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Overview of the Northwest Arctic Borough Subsistence Mapping Project
Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly Work Session Presentation
June 23, 2014
Zach Stevenson Project Coordinator
Damian Satterthwaite-Phillips, Ph.D. Anthropologist
Photo by Zach Stevenson.
Overview
Why Document Subsistence Information
Promote Food Security
Promote Economic Development
Geographic Scope
Goals and Primary Objectives
Team Structure
Data Components
Protecting Traditional Knowledge
Documenting Traditional Knowledge
Youth Education
Benefits to Communities
Reporting Measures
Accountability Measures
Accomplishments
Next Steps
Overview of Methods from Damian-Satterthwaite-Phillips, Ph.D., Anthropologist
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Why Document Subsistence Information?
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Living Proof by Terry Tobias is a tool for Indigenous peoples who are looking for ways to assert their ongoing ties to the land or indeed for anyone working with resources on Indigenous territories.
Why Document Subsistence Information?
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To Be in the Driver’s Seat When Decisions Are Made
Why Document Subsistence Information?
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To Inform Regional Decisions Impacting Food Security and Economic Development
www.telegraph.co.uk
www.alaska-in-pictures.com
Why Document Subsistence Information?
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To Inform State and Federal Decisions Impacting Food Security and Economic Development
http://gomex.erma.noaa.gov/erma.html#x=-88.25810&y=27.03211&z=6&layers=17770+5723+19038+19041
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Promote Food Security
“Protection of subsistence uses and resources shall be given the highest priority.” Northwest Arctic Borough
Code 9.25.020 Areawide Standards
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Promote Economic Development
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“The Northwest Arctic Borough Subsistence Mapping Project
is about Getting to Yes
when considering new development.”
Northwest Arctic Borough
Mayor Reggie Joule
Noorvik Community Meeting
October 29, 2012
www.nwabor.org
Geographic Scope: Northwest Arctic Borough Zach Stevenson, Project Coordinator
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The Northwest Arctic Borough is located 40 miles above the Arctic Circle in Northwest Alaska.
The Northwest Arctic Borough is one of the most sparsely populated regions in Alaska.
The region is the size of Ohio and has 11 communities including Kivalina, Noatak, Selawik, Noorvik, Buckland, Deering, Kotzebue, Kiana, Ambler, Shungnak, and Kobuk.*
The region’s estimated 2013 population is 7,685 people of which 80.2% are Alaska Native or Native American (United States Census Bureau).
The mining industry’s payroll is the largest in the region, contributing 27% of the earnings in 1997 (Alaska Department of Labor, 1999).
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game documented annual subsistence harvests ranging from 347 lb per capita in Kiana (2006) to 940 lb of wild foods per capita in Kivalina (1983).
Harvesting a beluga whale. Photo from NAB.
Red Dog Mine. Image from www.nana-dev.com. *The current project includes the 7 underlined communities.
Project Goals and Primary Objectives Zach Stevenson, Project Coordinator
Advance Northwest Arctic Borough Code Area Wide Standards 9.25.020 and Comprehensive Plan Goals (1993) to maintain the Iñupiaq culture, promote subsistence and development, and protect the environment.
Compile existing subsistence related literature for Northwest Alaska.
Document traditional knowledge and science regarding subsistence use (where people look for food by season, by species, and by taxa).
Document traditional knowledge and science regarding important ecological areas (where species reproduce, raise young, feed, and migrate).
Identify resource development areas and begin planning process to reduce environmental impacts and balance development and subsistence.
Four year-project. By May 2015 produce updated atlas showing subsistence use and IEAs to support Borough permitting and zoning and aid in implementing federal plans.
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Fish and seal meat drying. Photo by Zach Stevenson.
John Chase hauling in a net. Photo by Zach Stevenson.
Project Team Structure
Dr. Damian Satterthwaite-
Phillips, Anthropologist
Lance Kramer, Traditional Knowledge Specialist
Raymond Lee, Jr. Village
Coordinator Buckland/Deering Ellenore Sunii
Jackson Coordinator
Selawik/Noorvik Alvin Ashby, Sr. Village
Coordinator Noatak/Kivalina
49 Advisors (7 communities with 7 Advisors
each)
Zach Stevenson, Project
Coordinator
Glenn Gray , Project
Evaluator
Noah Naylor, Planning Director
Reggie Joule, Mayor
Oceana, Dr. Chris Krenz
Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game, Nicole Bream
Data Components
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Library
Electronic copies of source and project generated materials (maps, photos, video,
and audio
Bibliography
Searchable guide to information in the Library and GIS Data (includes description
of each piece of information)
GIS Data
Geographic information (points, lines, polygons, images, and descriptive
information)
Northwest Alaska Subsistence Literature
Collection
Identifies existing formal science on subsistence and traditional knowledge in
the Borough
Database
Protecting Local Traditional Knowledge
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All information collected from villages is confidential. Permission to share information from
villages must approved in writing. Interviewees provided with an informed consent document explaining how local traditional
knowledge will be used in the project, by whom, for what purpose, compensation, risk associated with participation, and measures to protect confidentiality.
Advisory Group Members and Interviewees receive compensation for providing local
traditional knowledge.
Draft maps reviewed by village-based Advisory Groups.
All draft maps containing traditional knowledge stored on a password protected computer.
Once approved, maps will be used to support decision making and be available in a final report to be shared with the Tribal Councils, City Governments, Northwest Arctic Borough, NANA, industry, state and federal agencies, and organizations.
The goal is for an approved final report to be featured on a website.
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Documenting Traditional Knowledge Lance Kramer, Traditional Knowledge Specialist
Local Iñupiat People of the NWAB have been relying on TK (where to look for food by season, how to harvest, process, and prepare it) for hundreds of years in order to survive and thrive.
Each current TK holder has not only his/her knowledge, but the wisdom of their ancestors’ countless generations of careful observations, testing, and refining.
TK is a qualitative science. It’s litmus test isn’t a paper put out in a journal to be reviewed by peers, but instead it’s the mass, quality, and variety of foods put away.
We’ve tapped into this vast knowledge bank by interviewing 150 TK holders from 7 coastal communities of where they look for food by season.
The TK data is gathered in a scientifically defensible way and subject to peer-review.
Another example of TK marrying Western Science is the Kotzebue IRA’s Seal Tagging project where local hunters used TK to help scientists capture live seals and install remote satellite tags.
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Photo from Lance Kramer.
Photo from Lance Kramer.
Promoting Youth Outreach and Education Lance Kramer, Traditional Knowledge Specialist
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The younger generation of local Iñupiat (ages 18-34) subsist LESS in both mass and variety, than the mid and upper generations (based on our interview data).
To curb this trend, we developed quarterly YOE activities in each of the 7 villages to teach the youth what’s available at certain places at certain times, how to harvest, how to process, and how to prepare their catch for food.
We’ve budgeted about $1800/activity. Lesson plans will be added to the project.
Photos from Lance Kramer.
Benefits to Communities
Employs six village personnel. Provides $573,643 for village personnel, per diems, honorariums,
travel, and lodging with CIAP funding. Provides $382,316 for village personnel with Shell funding. Provides $61,950 for village quarterly youth activities with Shell
funding. Provides $39,159 for documentation of sites important to hunting,
fishing, and gathering with ConocoPhillips funding. Provides $36,677 for U.S. Coast Guard Six-Pack Captain’s License
training and certification with ConocoPhillips funding. Provides $50,396 for village personnel and travel with Oak
Foundation funding.
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Reporting Measures
Quarterly evaluations. Quarterly reports. Twice-monthly updates to the Project Evaluator, Project Team, and
Planning Director. Regular updates to the participating communities. Updates to the NAB Planning Commission. Project overview and update at a meeting of village representatives in
Kotzebue for the CIAP Marine Debris initiative. Strong interest expressed by Upper Kobuk delegates for expanding the mapping project to Ambler, Kiana, Kobuk, and Shungnak (June 6, 2014).
Project overview and update provided during a National Science Foundation webinar involving scientists working on food security and other issues in the Arctic (June 3, 2014). See https://arctichub.net/.
Conferences (2011, 2012, and upcoming October 29-30, 2014). Community Meeting in Noorvik (October 2012). Updates on the KOTZ AM 720 Kikaa radio program.
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Reporting Measures
Supported development to the film “Weather and Climate” produced by Sarah Betcher. Featured in the film are Cyrus Harris, John Gallahorn, Lorena and Wit Williams, Siikauraq Whiting, Ross Schaeffer, Seth Kantner, Tracy Gregg and many more. The activities of subsistence hunters, fishers and gathers are dramatically affected every day by weather and changing climate conditions. Having accurate information to gauge ice thickness, wind, temperature can make the difference between success and failure, safety and danger. “Weather and Climate” takes us to seven communities (Kotzebue, Kivalina, Point Hope, Noatak, Ambler, Buckland and Deering) to find out how people there deal with and adapt to ever changing and less predictable environmental conditions. Running Time: 35 minutes. The film was made possible with support provided by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and a small donation from the Northwest Arctic Borough Subsistence Mapping Project thanks to a contribution from ConocoPhillips. See: http://www.farthestnorthfilms.com/.
Project overview and status update to Tribal IGAP Program representatives and other stakeholders at the at the 2014 Alaska Forum on the Environment (Anchorage, Alaska).
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Reporting Measures
Project overview and update to Dr. Erika Key, Arctic Observing Network Program Manager, National Science Foundation – August 2013 (Kotzebue, Alaska).
Project overview and status to Dr. Anna M. Kerttula de Echave, Arctic Social Sciences Program Director, National Science Foundation - August 2012 (Arlington, Virginia).
Project overview and status to the scientific community at the 2013 and 2012 Alaska Marine Science Symposiums (Anchorage, Alaska).
Coverage in the Aug. 2013 CIAP Surge Newsletter “Iñuuniałiqput Iḷiḷugu Nunaŋŋuanun (Documenting Our Way of Life with Mapping): Improving Subsistence Information to Implement Federal Plans.”
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Reporting Measures
Coverage in the U.S. Department Interior of Report to the President addressing Promising Approaches to Managing for the Future in a Rapidly Changing Arctic (April, 2013). See: See: Brendan. P. Kelly, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, John P. Clement, Department of the Interior, and John L. Bengston, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “Managing for the Future in a Rapidly Changing Arctic: Report to the President.” Interagency Working Group on Coordination of Domestic Energy Development and Permitting in Alaska. Department of the Interior. April 3, 2013. Chapter 4.2: Promising Approaches. Page 41. Online: http://www.doi.gov/news/upload/ArcticReport-03April2013PMsm.pdf
Coverage in the Arctic Sounder “Subsistence mapping project brings expert to Arctic.” Zach Stevenson. March 2, 2012.
Coverage in the Arctic Sounder “Subsistence mapping project strengthens traditional knowledge for future generations.” Zach Stevenson. Feb. 7, 2011.
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Accountability Measures
Implements the measurable goals and objectives outlined in the CIAP-funded grant “Improving Subsistence Information to Implement Federal Plans.”
Follows the terms outlined in 43 CFR Subtitle A (10–1–07 Edition), Subpart C—Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments.
Follows a project work plan. Follows a project budget. No funds have been returned. Participated in the Aug. 7, 2013 NAB Strategic Planning Meeting. The Project
Coordinator provided three recommendations for inclusion in the Borough’s strategic plan, including:
o Successful completion of the project by May 2015. o Securing funds to include Kiana, Shungnak, Kobuk, and Amber to
provide for Upper Kobuk subsistence mapping after May 2015. o Formation of a NAB Science Department to provide traditional
knowledge and science to help inform Borough decisions impacting food security and development.
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Accomplishments
Image: ESRI and Architect Magazine, 2011.
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Selawik Comprehensive Subsistence Harvest Survey o Household survey completed
October 2011. o Final report received in Jan. 2014. o A final report, a short findings
summary provided to all households in the study communities, and community data set added to the ADF&G Community Subsistence Information System. See: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/sb/CSIS/index.cfm?ADFG=commInfo.summary.
Accomplishments
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In April 2013 the Northwest Arctic Borough Subsistence
Mapping Project was featured in this Department of Interior
Report to the President addressing Promising
Approaches to Managing for the Future in a Rapidly
Changing Arctic (Chapter 4.2).
Village Subsistence Mapping Advisory Group Meetings o All Advisory Group Members Appointed - 7
in each village (Noorvik, Selawik, Deering, Buckland, Noatak, Kivalina, and Kotzebue) - 49 total.
o Completed 150 subsistence mapping interviews.
o Completed village review of draft subsistence maps.
o Completed documentation of local traditional knowledge addressing the mapping of important ecological areas in the vicinity of Noorvik, Selawik, Deering, Buckland, Noatak, Kivalina, and Kotzebue.
Accomplishments
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Documenting Local Traditional Knowledge Developed protocols for the protection of local traditional
knowledge. Developed methods for collection of subsistence
information (where people look for food by season, age/sex, location, and species).
Developed draft methods for documentation of important ecological areas.
Developed four-year work plan, timeline and project calendar.
Conducted peer review of project methods.
Accomplishments
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Community Participation Convened subsistence mapping conferences in 2011 and 2012 with
over 100 participants from villages and leaders of mapping projects in Northern and Western Alaska. Next conference is scheduled for June 2014.
Helped organize and deliver project information at the Workshop on Improving Local Participation in Research in Northwest Alaska convened by the Northwest Arctic Borough and University of Alaska Fairbanks Chukchi Campus funded by the National Science Foundation (April 2014).
Noorvik Community Meeting (Oct. 2012). Secured $100,000 from ConocoPhillips to document local traditional
knowledge of subsistence. Sponsored U.S. Coast Guard Captain License Training and
Certification.
Accomplishments
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Collected Existing Subsistence Information Developed annotated bibliography containing more
than 2,000 reports and publications on subsistence in Northwest Alaska.
Developed electronic mapping database using a geographic information system (GIS). The database has tens of thousands of records.
Collected map data from various sources addressing subsistence use areas, Iñupiaq place names, biological information, and resource development information.
Accomplishments
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Maps Developed base maps in partnership with the Traditional
Knowledge Specialist, Village Coordinators, Advisory Group Members, and Project Coordinator. Maps have also been used in 2013 and 2014 for search and rescue related purposes.
Mapped subsistence areas in the seven participating villages. Mapped important ecological areas in the seven participating
villages. Developed Iñupiaq place name maps made for review in each of
the villages. Developed steps to confirm the correct name, spelling, and
location of the place names. Tested to check data are statistically representative and complete
for each village.
Next Steps (June 2014 – May 2015)
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Provide youth education and outreach activities in 7 communities to share traditional knowledge with youth addressing how harvest and process traditional foods.
Conduct field work in seven communities using photos and video to document traditional knowledge of hunting, fishing, and gathering.
Check draft maps reflecting traditional knowledge of Important Ecological Areas (IEAs) defined as where animals feed, breed, rear young, and migrate by season.
Share draft atlas with Advisory Groups, Tribal Councils, Cities, and Assembly.
Taikuu. Thank you.
For More Information Contact: Zach Stevenson Project Coordinator Northwest Arctic Borough Planning Department 163 Lagoon Street/P.O. Box 1110 Kotzebue, Alaska 99752 800-478-1110 x110 (Toll-free) 907-442-2500 x110 (Direct) 907-442-2930 (Fax) [email protected] (Email) www.nwabor.org (Web)
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Photo provided by Virgil Naylor.
Photo by Zach Stevenson.
