Sahtu Land Use Planning Board Sahtu Land Use Plan DRAFT 2 April 30, 2009 Sahtu Land Use Plan - Draft 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acronyms ........................................................................................................................ vii Definitions ...................................................................................................................... viii Chapter 1 – Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Target Audience .......................................................................................................... 1 1.3 The Sahtu Land Use Planning Board ............................................................................. 2 1.3.1 Goal ..................................................................................................................... 3 1.3.2 Purpose ................................................................................................................ 3 1.3.3 Mission Statement ................................................................................................. 3 1.4 What is Land Use Planning? ......................................................................................... 3 1.5 Guiding Principles ........................................................................................................ 4 1.6 Methods and Analysis .................................................................................................. 6 1.7 Scope and Application of the Sahtu Land Use Plan ........................................................ 7 1.7.1 Location ............................................................................................................... 7 1.7.2 Context ................................................................................................................ 9 1.7.3 Activities Subject to the Plan .................................................................................. 9 1.7.4 Activities Outside the Scope of the Plan .................................................................. 9 1.7.5 Exempt activities ................................................................................................. 10 1.7.6 Land Ownership .................................................................................................. 12 1.8 Regulatory Context .................................................................................................... 13 1.9 Document Overview .................................................................................................. 13 Chapter 2 – Description of the Sahtu Settlement Area .......................................................... 14 2.1 Geographic Location .................................................................................................. 14 2.2 Land Ownership and Organization .............................................................................. 14 2.2.1 Local Leadership ................................................................................................. 15 2.3 People of the Sahtu ................................................................................................... 15 2.3.1 Sahtu Dene and Metis ......................................................................................... 15 2.3.2 Sahtu Communities ............................................................................................. 16 2.3.3 Population Demographics .................................................................................... 18 2.3.4 Culture ............................................................................................................... 20 Language ................................................................................................................ 20 Traditional Knowledge .............................................................................................. 20 Traditional Place Names ........................................................................................... 21 Sahtu Dene and Metis Spirituality .............................................................................. 21 Burial Sites .............................................................................................................. 24 Powerful and Significant Places ................................................................................. 24 April 30, 2009 Page i Sahtu Land Use Plan - Draft 2 Metis Special Areas .................................................................................................. 24 Youth and the Land .................................................................................................. 24 Ongoing Relationship with the Land .......................................................................... 25 Rakekée Gok’é Godi: Places We Take Care Of ............................................................ 25 2.4 Biophysical Environment ............................................................................................ 29 2.4.1 Geology .............................................................................................................. 29 Glaciation ................................................................................................................ 29 Surficial Geology ...................................................................................................... 29 Permafrost ............................................................................................................... 29 2.4.2 Climate ............................................................................................................... 30 Temperature ............................................................................................................ 30 Rainfall .................................................................................................................... 30 Snowfall .................................................................................................................. 31 Climate Change ........................................................................................................ 31 2.4.3 Watersheds ........................................................................................................ 31 2.4.4 Landcover .......................................................................................................... 33 Boreal Biome ........................................................................................................... 33 Forest Fires .............................................................................................................. 35 2.4.5 Ecozones, Ecoprovinces and Ecoregions ............................................................... 37 Ecozones ................................................................................................................. 37 Ecoprovinces ............................................................................................................ 37 Ecoregions ............................................................................................................... 38 2.4.6 Wildlife ............................................................................................................... 43 Special Harvesting Areas .......................................................................................... 44 Important Wildlife Areas ........................................................................................... 44 2.5 Economic Development ............................................................................................. 50 2.5.1 Commercial Fishing ............................................................................................. 50 2.5.2 Forestry .............................................................................................................. 50 2.5.3 Tourism/Outfitting............................................................................................... 50 2.5.4 Power Development ............................................................................................ 53 Hydro-Electricity ....................................................................................................... 53 Biomass Energy ....................................................................................................... 54 2.5.5 Oil and Gas ......................................................................................................... 55 The Mackenzie Gas Project (MGP) ............................................................................. 55 2.5.6 Mining ................................................................................................................ 57 2.5.7 Transportation & Infrastructure ........................................................................... 60 Winter Roads ........................................................................................................... 60 Mackenzie Valley Highway Extension ......................................................................... 60 Barges ..................................................................................................................... 60 Air Travel ................................................................................................................. 60 2.6 Regulatory Environment ...........................................................................................