Evolution of a Community Caribou Stewardship Plan

Yúnethé Xá Ɂetthën Hádı (Caribou Stewardship Plan) is the basis of further habitat management and conservation planning for the entire Łutsël K’é Dene traditional territory and the Thaidene Nëné Indigenous Conservation Area.

The initial idea to develop a community caribou stewardship plan came from Shonto Catholique, a young hunter and staff member of the Wildlife, Lands, and Environment Department (WLED), who graduated in spring 2020 from the Northwest Territory’s Environment and Natural Resources Technology Program. Shonto served for a time as the Interim Manager of WLED.

In 2018, Shonto attended the North American Caribou Workshop in Ottawa, Ontario. He listened to Indigenous peoples from across the continent talk about the same challenges we are facing at home: the caribou herds we rely on for physical, cultural, linguistic, emotional, and spiritual sustenance continue to decline, despite territorial or provincial governments efforts to manage caribou herds. He listened to people from Délı̨nę, Northwest Territoriesm talk about creating and implementing their own caribou conservation plan, Belare wı́lé Gots’ę́ Ɂekwę́, and he thought LKDFN should create our own plan to help the caribou recover.

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"Hearing about how the Délı̨nę Government had made their own caribou conservation plan. I just felt that the Bathurst Caribou Range Plan wasn’t strong enough to help the herd recover and I thought: Why couldn’t we just make our own plan. So the government isn’t just telling us what to do anymore.”

— Shonto Catholique

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Many of our members share Shonto’s deep concerns about the state of the caribou herds across the Arctic. The caribou no longer reliably return to traditional water and land crossing in our traditional territory. In 2015 and 2016, the caribou did not come anywhere near Łutsël K’é.

Based on our traditional knowledge, we know that natural fluctuations in the number of caribou and where caribou migrate are normal; we have experienced these variations in the past. Sadly, these natural fluctuations have been disrupted and exaggerated by global climate change; mineral and energy resources exploration and extraction; the ice road; past and present commercial, big game hunting; and disrespectful hunting practices. Many believe caribou populations are in decline because the territorial government, private companies, drivers, and hunters are disrespecting them. This must change for the caribou to rebound and come back to us.
 
The Government of the Northwest Territories 2018 survey results for the Bathurst caribou herd and the Nunavut Government’s 2018 survey results for the Beverly-Ahiak and Qamanirjuaq caribou herds’ corroborates and confirms our traditional knowledge findings and our profound concern for the caribou—particularly the Bathurst caribou herd—and it reinforces the need to help ensure other caribou herds rebound and remain healthy.
 
The purpose of Yúnethé Xá Ɂetthën Hádı is to help the caribou populations recover and grow, and to encourage harvesters and hide tanners to practice our Dene way of being. We are the stewards of our land and we have an inherent right and responsibility to protect the land and water, as well as all forms of life. We will exercise this right and responsibility through this plan.

Quick Reference Card for Hunters

Stewardship Poster