After the wettest summer that anyone can remember, I am sure I am not the only one hoping for nice weather through the fall.
We are pretty excited at UINR to be a part of what we think is going to be a landmark event for our people and self government–Mawikwamk Wjit Tia’muk, Mi’kmaq Gathering on Moose. We are seeking consensus on some of the big issues on the Mi’kmaq moose hunt to develop a set of guidelines that will govern the annual hunt. We are bringing together delegates from all the First Nations communities in Nova Scotia to talk about the issues on September 25 and 26 in Wagmatcook.
The forest is an important resource for our people and UINR is in the process of developing some new strategies for the management of hardwood in Unama’ki. Our recent conference on Sustainable Hardwood Management was the first step in this process. If you missed the conference, stay tuned, as we will be publishing the proceedings in the next couple of months.
The Chapel Island Mission is a long standing tradition and we have been working hard with our partners at Pitu’paq to address some of the environmental concerns that come along with thousands of people gathering on the Island each year. Thanks to the hard work of Laurie Suitor and her team of students and community volunteers, we have been making some real progress before, during and after the Mission weekend.Â
I would like to take a minute to welcome a new member to UINR’s Board of Directors, Potlotek’s new Chief Kenneth Basque. Potlotek has always been a great supporter of UINR’s initiatives and I am sure that Kenny and his Council will continue to be actively involved in managing and protecting our natural resources in Unama’ki.
charlie@uinr.ca