A community-based approach to mapping local observations of environmental changes and climate change in the western Canadian Arctic

Environmental changes associated with climate change and other human impacts are already affecting indigenous communities in Canada’s western Arctic, where the rate of temperature increase exceeds global averages.  In the southern Mackenzie Delta Region, Gwich’in hunters, trappers, harvesters and berry pickers are in a unique position to observe changes and provide insights as they occur. In partnership with the Gwich’in Social and Cultural Institute, we are using participatory photography and video to map and monitor local observations of environmental conditions and changes. In this presentation, we describe a community-based approach that engages Gwich’in youth, land users and elders, and we present our online map database created using local and traditional ecological knowledge.  This project aims to empower communities to respond to uncertainties associated with climate change. The web database serves as a record of environmental conditions and provides a way for community members to share their knowledge and concerns with decision makers, researchers, and other communities.