Traditional Ecological Knowledge
The Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) Working Group was an
idea of Allister Marshall or Pot'lotek First Nation and Nadine
Gauvin, former Executive Director of the Coalition-SGSL in 2005.
The Steering Committee approved the creation for the group in that
year. It has since worked on projects related to building capacity
and sharing knowledge for local traditional ecological knowledge
holders. It also has a focus on inter-generational knowledge
sharing.
In two subsequent fiscal years,2006-07 and 2007-08, the group
created and supervised the project `
Climate
Change Adaptation Strategies for Medecine Gatherers in Two Mi`kmaq
Communities of New Brunswick`.
The project, which was sponsored by the Climate Change Impacts and
Adaptation Program (CCIAP) of Natural Resources Canada, consisted
of working with local Mi’kmaq medicine gatherers of
Elsipogtog First Nation and Eel River Bar First Nation in
New-Brunswick. The purpose was to investigate and compare the
effectiveness of different medicine gathering approaches as
adaptation strategies in response to climate change impacts of the
region. Elsipogtog is the most populous (approximately 1,500)
Mi’kmaq community in New-Brunswick and is situated along the
coast at the upper reaches of the Northumberland Strait. The
Elsipogtog medicine gatherers’ approach of accessing and
sustaining traditional resource (go to where the medicine is
naturally located) was compared to Eel River Bar’s newest
approach (develop a medicine garden) to determine the strengths and
weaknesses of both approaches as adaptation strategies. Both
approaches were evaluated in the context of increasing the adaptive
capacity of the medicine gatherers with respect to climate change
impacts. Both communities are Mi’kmaq and situated along the
eastern coast of New-Brunswick though one, Eel River Bar, which is
along the Chaleur Bay, is more sheltered and more inland.
The need for this research is founded upon two sources of
knowledge. First, the medicine gatherers in the
Coalition-SGSL’s Traditional Ecological Knowledge working
group expressed the importance and desire for more information
regarding climate change impacts and the need for medicine
gatherers involvement in adaptation solutions. Secondly, while
participating in the Atlantic First Nations Environmental Network
(AFNEN) and the Canadian Climate Impacts and Adaptation Research
Network (C-CIARN) Atlantic Region’s Adapting Water Management
in First Nations Communities to Climate Change workshop in October
2005, the TEK working group were made aware of First Nations
concerns regarding climate change impacts and adaptation
strategies.
Interested in getting involved with a Working Group,
but aren`t sure where to apply your expertise? Contact us!
