by Dennis Sizemore, Round River Co-Founder and Executive Director

For generations upon generations, the people of the Kwanlin Dun First Nation, and Carcross/Tagish First Nation have lived along the lakes and rivers of the Yukon River headwaters. Today the Southern Lakes First Nations continue to maintain their intimate relationship to and their commitment as stewards to the land, water, fish, and wildlife, supporting large intact ecological systems, unique plant communities, spawning Chinook and sockeye salmon and the Yukon’s highest mammal diversity. Wildlife species supported within the Southern Lakes include caribou, moose, mountain goat, Stone’s and Dall’s sheep, grizzly and black bear, wolf, wolverine, coyote, beaver, ground squirrel, hare, raven, ptarmigan, golden eagle and many others. In addition, the vast and abundant wetlands, large lakes and river systems provides for spawning salmon, song birds and large numbers of other migratory and resident birds.

Recognizing the importance of regional planning and to best prepare for government-to-government land planning, the Kwanlin Dun First Nation and the Carcross/Tagish First Nation formed a collaborative partnership to initiate the Southern Lakes Indigenous Land Use Plan. The Southern Lakes Indigenous Land Use Plan builds upon the foundational sources of First Nation strengths including community, culture, heritage, traditional knowledge, and self-governance, while also leveraging the tools of technology and western science. A central product of this planning is the development and implementation of a Cultural and Ecosystem-Based Conservation Design for the combined traditional territories. This analysis will identify and prioritize areas across this landscape for their conservation importance and the relative risks to both their cultural and ecological importance. Given that approximately 75 percent of this ecoregion remains intact, the establishment of additional protected areas will be important considerations of the planning process.

Project Activities: July 2018 – July 2019

To best take advantage of the current favorable political forces, the Southern Lakes Steering Committee is committed to completing this land plan and to be into meaningful negotiations and collaborations with the Canadian and Yukon governments. The below activities represent necessary first steps to best prepare a solid foundation for this important work.

  • To conduct an exploration of best practices for Indigenous Land Use Planning, strategic governance, and decision-making models;
  • To develop an Engagement and Communications Strategy for First Nation communities, government, and the public;
  • To conduct a gap analysis on work to date documenting Southern Lakes Traditional Land Use and Knowledge and support necessary new research;
  • To initiate the regional conservation area design by conducting a technical gap analysis for cultural and ecological work to date, develop detailed work planning and commence preliminary spatial mapping products;
  • To aid the Northern Mountain Caribou Conservation and Management Plan specifically in examining habitats, connectivity, cumulative effects, and impacts of climate change;
  • To aid the Southern Lakes Salmon Conservation Initiative in habitat identification and mapping, understanding cultural resiliency and food security, salmon resilience, and developing restoration strategies and initiatives.

These above project activities will be carried out by Southern Lakes First Nation staff members, consultants to the First Nations and the staff members of Round River.