Whitefeather Forest Management Corporation

Pikangikum First Nation Atlas - Composite Map

Organization
Whitefeather Forest Management Corporation

Author
Marcel Morin and the Elders of Pikangikum First Nation

ESRI Software
ArcGIS

Data Sources
Indigenous Knowledge (Elders of Pikangikum) and Digital Forest Resource Inventory

Description
On June 26, 2006 the Minister of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources traveled to Pikangikum First Nation in Northwestern Ontario to participate in a celebration and feast for the joint approve of the landmark Whitefeather Forest and Adjacent Areas Land Use Strategy as official policy for the First Nation (www.whitefeatherforest.com) and Ontario (http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/envregistry/020470ep.htm).  A Community-based Land Use Planning Approach to develop the Strategy was led by Pikangikum and involved a strong cooperative consensus-based decision-making partnership with Ontario.  This approach was used to identify where new economic opportunities including forestry and tourism can be developed in the 1.3 million hectare planning area.  Planning was informed by the best of Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science information.  The "Composite Map" in the Land Use Strategy identifies areas for new economic opportunities where Pikangikum will take a leading role in while ensuring that "all living ones" (Paymahteeseewahch) are sustained on the land through a Keeping the Land (Cheekahnahwaydahmungk Keetahkeemeenaan) approach.

Acknowledgements
Minister of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, ESRI