On Feb. 3 the Algonquin Moose Committee announced that work towards the preservation and development of moose in Réserve faunique La Vérendrye (RFLV) will begin.

Representatives of the Anishinaabe Nation along with the Government of Quebec initiated the work leading to a four-year framework agreement on moose management in the region.

A technical committee made up of government and community experts (biologists and conservation specialists) was established to . . .

analyze the status of the moose herd in RFLV. In doing so they may also need to carry out studies and research of the land, according to the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks (MFFP), but that has not been determined yet.

From the MFFP, Mr. André Dumont and Ms. Caroline Trudeau, both biologists associated with the management of wildlife, for the Outaouais and Abitibi-Témiscamingue regions. The team from the Anishinaabe community includes, Pierre-Luc Bastien, biologist for Kitigan Zibi, Joël Odjick, conservation specialist, and Mario St-Georges, biologist for the Anishinaabes of Barrière Lake.

Over the next few months, studies around moose habitat and the effects of forestry, tourism, and human activity will be conducted accordingly.

One of the main measures currently put in place is a two-year moratorium on sport hunting in the RFLV, the MFFP told The Equity.

In an emailed response from the MFFP, they said “The government’s objective is to agree on long-term collaboration to foster greater participation by the Anishinaabe Nation and ensure better harmony in the wildlife reserve.”

The first objective, noted Lucien Wabanonik the principal negotiator for the First Nation community, “is to have a new plan for the moose management, and something that we want to give our input in. But not just give our input but to have control of it, and have the capacity to make decisions.”

He stated that this is also happening on unceded traditional land–meaning it was never ceded or legally signed away to the Crown or to Canada.

This project is not just about preserving the land but also educating the Anishinaabe people and the youth about the importance of preservation, as this is part of their culture and traditions that they need to come back to, added Wabanonik.

“We are a people, we are a nation, we have human rights also. But you know, we’re still using the land, and people are really affected by the condition of the moose population. So this is something that we really care about.”

It’s also about showing the next generation how they lived in the past, he noted. “We had our own medicine, we had our own traditional knowledge, and it wasn’t about survival, we prospered,” said Wabanonik.

One of the aspects he pointed to was how many people don’t know what is happening on these lands and that hopeful through the work that they do they can better inform the public on the state of the moose as well as other animal species, “It’s got to be an eye-opener for millions of people,” said Wabanonik.

Something useful to do in the wintertime is tracking the movement of moose as it is easier to spot in the snow than it is on dry land, informed Wabanonik and pointed out they plan to start an aerial study in the coming months.

Guiding the First Nations people will be a committee of Anishinaabe elders. Wabanonik stated they hold the knowledge and the wisdom of the territory, and an understanding of the land and traditional practices and will be able to support the work done by the technical committee and add practical and traditional knowledge to the data they will collect.

When they initially started it was about a year ago in March, events have been unfolding and they are seeing some progress noted Wabanonik, but due to COVID, he added that things have been moving slowly. For Wabanonik, he attributed progress in terms of the exchange of information, being provided funds, and hiring experts.

Speaking to the public at large Wabanonik urges that people support their efforts to protect the moose population because this is not just an Indigenous issue this is going to impact everyone. “We need their support…and we need to do it all together.”

If you have questions or wish to support the efforts done by the Anishinaabe Nation, you can reach out to the Anishinaabe representatives by leaving a message at 819-449-1225 or by sending an email at coordinator@aantc-ctnaa.ca.

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