Łutsël K’é, NWT — ​This summer, visitors will be able to access Thaidene Nëné National Park Reserve lands and waters for recreational activities such as boating, fishing, trekking and shoreline lunches. The national park reserve is part of Thaidene Nëné Indigenous Protected Area (IPA), which also includes a territorial protected area and a proposed conservation area, which was established in August 2019.

Parks Canada recognizes that there are significant health and wellness benefits to being outdoors during this time.

Thaidene Nëné National Park Reserve and Thaidene Nëné Indigenous Protected Area have special requirements for visitors. Visitors are asked to plan ahead by checking the Thaidene Nëné National Park Reserve website before they travel to find out more information about the rules and regulations that apply:

• Visitors must register at the following website, prior to travelling in the national park reserve: https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/nt/thaidene-nene/visit/inscription-registration
• Parks Canada fishing permit is required for national park reserve visitors who want to fish. Fishing permits are available for purchase online.
• The community of Łutsël K’é is the nearest gateway to Thaidene Nene National Park Reserve.
• The Łutsël K’é Dene Band asks that visitors hold off visiting the community at this time. Inquiries can be made by emailing: tdndepartment@gmail.com.​​

Łutsël K’é, NWT — Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation in the Northwest Territories has been named one of 10 winners of the 2020 Equator Prize. Awarded by the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Equator Initiative, the prestigious prize celebrates Indigenous peoples and local communities pioneering nature-based solutions to climate change and for sustainable development.
 
Łutsël K’é was recognized for its decades-long work to establish Thaidene Nëné—an Indigenous Protected Area, that has been protected working in concert with its Territorial and Federal governing counterparts, that spans 6.5 million acres (26,376 km2) at the transition between boreal forest and tundra. It will permanently protect the forest, tundra and freshwater systems of Tu Nedhé  (Great Slave Lake).
 
The Equator Prize is awarded roughly every two years to recognize and advance local sustainable development solutions for people, nature, and resilient communities. This year, Łutsël K’é was selected from among nearly 600 nominations in more than 120 countries. The award winners represent global leaders who are pioneering Indigenous-led strategies for sustainably protecting, restoring, and managing ecosystems to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, help communities adapt to climate change, and create a green new economy.

Iris Catholique
Thaidene Nene Manager, Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation
tdndepartment@gmail.com

Łutsël K’é, NWT – It is well known across the north that the Bathurst caribou herd’s population has declined by 98 percent and the herd is on the verge of collapse. To support the effective stewardship of caribou, and especially the recovery of the Bathurst caribou herd, the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation’s Chief and Council have formally approved a community-led caribou stewardship plan called Yúnethé Xá Ɂetthën Hádi.

Based on extensive community engagement, the foundation of this plan is Łutsël K’é Dënesųłı̨né beliefs, values, and stories shared at “Caribou Talk” meetings held in the community. At Caribou Talks, Łutsël K’é elders, hunters, and monitors shared their observations of few calves and smaller groups of Bathurst caribou traveling together. One attendee shared: “In the past, every cow would have a calf. Now, it seems less than a quarter of the cows have calves.”

Currently, the plan applies to Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation members within the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation traditional territory, including the newly established Thaidene Nëné protected areas. The plan outlines hunting policies, protocols, and activities to encourage and support respectful hunting practices based on Łutsël K’é Dënesųłı̨né values and practices.

​Chief Darryl Marlowe 
(867) 447-3099
chief.lkdfn@gmail.com  ​

Łutsël K’é, NWT — The Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation in the Northwest Territories have become the new owners of the Frontier Fishing Lodge, just a few kilometres from their community of Łutsël K’é on Tu Nedhé (Great Slave Lake).

As the official Gateway to Thaidene Nëné, Frontier Lodge will continue to offer world-class fishing and will add new adventures and cultural programs interpreted from the Łutsël K’é Dene perspective. Plans are underway to make much needed capital improvements to Frontier Lodge, including upgrades to buildings, furniture, fixtures and equipment, and incorporating traditional arts and crafts into the design. 

The new ownership also follows this summer’s establishment of Thaidene Nëné by the Łutsël K’é, in partnership with the Canadian Government and Government of the Northwest Territories.

​Chief Darryl Marlowe 
(867) 446-3099 
chief.lkdfn@gmail.com 

​Łutsël K’e, NWT — On Wednesday, August 21st, Chief Darryl Marlowe of the Łutsël K’e Dene First Nation (LKDFN) will sign agreements with the Parks Canada Agency and the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) to jointly establish Thaidene Nëné (“Land of the Ancestors” in Denesǫłine Yati, the local Indigenous language) as a large new protected area in the Northwest Territories.

Thaidene Nëné will permanently protect 26,376 km2 of nationally significant boreal forest, tundra, and freshwater ecosystems in and around the East Arm of Great Slave Lake and beyond. These pristine ecosystems, highlighted by sharp cliffs, deep lakes, and rushing rivers, teem with caribou, muskoxen, wolves, and fish. These healthy ecosystems sustain the culture and livelihood of the Łutsël K’e Dene First Nation and other Northern communities.