Pimachiowin Aki

World Heritage Site

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A Year of Connections for Pimachiowin Aki

As 2022 draws to a close, we look back at a stellar year of connections. A traditional medicine workshop brought together community members, an art installation shared Anishinaabeg traditional knowledge, and a PhD thesis and documentary film spread word of Pimachiowin Aki around the globe. Here are eight highlights from our special year:

1. What We Do to the Land We Do to Ourselves

Filmmaker Michael Zelniker joined the Pimachiowin Aki Directors and members for a special screening of his documentary film The Issue with Tissue­ – a Boreal Love Story. Michael’s film features First Nation Elders and leaders from across the boreal, including Bloodvein River First Nation Elder Leslie Orvis Sr. and Pimachiowin Aki Director William Young, along with leading scientists and activists. It was an emotional experience to see and hear stories of the devastating impacts of colonization and damage done to Mother Earth as the world’s boreal forest is clearcut to manufacture toilet paper.

More than one million acres of boreal forest are lost to clear cutting in Canada every year. 

Forests take care of us. But we are cutting down the world’s oldest living trees and flushing them down the toilet, Michael warns.  

In early December, he spoke with CBC about his film and how the logging industry has affected the boreal forest and the life it supports. Indigenous Peoples have protected millions of acres of boreal forest in Pimachiowin Aki from destruction from human activity for over 7,000 years.

A Little Paper Creates a Big Problem

See the trailer for The Issue with Tissue – A Boreal Love Story

2. A Tiny Bird on a Tremendous Journey

For World Migratory Bird Day, Bloodvein River First Nation Guardian Melba Green helped the National Audubon Society remind the world that birds connect us all.  

Melba joined Audubon’s Dr. Jeff Wells in a video to discuss the Canada Warbler, a vulnerable species that finds refuge in Pimachiowin Aki.

“Pimachiowin Aki is [committed] to protecting wildlife, birds, and land from mining and forestry, and all other things that harm the land,” Melba explains.

Millions of birds migrate to and from Pimachiowin Aki each year, including the Canada Warbler. Contrary to its name, this bright yellow songbird sets out on a heroic, international voyage – it leaves the forest wetlands of Pimachiowin Aki in August for woodlands on the Texas coast, its first stop on the way to La Semilla, a natural reserve in Colombia.

Conservation of these areas, from the boreal forest of Pimachiowin Aki to South America, is critical to birds’ survival.

“Without strong, large, intact protected areas in the boreal forest, [birds’ migratory] cycles could shut down,” says Jeff.

“It’s really important for us to maintain these areas,” Melba adds.

64 % of Canada Warblers rely on Canadian Boreal Forest for their breeding grounds.

Birds are indicators of our changing climate. Global warming is the biggest threat to their natural habitat, and shifting migratory patterns demonstrate this.

See the full video featuring Melba: http://surl.li/ebgvp

3. Women Turn Out for Trapping Education Course

Pimachiowin Aki, with financial support from the South East Resource Development Council, organized a week-long trapper education course at Little Grand Rapids First Nation.

An instructor from Red Lake taught the group of mainly women how to create muskrat boxes, a skill required to obtain their trapping licences.

Did you know?
Traplines in Little Grand Rapids span both Manitoba and Ontario. Manitoba recognizes Ontario trapper training programs for licensing in Manitoba, but you must receive training from a qualified instructor in Ontario to get a licence to trap there.

Bloodvein plans to hold a trapper training course in January 2023. The course is full, but the Bloodvein River First Nation Guardian will share information if space becomes available.

4. Pimachiowin Aki Provides Global Inspiration

N. Ireland

If you close your eyes and think about Pimachiowin Aki, what do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel?

Dr. Gemma Faith had never been to Pimachiowin Aki, but three years ago, as a PhD researcher at Ulster University in Northern Ireland, she noticed that this special place came to life online with “rich and stirring content” that made her feel like she was here. Gemma was so impressed with Pimachiowin Aki’s online presence and values-based approach to management that she chose to use Pimachiowin Aki as a case study for her thesis: Evaluating World Heritage Interpretation in Online Spaces and its Potential to Prime the Development of Eco-Cultural Tourism Experiences (Virtual and Onsite): A Case Study on Pimachiowin Aki, Canada’s First Mixed World Heritage Site.

Dr. Faith studied Pimachiowin Aki over a three-year period, capturing and analyzing information, including:  

  • pimaki.ca
  • Facebook page
  • Official documents
  • Zoom interviews with Pimachiowin Aki Directors and members
  • Insights shared by community members through written submissions
Dr. Gemma Faith graduated with a degree of Doctor of Philosophy from Ulster University in Northern Ireland in December 2022. Pimachiowin Aki’s contribution is acknowledged in her PhD thesis.  

What is the purpose of the study?

With technology at our fingertips, people can explore any place in the world with a few swipes and clicks. It’s important for mixed World Heritage sites like Pimachiowin Aki to carve out a place on the internet, so that people learn about Outstanding Universal Value and why it is preserved for the benefit of all humanity. 

Gemma’s study explores how Pimachiowin Aki communicates with people around the world through social media and our website, sharing the unique bond that Anishinaabeg have with the land.  It also looks at ways that online communication can be used to develop eco-cultural tourism.

New tourism development is in its infancy at Pimachiowin Aki, but exploring pimaki.ca or browsing its social media is like having a local, online tour guide:

  • Someone to show you what makes this mixed World Heritage site special (through text, photographs, video storytelling and descriptions)
  • Someone to share and explain the values that preserve and sustain this protected area
  • Someone to answer your questions or comments  

By presenting Pimachiowin Aki’s online presence as a global exemplar (a good example to the world), it is hoped that the findings of the study will aid the management of online heritage interpretation at future mixed sites in Canada and the world, Gemma says. Pimachiowin Aki thanks Dr. Gemma Faith for her gift of curiosity, and the Elders, knowledge keepers and community members who share stories and bring Anishinaabeg cultural heritage to life for our social media followers, newsletter subscribers, and web visitors from across the globe.

5. Elders Share Knowledge of Traditional Medicines

Ka mashkawak mashkiski (sage) means ‘the strong medicine’ and has a very strong scent. This traditional knowledge was shared during a discussion with Elders in Pauingassi First Nation this fall.

The community event, sponsored by Pimachiowin Aki, focused on traditional medicines.

Participants discussed traditional plant names, when to harvest them, parts of plants used for medicines, symptoms they treat, how to prepare them, and how they’re used today.

Joe Owen, Pimachiowin Aki Board member and knowledge keeper from Pauingassi First Nation, says, “The important thing is I’m trying to encourage Elders, whatever they still know, to exercise using that knowledge about medicines. The medicines help with some illnesses.  It is nice to share with the people from other communities too. If Elders have any young people who come around to their houses, it is good to talk with them about some of the medicines we still have out there.”

Organizers are currently working on a document to share teachings from the workshop with community members. Watch for it in our future eNews.

6. Wildfire Sparks Art at an International Festival

Pimachiowin Aki was excited to be a part of an art installation of dancing trees created by artist Jonathan Green. The installation, which appeared during Nuit Blanche Winnipeg, was inspired in part by Pimachiowin Aki’s fire cycle graphic.

“I found the graphic when I was looking for an image to explain the idea of a fire cycle,” says Jonathan. “I scrolled down to Pimachiowin Aki’s version of the cycle and immediately loved its clarity, and the way it explains details such as wild berries becoming abundant, animals migrating, and how the land changes.”

“I’ve been researching wildfires for years, but I didn’t know former burn sites make for good hunting,” says Jonathan. “The graphic is so rich in local Anishinaabeg knowledge and practice it felt like something I could trust innately.”

Artist Jonathan Green

Jonathan credits Pimachiowin Aki’s fire cycle graphic, adapted from work by Dr. Andrew Miller, with inspiring him to include trees from the boreal in his installation, which he designed to help visitors get a better understanding of how wildfires impact habitats.

“I hope it allows us all to consider the human impact on the environment and the ways in which many recent large-scale wildfires are a direct result of extreme climate change due to this human impact.”

7. Making Strides in Digital Map Project

Fieldwork for the much-anticipated digital habitat maps, in partnership with ECOSTEM, continued this year, with tours around Aikens Lake and Fishing Lake.

ECOSTEM is now in the process of creating a preliminary version of the habitat map, which we expect to release in March 2023, followed by detailed maps of cultural features.

Elders, Pimachiowin Aki Guardians and other knowledge keepers are contributing data and information to the maps, such as knowledge of wildlife-habitat relationships, and will be able to use the maps to preserve important habitats and keep an eye on the health of the land.

“The maps won’t just show us the land; they will show us what the land can sustain,” says Alison Haugh, Executive Director of Pimachiowin Aki. 

Learn more about the digital maps and how they’re created.

The challenges of mapping

It takes thousands of photos, drone and satellite imagery, and physical samples to create the maps. In the development stages, the mapping team faced multiple challenges getting what they need. Wildfires had swept through the land in 2021, accompanied by COVID-19 restrictions and a months-long drought, which made floatplane and boat travel nearly impossible.

Drones were prohibited from flying due to NAV Canada restrictions to avoid conflicts with firefighting aircraft.

These challenges postponed ECOSTEM’s image collection process to this year, when they were able to continue their fieldwork.

Though easier on their team, 2022 presented its own hurdles. For starters, massive snowfall led to record-breaking high water levels throughout Manitoba.

In addition, “drones have been grounded more than expected due to rain and high winds,” reports ECOSTEM’s Dr. James Ehnes. Despite this, the team was able to complete all of the planned fieldwork.

At times, Pimachiowin Aki Guardians couldn’t do groundwork because roads were covered with water and rapids were so strong that some areas were too dangerous to visit.

If weather concerns weren’t enough to stand in the way of the project, Transport Canada established new restrictions for transporting lithium-ion batteries on commercial flights.

“We now have to discharge the battery, get a third party to certify that they’re discharged, and ship them separately on a cargo flight,” says James. “This process has not only added time prior to getting in the field; it then takes the rest of the day to recharge the batteries.

A team effort

Miigwech to Guardian Colin Owens of Pauingassi First Nation, who travelled great distances by boat to capture images and was very helpful in transporting the crew and gear around the community each day and shipping generators to Winnipeg. 

8. Happy Birthday to World Heritage!

2022 marked the 50th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention, which Canada joined in 1976, becoming a part of an international movement to safeguard the world’s cultural treasures.

“The purpose of the World Heritage Convention is to identify, protect, and preserve cultural and natural places across the world that are deemed to have Outstanding Universal Value, and should therefore be protected and recognized internationally for current and future generations,” says Rebecca Kennedy, Manager of International Affairs for Parks Canada.

“Canada is blessed with a diversity of natural and cultural heritage from coast to coast to coast, including 20 sites that have been inscribed on the World Heritage List,” she adds.

There was no better time than 2022 for Canadians to learn about these 20 incredible places. Many of Canada’s World Heritage Sites, including Pimachiowin Aki, offered special in-person and virtual activities to highlight this landmark year.

Take a cross-Canada video tour to celebrate the shared heritage of humankind:

What to Do if You Spot Algae This Summer

Water is sacred. It is the source of life and should be respected and protected. Waterways are like the arteries of Mother Earth and flow along, receiving and depositing nourishment for all plants and animals.

Pauingassi Lands Management Plan

Pimachiowin Aki is known for its pristine waters. Rivers, streams, lakes, waterfalls, and rapids flow gracefully through the World Heritage site while sustaining the ecosystem and the Anishinaabe way of life.  

Water is life—a food provider, wildlife habitat, a hydration source, and travel route. Its health is crucial.

Bloodvein River First Nation Guardian Melba Green spotted algae in Pimachiowin Aki in 2021 and wants everyone to help keep an eye out for this potential hazard this summer.

“I saw it right behind my house at the water’s edge in the Bloodvein River,” she says. She immediately took a picture. “I mentioned it to someone here and they suggested I take a sample. However, when I went back the algae was no longer there.“

Melba also saw what looked like harmless green weeds further up river and later wondered if this, too, was algae. Richard Farthing-Nichol, Project Manager at Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources says “while algae is a natural part of the Bloodvein River ecosystem, excessive algae could be a problem and is something to watch out for.” Algal blooms are more common in the south end of the Lake Winnipeg, but can happen anywhere, he says.

Pimachiowin Aki’s waterways (seen here) flow into Lake Winnipeg.  The health of Lake Winnipeg is being threatened by algal blooms.

Algae refers to a wide range of simple plants that can grow in any body of water. You will typically notice algae as small green particles in water. It is normal for a lake to have some algae, but too many nutrients in water can lead to an overgrowth of algae, which then forms algal blooms. Algal blooms are generally unpleasant and can even be toxic depending on the type.

Why algae can be dangerous

Algae is a natural part of the environment.  It can be found in any body of water. Richard explains that algae provide food for small water organisms and supplies much of the oxygen we breathe. But too much algae can be a problem, he cautions.

“Some types of blue-green algae found in algal blooms can be toxic to humans and animals. Also, when algae die, they decompose and use up oxygen that other organisms need to survive. This can impact entire food chains and lead to fish die-offs,” he says.

Melba recalls an encounter with a fisherman in Bloodvein River First Nation two years ago. “He was concerned about fishing in the lake because the water was “sticky.” She has heard this same description from others. “An Elder said that when you pull your hand out of the lake, your hand is sticky. When people pull their fishing nets from the water the sticky stuff is on their nets.”

Photo: Hidehiro Otake

Certain algae hurt the environment and economy by:

  • Producing toxins that can kill or sicken people and animals
  • Creating “dead zones” in water—areas lacking oxygen that become uninhabitable for marine life
  • Raising costs for drinking water as drinkable water becomes more scarce
  • Impacting industries that require clean water

These hazards show why it’s crucial to identify toxic algae if we plan to keep the environment and economy healthy and thriving.

How to spot toxic algae

Not all algae are toxic. The kind to watch out for is blue-green algae or cyanobacteria. The physical appearance of blue-green algae varies, which makes it difficult to identify. Richard explains, “Algal blooms are generally green and often form floating clumps or scums, sometimes making the water look like thick pea soup or paint. They also emit a strong, unpleasant odour. A laboratory analysis is the only way to tell if an algal bloom is toxic. “It is best to exercise caution and treat all algal blooms as if they contain toxins,” Richard warns.

Melba reports that she has been “in and out from the Bloodvein River and has not spotted algae yet this year. If she sees it again, she will “carefully take a sample and give it to the nursing station, which will send it to water sampling experts.”

Algae can be found in wide range of habitats beyond lakes and rivers, including in soil, growing on rocks and snow, and in plants such as lichens.

“When young ones and teenagers see wildlife or something unusual on the water or land, they come and tell me. I plan to learn more about algae and make a presentation to the school so they know what to look for,” says Melba.

Richard explains how algae affects communities, including places like Pimachiowin Aki, where fishing is a livelihood:

“Algal blooms, and especially toxic blue-green algae, can negatively impact communities in many ways. Algal blooms can make beaches unpleasant and unsafe for swimming, clog water intake pipes and fishing nets, and reduce the amount of fish available for harvesting.”

Please act as the eyes and ears of the land and waters, and report all sightings of algae to prevent the problem from growing.

What to do if you spot algae this summer

In Manitoba

Report algal blooms to the province at the following website: https://forms.gov.mb.ca/algal_report/index.html

In Pimachiowin Aki

The protocol for reporting toxic algae in Pimachiowin Aki is the same as the protocol for reporting pollution, littering, accidents, forest fires, and other threats to the land:

  1. Take a photo or video
  2. Write down details (such as where you are located and what you see, including the algae’s size, shape and colour)
  3. Call the nearest administrative office:
Bloodvein River First Nation204.395.2148
Little Grand Rapids First Nation204.397.2264
Pauingassi First Nation204.397.2371
Poplar River First Nation204.224.2267
Manitoba Department of Agriculture and Resource Developmenttoll-free 1.800.282.8069
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestrytoll-free 1.877.847.7667

Inform as many people as possible
Tell everyone you know about the dangers of harmful algal blooms. There’s no such thing as too much help for a problem like this. Spread the word for the health of Pimachiowin Aki’s waters and the protection of the Anishinaabe way of life.

Q&A with Richard

1. What causes algae?
Algae, like all plants, need sunlight and nutrients, primarily phosphorous and nitrogen, to grow. Phosphorous and nitrogen are found naturally in the environment, but humans also use phosphorous in fertilizers that we apply to our gardens and farmland. Phosphorous is also found in wastewater. When too much phosphorous gets into the water by, for example, fertilizer running off farmland into nearby streams, algae can grow rapidly and create algal blooms. Algal blooms are most likely to occur in hot weather with little or no wind. 

2. Is it safe to go into the water and swim if I spot algae?
You should avoid swimming in water with algal blooms.

3. Does boiling water remove toxins from algae-contaminated water?
No, the toxins cannot be destroyed by boiling the water.

4. Is it safe to eat fish or wildlife if the water in my community is affected?
It should generally be safe, but you should take some precautions. Because algal toxins can accumulate in fish, you should avoid eating the internal organs, like the liver and kidneys, of fish caught in water experiencing an algal bloom. You should also pay close attention to the condition of the fish—if it appears unhealthy, do not eat it.

5. Pimachiowin Aki is part of the largest stretch of intact boreal forest on earth. How does the boreal forest purify water?
Nature is extremely good at looking after itself if given the opportunity. The roots of trees and other plants can absorb excess nutrients and other toxins from water and soil, which helps purify the water. Some aquatic plants like cattails are particularly good at removing nutrients such as phosphorous from the water. This is one of the many reasons that healthy wetlands are so important. The boreal forest is full of wetlands that are helping purify the air, water, and fight climate change, not to mention providing food and medicines for people and habitat for other creatures.

6. What actions can I take in my everyday life to be part of the solution?
Reducing the amount of phosphorous that you use is the best thing you can do in your everyday life to be part of the solution. You can do that by not fertilizing your yard (or by using phosphorous-free fertilizer), using cleaning products (such as dish soap and detergent) that are phosphorous-free, and not disposing of pharmaceuticals, food, or chemicals down the drain.

For a list of actions you can take to protect water and ensure we have fresh water for generations to come, visit: https://www.lakefriendly.ca/.

Community-Based Monitoring Project in Poplar River First Nation

By Ray Rabliauskas | Photos: Jesse Belle

This past summer our Lands Guardian Program started a Community-Based Monitoring Project. We are collecting data using drones to monitor Lake Winnipeg algal blooms and shoreline erosion as well as testing water quality in the Poplar River that may affect fishing harvests and access to fishing grounds within Poplar River Traditional Territory.

Poplar River First Nation is moving towards becoming self-reliant with monitoring lands and waters by combining both scientific methods with what is already known—Elders’ Traditional Knowledge. We understand the importance of having the best information available so we can make good decisions in regards to our lands. Poplar River First Nation also understands the importance of having our own people with skills and equipment to do this work ourselves.

The Monitoring Program will provide learning opportunities for youth from our Elders and scientists so they can continue and expand the scope of this work for years to come.

(left to right) Brad Bushie with Dennis Bittern and Norway Rabliauskas of the Poplar River First Nation Lands Guardian program.

We have hired Brad Bushie as part of our Community Based Monitoring Project.

“My name is Brad Bushie. I am from Poplar River and I am 24 years old. I have been working on and off for several years with our Lands Guardian Program. I have been hired full time to work with our drone to monitor the effects of climate change. I have received my certification as a Drone Pilot with a limited licence. This means I can operate our drone in uncontrolled airspace. I have almost completed training and studying to receive my Advanced Drone Pilot Licence, which will allow me to fly the drone anywhere in Canada. I love this work. It’s good to work with our Elders and the drone is a very cool instrument; it’s like a live video game.”

Brad Bushie, Poplar River First Nation

(left to right) Tom Sutton of North/South Consultants trains Brad Bushie to use the drone.

We are happy to share and highlight the work of our very competent Lands Guardians’ Team. As a community, we are very proud of these young people and the work they do.

Poplar River First Nation Lands Program

The following report summarizes the main field activities conducted and data collected during year two of the project:

Poplar River First Nation CBM-Year 2-Report_02Download

New Eye in the Sky

Birds have always been an eye in the sky above Pimachiowin Aki. Now, thanks to drones provided by environmental consulting and research firm ECOSTEM, Pimachiowin Aki Corp. has an eye up there too. 

We are working with ECOSTEM to map land and water habitats in Pimachiowin Aki as well as tangible cultural features found mainly along major rivers in the area. At 29,000 square kilometers, Pimachiowin Aki is simply too large to ‘see’ from the ground. Each drone, and its pilot are giving us a close-up look at areas we want to know more about. 

“The project will enhance our understanding of Pimachiowin Aki and provide a baseline for monitoring,” says Pimachiowin Aki’s Executive Director. “Our monitoring program is part of how we fulfill our responsibilities as a UNESCO World Heritage site,” she adds.

Working with ECOSTEM will also allow us to bring all data we have ever collected into one place—a digital map of Pimachiowin Aki. People will be able to search the map for answers to questions like: Where do lake sturgeon spawn? What areas have been affected by wildfire? Where are the best places to find blueberries?

Drones are used to help map wildfire history, ecosystem health, and effects of climate change.

What exactly are we mapping?

Habitat Mapping  Cultural Feature Mapping
Land habitats such as forests and grasslands, wildlife habitats such as caribou calving areas Archaeological sites such as places where stone was collected to make tools
Water habitats such as rivers, wild rice, and wildlife habitat such as lake sturgeon spawning areasHarvesting sites such as hunting and fishing areas, traplines, and berry and medicine plant gathering areas
Parts that form each habitat such as plants, soil and rockCultural sites such as cabins, campsites and petroforms

Collecting Data from Soil to Sky

  • ECOSTEM collects vegetation, soil, and environmental data from plots
  • Aerial photo captured by a drone

Mapping is like taking inventory—in this case, identifying the location, number and kinds of habitats and cultural features in Pimachiowin Aki. ECOSTEM is taking inventory by going out on the land and water to collect samples and take photos and notes. The drones are capturing photos and video.

ECOSTEM Senior Ecologist Dr. James Ehnes says that the ECOSTEM drones collected “about 9,000 photos and 37 minutes of video” of Pimachiowin Aki this fall. “We had planned to capture considerably more photos and video but were unable to do so due to Covid restrictions, wildfire-related travel bans, loss of logistical support in communities that were evacuated, and extremely low water levels on rivers.”  

Once we have our complete ‘inventory,’ Pimachiowin Aki can track changes over time. This is where monitoring comes in.

Monitoring is like giving Pimachiowin Aki a regular checkup—we will compare new information with our original inventory to keep watch on Pimachiowin Aki’s natural and cultural health. This will help us make sense of any changes and predict and prepare for any threats.

Flying the drone from an island in Bloodvein River.

Project Q&A

We gained insights on the project through an interview with Dr. James Ehnes of ECOSTEM:

Your work with Pimachiowin Aki began in 2011 when you completed an ecosystem analysis to show how the area met UNESCO World Heritage criteria for outstanding universal value. What is different about the work  you are doing today?

The ‘feeling’ has changed from conducting an academic exercise to having the   opportunity to serve Pimachiowin Aki, its partner communities and local people. The work that we are now doing is focused on providing data, information, maps and other things that will support the continuation of Ji-ganawendamang Gidakiiminaan.

Pimachiowin Aki Guardians are the eyes and ears of Pimachiowin Aki. How does this project enhance their work?

Guardians can only cover a small area each year. The project immensely expands the area where information is obtained and can prioritize areas that we should go to get more information.

How are Pimachiowin Aki Guardians and Elders involved?  

Land use information from Guardians and Elders is extremely important  for cultural and natural features mapping, such as where are the best places to go to find certain plants and animals, where are notable culture features and sites located (e.g., petroforms, meeting areas, hunting areas, wild rice plantings,   controlled burns, spiritually significant areas). We hope that the information that is passed on will contribute to maintaining the memories of the people and communities.

One of two drones that ECOSTEM is using to collect photos and video in Pimachiowin Aki.

What will data you collect tell us about  Pimachiowin Aki now and over time?

Most fundamentally, it will tell us what vegetation, wetlands, landforms, waterways, etc. occur within Pimachiowin Aki at a much higher level of accuracy and detail than is available now. It will also:

  • Show a local person new places where they could to go to find things that   they want to gather or hunt  
  • Identify important habitats for species of high interest such as caribou, moose, and sturgeon
  • Aid in making reliable predictions about species that are important to local people or conservation
  • Contribute to safeguarding and recovering species of conservation concern within Pimachiowin Aki. Examples: data may result in expanded woodland caribou research and opportunities to research lake sturgeon
  • Detect and monitor the spread of invasive species
  • Show people how their traplines have been affected by wildfire
  • Identify areas that were burned more severely than usually happens—vegetation recovery may be limited, and it could be evidence that important, adverse climate change effects are happening in Pimachiowin Aki
  • Help us study how Pimachiowin Aki is responding to climate change
  • Show us areas that store the most carbon, areas that are most susceptible to releasing   greenhouse gases as the climate warms, and the best places to do climate research
  • Inform us if climate change is making fire effects worse, which has future consequences for what will be found on the land and in the water
  • Contribute to fulfilling UNESCO World Heritage monitoring requirements

How exactly do you collect information for the maps?

We collect information in two ways. We get information for the entire site from satellite imagery and information that has been created by others (e.g., elevations). We go out on the land and water in Pimachiowin Aki and take photos and notes. Sometimes we do this from planes and other times while boating or walking. While on the land, we collect plot samples and use drones to collect photos and video.

Flying the drone where the east side road meets Bloodvein River.

What is plot sampling and how is it done?

We collect habitat data in plots, sometimes with a community member and   sometimes on our own. For our work so far, this has been a 40 by 40 metre square plot. Within this plot, staff collect plant, vegetation, soils and environmental data. A botanist collects plant and vegetation data by walking through the plot and recording what they see. A soil specialist collects soil data by first digging a narrow hole about 50 cm deep, then using an auger to go down to about 100 cm and pull up material that is examined and used to describe soil conditions.

We try to leave no trace that we were there. When we’re done, we fill the hole and replace the surface ‘divot’ that was carefully removed before digging the hole.

Why has the drone collected more photos than videos?

We focused on photos because we expected that they would be more useful for creating the habitat map for the entire site. An advantage of photos is that they can be ‘stitched’ together to create an image that shows a much larger area. The stitched image from the drone is more magnified than Google Earth. We may lean more towards video when documenting cultural features along waterways or habitats for species that are especially important to local people.

How does  monitoring a habitat make it possible to reliably monitor a species?

A species’ habitat is the most important thing that determines how many individuals of that species can exist within Pimachiowin Aki, and where they are likely to be found.

Using moose as an example, areas that have burned in the past five to 15 years tend to provide considerably more moose food per hectare than other areas. If the proportion of Pimachiowin Aki area that has burned in the   past five to 15 years goes up, the number of moose can also increase.

Using sturgeon as an example, this species has very specialized conditions   for spawning. By mapping spawning conditions, we can identify areas   that should not be disturbed by human activities. We can also use the mapping to identify locations that are good candidates for restoring suitable  sturgeon spawning conditions.

See our infographic to learn more about how forest fires affect moose

Learn how to identify and protect lake sturgeon

  • Drone captured data
  • Bing satellite image

How close do the drones get to wildlife and people?

Manitoba wildlife regulations prohibit harassing wildlife, so we maintain the distance needed to avoid that, which varies with species and individuals. If we saw behaviours indicating an animal was being disturbed, we would quickly move further away. Our drones are very quiet and with the cameras we use, we don’t need to get close to an animal to see it in high detail.

We don’t intentionally get close enough to identify a person unless they have provided their consent. 

What excites you most about the project?

I’m very excited by the amount of detail that can be obtained with a drone. We can create 3D images of an area, which will be very impressive for things  such as depicting cultural or natural features on waterways.

When will the map be complete and where can I find it?

The map should be complete in 2023, following another field season in 2022.  ECOSTEM holds the data and information for the map in trust for the Pimachiowin Aki communities.  Because the map and derived products contain confidential information that belongs to the communities, they may only be used with the express and prior permission of the communities.

Photos: ECOSTEM

Boreal Woodland Caribou: Fast Facts

  • Anishinaabeg in Pimachiowin Aki generally do not hunt boreal woodland caribou—they are smaller than moose and harder to find as they are always on the move  
  • Caribou hair is hollow, providing insulation in winter and buoyancy while swimming in summer
  • Boreal woodland caribou spread out to calve alone in remote areas, unlike barren ground caribou who calve in groups of females
  • Woodland caribou have a wide-ranging lifespan of eight to fifteen years
  • Caribou are the only deer species among which both males and females have antlers
  • Male antlers are broader and larger in size. Female antlers are generally shorter and slender and typically have only one point
  • Males shed their antlers in late winter and start re-growing them in spring
  • Females shed their antlers after calving
  • Caribou make a characteristic clicking sound when they move which is caused by  tendons slipping over bones in their feet
  • Boreal woodland caribou have crescent shaped hooves that are wide and long— ideal for swimming (they act as paddles), walking on top of snow (they’re like snowshoes) and traveling across soft ground like bogs
  • Boreal woodland caribou prefer winter foods—throughout winter, they use their sharp-edged hooves to uncover and feed on Pimachiowin Aki’s abundant ground lichens
  • In summer, boreal woodland caribou thrive on Pimachiowin Aki’s diverse plant species, including grasses, lichens, shrubs and sedges
  • Boreal woodland caribou have been on the threatened species list in Manitoba since 2002. They were listed as a threatened species across Canada in 2003  
  • Four groups of boreal woodland caribou live in Pimachiowin Aki

Historical Uses for Caribou

When thousands of caribou roamed, First Nation communities hunted them for a variety of reasons:

Clothing

“Some people use the hide for clothing,” explains Pimachiowin Aki Guardian Dennis Keeper. “It’s softer than moose hide.” Antlers are used to make buttons for clothes. Caribou hides were used for moccasins (makizinan). Caribou dew claws, adikwaganzhiig, were used in ceremonial regalia.

Drum-making

“Many years ago, the only reason we would hunt caribou would be for drum-making,” Dennis Keeper says. Caribou hide is thin and makes an excellent cover for a drum.

Tools

Antlers found in the forest are used to make scrapers, needles, and knife handles. Caribou bones are used to scrape off fat from beaver, otter and moose hides.

Learn more > Species of Conservation Concern: Boreal Woodland Caribou

Feature image: Bruce Bremner

How to Pronounce Common Anishinaabemowin Words

Gizhe Manidoo lowered nitam anishinaabe (first human) to Earth and gave him the responsibility to name everything in existence. This is how Anishinaabemowin was born.

Over 80 percent of people in Pimachiowin Aki speak the ancient Ojibwe language Anishinaabemowin. Each community has its own dialect. Pimachiowin Aki Guardian Melba Green helped us create this series of language videos so that you can hear how we say common Aninishinaabemowin words in Bloodvein River First Nation.

Anishinaabemowin is often the first language children learn to speak. 

Anishinaabemowin is the primary language we speak at home and work. Children and youth learn this vibrant language in school every day.

Learn how to say the days of the week 

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Hear words related to family

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The survival of Anishinaabemowin is directly related to the survival of Anishinaabe identity and culture.

We are tied to our language the same way we are tied to the land. Anishinaabemowin expresses our heritage, values and culture. We use it in traditional ceremonies, and in stories and songs passed down through generations. It is our unique way of understanding the world. 

Hear words related to our cultural heritage

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Anishinaabemowin reflects how land and animals are understood. 

For millennia, our ancestors have spoken Anishinaabemowin to pass down traditional knowledge such as when to plant and harvest, how to spot seasonal changes, and where to track migration of geese and woodland caribou. Our language holds our knowledge of the environment. Therefore, preserving our language means preserving the land.

The world’s languages and animal species have both declined by about 30% since 1970. Some conservationists and climate scientists believe the key to protecting endangered plants and animals may lie in efforts to preserve Indigenous languages.

cbc.ca, The Current

Learn how to say the four seasons

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Hear words related to plants that grow in Pimachiowin Aki

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Learn words for wildlife that lives in Pimachiowin Aki

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The hereditary transmission of culture is mediated not by passing DNA from parent to offspring, but by one individual learning something from another, and this transmission is greatly facilitated and accelerated by means of language.

Biocultural Diversity, Threatened species, endangered languages
Pimachiowin Aki Guardian Melba Green, Bloodvein River First Nation

Miigwech to Pimachiowin Aki Guardian Melba Green for providing the voice-overs.

From friendly insults to words spoken in spring…  

Listen to the mother and son language podcast exploring lessons in Anishinaabemowin, featuring Sophia and Paul Rabliauskas of Poplar River First Nation:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/paul-sophia-rabliauskas-anishinaabemowin-1.5919310

Follow us for more information about Pimachiowin Aki:

 Sources
https://www.cbc.ca/originalvoices/language/anishinaabemowin/
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/back-to-the-land-preserving-indigenous-language-1.6152854
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/anishinaabemowin-ojibwe-language
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/291352235_Biocultural_Diversity_threatened_species_endangered_languages