Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #255: Canada-Russia Indigenous Peoples Initiative: Sharing Experience on Management of Traditional Use Nature Areas  (SEMTUNA)

Outline
Project Proposal The project proposal is to facilitate cooperation between Russian and Canadian Indigenous peoples in the mapping and documenting of Traditional Use Nature Areas and practices in the RAIPON territories. In addition, the project will facilitate the exchanging of information on best practices, organization, technological training with respect to development of land management registries and use of mapping and survey technologies to identify traditional use nature areas. Recent social and cultural exchanges between Canadian and Russian Indigenous peoples have demonstrated the utility of sharing this type of knowledge and experience with respect to national processes and Canadian and Russian federation legislative experience. AAC wishes to expand this cooperation to focus on the transfer of scientific knowledge and experience to Indigenous groups within select Russian regions of more specific training on techniques for mapping and surveying traditional use activities. Arctic Athabaskan Council (AAC) Arctic Athabaskan Council is an international Indigenous organization (IPO) representing approximately 45,000 people of Athabaskan heritage living in 65 Indigenous and local communities in Alaska and northwest Canada. AAC is managed by a Permanent Secretariat based in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory Canada, operating out of headquarters offices of its member organization the Council of Yukon First Nations. It has regional offices in Alaska (Chickaloon Village) and the Northwest Territories (Yellowknife) Canada. Russian Association of Small Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East (RIAPON) Since the early 1990's, the Russian Association of Small Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and Far East (RAIPON) has united 34 regional and ethnic associations of Indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East; it thus has the status of an All-Russia organization of Indigenous peoples. It convenes Congresses every four years (the Fourth Congress was held in April 2001). The political governance structure of RAIPON consists of four levels. At the grass-roots level, district associations report to the 34 regional and ethnic associations, which represent 40 Indigenous peoples with a combined population of 200,000 people. SEMTUNA Project The Sharing Experience of Management of Traditional Use Nature Areas (SEMTUNA) will focus on the mapping, documenting and transfer of knowledge and best practices of organizational methods, science and technologies (especially mapping, surveying and geographic information systems technology) associated with the settling land claims in northern Canada that may be useful in establishing a legal basis for traditional territories in Russia, based upon evolving Russian practices, law and governance. The centre-piece of this project is the development of a central, traditional use nature registry - Traditional Land Use Registry - embedded in the RAIPON Legal Centre division. This aspect of the project will constitute an IPY Legacy Project. The idea of developing a separate land registry for Russian Indigenous interests in nature use areas, built around a geographic information system platform, arises from agreement between Canada and Yukon First Nations. The requirement for the development of a similar land registry is identified in the 1993 Council for Yukon Indians (CYI) Umbrella Final Agreement (Section 5.5.1.4). The registry will record and identify Russian Indigenous peoples interests with respect to land use activities in traditional nature use areas. The Traditional Land Use Registry will be practical tool for managing all aspects of Indigenous peoples and, as a central registry, serve as a databank of information available to scientists, governments and private companies to consult with regarding activities or developments in natural regions traditionally used by Indigenous peoples. While there is no equivalent concept of ‘Settlement Land’ in Russia law, the principle of identifying Indigenous interests and making this available for third-parties seeking information on Indigenous peoples’ traditional use of nature areas, is the same. Prospectus RAIPON would like to see Russian Indigenous peoples utilize the experience and techniques northern Canadian Indigenous peoples have acquired to advance their rights and interests, with specific regard to contemporary developments, including adaptation to industrialization, sustainability of traditional livelihoods, the adoption of new legal codes and property rights models, and the adaptation of modern scientific and technological developments to management of the traditional economy, and incorporating the use of mapping and survey techniques and geographic information systems. The first phase of the work has almost been completed. This included the engagement of four Russian Arctic/sub-arctic regions, coordinated through the RAIPON Legal Centre, working with Canadian Indigenous counterparts in the identification of specific geographic areas for project implementation. The first phase will also include the shaping of project strategies, training plans and activities to match general areas of interest and phasing in of work to meet Russian regional Indigenous organizations and governments priorities. Russian Indigenous peoples will participate in direct exchanges with Canadian Indigenous communities to receive training in surveying, mapping and geographical information system technologies, as well as investigate mitigation strategies for traditional use areas associated with petroleum and natural development, the organization of Aboriginal economic development corporations, and the development and implementation of legal regimes. RAIPON will be responsible for securing Russian federation and regional government cooperation (this is well advanced) as well assessing the extent of readiness of regional Indigenous peoples organizations to participate in the pilot projects and the relative priority to be assigned to each. RAIPON will also ensure that letters of support from regional governments and Indigenous organizations are provided by each of the four pilot regions.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Theme #1: The delineation of Russian Indigenous traditional use nature areas, especially significant for purposes of determining the contemporary boundaries of traditional activities in remote wilderness areas in Russia (especially forest and taiga. Theme#2: Documentation of contemporary Russian Indigenous traditional use nature areas will provide a baseline from which to quantify future social and environmental changes in the natural and human. Theme#3: Indigenous peoples in polar regions have been characterized as the 21st century’s “canary in the cage. Any place-based assessment of human- natural system interactions will necessarily requires baseline information on the extent of Indigenous peoples dependence on the natural systems to support traditional sustainable livelihoods Theme#4: Mapping and surveying is ancient investigative tool and strategy used by both scientists and Indigenous peoples. The current proposal marries both in a new, unique social construction. Theme#5: none Theme#6: The current proposal is a high priority for Indigenous peoples. It is cutting edge research that will demonstrate practices that can be borrowed and adapted to other contexts, to investigate the evolution of social processes.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The proponents of this project are the largest Indigenous representative organization in Russia (RAIPON), and the second largest Indigenous representative organization in Arctic North America (Arctic Athabaskan Council). The project will involve participation from the Russian and Canadian federal governments, private sector in both Russia and Canada , including Aboriginal development corporations (providing geographical information systems technical support) and regional-level public governments in both Russia and Canada.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The locus of activity for the project will be Moscow, Russia, with specific project undertaking in Russian Federation regions. Candidate regions include: - Kanty-Mansiyk (60 degree north/70 degrees ) - Taymir (70 degrees north/110 degrees) - Altai Region (50 degrees north/90 degrees) Yakutia (60 degrees north/ 130 degrees)

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: Summer 2006: - Regional Community Assessments      Summer 2007: - Survey and mapping field work      Summer 2008: - Survey & mapping field work
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
-Expansion of RAIPON Legal Training Centre to accommodate implementing agency function, surveying and mapping, training centre for regional mapping/ survey technicians, federal and regional intergovernmental coordination, legal analysis and legislative drafting -Expansion of AAC to accommodate executing agency function, contracting with curriculum developers and training delivery agents

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The infrastructure legacy will be capacity (physical and personnel) within the RAIPON offices to manage and deliver survey, mapping and geographic information services, manage contractors and archive maps and manage regional registries of Indigenous traditional use nature areas.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
National agency
Commercial operator
Own support

Training and technical support will be provided by a combination of educational institution, commercial operators (Canada), and government agencies (Russia).

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
No - all submissions will be reviewed by the Canadian IPY Secretariat.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?


AAC and RAIPON entered into a Letter of Understanding in March 2001, identifying areas for social and cultural cooperation. On November 5, 2001, AAC signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) on pursuing specific outcomes relating to MOU. One outcome of the LOI was their joint production of a Russia-Canada Seminar “Sharing experience on development and management of the traditional land in Canada and Russian Federation”, held in Moscow, in November 2002. The concept for this workshop came from a suggestion made by Russian representative during the meeting of the Arctic and the North working group of the Canada-Russia Intergovernmental Economic Commission (IEC). Among many potential project opportunities, AAC and RAIPON settled on the concept of developing a Land Registry.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be under joint management of the Arctic Athabaskan Council (“AAC) and Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (“RAIPON”) AAC and RAIPON will act as executing agencies for their respective implementation of their national components of the project. In addition, a Project Advisory Committee (PAC) will be established comprised of the representatives of participating parties and representatives from government, including IAND and CIDA (Canada), Ministry of Development of Regional Relations and Ministry of Economic Development (Russia), and The Northern Affairs and Indigenous Peoples Committee of The Federation Council (Russia). The PAC will oversee project progress, advice and provide ongoing Government support.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The project will have a specific budgeted dedicated to communications and outreach, including communications with Arctic Indigenous peoples in Russia, Canada and other international Indigenous organizations and agencies working with Indigenous peoples in this area, but also including the broader audience of national and international agencies.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data Management will be negotiated by AAC/RAIPON consortium with an international service provider, such as the United Nations Environment Program or Federal group of land cadastral services of Russian Federation

How is it proposed to fund the project?
National and/or international funding agencies - $1.5M (Cdn)

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Executive Director Cindy Dickson
Arctic Athabaskan Council
11 Nisutlin Drive
Whitehorse, Yukon Territory
Y1A 3S4
Canada

Tel: 867-393-9214
Mobile: no
Fax: 867-668-6577
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation