In 2014, the Miistakis Institute hosted a Citizen Science Conference, exploring this diverse field with sessions on program design, evaluation, policy implications, technology and applications in parks and protected areas. This links to the website that chronicled that event.
Engaging Indigenous Peoples in Alberta’s Regional Lake Monitoring Program – a case study
Water is of cultural and spiritual importance to Indigenous peoples and is seen as the interconnection among all living beings. Indigenous communities across Alberta have concerns and questions about water quality and quantity in their local rivers, lakes and wetlands.
Alberta has been conducting long-term collection of chemical, physical, and biological information on Alberta lakes. In 2016, the program expanded to include lakes of interest to Indigenous communities. The Indigenous Lake Monitoring Program, embedded in the provincial long-term lake monitoring program, began with the North Wabasca Lake Monitoring project – a coordinated effort between Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) and Bigstone Cree First Nation (BCN).
The goals of the project were to address lack of water quality information for North Wabasca Lake; provide additional training in water monitoring to a BCN Lands Officer; and, where possible, find opportunities to apply Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) to science-based lake monitoring. Water quality data was collected over five seasonal sampling trips by AEP field staff and Lands Officer of BCN. AEP scientists worked with BCN Lands Department to generate a report that could be presented to the community.
The North Wabasca Lake Monitoring project filled a gap in scientific data and provided a First Nation staff the opportunity to gain technical skills and experience in water monitoring. The project also contributed to a respectful relationship between scientists and the BCN Lands Department.
The program is currently being evaluated by EMSD and community partners. Success factors identified through the initial project review include importance of setting common goals; ensuring open and timely communication; acknowledgement and attribution of local knowledge; and respect for cultural and scientific protocols.
Speaker Bio, Zoey Wang: Ziyun (Zoey) Wang works with Indigenous communities in Alberta towards developing and implementing an inclusive environmental monitoring program that addresses local and regional concerns and interests. Since 2014, Zoey has been leading and supporting pilot programs to build relationships and technical capacity in Alberta’s Indigenous communities. Projects that Zoey led and is leading include Wabasca Lake Monitoring Project, and Environmental Monitoring Technician Training Pilot. Zoey holds a Masters Degree in Resource and Environmental Management from Dalhousie University. Zoey currently works in the Indigenous knowledge, Community Monitoring and Citizen Science Branch as a Community Engagement Coordinator within Environmental Monitoring and Science Division, Government of Alberta.
Speaker Bio, Ron Zurawell: Ron is an Aquatic Scientist with the Watershed Sciences Branch of EMSD. Ron joined the Alberta Government as a Limnologist in 2003 and has been responsible for coordinating provincial lake monitoring programs ever since. Ron earned his Ph.D. in Aquatic Ecology from the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta. His Ph.D. thesis research investigated the prevalence of the cyanobacterial toxin – microcystin – in central Alberta lakes and its effects on aquatic biota. While Ron has been primarily involved in cyanotoxin monitoring and research for over 20 years, he also worked in the areas of municipal drinking water quality and source water protection, focusing on waterborne pathogens. Ron is a strong advocate of community-based monitoring and citizen science programs and is a past Board Member with the Alberta Lake Management Society and Regional Director of the North American Lake Management Society.