Guardians

UINR’s Guardian Program Liaison Coordinator works with Eskasoni, Membertou, Potlotek, Wagmatcook, and We'koqma'q First Nations to promote a coordinated and collaborative effort to protect natural resources in the Mi’kmaw traditional territory of Unama’ki.

Each of the five Unama’ki communities maintain an agreement with Fisheries and Oceans Canada for the delivery of their Aboriginal Fisheries Strategy (AFS) program which outlines their community's access to fisheries resources for Food, Social, and Ceremonial use. The AFS program also provides resources for the delivery of community guardian programs.

UINR’s Guardian Program Liaison Coordinator works to facilitate discussions between guardians and Federal and Provincial governments to assist communities in broadening their AFS programs to enable them to take a more wholistic approach to natural resource management.

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UINR Partnership Tenets

UINR Partnership Tenets

May 12, 2021Aquatic Stewardship, Commerical Fisheries, Forestry, Guardian Program, IPCA, Library, Media, Moose, Netukulimk, Partnerships, Research

As a Mi’kmaw organization, we value insights from Western science and we also value our own ways of knowing and being. Given the interest in Two-Eyed Seeing, reconciliation and the need for many projects to collaborate and partner with Indigenous peoples, we would like to provide guidance on how this can be achieved with UINR. … Read More

Indigenous Protected & Conserved Areas (IPCAs) Report

September 25, 2020Guardian Program, IPCA, Netukulimk, News, Partnerships, Research, Species at Risk

This report was commissioned to describe the initiation of an exploratory study gathering Mi’kmaw views from all five communities in Unama’ki – Eskasoni, Membertou, Potlotek, Wagmatcook and We’koqma’q – regarding what they think is important to include in a management plan for Mi’kmaq-led Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs). The study used the Kluskap Wilderness … Read More

What is Killing the Eagles?

What is Killing the Eagles?

May 10, 2017Guardian Program, News

We are! We are finding sick and dying eagles in the Highlands and elsewhere and there is no secret to the cause. Eagles are being exposed to highly toxic lead by eating shotgun pellets, bullet fragments or lead fishing tackle. Eagles ingest lead when fishing or scavenging dead animals. Dangers of lead are well-known and … Read More

Look what we found! 

Look what we found! 

January 11, 2017Guardian Program, News

Here is a couple of photos of an American Marten taken by one of the wildlife cameras in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. UINR’s Unama’ki Guardian Coordinator Keith Christmas, with Unama’ki guardians, helped Parks Canada with this project last year. In March 2016 we set out eight trail cameras at various locations across the … Read More

Get the LEAD OUT of the Highlands

Get the LEAD OUT of the Highlands

October 3, 2016Guardian Program, Moose

A free exchange of lead ammunition and fishing tackle will be held during UINR’s annual Blair J. Bernard Memorial Feast in the Highlands on Hunter’s Mountain on Thursday, October 6, 2016 on the Hunter’s Mountain. Bring your dangerous lead bullets and fishing gear and exchange for copper ammunition and eco friendly fishing tackle. Clifford Paul, … Read More

Culvert Remediation

Culvert Remediation

April 21, 2016Guardian Program, News

UINR’s Keith Christmas shows some students our work on culvert remediation. The high school students are in the Options and Opportunities program which offers students more hands-on learning experiences with a career focus, and prepares them for successful transitions from high school to work, a career path, or a post-secondary program.   keith@uinr.ca

How Old is That Moose?

How Old is That Moose?

March 24, 2016Guardian Program, Moose, News

Guardians from Unama’ki gathered at a day-long workshop in Baddeck to learn how to determine a moose’s age based on a close examination of its jaw bones. Jeremy Smith, Wildlife Technician with Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, conducted the workshop using material from the recent Parks Canada moose harvest in the Highlands. keith@uinr.ca

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