Poplar River First Nation - Further Research

"The land is so important to us it is
just like sacred or holy ground."
- John Charles McDonald, Elder

Poplar River, Manitoba
R0B 0Z0
P:204-244-2267
F:204-244-2690

"We need to protect our land, to tell people what to do and not to do. The Elders did that. When they spoke everyone listened." -Edward Valiquette, Elder

"There are communities like ourselves all over the country who have long looked after lands not as owners, but as caretakers of this great land. This is how we were taught as Native people; land is not something you own, land is a gift that you use, to live on it, to protect it and look after it. That principle was used by our people and continues to be used today." -Poplar River community member

"The Poplar/Nanowin River Park Reserve is an area that is a portion of the 4th largest piece of territory in the world that is untouched and untampered. It has a natural ecosystem that is the foundation of health and strength in our community. It is a model that we can all learn from to understand why protection is necessary." -Poplar River community member

"Life is about healing and nurturing your body, your spirit. Without the life we receive from the air, the trees, the water, and animals, we will not survive. Let us do all we can to help keep the natural forests that we have to sustain us." -Poplar River community member

Lands Management Plan

Further Research - Traditional Lands

Poplar River First Nation's lands management plan documents the ecological integrity of our traditional territory and we recognize that these lands represent an opportunity for natural science research on ecological issues. As part of our commitment to maintain the Asatiwisipe Aki Lands Management Plan as a living document and to update and implement the plan, Poplar River continues to forge research partnerships and support collaboration and cooperation with scientists. Our objective is to develop and sustain an environmental research, monitoring and audit program.

Peatlands Carbon Monitoring Project

As a natural and intact boreal region, studies within our traditional lands hold the potential to increase our understanding of the implications of climate change and the role an intact boreal forest can play in maintaining carbon stocks and avoidance of carbon release that would contribute to climate change.

It is estimated that 60% of Canada's carbon inventory is stored in peatlands, yet these areas have not been adequately studied and are not being widely monitored for climate change impacts. The risk is that climate change may result in the release of large amounts of carbon from peatlands due to reduced moisture content and persistent fires. Manitoba has one of the largest area coverages of wetlands among the provinces (41% or 224,700km² of Manitoba's 548,495km² of land area).

Peat project survey team

By studying and learning about the extent to which the protection of our traditional territory safeguards carbon stocks and by assessing the risks to carbon stored in peatlands as a result of climate changes that are already happening, we will be providing climate change benefits, increasing our knowledge, and helping Canada to meet its Kyoto commitments.

The long-term goal of the peatland monitoring project is to establish several boreal forest/peatland monitoring and research sites in order to:

obtain information about carbon storage in peatlands

carbon accumulation rates for various classes of peatlands
baseline moisture levels
carbon inventory data for climate change impacts monitoring

explore, document aboveground and belowground biodiversity
study fire and other natural disturbances in the boreal forest
apply traditional knowledge in study design, site selection and integrate with western scientific approach
apply innovative field technologies
train members of Poplar River First Nation in data collection and environmental monitoring methods/techniques to facilitate an ongoing monitoring program

Peatlands Monitoring Phase One - Summer 2007 Fieldwork

Poplar River First Nation has partnered with Dr. Diane Malley of PDK Projects, Inc. for our peatlands carbon monitoring research. Dr. Malley will be applying her knowledge and experience in NIRS to the analysis of moisture and carbon content in peat samples. We are also grateful for the participation and support of peatland specialist, Dr. Jim McLaughlin of the Ontario Forest Research Institute, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.

The first phase of the peatlands project took place in July 2007. Four project team members arrived in Poplar River to meet with the four community members of the project team. The five-day field trip included preliminary site visits to identify sampling sites and initiate belowground sampling of representative types of peatlands in the area.

Peat project sampling

Scientists and Elders collaboratively determined potential sampling sites to be visited during the field trip, based on knowledge of the land and the desired variation in types of peatlands for sampling. Community members were involved in all aspects of the field research - sharing knowledge of the land as well as assisting with peat sampling and data recording.

The 2007 project team consisted of:

John Charles McDonald, Poplar River First Nation Elder
Alec Hudson, Poplar River First Nation
Norway Rabliauskas, Poplar River First Nation
Waylon Bittern, Poplar River First Nation
Dr. Diane Malley, PDK Projects, Inc.
Dr. Jim McLaughlin, Ontario Forest Research Institute, OMNR
Sandra Wawryszyn, Ontario Forest Research Institute, OMNR
Kristin Bingeman, Whelan Enns Associates

Peat samples collected on the field trip have been taken to labs to be prepared for analysis using Near Infra-red Spectroscopy (NIRS). Analysis of carbon content and moisture content will take place over the fall/winter of 2007.

For more information about this project, please visit PDK Projects' website

Download the PDK Project's July 2007 report: Putting Manitoba Peatlands on the Map (PDF)

For more information about the analysis of peat using NIRS, download PDK Projects' EnviroSpects (No. 3) publication (PDF)

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Contact Ray Rabliauskas, Lands Management Coordinator
Poplar River, Manitoba, Canada R0B 0Z0 Ph: 204-244-2267 Fax: 204-244-2690
E-mail: info@PoplarRiverFirstNation.ca or the webmaster@PoplarRiverFirstNation.ca