Crafting A Shared Vision
In late 2019, the Otipemisiwak Métis Government received funding to engage with Citizens and explore their vision for Métis-led IPCAs in Alberta. We planned and hosted a series of online IPCA engagement sessions at the end of 2020. More than 500 Otipemisiwak Métis Government Citizens participated, sharing their thoughts on ecological and cultural priorities, establishment methods, intended land-use activities, programming priorities, location suggestions, and more. These engagements provided us with a clear vision for what IPCAs established by the Otipemisiwak Métis Government should achieve.
To learn more about our IPCA engagements, check out our video presentation::
“I would like to hunt and fish in the area. But also harvest plants and medicine. I would like to see workshops where I could bring my kids and we could learn as a family. So much information has been lost in my family…. knowledge about trapping, getting furs, preserving food, what medicines to use, and how to collect it. I would like to see the MNA provide exclusive training in these areas. So we can learn the cultural significance and reconnect with nature…”
–Otipemisiwak Métis Government Citizen, December 19th online survey
Building Our IPCA Strategy
We analyzed the engagement data and identified six overarching broad priorities highlighted by Citizens that would guide our future IPCA work. Citizens indicated that Métis-led IPCAs within Alberta should prioritize the following:
- Ecological protection
- Harvesting opportunity
- Education and outreach
- Relationship building
- Healing the land
- Citizen accessibility and involvement
These priorities underpin our approach to establishing a network of IPCAs on private lands across Alberta. Any potential IPCA sites must be able to meet multiple Citizen priorities, ensuring that all Citizen priorities can be fulfilled collectively by the IPCA network. We also aim to grow our IPCA network to ensure Citizens can easily connect with the land, engage in IPCA programming, and access stewardship activities regardless of where they reside.
To take a first step toward building our IPCA network, we established a pilot IPCA in the Edmonton area that will serve as a model for our future IPCA sites.
Our Pilot IPCA: Muskoseya Ispikaa’pawew
Our pilot IPCA began to take shape in May 2023, after we purchased a 158-acre parcel of land in Lamont County from Ducks Unlimited Canada. Through engagement with our Citizens, Knowledge Holders, and our Language Revitalization team, it was named Muskoseya Ispikaa’pawew, meaning The Grass Stands High.
We completed baseline monitoring activities on Muskoseya Ispikaa’pawew, which included:
- Taking inventory of species observed onsite
- Identifying sensitive species and their habitats
- Recording the presence of invasive species
- Identifying areas in need of maintenance, clean up, or restoration
The resulting data and a Citizen survey informed how we’ll steward the property and helped us obtain new funding that’ll support on-site Citizen programs and conservation efforts.
Muskoseya Ispikaa’pawew is expected to open to the public in 2025.
Our IPCAs:
We’ll soon expand our IPCA network with additional properties that we secured in 2024 and 2025. Stay tuned for more details!
|
|
|
|
|
Our Land Trust: Alberta Métis Nature Trust Society (AMNTS)
AMNTS is a non-profit society incorporated in 2023 to serve as a Métis-led land trust that will hold and manage Otipemisiwak Métis Government-established IPCA properties. It will enhance our efforts to establish a network of IPCAs, ensure IPCA properties remain focused on conservation, and maintain them for future generations.