View of Île-à-la-Crosse (File photo/meadowlakeNOW Staff)

By Elliott Knopp

Île-à-la-Crosse IPCA

Île-à-la-Crosse hosting one of four Métis Canadian Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas

Mar 12, 2021 | 3:59 PM

Île-à-la-Crosse is the site of one of only four Métis Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCA) across the country. Being one of the 37 IPCAs, these projects are designed to assist Canada in reaching climate change targets laid out in the United Nations Framework Convention in Climate Change.

A media release stated “the project name is Sakitawak Conservation IPCA. Sakitawak is Cree for ‘where the rivers meet’ and adapted in French is Île-à-la-Crosse.”

This, along with the other IPCAs, focus on the protection and conservation of ecosystems through the use of Indigenous laws, governance and information. Indigenous communities take on the responsibility of protecting and conserving ecosystems and their biodiversity.

Peter Durocher, Sakitawak Conservation IPCA Manager, shared his concerns with the state of the area’s environment and how it is affecting the region’s biodiversity. He stated the elders in the area have noted significant changes in the organisms that habit the ecosystem.

“In my lifetime, I’ve seen climate in Île-à-la-Crosse change drastically in the last 30 years. It’s a concern because we’re seeing animals we’ve never seen here before, and we’re losing animals we had before,” Durocher said.

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“One of the things that is a concern for me as a trapper is the caribou. The caribou has been disappearing here. I have a trap line that’s probably 100-145 km, and I see less and less caribou every year.”

Durocher mentioned he has interviewed 17 elders in the area to learn where they trap, fish, pick berries and collect medicines. In speaking with one of the elders, he said they told him they have noticed a significant decrease in activity from the frogs in the area, raising concerns as to whether pollution or climate change could be the cause.

With plans to interview a few more elders, Durocher stated he is collecting this information so he can create a map to share with the community.

“I’m trying to put them on a map so when I’m done, the map is going to be on GIS and shared. It’s an ongoing map that keeps going, it’s not going to stop after I’m done. I’m hoping that people will come up and remember some stuff.”

Durocher said he is hoping the Government of Saskatchewan will be on board with the project and support the work of the organizations. He added he wants them to be a willing partner and maintain a serious understanding of the conservation of the boreal forest.

“The boreal forest is a cleaner for the carbon dioxide and everything. We’ve started our initial discussion with them and we want them to be a part of it for sure,” Durocher asserted.

“We are not against the industries. We just want to talk to the forestry and mining companies and let them know that this is an area of special concern. We have a few areas in our traffic block that are special concern, that if need be, we can at least have a kilometer for a place where the medicines can grow and be left alone.”

While the Sakitawak Conservation IPCA is being overseen by the Sakitawak Conservation Area Management Team, other environmental organizations; including Ducks Unlimited Canada, CPAWS, Prairie Adaption Research Collaborative (PARC), and the Gabriel Dumont Institute, are working with them to create partnerships in conservation, stewardship, education and environmental protection.

“As an indigenous person in Île-à-la-Crosse, I don’t have a PhD or anything in biology, but I know a lot about the land. The elders probably have the most information on the land, but organizations like PARC and Ducks have all the scientific knowledge,” Durocher stated.

In a media release, PARC director Dr. Dave Sauchyn said, “We are very much looking forward to working with the Ile-a-la Crosse community and supporting the Sakitawak Conservation Plan with local information about climate change, including insights we receive from Elders and other members of the community.”

Durocher stated the people involved in the project are hopeful that people will become aware of the project and work together to defeat climate change and protect the ecosystems.

“It’s important that everyone works together. We are open to partnerships if anyone wants to talk to us. Everybody is a part of this. We have to deal with climate change, and the boreal forest is one of the places that is changing the fastest of all of the places in Canada.”

People who would like to stay informed with the Île-à-la-Crosse IPCA can access the information on https://sakitawakconservation.org/

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Elliott.Knopp@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @ElliottKnopp