Reconciliation in action

Indigenous-led Reserves: nothing to fear

Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve, by MuellerF

By David Livingstone, Principal, Holarctic Environmental Consulting Ltd. With the support of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO March 2017

Introduction

Of the nearly 700 international biosphere reserves, only one – the recently designated Tsá Tué International Biosphere Reserve – has been led by Indigenous peoples through all stages of its development and subsequent implementation.

International biosphere reserves “are intended to promote solutions reconciling the conservation of with its sustainable use. Biosphere reserves are ‘Science for support sites’ – special places for testing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and managing changes and interactions between social and ecological systems, including conflict prevention and management of biodiversity1.” It is time to make a concerted effort to encourage and support more Indigenous-led biosphere reserves, given ongoing advances in the recognition of the rights of Indigenous peoples, including the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the 2016 Lima Declaration on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme and its World Network of Biosphere Reserves, and UNESCO’s developing policy on engaging with Indigenous peoples. The recent commitments of Canada’s federal government to advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples following the report and recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission provides additional national impetus.

The current absence of Indigenous-led biosphere reserves is a result of many factors, not least of which is concern related to Indigenous rights, and more specifically that Indigenous-led biosphere reserves may be seen to de facto recognize or enhance recognition of Indigenous rights in regions where that is politically “challenging”. An examination of the Tsá Tué experience and implications may be helpful in assuaging many of the concerns and obstacles impeding the establishment of Indigenous-led biosphere reserves. At a minimum, it should encourage the meaningful engagement of Indigenous peoples in the governance and activities of current or future biosphere reserves.

The Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve

The Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve includes Great Bear Lake and that portion of its watershed within the l n District of the Sahtu Settlement Region, in the central Northwest Territories of Canada (figure 1). The total area of the Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve is about 93,313 km² or 9.3 million hectares, making it the largest in North America.

The only community on Great Bear Lake is the small Dene community of l n , located near the mouth of the Great Bear River, which flows out of Great Bear Lake into the Mackenzie River. l n has a population of about 600, the great majority of whom are Sahtuto’ine ene, the “Bear Lake People”. Great Bear Lake and the Great Bear Lake watershed are the homeland of the Sahtuto’ine and part of an intact wilderness forming the foundation of Sahtuto’ine cosmology, history and traditional law, of the transmission of the culture from the elders to the younger generation, and of l n ’s renewable resource economy.

l n is a traditional irst Nation community in many ways. s such, l n respects its elders and honors its spiritual leaders, especially Louis Ayah (1857-1940), known as Eht’se Ayah. Ayah was a prophet and among many of his prophecies was the prediction that Great Bear Lake would be the last source of clean water on the planet and the lake would become crowded with boats.

1 http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/ecological-sciences/biosphere-reserves

2 Figure 1: Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve

This prophecy, coupled with l n ’s deeply troubling experience with uranium mining at Port Radium in eastern Great Bear Lake has heightened the commitment within l n , particularly among elders and community leaders, for the protection of the ecological and cultural integrity of the lake and its ecosystems.

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This is deeply rooted in the cosmology and spirituality of the Sahtuto’ine and framed by the Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement (1993), the Great Bear Lake Watershed Management Plan (2006), the Sahtu Land Use Plan (2013) and the l n Final Self-Government greement (2014). These documents were developed in close consultation with the Sahtuto’ine and in the case of the Great Bear Lake Watershed Management Plan and the aspects of the Sahtu Land Use Plan affecting Great Bear Lake and the Great Bear Lake watershed, led by the Sahtuto’ine. The l n Final Self-Government Agreement was negotiated between l n and the federal and territorial governments.

Sahtuto’ine Spirituality

It is impossible to fully appreciate the importance of Great Bear Lake and its watershed to the Sahtuto’ine without an understanding of Sahtuto’ine spirituality. The following extracts from ibbie Tatti’s Master’s Thesis (“The Wind Waits For No One N hts’ ene s en or h le t’e Spirituality in a Saht got’ n Perspective”) are instructive

“From a Dene or Sahtúgot’ı̨nę perspective spirituality is appreciating all the elements of the world and seeing in each of them a living being. The idea of bets’ı̨nę ́ or living spirit with respect to the animals, the birds and the fish is relatively easy for people to grasp. You can through observation describe and understand their nature and their role, and you can interact with them. However, the spirituality I am talking about goes beyond these organisms to plants, trees and to more inanimate objects. For us the thunder, the lightning, the water and the rocks are each yǝ ́ dı ́ ı, living beings, with distinctive characteristics and possessing a living force.” (pg 17)

“Chief George Kodakin said that the spiritual significance of Sahtú must never be underestimated, recognizing that it holds Tudzǝ,́ the heart of all the water on the earth.” (pg 37)

“The fact that the animals could leave us, leave edırı nęnę, forever, reminds us of how dependent we are on the animals and how we must respect their bets’ı̨nę, obey our laws and be effective stewards of the land in order for us to retain the essence of being Sahtúgot’ı̨nę. Our worldview, our culture, our spirituality, even the richness of our language are tied directly to our traditional lands and the animals.” (pg 42)

From the Great Bear Lake Watershed Management Plan:

“The elders of Déline have passed down a story through many generations. In times past, their spiritual teachers were often “mystically tied” to different parts of the environment: some to the caribou, some the wolf, some the northern lights and some the willow. Kayé Daoyé was one such person. He lived all around Great Bear Lake or “Sahtu” in the Slavey language, but made his home primarily in Edaiila (the Caribou Point area), on the northeast shores of the Lake. Kayé Daoyé was mystically tied to the loche. One day, after setting four hooks, he found one of them missing. This disturbed him — in those days hooks were rare and very valuable — and that night he traveled in his dreams with the loche in search of the fish that had taken his hook. As he traveled through the centre of GBL, he became aware of a great power in the lake — the heart of the lake or the “water heart”. Contemplating this heart, he became aware that it is connected to all beings — the land, the sky, plants, other creatures, people — and that it helps sustain the entire watershed of Great Bear Lake.”

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The Designation Process for the Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve

In 2013 preliminary discussions were held among l n representatives to assess the level of interest in the establishment of a biosphere reserve. Initial interest became support in principle. As discussions progressed, there emerged a strong commitment by elders and key community agencies to move forward with the nomination process. The l n Renewable Resources Council, l n Land Corporation, l n Band Council, l n Charter Community, and the lįn Got’įn Government Negotiating Team all supported the nomination. The quotes that follow summarize the reasons behind this support:

Elder and leader Morris Neyelle: “The lake gives life to the universal: grass, insects, willow, everything.” (in Kujawinski, 2017)

Elder Francis Tatti: “For the land that gives us life, for the land that loves us, for the land we must be caregivers for, for the land that keeps us wandering to share in its beauty and delight”. (emphasis added) (in Tatti, 2015)

The Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve Steering Committee was formed in 2014, and a part-time coordinator was hired. Numerous meetings and discussions were held to develop the nomination form and to broaden and deepen community understanding of the proposal and community support. Open community meetings were held; radio and other information sessions were initiated including school visits. Partnerships with government and non-government agencies were developed. These latter agencies included the Sahtu Land Use Planning Board, Sahtu Secretariat Inc., Sahtu Renewable Resources Board, Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Parks Canada, Environment and Natural Resources, GNWT, several foundations, ENGOs, and other parties. Concurrently, linkages were developed with the Canadian Commission for UNESCO and the Canadian Biosphere Reserves Association, which were instrumental in introducing l n representatives to the family of Canadian biosphere reserves, and supporting and advocating the nomination. In March 2016, UNESCO approved the designation of the Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve, the first and currently the only Indigenous-led biosphere reserve in the international network.

Implications of the Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve and Key Lessons

UNESCO’s designation of the Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve is based on the principles of sustainable development, underscored by Sahtuto’ine spirituality and framed by The Sahtu Dene and Metis Final Agreement, Great Bear Lake Watershed Management Plan, Sahtu Land Use Plan and l n Got’ n Self- Government Agreement. The designation will help ensure that the area continues to be managed according to the principles of sustainable development. It will assist the Sahtuto’ine in achieving their vision for Great Bear Lake: that its waters will remain clean and bountiful forever. The designation will further aid in addressing future challenges, including and increasingly development pressures. The Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve is a showcase for success that can serve as a model and inspiration for others, particularly Indigenous peoples, in the NWT, in Canada and across the globe. It will further serve to showcase the critical role Indigenous traditional knowledge systems and cultural practices play in the implementation of sustainable development goals, including in sensitive environments as is the case in the Arctic.

There are at least two aspects of the designation that warrant further discussion: the process leading to the designation; and the implementation mechanism now in place.

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The process leading to designation was fully inclusive of the community. Lead by the elders, supported by the leadership and assisted by a senior outside advisor with lengthy experience in working within government circles and with funding provided by a key foundation, communication within the community was comprehensive and ongoing. Numerous community meetings were held, and the steering committee met publicly for several days bi-monthly. Radio announcements and on-air discussions were frequent, and the general public was given every opportunity to engage in the discussions. From the outset, the community had a veto as to whether the project would proceed. This was unambiguous: without community support, particularly that of the elders and leadership, the nomination process would not proceed. This approach provided the assurances the community required: This was their project, and not something being imposed by outside agencies. Similarly, outside agencies were aware that despite their support for the nomination, it was not their call to make. In short, engagement was ongoing, comprehensive led by the community elders and leadership, supported by key individuals and agencies, and the entire project was subject to community veto. These were the key ingredients to success in l n .

The Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve Stewardship Council, a registered NWT society established pursuant to the NWT Societies Act, now leads biosphere implementation. The Council includes representatives of the l n Renewable Resources Council, other key l n agencies, Parks Canada, elders, and youth. Advice is provided by resource management boards, federal, territorial and Sahtu government agencies, industry representatives, and other interested parties as appropriate. Decisions of the Council are made by consensus. l n residents comprise the entirety of the Council. The commitment to sustainable development in accordance with UNESCO principles and Sahtuto’ine spirituality is now entrenched in the l n Got’įn Government constitution.

Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve Challenges and Opportunities

Despite the obvious success of the Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve, there remain significant challenges. Human and financial capacity within the community is limited. Direct and tangible support from governments at all levels is largely absent, perhaps in part a result of an ongoing misunderstanding about the purpose of a biosphere reserve, in part due to concerns related to politics and control, and in part from a lack of awareness of the opportunities presented by the designation. The need remains for ongoing meaningful and effective engagement to better sensitize governments about biosphere reserve roles and functions. This is clearly a challenge not limited to Tsá Tué but one that applies at least equally to other biosphere reserves, national and international. Linkages with other agencies including universities, UNESCO, UNESCO national commissions and other biosphere reserves need to be developed and strengthened to ensure that research, monitoring programs, cultural programs and education programs are developed and implemented in ways that build community capacity while increasing knowledge of the natural environment and improving biosphere stewardship overall.

The opportunities created by the designation of the Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve are many. Media coverage of the designation celebration raised awareness of the community and the region, bringing with it resources from several environmental foundations interested in supporting the biosphere concept. Media interest continues to bring attention from researchers interested in studying the effects of climate change in largely undisturbed northern ecosystems, and has increased eco- and cultural tourism potential given the growing awareness of the cultural and environmental values of the area. The direct and indirect economic benefits of people visiting the community or contributing financial support continue to create opportunities to build capacity in the community and to increase understanding of the environment. Increased attention to the cultural aspects of the biosphere offer opportunities to

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strengthen traditional culture and practices and to maintain and strengthen the North Slavey language, still spoken by a large majority of the community. and cultural and linguistic protection are among the many benefits of biosphere reserve creation here and elsewhere. Finally, the designation supports and strengthens l n ’s approach to sustainable development, ensuring that responsible economic development proceeds in the context of sound environmental stewardship.

The Challenges of Engagement

Full, respectful and meaningful engagement with affected Indigenous communities is the key to developing biosphere reserves in Indigenous territories. While the importance of Indigenous engagement is generally acknowledged, there are some significant challenges to making that engagement meaningful. Among these challenges are gaining trust and respect, communicating effectively, inadequate resources, capacity limitations, differing agendas and visions, and cultural differences. UNESCO and UNESCO national commissions can and should play key roles in supporting and advocating full, ongoing and effective engagement with Indigenous peoples in all aspects of biosphere reserves.

Communication between cultures is always difficult, and this is exacerbated in the absence of mutual trust and respect. The history of Indigenous peoples leaves them with inherent distrust of outside authorities or organizations, particularly those that have an interest in Indigenous territories, however benign. As the elders of l n note, years of imposed laws and colonization have left a certain legacy. Patience, ongoing communication, clarity of purpose, respect for Indigenous culture, beliefs, spirituality and vision, and clarity of terminology are key ingredients for successful engagement. If different languages are being spoken, then solid interpretation is essential. Above all, interested parties must accept that if the Indigenous peoples do not want to proceed with biosphere designation, the process should stop.

The lack of adequate financial resources is another serious challenge. In most cases, biosphere proponents are volunteers or doing the work off the corner of their desks. Indigenous organizations almost inevitably will not have the financial resources necessary for adequate engagement. Resources need to be secured so that all parties can engage effectively in the process.

Capacity in Indigenous organizations is similarly limited. In most Indigenous communities, the people who would naturally lead biosphere discussions are already fully engaged in other tasks. Once again, financial resources are necessary to attract, retain and train the right people to the task.

Clarity of purpose and clarity of terminology are essential, particularly where different languages are being spoken. The biosphere community must deal with unfortunate terminology, (e.g., “Man” and the Biosphere; biosphere “reserve”) which complicates understanding of the purpose of biosphere designation. Clear and consistent communication regarding objectives, visions, concerns and challenges must be maintained throughout the process. Poor communication can derail the process for all the wrong reasons, despite the best of intentions.

The Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve nomination process dealt with all the above challenges and more. These challenges were overcome because the vision of the elders and the vision of the community, and the steps already taken to achieve this vision, were consistent with the purpose of biosphere reserves. The key building blocks were in place and the foundation was solid, enabling the process to move forward quickly.

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Conclusion

The designation of the Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve endorses and promotes the stewardship approach founded in Sahtuto’ine spirituality and reflected in the Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement, the Great Bear Lake Watershed Management Plan, the Sahtu Land Use Plan and the l n Final Self Government Agreement.

While the context for the designation of the Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve is unique, it offers important lessons for other biosphere initiatives. The designation reflects both the spirit of reconciliation in Canada and a return to traditional sovereignty within modernized governance structures.

In the past, laws were often imposed on the Sahtuto’ine with little or no consultation. The cooperative development of the Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve and the implementation of its various programs and plans is an opportunity to re-set the relationship for all three levels of government: l n Got’įn Government, Government of the Northwest Territories and Government of Canada. It provides an opportunity to work together for the benefit of the region, to capture the social, economic and cultural benefits that will accrue as a result of this designation. The same can be said for the opportunities represented by other biosphere reserves, national and international.

For the first time a biosphere designation has been achieved by an Indigenous community. This success will help ensure that more Indigenous communities have the opportunity to do the same, or at minimum, to be fully engaged in all aspects of biosphere designation and management. This, in turn, will contribute to broader reconciliation efforts, as new opportunities to promote dialogue and rapprochement are created. Ultimately, as understanding of the purpose of biosphere reserves grows, the current resistance – deliberate or otherwise – to full inclusion of Indigenous peoples in all aspects of biosphere reserve development and management will diminish and hopefully in time disappear. In the end, governments and other agencies will realize there is nothing to fear from Indigenous-led biosphere reserves. Rather, much is to be gained for all involved. Biosphere reserves created with the full support of affected Indigenous peoples will be much stronger and far more effective than that have been imposed on or established without consultation and full engagement with Indigenous peoples.

To ensure the meaningful inclusion of Indigenous peoples in biosphere development and implementation, clear guidelines should be set by UNESCO where such biospheres would be established in their territories. United Nations and UNESCO declarations including the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the 2016 Lima Declaration on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme and its World Network of Biosphere Reserves, and UNESCO’s developing policy on engaging with Indigenous peoples demand such action. Biosphere nomination forms should explicitly require evidence of support, meaningful engagement and participation of the affected Indigenous peoples. Without clear evidence of such inclusion and support, UNESCO should not approve these new biosphere reserves, and should not renew existing biosphere designations. After all, biosphere designation recognizes exemplary approaches to sustainable development in given areas. Including recognition of the role of Indigenous peoples in the regional management of those areas is clearly both appropriate and necessary.

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Key References

The Wind Waits For No One N hts’ ene s en or h le t’e Spirituality in a Saht got’ n Perspective by Fibbie Tatti B.Ed., University of Saskatchewan, 1982 A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS in Indigenous Education, in partnership with the Department of Linguistics © Fibbie Tatti, 2015 University of Victoria.

Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve Nomination Form. Directed by the Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve Steering Committee. Drafted by David Livingstone. August 2015.

‘‘The Water eart’’ a management plan for Great Bear Lake and its watershed. May 31, 2005 with caveat of February 7, 2006; directed by the Great Bear Lake Working Group and facilitated and drafted by Tom Nesbitt, Déline, Northwest Territories

Guardians of a vast lake, and a refuge for humanity. February 2, 2017. Peter Kujawinski. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/07/travel/great-bear-lake-arctic-unesco-biosphere- canada.html?_r=0

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