Canada’s parks are an uneven patchwork in terms of how much protection they offer endangered wildlife, concluded the third annual review of how wildlife are faring in Canada’s parks released Friday by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.

“There are quite a few [species] that in fact rely very heavily on parks as their main habitat,” said Eric Hébert-Daly, the group’s executive director. “Having really big parks, to keep large habitat in tact, having them connected to other protected areas is quite essential.”

Animals tend to thrive in larger, well-managed parks, he said.

“The smaller ones that aren’t connected tend to be the ones that have a hard time.”

The report praised the government efforts to create more parks, including the recently announced Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area in B.C., Sable Island in Nova Scotia and the Mealy Mountains in Newfoundland and Labrador.

It noted that establishing a protective zone around Ontario’s Algonquin Park and connecting parks in the Rocky Mountains have had a positive effect on species like the eastern wolf and grizzly bear.

But some species, such as woodland caribou, are still struggling.

In those cases, human activity is often to blame, Hébert-Daly said.

“The moment you start developing roads, the predator-prey relationship gets unbalanced,” he said. Caribou may have a harder time fleeing and hiding from wolves, for example, and are very sensitive to development.

While Parks Canada has made ecological integrity — preserving the interconnection of large wildlife habitat areas — a priority in the past 10 years, that has been less of a priority in many provinces, Hébert-Daly said. He added that many provinces see parks as recreation areas, and therefore offer little protection from activities such as clearcut logging.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2010/07/09/parks-cpaws-animals-endangered-species-threatened-at-risk.html#ixzz0tO9nwO00

Growing up in the boreal forest Maria realized that “it is one thing to protect [the boreal] but it is getting people to enjoy it, respect it and experience it.” Interested in working outside to remain connected with the boreal forest Maria first acquired a Bachelors degree in Ecology. “I think nature and the land has so much to teach us. For me, it reconnects and re-inspires me, and gives me the encouragement to keep going. There is nothing like being in the forest and seeing, listening and smelling everything around you.” After completing her under-graduate degree, Maria worked as a Park Warden trainee in Kluane National Park of Canada in the Yukon, and later moved to Churchill, Manitoba to undertake graduate work.

Based out of Churchill, Maria worked with Wapusk National Park of Canada, York Factory and Fox Lake First Nations to help develop Cree place-name maps and landscape terms for the area. Part Cree, Maria is fluent in the Cree language and as part of her graduate work to obtain a Masters degree in Natural Resource Management, Maria met and interviewed Elders and community residents to learn how the Cree language was used to describe the surrounding landscapes, landforms, and waterbodies. “There is a lot of history behind names, Cree place names are very descriptive. Some names were given because of a species of animal, or the names were based on activities that they used to do there.” Regardless of her accomplishments Maria insists, “How can I have as much knowledge as someone who has lived in the area and has lived off the land for many years.”

Through their time spent in the community and on the land, Elders and community members provide insightful wisdom on many issues affecting their traditional lands and communities. Yet, control over the development of natural resources and other land uses by non-First Nation governments for example, has stifled First Nation involvement in local issues. As a result, Maria explains that perhaps one of the greatest challenges facing First Nations is the sense of helplessness and feeling of a loss of control over their traditional lands and communities. “[Communities] need funding, support, and encouragement to help motivate and empower them,” says Maria. Through her work with CIER, Maria provides technical support and helps First Nations set up programs, train individuals and also assists with finding funding to encourage community-driven participation in addressing their environmental issues. Maria’s efforts help communities regain a sense of empowerment. “It is important to get First Nations involved from the very beginning. When you work closely with the community, it has more merit, community buy-in and support, and long-term impact.”

Over the past year and a half, Maria has been involved with northern Ontario First Nations and finding ways to support them in planning for the boreal. In 2008, the Provincial Government of Ontario committed to protect half of Ontario’s boreal forest without including First Nations in the decision-making process or development of the commitment. Furthermore, First Nations have been asked to present land use plans for their traditional territories. However as Maria explains, the land use plans requested by the Province of Ontario do not correspond with how First Nations view the boreal. “We talk with the communities and to them, the boreal extends everywhere and gives them life – they don’t think of borders, rather the boreal is everywhere.”

The boreal region of Ontario flows through the traditional territories of numerous First Nations, so it is not uncommon for traditional territories, which are often based on traditional use and occupancy, to overlap with one another. This overlap is viewed as shared lands by the First Nations. “How can one community make a land use plan when there are shared lands. How is each [community] going to do an individual land use plan without it affecting those around them.” With help from Maria and CIER and other organizations, First Nations are taking their own approach and are developing their own boreal vision, “A unified voice amongst communities with the goal to ‘protect’ and plan for the whole boreal.” This broad vision hopes to inspire and provide direction for all First Nation communities to not only participate in planning for and protecting the boreal forest but to take control and make decisions that are community-driven and based.

Compared to First Nation community members and Elders, Maria does not consider herself to be an expert on First Nation environmental issues, yet, it is evident that her own personal experiences and knowledge is extensive. In her desire to help protect the boreal forest, the encouragement to respect as well as experience the boreal region has provided her with motivation to help assist First Nations to take control over their traditional territories. With Maria’s help, the wisdom and knowledge of Elders and community members will not only be heard but, furthermore, will help support the quest to develop a national, unified vision for the boreal forest.

After completing university, Valerie was recruited by Assembly of First Nations (AFN) of Quebec and Labrador as a Forestry Advisor. Here she received an introduction to Aboriginal forestry which was, Valerie admits frustrating, because it lacked the on-the-ground experience she wanted. So when a job came up at the Innu Nation – her nation – as a Forest Planner it was an exciting and logical next move.

“Up until this point there had been no industrial tenure in Labrador, new industry was being built, so this was a better place to learn,” Valerie explains.

The Innu Nation was involved in a really innovative ecosystem-based plan for an area about 7 million hectares, an area twice the size of Vancouver Island in south-central Labrador (called Nitassinan). As an ecosystem-based plan, the plan set out to balance social, economic, and ecological values. There was no set number in mind for how much to protect when they began planning; they set out with a set of ecological criteria. The outcome was that 50 percent of the regional boreal land-base is now protected from industrial developments.

As the Forest Planner, Valerie’s first order of business was to implement the new forest management plan. Since this was largely a scientific-based plan, this involved reducing the gap between the science and the cumulative data – between standard forestry practices and what people needed in the community. Under the newly formed Guardian Program, Innu members were trained as forest technicians, interviewers and community liaisons and were responsible for meeting with community members to address what it was they needed from the forest.

“It’s really about planning for humans, and not about planning for the forest itself [...] If there’s no Innu, then there’s no Innu economy. So you have to protect Nitassiman and you have to protect the land first to make sure it can support what Innu need to be Innu, in order to create an Innu economy.”

This is where the Innu have deviated significantly from typical forest planning. The usual method has been to allocate areas for industrial development first, without any long-term planning for other land-use practices.
The Innu understood that this type of planning approach wouldn’t work for them and so set out to plan their future, and incidentally the future of their children and grandchildren. They started by determining what it was they wanted to protect. Community members provided input and were asked what areas were important to them and what needed to stay. They essentially determined what it was that made the landscape the landscape.

“The network of protected areas ended up being important cultural sites, travel routes, and harvesting areas – they were all interconnected. Protection of 50 percent is a huge area, its bigger than other forest management areas, but there is still development in some areas where people felt uncomfortable and that was because of something that just couldn’t be translated into planning – some spiritual value or a story that is associated with a place that you can’t really draw around or account for necessarily,” Valerie explains.

With such an ambitious plan, challenges are inevitable, especially when there are great differences in opinions and needs throughout the community. But these plans should, and need to be done, Valerie asserts. For the Innu Nation, the need to bring in industry and jobs into Goose Bay was evident; the alternative was to send out Labrador’s high value wood from boreal forests which would send jobs out of the province as well. The Innu Nation’s progressive ecosystem-based management plan also meant the community is well prepared and now in a position for future decision-making regarding forestry.

“Land use planning is key for ensuring that you have what you need to be you, and for ensuring that you also have a future in development and to grow. To create certainty. It’s a very important tool that you can bring to government and industry in negotiating with them to ensure that their activities don’t impact you, in a negative way anyway.”

Valerie is now the Senior Advisor of Aboriginal Relations for the Canadian Boreal Initiative (CBI) – ‘a national convener for conservation in Canada’s Boreal Forest.’ Working alongside CBI while she was still with the Innu Nation, Valerie saw this as an opportunity to work at the policy level to affect greater change. Her responsibilities now include two significant areas in Canada’s boreal forest – Quebec’s Plan Nord and Ontario’s Far North, commitments made by the provincial governments to permanently protect at least 225,000 square kilometres in Ontario and 50 percent of the territory above the 49 parallel in Quebec. For these, she will promote land-use planning and the idea of balance between conservation and development. She will work directly with the communities, including her own.

“I feel that through CBI I can probably have a bigger impact on the opportunities for my community than I would working directly for the community [...] and have the opportunity to influence what happens because of the position CBI is in,” says Valerie.

In the tradition of a hand’s on approach, Valerie continues to define her position as a boreal leader by ensuring ecosystem values are integral in sustainable frameworks for on the ground planning, effectively inspiring those that understand this is the best opportunity for a healthy future for the boreal and its people.

Since 1990, Kaaren has also been developing and delivering Aboriginal focused trapping courses for youth and young adults. As the head trapper instructor for Treaty 3, she is helping to reestablish the sacred relationship between Aboriginal people and the boreal forest. The establishment of the registered trapline system in the 1940’s greatly affected Aboriginal peoples’ relationship to the land. “[The government] knew of Aboriginal’s relationship to the land yet wanted Native people to look at the land as a commodity, instead of being a part of them,” expresses Karen. Assigning specific sections of land was an attempt for trapping to become privatized and commodified in order to begin the shift of trapping from being first and foremost, a spiritual activity, to an economic activity, which would create a disconnection from the land. Though Kaaren says, “It never quite happened that way.”

Aboriginal people still see themselves as caretakers of the land, born into that responsibility, much as the land takes care of them. Their relationship to the land is a sacred, spiritual and cultural connection which sadly has been jeopardized from external regulation. “Provincial trapping programs teach youth that the land is a resource to make money off of,” a contradiction to traditional Aboriginal culture which views the land as part of their community of relations. Therefore, Kaaren strongly asserts that, “It is important to train young people ourselves, to help promote a spiritual activity and to keep them connected to the land.” Kaaren has done just that.

Kaaren uses spiritual and cultural traditions from the land to teach youth traditional trapping skills. When learning trapping skills, it is important for youth to be familiar with safety, conservation and humaneness. “We deal with those when we talk about the medicine wheel Teachings and the circle of relationships. Those requirements are met by talking about and understanding what respect means to us – respecting the plants, respecting the animals, and respecting all of our relations on the land.”

Perhaps the most important message that Kaaren teaches the youth is that it is not about managing the “resources” but about self-management. “It is us and our behaviour that has to be managed,” she says. This message is largely passed onto the youth through the language and practice of traditional ceremonies. Kaaren explains that all items taken from the land receive a ceremony. Traditional ceremonies are not only a time to show appreciation for all of the gifts from the land and the Creator but also helps keep one conscious of their actions. “Everything you take from the land, you first have to ask permission, from the fish, the moose, the beaver. Also you must have a ceremony.” Tobacco offerings, coins, blood and songs help keep one conscious of their actions to the land and its creatures. “Our relationship to the land is to treat it like you would treat your Mother. You just don’t go breaking branches and taking things willy-nilly.”

Through the Anishinaape teachings handed down from one generation to the next, the youth are inspired to practice and utilize traditional trapping skills and as a result, the cultural and spiritual connections between Trout Lake residents and the boreal forest are further strengthened.

The Seven Grandfather and Medicine Wheel teachings given to us by the Anishinabek Nation give us a road map or a ‘way of being’ in our lifetime. The teachings of Honesty, Respect, Love, Wisdom/knowledge, Courage/bravery, Humility and Truth teach us how to live our lives in a good and kind way and show us how to treat all living beings.

As with all teachings of the Medicine Wheel we start in the East where life begins and the sun rises, and we work our way to the South, West and finally the North. Along the way we learn about the stages of life and the responsibilities presented in each stage.

In our ceremonies we honour those teachings and those that give life. We honour the water and all of Creation. When we come in to this world we come in from the East.
As a baby the gift we bring is joy; simple yet abundant.

As a toddler in the South East, we bring the gift and the lesson of safety that our parents must provide for us. Along the wheel to the South, as children in that quadrant we become teachers and are always asking “Why?” When arranged in the Medicine Wheel diagram on paper we see that opposite the child in the South sits the Grandparents in the North, who have gathered enough life experience to answer those many ‘why’s?’ that we have as children. That is why Grandparents actively participate in the raising of the young ones, while the parents are busy providing.

After childhood we become Youth and Teens where we begin to search for Truth and in our quest for Truth we may rebel or challenge; parents, authority, teachers, elders, etc. It is here that our Teens and Youth would seek out the guidance and advice of the Elders when they are attempting to find Truth.

Next is the Young Adult stage. It is in this stage that a young person would seek to find their role in the community and work to fulfill that role, doing the work of the people.

In the Western direction we become parents and our role and responsibility now is to provide, including providing that safety to those toddlers we identified in the early stages of the Eastern direction. Parenting is supported by the Grandparents and the immediate circle of influence including Brothers and Sisters, Aunties and Uncles. Next to that influence and just as important are the Elders, Clans, Community and Nation. We learn about who we are and what we are responsible for from these influences.

After parenthood we graduate into the Northern direction where we become grandparents. Our role is to love, teach and nurture the babies, the toddlers and the children.

At the end of the journey through the Medicine Wheel and life we move into our final phase; the Elder phase. Here we share our knowledge and understanding gained over a lifetime of experience. We offer spiritual guidance and direction to those at other stages of the wheel making their way through the journey.

We acknowledge and respect all things, animate and inanimate because we understand through our teachings that spirit lives in everything the Creator made. We gain these unique understandings through the teachings, the language and the ceremonies.

In a pipe ceremony those old ones or elders that sit in the North, they hold the pipe stem vertically, acknowledging those tree’s and the teachings of Honesty. Tree spirits always grow in one direction, towards the sky. A tree will live its entire life giving us this teaching as it practises all that it knows; to live and grow honestly, always reaching towards the Creator. The pipe stem is made from the inner trunk of the tree and represents the male, while the pipe stone represents the female and that strength. We acknowledge and learn duality in all things when the pipe is assembled for ceremony and we practise respect and working together in a good way.

As we come to know and understand respect for ourselves gained through the teachings we also learn respect and appreciation for the natural world around us. When this happens we come to understand our connection to the trees and forests and the intimate relationship that exists between us. It is a delicate and intricate balance that is to be maintained along the path of the Medicine Wheel and as caretakers of the Earth it is important to remember that these teachings were part of the original instructions given to us by the Creator. It is by remembering our sacred teachings that we recall our role as care takers and guardians of Mother Earth.

Wesley was born in Whitehorse, Yukon. His Mother’s family is from the Tagish Marsh Lake area in the Yukon and his Father of the Eh-Cho Dene, meaning people among the big animals, from Fort Nelson First Nation, British Columbia. Wesley grew up in Calgary and describes that as a child living in a bustling urban setting, he lived “as much of a traditional lifestyle as could be in modern society”. Spending his summers with his Grandparents in the Yukon, he traveled with them all over the territories stopping at lakes, rivers and creeks to fish and hunt. “Being on the land and being able to eat traditional food and practice the traditional lifestyle- I couldn’t have imagined it any other way.” After high-school, Wesley worked for the oil and gas industry. “At the time it was a money making job- cutting down trees, running chainsaws and burning piles, but after awhile I wanted to transition to a career out of the bush”.

While transitioning to a new career, Wesley witnessed a surge in industrial development within and close to his traditional territory. As the presence of multinational corporations continued to increase, it became apparent that if Wesley’s community did not voice their opinion in land use planning, development that is beyond the interests of Fort Nelson First Nation territory may occur. As a result, Wesley took a job with the local lands department documenting traditional knowledge.

Wesley worked hard to document his peoples beliefs, experiences and practices so that the knowledge of his people can be heard. “Traditional knowledge is passed by word of mouth, yet by writing and documenting traditional knowledge, it can become verified, quantifiable data”, says Wesley. Wesley speaks of how First Nations are recording the traditional knowledge of their community, a method which lends itself to help direct land use in First Nation traditional territory. “Being able to quantify traditional knowledge we can give it to Chief and Council which helps them with land use planning and of course helps when dealing with industry and government”. By collecting traditional knowledge, land use in Wesley’s traditional territory, such as the prospective development in the Horn River Basin, can therefore be guided by the advice of community residents rather than dictated from outside interests.

From his experience working with the local lands department conducting traditional knowledge surveys, Wesley was hired by Treaty 8 First Nation in a term position acting as a Liaison between his community of Fort Nelson First Nation and Treaty 8 regarding a proposed hydroelectric dam on the Peace River. Wesley met with residents to learn about their questions and concerns regarding the proposed dam. While meeting with residents Wesley received a wide variety of reaction, “Some are very eager to share and help spread their knowledge. Some are suspicious to what were using it for and whose going to have control of it. Some are willing to share, some are hostile, and some are shy.”

After meeting with his community, it was evident that Wesley, as well as his community had many questions regarding the reason and timing of the proposed dam, the impacts that it would have on species previously affected by industrial development and were curious who in the long-run would ultimately benefit from developing Fort Nelson First Nation’s undeveloped traditional territories. Wesley believes that most questions and concerns ultimately boiled down to, “Must the first peoples of this land be displaced and impacted for the benefit and accommodation of urbanites and their excesses? How much more can we give? Where do we have left to go?” The information collected was documented and submitted by Wesley as a traditional knowledge report to government and industry with the hopes that his people’s advice and concerns would be respected in determining the fate of this megaproject. However, the B.C. Government recently finalized their decision to go ahead with the proposed hydroelectric dam on the Peace River. Sadly, the community’s advice had little to no effect on the outcome. “The information collected from residents did not impact where the dam is going. Community input was not used or acknowledged the way it should have been.”

Despite some setbacks, Wesley continues to seek traditional knowledge. His current work with the Assembly of First Nations is on an advisory group to Environment Canada focusing on a recovery strategy for the boreal woodland caribou. The woodland caribou are an endangered as well as protected species in Fort Nelson First Nation’s traditional territory. Traditional Knowledge, such as the animals’ behaviour, migration patterns and distribution, are used to help identify the factors affecting caribou population growth, which can then be utilized to help reestablish caribou populations. The use of traditional knowledge is an invaluable resource to guide caribou recovery strategies.

Furthermore, the traditional knowledge that Wesley documents is not only important to help guide land use plans and caribou recovery strategies but is also an opportunity for Wesley’s community to preserve their culture. “We are losing so many Elders right now, that there is a good chance that my traditional language will die out. If we can’t keep our knowledge living through people who can speak it, then we have to get the second best by recording the knowledge”, says Wesley.

It is well known as well as accepted that indigenous peoples are stewards of the land. Through their experiences of relying on the land for survival, indigenous peoples have an understanding of the importance in long-term observations. “The philosophy and view point from First Nations people is that we are not above, and it is not our place to say how nature shall be, or the way animals shall be. Rather our viewpoint is observational,” says Wesley. Long-term observations are formed over hundreds of years and is the reason why traditional knowledge is so dynamic and rich- for example, Wesley’s people have stories referencing the great flood. The cumulative properties that traditional knowledge posses further exemplify why traditional knowledge is such an important science. Communities such as Fort Nelson First Nation who utilize traditional knowledge into their land-use decision making processes should not have to justify why traditional knowledge forms the basis for their decision process. Rather, government and corporations must fully respect the work from people like Wesley Behn so that traditional knowledge is fully braided into all land-use decision making processes on traditional lands and territory.

Stories come out of the forest, of its waters, woods and wildlife, as regular as the eagle flies overhead. The people of Fisher River Cree Nation share a past and continue to develop a future that is braided with the landscape around them. Community member, Sam Murdock, has tales of his time spent hunting in the area and of commercial fishing on Lake Winnipeg which he’s done for the past 35 years. His stories are also of sunsets and contemplation.

“I do a lot of hunting; spend time out on the land. It relaxes me and gives me a different perspective. I get a chance to sit among the spruce trees and watch them come alive.”

The commercial fishery thrives in Fisher Bay, and hunting and trapping – though to a lesser extent than in the past – still exist. Medicine gathering, berry-picking and gatherings such as pow wows are regularly performed by community members. And recent ecotourism ventures have meant that diversifying the community’s economy still maintains human interaction with the natural world.

Unique places abound in the Ochiwasahow (Fisher Bay) area. Seeking to protect the special places, and the cultural ties people in the region have to them, is why Fisher River Cree Nation is attempting to permanently protect the area in the form of a provincial park. Murdock explains that there are snake dens that rival the well-known Narcisse snake dens just north of Teulon, Manitoba. He also relates quite an interesting spectacle that can occur in the fall. Once the lakes freeze, and before the snow falls, one can witness fish migrating under the ice. Their sleek shapes visible, skirting among the vegetation moving on the current.

“There is a lot of opportunity with this park. Ecotourism is a big thing that will take off. It’s already started in different areas but its position will be solidified, especially with a provincial park being there.”

A healthy forest bordered in areas by natural sandy beaches and the waters of the tenth largest freshwater lake in the world, Lake Winnipeg, the proposed park boundaries envelope some of the most important wildlife habitat in the province. Elk, bald eagles, shorebirds like the endangered Piping Plover, black bear and Little Brown Bats all inhabit what could be a provincial park as soon as the fall of 2010.

“People would travel thousands of miles to be here, and spend a lot of money to do so.”

In protecting Fisher Bay, or Ochiwasahow, Fisher River Cree Nation is sharing their traditional boreal forest territory with the world. Not only will the ecological services such as water purification and carbon storage – important to all people – be retained but Fisher River Cree Nation is also sharing their stories. Elders, keepers of their ancestor’s knowledge, pass down this wisdom in traditional ceremonies like the sweat lodge and the shaking tent ceremony. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience these cultural traditions Murdock explains. Guided tours blended in both the old and the new – from bird watching to traditional medicine gathering, may also be tourism activities born out of the establishment of a park.

The landscape has much to offer, and the people of Fisher River Cree Nation have subsequent knowledge they would like to share with the world. An Ochiwasahow provincial park would provide the foundation for innovative and sustainable economies steeped in local tradition and wisdom, while maintaining a natural environment.

Sam Murdock is currently the Director of Operations for his home community of Fisher River Cree Nation. In this capacity he will oversee development of Fisher River’s 88-lot cottage development on Lake Winnipeg, among other duties. Sam has worked closely with Indian Affairs, Health Canada and the provincial government in Manitoba. Previously, he served for six years as Chief of Staff for the Southern Chiefs’ Organization, was Chief of his community as well as a Councilor for 18 years, was Chair of the Freshwater Fish Marketing Board for two years, and then President and CEO for three years—he is now with the Manitoba Commercial Inland Fishers Federation. Sam also still holds his fisher’s license for Lake Winnipeg and works his own quota every year.

The greatest threat to the Little Brown Bat is the loss of their habitat. Fisher River Cree Nation is working to protect the area by asking the government to establish a Fisher Bay provincial park. Protecting the caves as well as the surrounding boreal forest is essential for the survival of Little Brown Bats.

Enthused to learn of their wild neighbours, this is what the students had to say:

“I didn’t know that there were caves with bats in them!”
- Dylon, 15 yrs old

“Fisher Bay should be a park so we could go look to see if there are any brown bats.”
- Jaynee, 9

“Fisher Bay should become a park because it is beautiful.”
- Amelia, 10

“I’ve learned that there are many of species of bats in Fisher Bay.”
- Avery, 14

“If Fisher Bay became a park there would be more tourist attractions and more people would come to the area”
- Josh, 17

“My favorite part of the presentation was when we heard what bats sound like.”
- Dylon, 15

“A park would be important so the animals could live longer.”
- Prezlee, 15

“The park would help with pollution.”
- Keaton, 10

“If you don’t protect the area, if humans bug them [bats], there won’t be bats. They don’t like to be disturbed.”
- Kailey, 14

“A park would sustain the ecosystem.”
- Jonathon, 14

“There are animals that live there [Fisher Bay area], and they are important to us.”
- Brandi, 9

“A park is important so we can protect the earth for endangered species, so we have oxygen in our lungs.”
- Devon, 14

“I think it is important [a provincial park] for protecting the animals and water.”
- Elliot, 9 and Walter, 10

Traditional medicine man and teacher ‘Morning Star’ Garry Raven passed away on January 17, 2010.

I met him in 2001 when I visited his home in Hollow Water First Nation to discuss the potential of the Manigotagan River and surrounding area being protected in a provincial park. He welcomed me with open arms and I soon became impressed by Garry’s vast knowledge and strong desire to protect the Boreal Forest from industrial developments.

Since our first meeting, the Manigotagan River park has been formed and I have spent many days chatting with Garry and attending inspiring gatherings at Ravens Creek Ti-pi Village – his home and teaching place. Garry took many of his visitors on walks to locate traditional medicines and explain their uses. He also taught individuals and groups about Aboriginal spirituality and customs. Garry is known widely for his extreme high-temperature sweat lodges.

I fondly remember the times Garry took me up the Wanipigow River to capture and share its beauty through photography. I also have warm memories of the mornings we spent drinking coffee and discussing our perspectives on global and local issues.

I miss Garry dearly. His star burned out too soon. He was only 61 years old. My words here only scratch the surface of Garry’s life and legacy. He will live on through the many people he enlightened and inspired. I consider myself lucky to be part of this group.

Please visit the links below to read more about ‘Morning Star’ Garry Raven.

• A story about Garry – based on a interview with him in 2008
• Garry’s Pipe Carriers Ceremony to bring awareness to the importance of the lands on Eastside of Lake Winnipeg

Bloodvein River First Nation has joined the quest for a World Heritage Site on the east side of Lake Winnipeg. As an active member of Pimachiowin Aki – a unique partnership to safeguard the Anishinabe culture and the boreal forest – Bloodvein River First Nation joins the First Nations of Poplar River, Little Grand Rapids, Paungassi and Pikangikum as well as the provincial governments of Manitoba and Ontario.

William Young, band councilor and spokesperson for Bloodvein First Nation, reveals that more than half of the community’s traditional territory of 4300 square kilometres will be added to the current 40,000 square kilometres in the proposed World Heritage Site area. He states it is likely more land will be included after consultation with community membership.

Bloodvein River First Nation is located 210 kilometres north of Winnipeg along three kilometres of shoreline on the east side of Lake Winnipeg directly north of the Bloodvein River. It is home to about 1500 residents both on and off the reserve.

The east side of Lake Winnipeg contains the last remaining intact primary boreal forest in the world and has been called “the Heart of the Boreal.” The boreal forest is important globally as it slows climate change by storing carbon in its trees and soils thereby keeping it away from the atmosphere. It also produces much of the world’s oxygen and fresh water. In the Heart of the Boreal, First Nations people have maintained an intimate relationship with the landscape in which their lives continue to depend. World Heritage Status would place the area on the east side of Lake Winnipeg among such wonders as the pyramids of Egypt and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

“I see it as a huge benefit to our First Nation and the other First Nations involved. It’s a very unique opportunity and of significance that both the Ontario and Manitoba provincial governments are involved and have made commitments giving us the opportunity to designate our traditional territory towards a World Heritage Site.”

Young indicates that a World Heritage Site can help protect the boreal forest as well as the cultural landscape by forwarding sustainable development initiatives such as eco-tourism. Involved in Eastside Aboriginal Sustainable Tourism (E.A.S.T.) Incorporated, an economic development initiative supporting the development and expansion of Aboriginal tourism businesses on the east side of Lake Winnipeg, Young is also owner of Bloodvein River Lodge which provides activities in addition to fishing such as teachings about First Nation’s values and history. Citing his grandfather’s wisdom, Young says that the encroachment of industrial activities is always a concern, and he hopes to protect his traditional territory and to manage it for the needs of the community.

“In terms of protection, management is the key word from a First Nations perspective. We want to establish economic opportunities, eco-tourism opportunities, sustainable opportunities for the membership here at the community level.”

The boreal forest has sustained the communities on the east side of Lake Winnipeg for thousands of years. Recognizing that the future of their culture is tied directly to the land, the hope is that protecting Pimachiowin Aki – meaning the land that gives life – as a World Heritage Site will provide employment opportunities while maintaining the ecological health of the boreal. In a land where people have been stewards of the environment for millennia, Pimachiowin Aki World Heritage Site will ideally protect the natural and cultural values to be shared with the peoples of the world now and in the future.

Bloodvein River First Nation is in the process of conducting its community-based land-use plan, required for the World Heritage Site, and anticipates its completion in a year. A nomination document that includes the final boundaries and management plan for Pimachiowin Aki is expected to be completed in 2011.