnes; equivalent to the total annual CO2 emissions from an estimated 179 million cars.
“According to Ducks Unlimited, we've got millions of tons of carbon stored in our area, so can you imagine if we started protecting a bigger area how much of the environment we could help,” said Durocher.
Woodland Cree and Dene peoples are also part of the Sakitawak land use group. Durocher says Metis have called the area home for over 246 years.
Sakitawak is one of three IPCAs in Saskatchewan and one of four Metis projects across Canada. In Canada, there are currently 37 IPCA groups.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Pastrnak scores winner, Bruins down Leafs 2-1 in overtime in Game 7
Sheldon Keefe told his players hockey history would remember them one way or another.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
What a judge's gag order on Trump means in his hush money case
A gag order bars Trump from commenting publicly on witnesses, jurors and some others connected to the matter. The New York judge already has found that Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, repeatedly violated the order, fined him US$9,000 and warning that jail could follow if he doesn't comply.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Trudeau 'absolutely' best person to lead the Liberals in next election: LeBlanc says
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he's not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he's planning to make a move for his boss' job.
Bombarded with spam texts? Stats show the problem is getting worse in Canada
In particular, messages that involve phishing — an attack where a scammer tries to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or sharing sensitive information — are on the rise.
The American paradox of protest: Celebrated and condemned, welcomed and muzzled
Americans cherish the right to assemble, to speak out, to petition for the redress of grievances. It's enshrined in the first of the constitutional amendments. They laud social actions of the past and recognize the advances toward equality that previous generations made, often at risk of life and limb. But those same activities can produce anger and outright opposition when life's routines are interrupted, and wariness that those speaking out are outsiders looking to sow chaos and influence impressionable minds.
King Charles III’s openness about cancer has helped him connect with people in year after coronation
King Charles III's decision to be open about his cancer diagnosis has helped the new monarch connect with the people of Britain and strengthened the monarchy in the year since his dazzling coronation at Westminster Abbey.