Integrating Local Knowledge of Ecologically Sensitive and Culturally Important Marine Areas in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area

Tags: social sciences, traditional knowledge

Principal Investigator: Parker, Colleen (2)
Licence Number: 16079
Organization: WWF-Canada
Licensed Year(s): 2017 2016
Issued: Apr 20, 2017
Project Team: Dr. Tristan Pearce, Dr. Jackie Dawson, Dr. Natalie Carter, Research Partner

Objective(s): To establish a long-term geo-spatial ship track database (1990-present) in Arctic Canada; to identify temporal and spatial shipping trends and establish ‘zones of high commercial and non-commercial shipping activity’; and, to create ‘local marine use zones’ including sensitive ecological and socio-cultural sites for overlay and integration into the northern marine transportation corridors.

Project Description: The objectives of this project are to: 1. establish a long-term geo-spatial ship track database (1990-present) in Arctic Canada; 2. identify temporal and spatial shipping trends and establish ‘zones of high commercial and non-commercial shipping activity’; and, 3. create ‘local marine use zones’ including sensitive ecological and socio-cultural sites for overlay and integration into the northern marine transportation corridors. Public participatory geographic information system (GIS) mapping and discussion workshops will be conducted. Workshops will be audio recorded. Youth student researchers will co-facilitate the project. The students will participate in workshop development and refinement and apply that capacity while co-facilitating the workshops. Mapping data will be analyzed using GIS software. One map combining data from all workshops will be created for each area. Discussion data will be thematically analyzed with a focus on maintaining the integrity of respondents’ narratives. Impact of arctic shipping will be analyzed with regard to season, region, impact, types of use etc. A public meeting will be held in each community to validate and present results. The final composite maps will be placed in an online open-access repository that community members/regional and northern organizations can access. One poster-size printed map will be provided to each community. Electronic maps will be provided to partners and collaborators listed above. Peer-reviewed publications will be shared with communities upon publication. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from April 20, 2017 to September 30, 2017.