Mapping

New Eye in the Sky

December 20, 2021

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 areas	Harvesting 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 rock	Cultural sites such as cabins, campsites and petroforms

Collecting Data from Soil to Sky

ECOSTEM collects vegetation, soil, and environmental data from plots

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

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

12 Named Places to Discover in Poplar River First Nation

September 21, 2020

Poplar River First Nation recently completed a Traditional Place Names map, which gives meaning to 149 places. The named places include rivers, lakes, creeks, rapids, points, and islands.

For several years, Elders in Poplar River have been sharing their knowledge to make this map possible. For instance, the Elders have walked the land with us and showed us places and things that are known only because Elders have been there and shared their knowledge. The Elders’ stories and memories are now printed on a huge, colourful map that will hang in community spaces and guide our journeys. The map is almost five feet wide!

When traveling the land, Anishinaabeg tell stories about the named places we encounter along the way. When we learn the names of places, we gain an intimate knowledge of the land. We need this knowledge for survival. Some places are named after plants or wildlife found in the area. Some names warn of dangers. Many reflect the histories of people who have traveled through and made use of the land.

Named Places to Visit in Poplar River First Nation

Here are a dozen named places to visit using the Poplar River First Nation map:

Nikaminikwaywining (The creek where geese drink)
Pinanaywipowitik (Rapids where people can rest sore legs)
Moozichisking (Big rock shaped like a moose’s rump)
Wapiskapik (The rock island that was painted white so it could be seen)
Kakinoosaysikak (Place where there are lots of minnows)
Weeskwoywisaguygan (Marchand Lake—shaped like a balloon)
Moondeewiminitik (Island named after the late Elder Mooni)
Kaminotinak (Beautiful high ground along the Franklin River where small trees grow)
Nayonanashing (Place to stop for lunch)
Wapeegoozhesse’opimatagaywining (Where a mouse swam across the river)
Paagitinigewening (Tobacco offering rock)
Kakpikichiwung (Water falls over a rock cliff)

Preserving Cultural Heritage

All 149 places on the Poplar River First Nation Place Names map are now officially recognized in provincial and national geographical names databases. In addition to helping us navigate the land and waters, the map preserves our cultural heritage. In other words, the map preserves Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe language), history, teachings and beliefs.

Listening to and talking about our place names is like reading a book…these named places ensure that the stories will carry on. When my father was describing where he had been, he would say, kee’yapay namaytoowag, which means he could still feel the presence of people who had been there before. The stories of our ancestors are connected to those places and to us by the place names.

– Sophia Rabliauskas

Meegwetch to the Poplar River First Nation Elders for their generosity, time, and patience in documenting the personal and collective histories of the people who have travelled through, observed and lived on Poplar River First Nation ancestral land, Asatiwisipe Aki.

Do you want to view the full Poplar River First Nation Place Names map on our website? Click on this link and scroll down toward the bottom of the page.

More Place Name Maps for Pimachiowin Aki

Pimachiowin Aki Corporation is working to protect cultural heritage for future generations in all four First Nation communities in Pimachiowin Aki. Cultural heritage expresses who we are and how we live. It consists of everything that we value and share through generations. Cultural heritage includes place names. It also includes travel routes, cabins, songs and traditional knowledge.

We are crossing land and water to inventory Pimachiowin Aki’s cultural sites. For example, we are documenting named places, pictographs, Thunderbird nests, cabins, campsites, and ceremonial sites. Bloodvein River First Nation, Pauingassi First Nation and Little Grand Rapids First Nation are each collecting this information to make their own place names maps.

This summer, eight young adults had a one-of-a-kind experience using the Poplar River First Nation Traditional Place Names map. Read about it here:
13 Rapids with a Traditional Place Names Map in Hand

13 Rapids with a Traditional Place Names Map in Hand

September 21, 2020

When young people go out on the land, they come back with their language.

—Anishinaabe Elder, in translation

This summer, eight youth had a one-of-a-kind experience using the Poplar River First Nation Traditional Place Names map. The teens participated in a five-day knowledge-sharing trip hosted by Poplar River First Nation Guardian Norway Rabliauskas and his mother Sophia. Together, with hired guides, the group boated from the Poplar River First Nation community to Pinesewapikung Sagaigan (Weaver Lake). Along the way, they manoeuvred through 13 rapids marked on the map, and translated the names into Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe language).

With names like Thagitowipowitik (Rapids before Poplar River flows into Weaver Lake) and Machi-powitik (Bad rapids where some people sense bad feelings), the map prepared them for the rapids ahead. It also helped them reflect on the past.

“I think it’s important for the young people to learn whey where they come from, and the history of Pinesewapikung Sagaigan (Weaver Lake),” Norway says.

The map gives meaning to places and helps keep the language and stories about these places alive. Do you want to view the Poplar River First Nation Traditional Place Names map, with 149 named places? Click here and scroll down toward the bottom of the page.

Learning the History of Weaver Lake

Cultural heritage connects people and unites communities. The group camped on an island, where more people from the community were already gathered. Together, they visited the healing camp near Weaver Lake to learn more about the history of their community, and why the healing camp was established many years ago.

“We wanted them to know who went there, why the camp exists, and why it is important,” Norway explains. He and Sophia shared with the youth that some Elders in the community were residential school survivors who used this site for their own personal healing journeys.

Learning the Seven Sacred Teachings

Sophia also explained the principles of the Seven Sacred Teachings that have been passed down from generation to generation:

wisdom
love
respect
bravery
honesty
humility
truth

Inspiring the Next Generation of Guardians

Anishinaabeg were placed on the land by the Creator and have a sacred responsibility to care for it, so the trip included a ride around the lake to see the offering rock and pictographs, with a hike up a high rock to see tea kettles (deep holes in rocks). The youth also learned about the trees in the area. Each youth received an information booklet.

“I wanted to create a spark that might inspire them to work as Guardians,” Norway says.

The youth will carry the land-based knowledge and skills with them into the future, he adds, noting that the youth prepared meals and helped around camp.

“They set up and took down the tents, too,” he says. “I wanted them to be involved as much as they could.”

Each youth had a journal to write down their own personal reflections.

“On the last day, we went fishing as a group and cooked our meal with the fish we caught,” says Norway.

Because the knowledge-sharing trip was such a success, Norway plans to make it an annual summer outing. “We’d like to make it bigger next year,” he says.

It was Norway’s work with the Education Department that inspired the trip, funded in part by Pimachiowin Aki. Norway facilitates a language and culture program that was cut short this past school year due to the COVID-19 school closures. He intends to continue the program in the current school year with the help of community members who speak Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe language).

Naming Our Ancestors

June 25, 2019

Aniin (Hello)! Languages play an important role in the daily lives of all people and contribute to the world’s cultural diversity. But thousands of Indigenous languages have been in danger of disappearing for many years.

We are excited to share that in 2019, the International Year of Indigenous Languages, language preservation is happening all over Pimachiowin Aki. One such example is the work being done by Gerald Neufeld. Gerald grew up in Pauingassi. For almost 20 years, he has been meeting with every community in Pimachiowin Aki and going through ancestral photos with residents to help identify Elders. This is Gerald’s way of giving back. He knows that making a connection to the past is important to current and future generations.

Fairwind (Naamiwan), a renowned medicine man from Pauingassi — Fair Wind (Naamiwan)

Gerald has been giving presentations to schools and community members, and the Pimachiowin Aki Board of Directors. Pimachiowin Aki is grateful to Gerald for volunteering his time and energy to maintain the language, songs and stories that form the unique cultural link between Anishinaabeg and Aki (the land). You’ll hear more about Gerald’s work in a future newsletter—about the Elders he has identified, like Fair Wind (Naamiwan), a renowned medicine man from Pauingassi, and the people he is still looking for answers about. Maybe you’ll be able to help him identify a photo?

Named Places

By documenting our ancestors’ names, we recognize and honour them. This is true, also, of documenting named places.

Each place in Pimachiowin Aki is known, understood and named. Some places are named after the topography or plant life found in the area. Other names reflect the histories of the people who have traveled through, observed, and made use of the land—like Kookooko’oosagasawining (Owl Smoking Island) on Poplar River ancestral lands, named after a woman Elder named Owl, where smoking ceremonies took place.

When my father was describing where he had been, he would say to us kee’apay namaytoowag, which means he could still feel the presence of people who had been there before. The stories of our ancestors are connected to those places and to us by the place names.

—Sophia Rabliauskas

Poplar River First Nation has researched and documented 150 named places, and forwarded them to the Canadian Geographical Names Database so that they will show up on official maps sold to the public, and on popular sources like Google Maps.

Connecting Youth

Posters line the hallways of schools in the four First Nations communities in Pimachiowin Aki. The posters feature inspiring messages and named places, giving meaning to these places and helping to keep their stories alive.

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