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Perspectives from the Arctic. Orville H. Huntington Commissioner, Alaska Native Science Commission Vice-Chair Huslia, Alaska. Four directions within the circle. Understanding how TNEK and Arctic scientific research can work together Managing Mother Earths few resources
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Perspectives from the Arctic Orville H. Huntington Commissioner, Alaska Native Science Commission Vice-Chair Huslia, Alaska
Four directions within the circle • Understanding how TNEK and Arctic scientific research can work together • Managing Mother Earths few resources • An example of using TNEK and managing the declining white-fronted goose population on the Koyukuk River • Concerns of Native Alaskan Tribes
Traditional Native Ecological Knowledge What is it? Is it an answer or a question? Is it useful? Arctic Research Open book Best we have Can be better Understanding
Mother Earths Resources • We have to use all the knowledge available to us, to make use of so few resources • Respect for TNEK is a start • Basic courtesy to the Tribal Governments • Listen to the Native Elders as a guide for Arctic Research, and encourage their participation in studies and work
An example of using TNEK • Native Elders from the Koyukuk River observed and studied the white-fronted goose decline in their area. • These concerns were documented by the Koyukuk NWR staff • Scientific studies reinforced these concerns • Many factors will have to be addressed to reverse the decline
White-fronted & Canada Geese Interior & Northwest AK Michael A. Spindler Orville H. Huntington Koyukuk/Nowitna National Wildlife Refuge Complex Galena & Huslia, Alaska
Overview • Population trend > white-fronts declining • Patterns of subsistence & sport harvest • Effect of harvest on goose population • Results of village meetings • Possible solutions • Recent co-management successes
Oral History from Elders • Informal interviews since mid-1980’s - banding • Formal- Raven’s Story program 1995-2001 • Traditional Environmental Knowledge on audio • Selected people aged 60-80’s • People who grew up depending on subsistence and who still hunt and fish actively Raven’s Story - KUAC, KIYU, KSKO, KZPA--Public Radio University of Alaska Oral History Collection FOR MORE INFO...
Steven Attla- April 1995 • Huslia, Alaska • Koyukuk River • 1930’s-present
John and Lorraine Honea • September 1995 • Ruby, Alaska and Nowitna River 1920’s-1996
Sidney Huntington- April 1996 • Galena, Alaska • Koyukuk River • Lower Yukon • 1920’s-present
Eddie Hildebrand- April 1998 • Nulato, Alaska • Kaiyuh Flats • Lower Yukon • 1920’s-present
Common geese of Interior-N.W.Alaska • Canada goose - “honker” • White-fronted goose- • “Speckle belly, orange-foot”
Nesting, wintering areas, migration routes and chronology, mid-continent white-fronted geese areasmigration routes, and wintering areas
Concerns of Alaskan Tribes • ANSC has documented TNEK on possible contaminants in the Arctic • Contaminants have an affect on their subsistence • ANSC has also found that climate change will change subsistence use and quality of resources • ANSC has shown that the TNEK is a valuable tool in understanding changes in the environment