Poplar River First Nation

"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 as First Nation people in this territory have had this natural environment for generations. We have lived off this land. We have sustained our families on this land. We do not have pollution, our trees in their natural state are still there, including our boreal forest. The animals and all living things are well in our area and we want to keep it that way." -Poplar River community member

Poplar River Today

The community of Poplar River possesses a progressive and effective governance structure and management systems, providing housing, schooling, recreational services, community health and child care, elders' services and residences, community policing, and related water, sewer and power infrastructure to community members.

Goldman Award for Poplar River

Sophia Bittern Rabliauskas, by Tom Dusenbery

Sophia Bittern Rabliauskas and Poplar River First Nation, won one of six major international environmental awards in April 2007, for efforts to secure permanent protection from development of their traditional lands.

The recognition "means a lot," said Rabliauskas. "Not only I, but the whole community... has worked tirelessly to protect the boreal forest."

Sophia Bittern Rabliauskas is the only Manitoban to ever be named for the award; only a handful of Canadians have won the award. Former Assembly of First Nations grand chief Matthew Coon-Come won in 1994 for a campaign to protect the Cree wilderness in Quebec from a hydroelectric mega project.

Rabliauskas and the Poplar River Elders believe returning to the forest is the key to a healthier future. "To preserve the land means preserving our people," she said.

Elders Said to Plan and Study
It all began over a decade ago, when community Elders made a decision that’s directly responsible for the award decision. They told their community that the Aniskinabek way of looking after the land and the right given to them to care for the land was not being acknowledged and respected by governments and industry. They worried loggers would come to cut down the trees and hydro development would occur without consulting them.

The Elders directed the people to find a way to ensure that this land would be protected from development and that their right to speak for, and determine what happens within the land they consider to be their Traditional Territory, would always be honored.

The community realized they had to communicate beliefs, values and understanding in a way that governments, industry and all Manitobains could understand. The community started to document and map land use, ancient, recent history and present. They learned to combine Traditional knowledge and science. This work eventually evolved into a comprehensive land protection and management plan - the Asatiwisipe Aki Lands Management Plan.

Poplar River's plan shows how the community is documenting, protecting and sustainably managing Poplar River's forests, wildlife and other natural resources. The plan outlines core components: respecting traditional knowledge; benefiting from environmental analysis; developing economic opportunities, including protection of traditional hunting, trapping and fishing activities; and creating sustainable tourism opportunities.

Once Sophia Bittern Rabliauskas and Poplar River's current efforts to secure permanent protection of their land are realized, they will focus on another goal - to achieve UNESCO World Heritage listing for a large boreal forest region in Manitoba and Ontario that includes Poplar River's lands.

Interim protection by provincial regulation has been in place since 1999. Poplar River First Nation has formally requested permanent protection steps from the Manitoba government. Lands plans, protected lands and a combined lands management strategy are essential for the World Heritage Site evaluation.

View the Winnipeg Free Press slideshow about Sophia and Poplar River First Nation
Watch the CBC video clip about Sophia and the Goldman Prize: Quick Time or Real Media
View the Goldman Foundation profile, acceptance speech, and slides of Sophia Rabliauskas

View more media articles about this award on the News page.

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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