Research Questions 1996-2001
(approved February 11, 1997)
Socio Economic Research
A. Traditional Economy
1. What is the baseline information about the nature of the traditional economy for the region, specifically:
a) What are the existing patterns for each community of:
i) natural resource use?
ii) harvesting patterns, particularly for caribou?
b) What is the value of the traditional economy:
i) in dollars?
ii) in subsistence value (local consumption, cultural well being)?
B. Social and Economic Benefits/Dis-benefits
2. What are the social and economic benefits and dis-benefits of development to communities
a) Social Benefits/Dis-benefits:
i) Which indicators are most appropriate for monitoring changes in social wellness?
ii) What is the baseline information concerning social wellness for each community, using community based indicators? What is the baseline information concerning family related issues (e.g. violence), substance abuse, services and infrastructure, and economic disparity between and within communities?
iii) What is the traditional knowledge about social wellness?
iv) What are the socio-economic and human health trends and effects of development, using community based and environmental indicators?
b) Economic Benefits/Dis-benefits
i) What is the baseline information on economic conditions for each community, using community based indicators?
ii) What is the indigenous knowledge about community economic conditions?
iii) What is the indigenous knowledge about the socio-economic and human health effects of non-traditional economic development?
Physical and Environmental Research
C. Water Quality
3. What is the baseline water quality for the region, specifically:
a) What are the key parameters for water quality from a perspective of:
i) socio-economic/human health?
ii) ecological health?
b) What are the baseline conditions with respect to these parameters?
c) Where should these parameters be measured?
d) What is the distribution, cause and magnitude of poor water quality with respect to key parameters?
e) Where should poor water quality be measured?
f) What is the traditional knowledge about water quality?
g) What are the effects of contamination on the cultural, spiritual and emotional health of people?
D. Surface Drainage
4. What are the regional patterns and variations in surface water flow?
a) from a scientific perspective?
b) from a traditional knowledge perspective?
E. Baseline Habitat and Land Use
5. What is the baseline information about habitat for the region, specifically
a) What is the distribution of:
i) soil types?
ii) terrain types, especially eskers?
iii) vegetation communities?
b) How are these habitats used by humans as well as grizzly bear, caribou, wolves and moose?
i) How does this use vary seasonally?
ii) For these species, what are the:
- most significant habitats?
- critical areas?
- migration routes?
6. What is the land use and distribution of human facilities in the region such as:
- cultural, heritage and sacred sites
- camps
- cabins
- trails
- communities
- seasonal roads
- mines
- other infrastructure?
F. Habitat Loss/Fragmentation/Alienation
7. What is the state of knowledge about the effects of human activities and facilities on ecosystems and key species:
a) species likely to be affected, particularly grizzly bear, caribou, wolves, moose, and endangered or threatened species, in a way that is detrimental to the ecosystem and/or human well being?
b) extent of habitat loss or alienation for grizzly bear, caribou, moose, wolves, and endangered or threatened species?
c) known responses and behaviour of grizzly bear, caribou, moose, wolves and endangered or threatened species to human activities/facilities?
8. What mitigation methods are effective in minimizing the effects of human facilities on the movements and behaviour of wildlife, particularly caribou?
9. What is the indigenous knowledge about mitigation methods which are effective in minimizing the effects of human facilities on the movements and behaviour of wildlife, particularly caribou?
G. Wildlife Mortality
10. What is the magnitude and distribution of mortality to caribou, grizzly bear and waterfowl from human causes, including recreational and subsistence hunting, vehicle wildlife collision and killing of "nuisance" animals?