First Nations protecting boreal forest

A project to protect the boreal forest for future generations, known as the Pimachiowin Aki World Heritage Project, began in 2006. Seven years later that project may result in northern Ontario’s first UNESCO world heritage site, if an expected decision falls the right way.
The project aims to “achieve international recognition for 33,400 square kilometres of land in Manitoba and Ontario as a UNESCO world heritage site,” and a decision from UNESCO is expected any day now.
Alex Peters, a member of Pikangikum First Nation and co-chair of the Pimachiowin Aki World Heritage project said the project was initiated by the community Elders.
“They wanted to designate a site for the whole world to see that our land is beautiful,” said Peters. “Our Elders went down river to see if there was any other interested communities that would join hands with us and we found our relatives down river from us at Little Grand Rapids, Pauingassi, Poplar River and a couple years back Bloodvein River.”
Together, the five communities approached the Manitoba and Ontario provincial governments to secure “world heritage status for the largest protected-area network in the North American boreal shield,” according to the press release.
Peters said that despite the provincial backing, they have had no support from Aboriginal Affairs.
“The department that is supposed to help us, INAC, hasn’t put a cent towards this project. A couple of years back we met with them and we asked them if they would support this project,” said Peters. “They said no. No, and no. They gave us three no’s. We’ve managed to come this far without their support, we’ve been at this since 2006, so almost 10 years.”
Peters said they should expect an answer from UNESCO any day now.
The press release reads that the UNESCO nomination process includes community consultations, research, mapping and land management planning.
The nomination for this project was sent in January of 2012, and “the decision-making process generally takes 18 months.”
Gord Jones is the project manager for the Pimachiowin Aki World Heritage project. He said the First Nations people came together among the thousands to cooperate with the provincial government towards protecting their land and supporting their culture.
“With their leadership, a formal partnership was formed in 2006 and these groups have been working together through a non-profit corporation to complete a UNESCO world heritage site nomination package,” said Jones. “There’s been a process of evaluation going on and there is a meeting with the world heritage committee in June this year where there will be a final determination.”
He said this is an opportunity to conserve the area for the future and that is part of the communities’ motivation, to take care of the land and protect it. He added that by doing this, they are able to maintain their cultural traditions and use of their land for hunting, fishing, gathering and for spiritual purposes.
“I am pleased that Ontario and Manitoba are working together to protect and manage the proposed Pimachiowin Aki site in conjunction with our First Nation partners in both provinces,” said David Orazietti of the Ministry of Natural Resources Ontario. “This area of boreal forest provides an important habitat to a number of species and holds great significance to the traditional Aboriginal way of life. Ontario is proud to support Pimachiowin Aki as a UNESCO World Heritage site.”
Manitoba’s minister of conservation and stewardship, Gord Mackintosh said the agreement between the two provincial governments and the five First Nation communities is “an important step toward ensuring the heart of the last intact forest of its kind left in the world is protected and managed for generations.”