Mikisew Cree First Nation

About Us

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Community Projects

Mikisew Cree First Nation, Alberta
MELODY LEPINE, MIKISEW CREE FIRST NATIONS GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY RELATIONS

Suite A – 8219 Fraser Ave.
Fort McMurray, AB T9H 0A2
melody.lepine@mcfngir.ca

George Whiteknife, Mikisew Cree First Nation
Jocelyn Martin, Mikisew Cree First Nation
Bruce McClean, Mikisew Cree First Nation
Jocelyn Martin, Mikisew Cree First Nation
Brenda Parlee, University of Alberta

As our Community-Based Monitoring program is fully engaged in the work identified for Tracking Change, we feel that we could offer a leadership role in furthering this work including demonstrating how knowledge can be documented efficiently, through a database system, and may be useful in decision-making. The database system we are already developing will better enable us to integrate the local and traditional knowledge already about the water quality, fish ecology and fishing livelihoods, and better use the data we already have including communication with other communities and regions.

For eight years, the Mikisew Cree First Nation (MCFN) have been operating a community-based monitoring (CBM) program based out of Fort Chipewyan, Alberta. The purpose of the program is to better understand the negative changes our Elders have observed in our traditional territories. Of greatest importance to our communities is the need to better understand the negative changes to water quality, water quantity and flow in the Peace-Athabasca Delta. Our CBM staff monitor weekly, the quality and quantity of water flowing at 12 sites from May- October and undertake weekly winter monitoring from October to May. Our findings have shown deterioration in water quality as a result of industrial development and have identified serious concerns with water quantity (flow) which constrains our access to traditional areas.

Mikisew Cree First Nation – Government and Industry Relations,  Fort Chipewyan, Alberta
MELODY LEPINE, DIRECTOR

Suite A 8219 Fraser Avenue,
Fort McMurray, AB T9H 0A2
melody.lepine@mcfngir.ca

For eight years, the MCFN have been operating a Community-Based Monitoring Program, based out of Fort Chipewyan, Alberta to understand the negative changes Elders have observed in the traditional territories. Of greatest importance to the communities was the need to better understand the negative changes to water quality and quantity in the Peace-Athabasca Delta. Findings have identified serious concerns with water quality, which constrains access to traditional areas, as a result of hydro development, oil sands extractions, and climate change. Project objectives are to apply a Navigational Hazard App with the Community Based Monitoring (CBM) staff and community members together to continuously update a database of navigational hazards. Staff and members will use the App to log all potential hazards by recording a georeferenced description, qualitative navigation conditions and photograph. Field data will populate an interactive database and ultimately a map with real time hazard updates. This data will assist community members in adapting to the rapid navigational changes occurring in the Peace Athabasca Delta, by being better informed and thus prepared for safe navigation. It is anticipated that this App will be used in conjunction with other tools (such as expanded CBM monitoring, revised policies, water diversion structures, dredging, modified Peace River flows) to effectively manage water levels in the PAD.

Mikisew Cree First Nation – Government and Industry Relations, Alberta 
MELODY LEPINE, DIRECTOR

Suite A 8219 Fraser Avenue,
Fort McMurray, AB T9H 0A2
melody.lepine@mcfngir.ca

For nine years the Mikisew Cree First Nation (MCNF) has been operating a Community Based Monitoring (CBM) Program, based out of Fort Chipewyan, Alberta, to understand the negative changes our Elders have observed in the Peace-Athabasca Delta (PAD). CBM efforts have focused on monitoring changes to water quality and quantity due to serious concerns about the impacts of upstream hydro-dams and oil sands operations. Our Elders are also observing changes to whitefish, a culturally important species that we rely on for food. Therefore, through this project we seek to advance existing CBM water monitoring efforts, and expand activities to include the monitoring of whitefish. Project activities include: (1) hosting a Whitefish Camp with MCFN elders and youth; (2) continuing CBM water quality and quantity monitoring initiatives; and (3) completing development of a navigational hazard app so that community members can identify where low water levels create navigation hazards and constrain access to their traditional areas in the PAD.  The aim of this work is to better understand changes to the aquatic habitat to support MCFN in protecting our Treaty and Aboriginal Rights, while also facilitating opportunities for elders to connect with youth, share traditional knowledge, and pass on our way of life.

Community Projects

Phone: (780) 697-3740
mikisewgir.com