NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Dehcho Region

Tags: social sciences, traditional knowledge, natural resources

Objective(s): To produce a Traditional Knowledge and Users' report specific to the area within the Pine Point Rail Bed site boundaries.

Project Description: The objective of this project is to gain information that will be used to produce a Traditional Knowledge and Users' report specific to the area within the Pine Point Rail Bed site boundaries and address information gaps in traditional land use and recreational use of First Nations, Métis and local site users. Primary data collection will seek to identify and describe communities and organizations' resource use, including hunting, fishing, trapping, plant and berry harvesting and recreational use within Pine Point Rail Bed site boundaries. Identification of target groups and key individuals who have an interest in the area, or who may hold traditional knowledge of the Pine Point Rail Bed area. This will include persons who may be involved with a broad range of harvesting and recreational activities (hunting, fishing, trapping, gathering, hiking, recreational snowmobiling/ATVing, etc.). Surveys will be actively promoted through local media platforms, including public service announcements through the NWT/News North, the Hub, CBC North, Moose 100.1 FM, CKLB Radio and community announcements on community television stations in Hay River. Survey tools, including social media, online and mail survey questionnaires, and in-depth phone interviews to collect resource use data from local residents and community organizations. Two days of in-depth interviews - these interviews will provide opportunity for knowledge holders who do not have easy access to web-based survey tools to be interviewed and for the survey team to verify collected information. The purpose of the survey is to use land use information from key community organizations and Indigenous groups to refine plans for future remediation of the Pine Point Rail Bed. The research team hope to gain a comprehensive understanding of traditional land use, country food use, and recreational use of the Pine Point Rail Bed. This information will be used to inform decisions on how best to mitigate potential health risks and address future site contamination, as outlined in the Phase III Risk Management Options Analysis. Information specific to individual respondents will not be publicly available. Individuals and/or communities wishing to access the final report with aggregated information will need to contact Indigenous and Northern Affairs (INAC) directly to obtain a copy. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from May 3, 2017 to June 30, 2017.