The Pimachiowin Aki Management Plan: A case-study of collaborative planning in Canada’s boreal forest.

Jennifer Pritchard in collaboration with Jim Thomas, MCIP, CSLA.

Abstract

The willingness to go beyond normative planning practices requires radically different approaches to interpreting and representing the landscape. It requires exploring new ways of incorporating Indigenous landscape values into planning processes using a collaborative and co-operative framework for engagement. The Pimachiowin Aki Plan, created by Hilderman, Thomas Frank, Cram deserves recognition because of its outstanding approach to generating and representing Indigenous landscape values. The approach is rooted in upholding transparency, relationship building, knowledge sharing, trust and mutual learning. The The Pimachiowin collaborative and value-based approach used during the Aki Management Pimachiowin Aki Management planning process resulted in Plan is part of the a community-based plan that acts as a blueprint for future sustainable economic development for the territory. This nomination package planning approach is unique in that Indigenous thinking and for UNESCO perceptions shaped and guided the creation of the plan - World Heritage Site the plan was built upon existing community land-use plans and serves a symbol of the co-operative and collaborative designation and will process. constitute the official This approach to planning successfully weaves Anishinaabe management plan worldviews with submission requirements set by the United if the nomination is Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization successful. (UNESCO) and is a contemporary example of cutting-edge co-operative planning practice in .

1 Background 50 km The Pimachiowin Aki N planning story originates from the vision of five Poplar River Anishinaabe communities and their need to collectively and collaboratively protect and manage the cultural and Pauingassi ecological integrity of the Little Grand Rapids 2 Pikangikum planning areas: 33,400km Bloodvein of boreal forest in Eastern Manitoba and northwestern .

Translated to the land that gives life, Pimachiowin Aki reflects the intimate associations of the natural and cultural worlds that Map: Approximated Pimachiowin Aki Management Area. make this vast tract of Nation communities and two northern forest far more provincial governments. The Actions and than a spectacular boreal Corporation aims to establish Effects “wilderness” landscape. and manage the Pimachiowin Anishinaabe presence and Aki World Heritage Site As a unifying document, the activities, including customary according to shared management plan reflects land management practices, principles of mutual respect the policies and land-use have had material effects on and collaboration. categories established the land with which they have in each of the local land- co-evolved. The plan is based on use plans, integrating and the Protected Areas and coordinating their provisions The duty of the planner in First Nation Resource across the nominated area, this story was to compile and Stewardship: A Cooperative and focusing protection on create the Management Plan Relationship Accord (the safeguarding outstanding for the proposed Pimachiowin Accord), which was signed universal values of the Aki World Heritage Site, by the Pimachiowin Aki territory. which includes two provincial communities in 2002 under parks and a conservation the common vision based on The plan brings together and reserve, as well as all or an acknowledgement that applies Indigenous Traditional parts of the ancestral lands the Creator, the maker of all, Knowledge, technical of the five Anishinaabe First has placed everyone on the sciences, customary Nations, including: Bloodvein same land. “The Creator has stewardship practices, River, Little Grand Rapids, given us the responsibility to provincial government Pauingassi, Pikangikum and protect and care for the lands policy, and co-management Poplar River. on which we were placed… accountability structures. the Creator has given us The plan will be implemented Pimachiowin Aki is being a trust and duty to future through a combination of nominated for World Heritage generations of our people.” legislative, regulatory, and status by the Pimachiowin traditional stewardship Aki Corporation, an unprecedented partnership 2 of five Anishinaabe First methods and systems. interpret culturally held was founded on the principles notions of time and space. of collaboration and mutual Under the plan, any Transparency was key, and a respect that are articulated development opportunities general willingness to listen in the 2002 Protected Areas within the nominated area and share perceptions and and First Nation Resource will be pursued only if they views of the project were Stewardship: A Cooperative contribute to economic pivotal in gaining trust and Relationship Accord. viability of the communities participation. and generate land-based These same principles livelihoods that are guided by The success of the plan can apply to managing the Anishinaabe values. Cultural be attributed to the ways World Heritage Site: each and ecological sustainability in which the challenges partner will be responsible will take priority. Any were met – primarily by for management within its commercial development maintaining a collaborative area of jurisdiction, and will would be subject to all and co-operative mindset be accountable to its local applicable provincial and throughout, and by viewing First Nation membership federal assessment and the process as an opportunity or provincial constituency. licensing processes. to articulate and define As partners, the parties local practices. It took agree to coordinate their a relinquishing of pre- activities across the World Applications determined time-lines in Heritage Site through a exchange for a new way of shared governance structure and Lessons seeing the landscape and and a World Heritage Site The lessons learned and the project. It also took time Management Plan. As a applications for planners for the community members partnership, they will be emanate from one of the to realize that they were jointly accountable to the major challenges that in control of the plan and World Heritage Committee, arose during the process. that this was an opportunity the global community, the two The challenge emerged to share their values and provincial administrations, because some of the traditional stewardship the Chiefs and Councils of necessary foundations practices – this was their the respective , were not completed prior to opportunity to explore and and future generations of the commencement of the define the living physical Anishinaabeg. Management Plan, meaning and cultural landscape upon that local land-use plans which they call home. 2. Anishinaabe Stewardship and background studies had and Management Role not been completed when From this, we can draw three the management planning transferable applications The planning process process was initiated. This for planners working in an provided the space and conflict necessitated dialogue Indigenous context. time for the articulation of and interaction amongst the traditional Pimachiowin Pimachiowin Aki Partners 1. A Model for Collaborative Aki stewardship practices. and Study Teams. In the Planning end, the management plan process helped the partners The Pimachiowin Aki to focus and articulate the Management Plan is vision, goals and objectives an exemplary model for for Pimachiowin Aki. collaborative planning amongst First Nation Overcoming this challenge communities and two required great patience provincial governments. The 3 and a keen ability to re- Pimachiowin Aki partnership The Management Plan This transformative applies both Anishinaabe Conclusion approach to planning knowledge and technical The Pimachiowin Aki allows communities to science in the determination Management Plan is an take the driver’s seat of goals, objectives, policies, example of a plan that was on a road towards principles, and in plan created using a cutting- sovereignty and sustainable implementation. Anishinaabe edge planning approach in economic development. beliefs, teachings, and Manitoba. The collaborative The Pimachiowin Aki practices are respected as and co-operative approach Management Plan not only central to sustaining the was guided by Anishinaabe serves as an official World living cultural landscape and beliefs and values - as such, Heritage document but fulfilling the sacred duty to the plan is respected and it also stands as a guide protect the lands for future serves as a written record of for conversations about generations. accountability for sustaining past, present and future the living cultural landscape stewardship practices in the 3. A Living Cultural and fulfilling the sacred duty Boreal forest. Landscape to protect the lands for future generations. The Plan and the planning process both account for The foundations for the plan Pimachiowin non-western world-views by are based on the shared incorporating and exploring vision and core ecological Aki is a holistic the physical expression of the and cultural values of landscape in which complex and dynamic sets the Anishinaabe people. the health of all of relationships, processes The representations of and linkages between the Anishinaabe worldviews beings is intricately culture and the environment. are embedded within the interconnected. A common understanding plan and ensure future land of the landscape was held use and development is To safeguard throughout the process - consistent with Anishinaabe the tradition of that communities remain values. The plan was built Anishinaabe land intricately tied to the upon existing community landscape, engaging in based planning processes use in the cultural activities and livelihoods that and plans, and serves as landscape of the are continuously evolving example of an unprecedented and adapting, but are rooted collaboration between five boreal shield in traditional cultural values, first nation communities and means to sustain relationships with the land two provincial governments. and with the other beings on Pimachiowin Aki as the land. As planners working in an interconnected an Indigenous context, whole. it is important to work collaboratively and co- operatively under the values and beliefs of the local people. It is important for planners to relinquish culturally held-notions of time and space, and be open to more fluid and dynamic tenets of thinking. 4 Project Update

The Pimachiowin Aki nomination bid has progressed since it was submitted to the World Heritage Organization in early January, 2012. The plan has reached Stage 3 of the nomination process and requires external experts from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and from the World Conservation Union (IUCN) to visit Pimachiowin Aki to evaluate the “nominated property” References on the ground and discuss the nomination with the 1. (Accord) Poplar River First Nation, , relevant national, provincial Little Grand Rapids First Nation, Pikangikum First Nation. and local authorities, and the (2002). Protected Areas and First Nation Resource Stewardship: A Pimachiowin Aki partners Cooperative Relationship. Pikangikum. and advisors. The visit will occur during the last week 2. Pedersen, Arthur. Managing Tourism at World Heritage Sites: of August 2012 and will a Practical Manual for World Heritage Site Managers. UNESCO, provide an opportunity for the Paris, 2002. management planning team to experience the landscape 3. Hilderman, Thomas, Frank, Cram. (2011). Pimachiowin Aki and review the management World Heritage Project Management Plan. plan with international World Heritage experts. Images and Map Page 1: UNESCO logo. Source, http://www.moveoneinc.com

Page 2: Map. Source, google maps

Page 3: Moose image. Source, http://www.nrdc.org/

Page 4: Canoe image. Source, http://beaverbarkcanoes.wordpress. com/home/

Page 5: Aurora Boreal Forest image: http://www.karljohnston.com/ photo/taiga/

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