SUBSISTENCE LAND USE UPPEI?kKON PORCUPINE COMMUNITIES, ALASKA DINJII NATS'AA NAN KAK ADAGWAANDAII Richard A. Caulfield Technical Paper No. 16 This research was partially supported by ANILCA Federal Aid funds, administered through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, AK, SG-1-5, SG-1-6, SC-1-7, and SG-1-8. Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Subsistence Fairbanks, Alaska June 1983 SUBSISTENCE LAND USE IN UPPER YUKON-PORCUPINE , ASKA ABSTRACT This report documents the extent of land used for the harvest of wild resources by residents of the Upper Yukon-Porcupine -communities of Arctic Village, Birch Creek, Chalkyitsik, Fort Yukon, and Venetie. Land use maps depict areas used over the lifetimes of residents currently living in those communities. A brief overview of historic and prehistoric land use patterns is included to provide a context for understanding contemporary use. A summary of use patterns of wild resources for the region, as well as the annual round of resource harvest activities for each conununfty, is presented. Finally, factors which influence land and resource use patterns in the region and concerns of local residents about wild resources are discussed. The data for this report were gathered between 1980 and 1982 using formal and informal interviews and participant-observation. Land use by non-community based households, an important element in regional land use patterns, was not included in this report due to funding and time limitations. The data presented in this report demonstrate that the residents of the study communities have used, and continue to use, extensive areas of the Upper Yukon-Porcupine region for the'harvest of wild resources. Use of land for this purpose is an integral component of a mixed, subsistence-based socioeconomic system in the region. Much of the documented land use occurs within newly- _ created federal conservation areas, including the Yukon Flats and Arctic Nation- al Wildlife refuges. Research has determined that relatively distinct and well-defined areas of contemporary land use exist for each study comnunity. These areas of use fall within those described previously for traditional Gwich'in Athabaskan bands, providing evidence of continuity between past and present land use patterns. Residents occasionally travel. beyond their connnunity's area of use when large seasonal resource migrations of salmon or caribou are available. Respondents from Fort Yukon, furthermore, report use of areas which overlap those of certain other nearby communities, perhaps reflecting expanding pressure of a regional population center upon local resources or continuing sociocultural ties to outlying communities. Other -factors which were determined to influence the nature and extent of community land use included resource dynamics, economic factors, social organization, and cultural traditions. Both disfiibution and exchange patterns and elements of customary law were found to influence contemporary land and resource use. Sharing and exchange networks were documented both within and between communities in the region and to a lesser degree beyond the region. Arctic Village and Fort Yukon, in particular, were found to be major sources of caribou and salmon, respectively, for the region as a whole. Elements of customary law were identified pertaining to the use of land, harvest.'strateqies, procurement methods, use of harvested resources, and conservation of resources and habitat. The report's conclusion suggests that resource managers examine the applicability and utility of custom- ary law in addressing contemporary resource conservation issues. ABSTRACT IN GWICH'IN ATHABASKAN Dinjii Nats'aa Nan Kak Adagwaandaii Jii t'ee nijin gwa'an Vashr&$ K'QQ,Deenduu, Jalgiitsik, Gwichyaa Zhee, Viniht&& jidii gii'ii nijin gwa'an nagaazhrii, luk keegii'in, khyqh gaadlii ts'a' nijin gwa'an jak gqghtsii geegwaandak. Aiits'a' than geegwaandak khaii, shin, shreenyaa, khaiits'a' nin nilehts'i' t'iichy'aa, fuk, gwanzhjh t'agggchy'aa. Aiits'a' than nan deegwqht1'oo gwich'in n&i eenjit vaghaii gweedhaa nili& ts'a' jaghaii giit'q+hchy'aa. Jii khaiinkQQ aii than nats'aa jii gwich'in r&i nats'aa t'eedagaa'in gwi- gwiheendal. Oil haa gwitr'it t'agwah'in n&i, gas, oil haa duulee vadzaih iheendal ginyaa. Laraa kantii n&i than Deenduu chyy giveh'an iiheezyy ginyaa. Ch'izhii than geegwaraandak, - oonduk gwats'an naazhrii n&i than duulee tr'ikhit gwandaii lei& gahaahkhwaa. Dinjii ch'atthgii agwaa'ee n&ii duulee gwintl'oo gavaa nigwihee'aa. Law k'eejit ahtsii n&i duulee dinjii eenjit ch'ijuk gwahahtsyaa. Nan gwik'it teedanahot1'oo t'agwqghchy'aa jii nan kan t'eedaraa'in eenjit. Jii nan gwik'it teedanahotl'oo tr'ahtsii d3.i tr'ookit kwaiik'it khatihgijii n+ai akoodarahnyaa aiitl'ee t'ee juu gaandaii n+ii aragookwat ts'a' geegwitr'it t'agwah'in. Zhehk'aa datthak kwaiik'it gwizhit ts'a' giriheekhyaa gwik'ee gwarandaii gaa Gwichyaa Zhee aii akwaa. Gwichyaa Zhee aii gwintsii geh'an ts'a'.-juu nan gwintl'oo t'qphchy'aa n&i zhrih ts'a' girinhe'. Jii nan gwik'it teedanahotl'oo aii t'ee kwaiik'it gwatsal gwa'an t'oonchy'aa. Dzaa gwa'an t'ee dinjii n+ii naraazhrii glnyaa, 1uk keegii'in, ch'ag$ahtsii, ts'a' khyah gaadlii i gogwandaii gwizhit. Ch'izhii than van, han, ddhah vakak gwigweech'in. Gwich'in oozhri' than. Jii t'ee deegwahtsii kwallk'it dinjll nan haandail geegwaandak. Duulee dinjii nan t'aahchy'aa datthak t'irinlik kwaa dQhIii. At'oohju' hee jii gwitr'it gakaagwaraah'aii gwandaa gwitr'it gwarahaht- syaa goo'a$i. Jii t'ee nijin dii-government t'eedaraa'in geenjit k'eedeegwaadhat ji' nats'aa jii nan t'eegwahaahchy'aa akQQ deegwahtsii dinjii nan t'gahchy'aa gaagiheendaii aiits'a' deegwahtsii dinjii eenjit gogwanlii gaagiheendaii. Akoodi- gwinyaa than kwaiik'it gwich'in n&i nan k'eeraghtii gwits'oonya' luk, ch'atth&$ kwaii ts'a' nan than. A~QQthan ch'atthaia k'aahtii x-q&i dinjii zhuh k'eegogohthat jidii ch'adai' gwik'it geedaa. Arctic Village gwich'in n&i vadzaih eenjit rule gahtsii gwik'it dinjii nqii nil$i zhyaa angahahtsyaa kwaa ts'a' nats'aa ninghit d&' khygh tee gwik'eegaahlii gwik'it. Jii jyahts'a' t'ee nihlaa gwitr'it t'aragwahah'yaa nin akQQnan haa eenjit. ii CONTENTS LIST OF MAPS .............................................................. V LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................... Vi LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS ....................................................... vii LIST OF TABLES ............................................................ iX NOTE ON THE USE OF GWICH’IN ATHABASKAN .................................... xi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. Xiii PHOTO ESSAY . xv CHAPTER 1. THE STUDY .................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................. 1 Purpose ...................................................... 3 Research Objectives ................................. ..t ...... 4 Background Literature ........................................ 5 The Study Conxnunities ........................................ 5 Methodology .................................................. Data Analysis ................................................ 1: - CHAPTER 2. THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE: A REGIONAL OVERVIEW .......................................... 15 Environmental Setting ........................................ Historical Overview of Regional Land Use ..................... Socioeconomic Overview ....................................... CHAPTER 3. RESOURCE USE SUMMARY FOR UPPER YUKON-PORCUPINE COMMUNITIES .................................. 51 The Nature of Resource Use ................................... 51 Moose ........................................................ Caribou ...................................................... 6”: Dall Sheep ................................................... 68 Bear ......................................................... 69 Wildfowl ..................................................... 70 Small Mammals ................................................ 72 Fish ......................................................... 74 Furbearers ................................................... 77 Fuel and Structural Materials ................................ Vegetation ................................................... :f CHAPTER 4. ARCTIC VILLAGE LAND AND RESOURCE USE ......................... 87 Environmental Setting ........................................ 87 Land Use Patterns Over Time .................................. 87 The Contemporary Consnunity ................................... 94 Annual Cycle ................................................. Land Use Summary ............................................. lo? iii CONTENTS (Continued) CHAPTER 5. BIRCH CREEK LAND AND RESOURCE USE ............................ 111 Environmental Setting ........................................ 111 Land Use Patterns Over Time .................................. 111 The Contemporary Community ................................... 114 Annual Cycle ................................................. 118 Land Use Summary ............................................. 121 CHAPTER 6. CHALKYITSIK LAND AND RESOURCE USE ............................ 127 Environmental Setting ........................................ 127 Land Use Patterns Over Time .................................. 127 The Contemporary Community ................................... 132 Annual Cycle ................................................. 133 Land Use Summary ............................................. 137 CHAPTER 7. FORT YUKON LAND AND RESOURCE USE ............................