INDIGENOUS CITIZEN SCIENCE IN TRADITIONAL BLACKFOOT TERRITORY & THE CROWN OF THE CONTINENT ECOSYTEM: Blackfoot Science, Bison Repatriation & the

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1 INDIGENOUS CITIZEN SCIENCE IN TRADITIONAL BLACKFOOT TERRITORY & THE CROWN OF THE CONTINENT ECOSYTEM: Blackfoot Science, Bison Repatriation & the Earthwatch-Kainai Community Fellows Advancing Citizen Science in Alberta: Changing Perspectives, Breaking Barriers Workshop Allard Hall, MacEwan University Edmonton, Alberta September 26 & 27,

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3 1. EARTHWATCH-KAINAI CITIZEN SCIENCE RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP BACKGROUND: - In October 2012, an acquaintance and Facebook friend of Cristina Eisenberg (Chief Scientist, Earthwatch Institute), Kevin Van Tighem (conservationist, author & retired Superintendent of Banff National Park) suggested Cristina befriend Narcisse Blood on Facebook. - Narcisse Blood was a Blackfoot (Kainai) elder, teacher, artist, film maker & an advocate of sustaining the Blackfoot language & culture. - Narcisse befriended Cristina & they met face-to-face in Waterton in August They spent the evening trading stories & at the end of the evening, Narcisse said I want you to do the research you do on our land. - Narcisse had read Cristina s books (The Wolf s Tooth & The Carnivore Way) and thought the research Cristina was doing could initiate effective conservation research and sustainable management on tribal lands. - A friendship began that eventually led to the Earthwatch-Kainai Citizen Science Research Partnership. 3

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5 1. EARTHWATCH-KAINAI CITIZEN SCIENCE RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP - A partnership initiated by the late Narcisse Blood began to materialize in 2016 through discussions with Earthwatch (Cristina Eisenberg) & members of the Kainai Ecosystem Protection Association (KEPA). - A proposal was developed & submitted to the Blood Tribe Chief & Council and in April 2017, the Earthwatch Institute (based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA) and the Blood Tribe came to an agreement to begin a 3 year partnership to conduct research on Blood Tribe lands (Blood Reserve & the Blood Timber Limit) with the assistance of Kainai Fellows and Earthwatch volunteers.

6 1. EARTHWATCH-KAINAI CITIZEN SCIENCE RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP Goals: In keeping with the Kainai Ecosystem Protection Association (KEPA) Strategic Plan unanimously adopted by the Council in 2016, and Article II (Conservation) of the Buffalo Treaty, the goals of our project are to: Help establish environmental and sustainable controls and options for the Blood Tribe (Goal #3) Incorporate traditional knowledge and values into daily operations (Goal #4) Prepare and plan for environmental changes and critical issues (Goal #5) Protect ecosystems and resources within Blackfoot Territory (Goal #6) Objectives: To that end, we propose to support the Blood Tribe by helping: Identify, collect data on, and assess activities that impact the environment (Objective #3.1) Create field education, work, and collaboration opportunities involving Elders and youth (Objective #4.1) Identify, assess and establish baseline data on changes and critical issues (Objective #5.1) Map environmental changes and critical issues in Blackfoot Territory (Objective #6.1) 6

7 1. EARTHWATCH-KAINAI CITIZEN SCIENCE RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP Questions: The baseline data we propose to gather will answer the following questions: Q1 What is the ecological condition of the grassland in Beebe Flats? Q2 What is the ecological condition of the aspen in Beebe Flats? Q3 What is the presence/distribution of the large herbivores and large carnivores in this landscape? Q5 What is the land cover of aspen and grass in Beebe Flats? Q4 What ecological restoration activities are indicated to meet Kainai goals? Inventory Timeline: This project will consist of three phases: 1) assessment, 2) restoration, and 3) monitoring, with the current work focusing on Phase 1. We are following the schedule in Table 1, which has been approved by the Blood Tribe Chief & Council, with all activities to take place at Beebe Flats and other sites identified as elk winter range within the Blood Timber Limit. 7

8 1. EARTHWATCH-KAINAI CITIZEN SCIENCE RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP Research Timeline Date Spring 2016 Spring 2016 Summer 2016 Summer 2017 Fall 2017 Winter Spring 2018 Summer 2018 Fall 2018 Fall 2018 Winter Spring Summer 2019 Action Submit proposal KEPA presentation and field trip Scope Blood Timber Limit (BTL) study site Data collection, aspen, grass, BTL Preliminary data analysis Prepare and submit report and database Data collection, wildlife, BTL Data collection, aspen, grass, BTL Data analysis Develop restoration strategy Prepare two-year report, with assessment and restoration plan TBD depending on ecological restoration to be implemented

9 1. EARTHWATCH-KAINAI CITIZEN SCIENCE RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP Establish plots in aspen and grass habitat; Assess aspen size/age structure; Methods Assess grassland species composition, including proportion of native and non-native species; Measure elk presence and herbivory in this landscape on a fine scale; Collect data on hooved animal and large carnivore presence, using noninvasive methods (pellet transects); Collect data on traditional Kainai use of fire, plants and animals in this ecosystem; Map extent of aspen cover.

10 1. EARTHWATCH-KAINAI CITIZEN SCIENCE RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP What We Contribute to the Kainai First Nation: Kainai student data collection and training on methods; Field technician jobs for tribal members; Graduate school funding for Kainai tribal members; Support for Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and ethnobotany working with tribal elders and scholars to apply their ecological knowledge to the research; Data that can be used to manage natural resources and conduct ecological restoration. Our policy is to share all data we collect always.

11 1. EARTHWATCH-KAINAI CITIZEN SCIENCE RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP What the Kainai Can Contribute to Our Study: Traditional Knowledge insights on flora, fauna, first foods and the landscape; Kainai field technicians who are connected to the landscape; Traditional Knowledge working with tribal elders, ecologists, and leaders, to apply their knowledge to the research; Data that can be used to deepen our research.

12 1. EARTHWATCH-KAINAI CITIZEN SCIENCE RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP 47 Years of Citizen Science that brings together TEK, Western Science and Restoration Ecology 1,426 projects 105,000 volunteers 10,000 fellows 11 million hours of data collection WLNP/Kainai projects: Forestry and wildlife sampling 221 volunteers 68 hrs fieldwork/volunteer 15,028 hrs data collection/4 yrs

13 Restoring Fire, Wolves and Bison to the Canadian Rockies Cristina Eisenberg, David E. Hibbs, Curtis B. Edson, Brenda McComb, and Daniel C. Donato An Earthwatch Project Funding will include work on the Blood Timber Limit

14 1. EARTHWATCH-KAINAI CITIZEN SCIENCE RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP Citizen Science with Earthwatch Earthwatch Institute, founded in 1971, was one of the first to do citizen science. Unique team-based, researcher-facilitated citizen science model involving scientists/principal investigators from 120 countries around the globe Direct training and supervision in field, data collected/entered/analyzed under direct guidance of PI/field research team to ensure data QA/QC Participants can be members of the general public or community members, teachers, and students supported by fellowships. Over the years, Earthwatch-supported scientists working with participants (also called volunteers) have produced hundreds of peer-reviewed scientific journal articles, contributed to management plans on local and global scales, helped establish protected areas and helped prevent species extinctions (Chandler et al. 2016).

15 2. FRAMING THE LANDSCAPE & FIELD RESEARCH The Traditional Blackfoot Territory included lands in what are now Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana and Wyoming and was bounded on the West by the Rocky Mountains, on the North by the North Saskatchewan River, on the East by the Great Sand and Cypress Hills and on the South by the Yellowstone River.

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17 The Crown is internationally recognized for its biodiversity and landscape form. In relatively short distances and small areas, landscapes range from flat grasslands to soaring peaks; from rock and ice to lush forests; from uninhabited wilderness to denselypopulated settlements. This varied landscape sees a likewise varied range of wildlife species and vegetation communities. A full complement of large carnivores and ungulates can be found in the region, and valleys in the Crown of the Continent serve as important wildlife movement corridors, representing one of the last areas with the potential for such large-scale connectivity.

18 The 'Crown of the Continent' ecosystem is one of North America's most ecologically diverse and jurisdictionally fragmented ecosystems. Encompassing the shared Rocky Mountain region of Montana, British Columbia and Alberta, this 28,000 square mile / 72,000 square kilometre ecological complex spreads across two nations; across one state and two provinces; and across numerous aboriginal lands, municipal authorities, public land blocks, private properties, working and protected landscapes.

19 Y2Y YELLOWSTONE TO YUKON Stretching some 2,000 miles in length (3,218 km), the Yellowstone to Yukon region is one of the last intact mountain ecosystems left on Earth. It is home to the full suite of wildlife species that existed when European explorers first arrived and it is the source of clean, safe drinking water to 15 million North Americans. 19

20 Bridging the Divide between TEK and Western Science: Two Study Sites Waterton Lakes National Park, AB Blood Timber Limit, AB UNESCO World Heritage Site Biosphere Reserve, International Peace Park Only 3% of short fescue grassland left in Canada, most is here. 97% intact grassland Tribal Timber Land, 2000 ha Closed to non-tribal use since 1960 Illegal introduction of non-native grasses ~40% intact grassland Foothills-Parkland and Montane ecoregions All large carnivores present historically, including wolverines and lynx 20

21 Ecological Characteristics of Colonialism A manmade world Man over nature Command-and-control management Killing all the large predators Killing all the bison Clear-cutting forests Draining wetlands Eliminating fire 21

22 Colonialism and 1800s Dewilding

23 Banff National Park, AB: Bison Belong 2016 IUCN American Bison Specialist Meeting Feb Bison Reintroduction, Banff Iinnii Initiative 23

24 Effective Land Restoration Requires TEK/Western Science Partnerships Earthwatch Institute ( ) Parks Canada ( ) Kainai First Nation ( ) MTU, OSU WCS Iinnii Initiative 24

25 Blood Timber Limit, AB Using Traditional Knowledge and Community Ecology to Assess Blood Timber Limit Health and Sustainability Waterton Lakes National Park Fire and Elk Ecology and Wolf Predation Risk Effects in Aspen and Grassland Communities in Waterton Lakes National Park 25

26 Waterton Restoration Background & Objectives Prescribed Fire Date Size Y-Camp May ha Eskerine April ha Y-Camp re-burn May ha Eskerine re-burn May ha Y-Camp re-burn April 2018? Management Objectives: Restore rough fescue prairie Restore aspen stands Assess bison habitat Cristina Eisenberg, PhD David E. Hibbs, PhD

27 Two Views about Fire Nature as a garden tended by benign and frequent fire, often ignited by people or under their control Nature as a wild landscape subject to uncontrollable and destructive fire

28 Unexpected Extreme Event: Kenow Wildfire August 30, 2018, lightning strike in southeastern BC, Canada Fire made its way north and east, eventually crossing into WLNP on Sept 11, Raced through the forested valleys overnight, into the Park s grasslands, and moving out into lands adjacent to the park in the Municipal District of Pincher Creek. Burned 140,000 acres with extreme severity Burned traditional bison lands; did not burn the Blood Timber Limit

29 Unexpected Extreme Event: Kenow Wildfire

30 Our Partnership: Mutual Gains Kainai student data collection and methods training Field technician jobs for tribal members Data co-owned, used to manage tribal natural resources and conduct ecological restoration. TEK working with tribal ecologists, leaders, and elders to apply their knowledge to the research Kainai field technicians who are connected to the landscape Data that can be used to deepen our research 30

31 ECOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO EXTREME FIRE Eskerine Complex WLNP Pre-Kenow Fire July 2017 Eskerine Complex WLNP Post-Kenow Fire July 2018

32 3. FIELD RESEARCH ACTIVITIES Kainai First Nation 54 Community Fellows Kainai High School Student Fellows 9 Kainai High Faculty and Mentor Fellows 8 Kainai Community Fellows 5 10 day field data collection in Waterton and on Timber Limit Participation by elders Blackfoot Science

33 During the field seasons, 109 Earthwatch participants joined our project from Canada, the UK, Japan, Spain, Italy and the US. Of these volunteers, 53 were Kainai First Nation Community Conservation Fellows consisting of Kainai High School students, faculty, and community members.

34 Blackfoot Science

35 Blackfoot Science: Learning from Our Elders, Ceremony to Honor the Land Mike Bruised Head Peter Weasel Moccasin

36 2018 SWEAT LODGE CEREMONY & BISON FEAST 36

37 Blackfoot Science: Engaging the Next Generation 37

38 Blackfoot Science: Revelations of the Kenow Wildfire 38

39 Tracking Wolves Tracking Fire 39

40 4. A WORK IN PROGRESS NEXT STEPS: Wild Bison on the Blood Band Ranch Mixed-grass s prairie 100% native grasses 40

41 Blood Band Ranch Established 1930, 19,000 acres Conservation n land managed for sustainable ranching Semi mi-arid, Dark Brown, Sandy Loam Precipitation/ n/yr yr, 1000 Growing Days 41

42 Acknowledgments and Questions? Funding Partners: Earthwatch Institute Blood Tribe Kainai Board of Education Parks Canada Oregon State University AGL Foundation Whitefish Community Foundation Davin Family Trust Eisenberg Family Trust Our field technicians and graduate student: Chris Anderson Elliot Fox Alex Shade Dustin Fox Justin Bruised Head Kansie Fox Cristina Eisenberg cristinaeisenberg.com 42