Traditional Knowledge Technical Session for Bluenose-East Caribou Herd Proceeding

During proceedings such as those held by the WRRB recently for the Bathurst and Bluenose-East caribou herds, “technical sessions” are often set up prior to a public hearing. These sessions bring experts together to talk about any topics or issues that may need to be explored or explained in greater detail, or discussed further. 

Usually, the word “technical” is associated with science and scientific questions and concerns.  But there are also questions arising from another body of knowledge – traditional knowledge.  Traditional knowledge encompasses many subjects –from knowledge about the land and its use, to values held about the environment and all that is found within it:  its wildlife, people, plants, trees, waterways and landscapes. 

The Board held technical sessions for its Bluenose-East caribou proceeding:  a science session and for the first time, a traditional knowledge session.  Representatives from the Tłı̨chǫ Government, Environment and Natural Resources (ENR), the WRRB, the Sahtú Renewable Resources Board, and Délı̨nę First Nation met on March 22, 2016 in Yellowknife. 

The agenda listed general topics for discussion, related to respectful behaviour towards caribou; the effects of development on key caribou habitat; how the relations between humans and caribou are affected by development; and harvesting and harvest monitoring, including Dene self-regulation of harvesting.  The technical session was an excellent forum for open discussion and for understanding the Dene perspective in these areas.  The sharing of traditional knowledge, and Tłı̨chǫ knowledge specifically, gave the Board valuable information to help it make balanced decisions and recommendations. 

A summary of the Traditional Knowledge Technical session is available with more details, but here is some of the information that was shared.

Participants stressed the importance of people being responsible for their own behaviour and aware of their role impacting caribou.  Also important, they said, was being knowledgeable of and respectful toward caribou.  They spoke of the Dene rules of respectful behaviour toward caribou, such as taking only what is needed and putting what is not used in appropriate places. 

Participants agreed that industrial developments are taking much needed space and habitat from caribou, and suggested that areas should be set aside for caribou protection.  They identified a number of stressors for caribou, including:  pollution, development that blocks caribou migration routes, loss of habitat—summer, fall, and winter ranges, calving grounds, water crossings and narrows, and a lack of understanding on how to treat caribou.  They shared their observations that areas around industrial development are poor foraging areas for caribou due to dust deposition and noise.  Caribou, they said, are tired and stressed because they lack nutritious food and must travel additional distances to find suitable feeding grounds. 

Both Tłı̨chǫ and Délı̨nęgot'ıne (“people of Délı̨nę”) participants were concerned with the renewal of caribou –the recovery of caribou populations—and “watching caribou to see how they are”.  The Tłı̨chǫ participants mentioned the new “Boots on the Ground” monitoring and research program that is underway this summer.  Tłı̨chǫ elders and traditional knowledge researchers are spending a month on the Bathurst caribou herd’s summer grounds to collect information on the caribou and their habitat.  They will observe and document the health, behaviour, population and migration of the caribou; their habitat conditions; and the impact of human-made disturbances such as mining and exploration on the caribou. 

Fact Box:

• The WRRB is guided by principles that are set out in the Tłı̨chǫ Agreement.  One important guiding principle is the use of the best available information to make balanced decisions, including traditional knowledge, scientific information, and expert opinion.