In Canada, sustainable indigenous practices are gaining recognition as valuable contributions to environmental stewardship and conservation. Drawing on traditional knowledge and a deep connection to the land, indigenous communities are leading the way in implementing sustainable practices that promote biodiversity, protect ecosystems, and foster resilience in the face of climate change.
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Indigenous communities worldwide have maintained a deep connection with their natural surroundings for centuries, despite their struggles. From the Palestinians in the Middle East to the Sámi’s of the Arctic, profound insights and sustainable practices have played a crucial role in fostering environmental harmony and offer invaluable lessons for contemporary conservation. Gaining insight into the enduring practices of these communities will not only serve as a motivational catalyst for everyone to strive for improvement but also underscore the fact that these communities should spearhead any movement for contemporary conservation.
This holds particularly true for Canada, where Indigenous communities have faced the eradication of their sustainable practices alongside the loss of their land and are now disproportionately experiencing the effects of climate change.
Medicinal Practices
Recognizing the vital role that Indigenous communities play as stewards of the land is essential to forge a path towards a more harmonious and sustainable coexistence with nature. Integrating traditional knowledge with modern conservation practices, fostering collaboration, and respecting the rights of indigenous communities are crucial steps in preserving the environmental wisdom embedded in their traditions.
A good example is the pharmaceutical industry. Canada ranks third globally for per capita greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with the pharmaceutical industry playing a major role. The environmental repercussions of toxic chemicals contained in medicines, the carbon footprint of manufacturing and distribution, and the waste of unused products are all profound, making the entire cycle of medicine exhibit severe environmental concerns. While Canada has tried to include their health care system in their decarbonization agenda, it failed to take the medicinal practices of Indigenous communities into account.
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Indigenous communities in Canada have cultivated a profound tradition and expertise in medicinal practices, firmly grounded in their intimate connection with the land and natural resources. They have identified over 400 different species of plants, each possessing medicinal benefits, showcasing their deep knowledge of the local flora and its healing properties.
Traditional healers, which are like health practitioners, possess an intricate understanding of the medicinal qualities of various plants, including cedar, sweetgrass, and sage. By relying on local flora, these practices reduce the ecological impact associated with the transportation and cultivation of non-indigenous medicinal plants, aligning with environmentally sustainable principles and contributing to a smaller carbon footprint.
Moreover, the medicinal approach of the Indigenous peoples of Canada also ensures that the use of natural resources is balanced and does not contribute to habitat degradation or loss, adhering to strict cultural protocols concerning the harvesting, preparation, and administration of medicinal remedies. Additionally, every component of the plant is utilized, like the roots, bark, leaves, and sap, ensuring minimal waste.
In recent history, Canada has harvested plants for pharmaceutical industries, like pacific yew, but excessive exploitation has resulted in the depletion of these trees and plants. That said, Western pharmaceutical companies can learn from Indigenous people by embracing the sustainable use of natural resources and contribute to more culturally sensitive and environmentally conscious healthcare practices.
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The Fishing Industry
Seafood is a big part of the Canadian diet, with over 85% of Canadians regularly consuming fish. Having such an extensive coastline, as well as numerous lakes and rivers, Canada’s seafood industry goes beyond its borders: in 2022 alone, the country exported around US$83 million-worth of fish.
Being such a big industry, one of Canada’s ways to keep up with such a high demand are fish farms, which use open net pens to bread, most commonly, salmon. This technique is very high risk, as it spreads diseases, parasites, and toxic chemicals, to the marine ecosystem. Disrupting the marine ecosystem harms the environment by destabilizing biodiversity, jeopardizing food chains, and compromising water quality.
Moreover, the industry’s mismanagement has severe adverse repercussions on the marine ecosystem, including overfishing, unintended species catch, excessive legal catch limits, illegal harvesting of young species hindering reproduction, and various other adverse impacts on the marine ecosystem.
Harboring almost 80% of the world’s life, the ocean stores over 50 times the carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, meaning that the degradation of these vital marine ecosystems only exacerbates climate change and ocean acidification.
Indigenous communities in Canada also engage in fishing, with techniques that prioritize ecological balance and respect for marine ecosystems, considering species, size, and timing to ensure the preservation of fish populations.
A great example of an Indigenous community contributing to maintaining the biodiversity of aquatic environments is the Tsleil-Waututh, a First Nations band government in British Columbia that relies on sex selection during the harvesting of spawning salmon, releasing the females to ensure the longevity of fish stocks.
Guardians of Nature and Humanity
While climate change threatens every living being in Canada, Indigenous communities like First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples are the ones most impacted by climate change, with the majority of them residing in areas of the country – such as the North – that are already experiencing swift changes in climate. On top of that, these communities, whose identity and existence rely on the land, waters, animals, plants, and other natural resources, are also grappling with profound inequities stemming from historical and ongoing effects of colonization.
Indigenous people, guardians of nature and humanity, have been robbed of their nation, their territory, and the resources that constitute the very core of their identity. Their voices ought to take precedence in governance, and until that transformation occurs, the forefront of any climate change initiatives in Canada should be steered by the most knowledgeable stewards of this land.
Featured image: Province of British Columbia/Flickr
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