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!
