Use of Renewable Resources

The use of renewable resources such as wildlife, fish, and plants has always been very important to the people of the NWT. Resources from the land were closely linked to the Aboriginal economy and to cultural and spiritual values. Hunting, fishing, trapping and recreation use remain important components of traditional lifestyles and economies. Similarly, many non-Aboriginal residents of the NWT and visitors from outside the NWT associate important social, spiritual, and environmental values with their use of renewable resources.

These indicators give information on various types of renewable resource uses in the NWT. The indicators provide an early warning of over-use and other factors that might impact the availability of these resources for future generations. Sustainable access to natural resources is important for current and future generations of the NWT.

18.1Trend in volume of timber harvest

This indicator measures the amount of wood harvested under forest authorizations on Crown lands. It includes wood harvested for saw logs, commercial fire wood and wood harvested domestically under individual permits. Commercial and domestic timber permits and licenses are authorized and tracked by Forest Management Division, Department of ENR.

Local fire wood use is estimated at 20,000 to 30,000 m³ per year, however domestic fire wood use is the least accurate of the volume tracked. Fire wood includes live and dead wood harvested from all species. Other uses of wood, such as logs for cabin building, fence posts or other lumber materials are included in this indicator if a permit was obtained, however some amount of harvesting for building materials and posts is unknown. Wood on settled  land claim areas is considered private and is not tracked. All NWT residents have the right to personal use of local wood resources.

NWT Focus

Commercial timber harvesting has occurred in many places in the NWT, usually in localized areas and in small volumes. Typical commercial harvest operations are small-scale local businesses harvesting from 500 m³ to 10,000 m³ per year. Predominant interest has been in white spruce, jack pine.

Commercial harvesting is significant because it represents direct use of forest fibre for local and export purposes. Timber harvesting is one of the few local resource-based opportunities in the NWT and represents a significant opportunity for sustainable local economy. It is important to accurately track commercial timber harvest to ensure sustainable forest management planning and practices.

Current view: status and trend

The table below shows that timber harvesting increased throughout the 1990s, then decreased dramatically in the early 2000s. Volumes have increased slightly in the last few years. There are only a few commercial wood harvesters that operate with relative consistency year-to-year.

The fluctuations in volumes over the last 16 years represent a maximum of about 10 operators. In the last several years there have been 3-4 operators harvesting annually. The reason for the fluctuations is that many of these operators are small businesses employing only 1-2 people. They may decide not to harvest every year for a variety of reasons. For example, theymight still have wood remaining from the previous season that has not been sawn, or they may decide to pick up other work for a season. NWT only has a few commercial timber operators that have made a family business out of logging over the last 20 years.

Many communities are interested in exploring opportunities to provide employment to residents through logging. There will likely be increased interest in timber harvesting for wood as a fuel.

Due to present market conditions and economies of scale, it is unlikely that large-scale commercial harvesting will occur. There are also recent developments with respect to carbon as a commodity and the resulting values associated with home heating from “green” sources, such as fuel wood, wood pellets, or ethanol, which will likely have an impact on trends in commercial harvesting in coming years.

The GNWT is actively collecting baseline information on the state of the forest resources and developing better tracking mechanisms to track and manage forest harvesting.

Source: GNWT Forest Management Division

Looking forward

Given recent increases in fuel prices, more people may be interested in using wood as a source of fuel, which could increase markets and the scale of commercial harvesting for fuel wood. Increasing transportation costs from southern fuel sources may also drive more demand for local sources of wood.

Most communities in the Northwest Territories are highly dependent on fossil fuels to provide heat and electricity. The GNWT will face increasing pressure to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and increase use of renewable energy sources. The GNWT is actively developing strategies to increase the use of wood as a renewable energy source.

Looking around

NWT forests are relatively untouched compared to other parts of the boreal forest in Canada. There is a low population and a small infrastructure network of permanent and temporary roads. The commercial timber harvesting industry is almost negligible compared to every other forested jurisdiction in Canada.

Resource exploration and extraction has the largest impact on forests in NWT, in particular seismic exploration programs. In the last 10 years the volume of timber cut down during seismic exploration projects is at least an order of magnitude greater than the volume cut by commercial timber harvest operations.

Find more

• Forest Management Division, GNWT http://forestmanagement.enr.gov.nt.ca/

18.2. Trends in hunting and fishing in the NWT

This indicator tracks changes in the number of people who hunt and fish recreationally or for subsistence in NWT ecozones. This indicator does not track commercial hunting and fishing activities.

There are 3 classes of hunters in the NWT:

1. General Hunting Licence (GHL) Holders are primarily Aboriginal people who hunt for subsistence use. These licences are issued for life, but not all GHL holders go hunting every year. There are very few limits on hunting by GHL holders. Hunters with this type of licence also carry out community hunts organized by Aboriginal organizations to provide meat to community residents. Hunting by GHL holders is carried out in all ecozones.
2. Resident Hunters are non-Aboriginal hunters who have lived in the NWT for at least two years and hold a Resident Hunting Licence in the NWT. This type of hunting is carried out in all ecozones.
3. Outfitted Sport Hunters are either Canadians who live outside the NWT or from other countries, who obtained a Non-resident Hunting License. This type of hunting is permitted in the Southern Arctic and Taiga Cordillera.

Anglers in the NWT are classified into 3 categories:

1. Aboriginal Anglersare Aboriginal people who fish for subsistence and local use purposes and do not sell fish. These anglers do not need a permit to fish in the NWT.
2. Resident Anglers are non-Aboriginal NWT residents who, in a given year, hold a permit to fish in the NWT.
3. Non-resident Anglers are people from outside the NWT who, in a given year, hold a permit to fish in the NWT.

Fishing is permitted in all NWT’s ecozones; however some lakes or zones are closed or restricted for a period each year.

Information for this indicator is obtained from the GNWT licensing system8, the Outfitter report forms, the NWT Labour Surveys16 and Regional Employment and Harvesting Survey.17

NWT Focus

Hunting and fishing in the NWT have very important cultural, social and economical values. These activities are part of northern and Aboriginal cultures and help connect people to the environment. Hunting and fishing provide high quality food, which is linked to better human health in northern societies including in the NWT20. Reporting on hunting and fishing in the NWT helps track changes in an important stewardship activity that links the environment to the health, well-being, and culture of NWT residents.

Current status and trend

Aboriginal and Resident non-Aboriginal Hunting and Fishing

According to NWT Labour Force Surveys, about 40% of NWT people go hunting OR fishing on average (based on data from 1998, 2003 and 2008). This has changed little since the survey in 1983. Note that apparent changes in non-native participation since 1998 are likely the result of a modification in the definition of these activities include “recreational” reasons for hunting and fishing.

• a - 1984 NWT Labour Force Survey, as reported in Usher and Wenzel 1989. 
• b -1989 NWT Labour Force Survey, Report 3, Table 2.7
• c - 1994 NWT Labour Survey
• d - Question was broadened to include recreational hunting and fishing.1999 NWT Labour Survey. 2004 NWT Labour Survey, 2009 NWT Labour Survey.
• e - Excludes 1999 data
• * Estimates include Dene, Métis, and any other Native persons except Inuvialuit.
• ** Estimated as total non-Native persons who hunted/fished divided by total persons interviewed in Fort Smith and Inuvik regions (1989 NWT Labour Force Survey, Report 3, Table 2.1; 1994 Labour Force Survey, data accessed 2002, Labour Market Analyst, pers. comm.); Estimates did not include Holman.

Aboriginal Subsistence Hunting

In 2008, about 9000 people had a General Hunting License8. Most (64%) GHL holders resided in the large Taiga Plains ecozone. The proportions of GHL holders who go hunting in any given year and the trend in hunting by GHL holders are unknown.

Resident Hunters

The number of resident hunters declined by about 3% per year from 1990 to 2004, and stabilized at about 1200-1300 hunters annually in recent years.8

Resident Anglers

The number of resident anglers has remained relatively stable since 20018.

Percentage of non-Aboriginal residents older than 15 who held a fishing license in a given year8.

Looking forward

In the past, most hunters were Aboriginal people harvesting food for subsistence. This is still the case in the NWT. The number of non-Aboriginal hunters is changing. Resident hunters and non-resident outfitted hunting have declined. Reasons for declines in resident hunting have not been studied, but may be linked to aging demographics, emigration, increasing urbanization and immigration from areas where hunting is not a tradition, changing attitudes towards hunting and declines in available time due to work demands.  Declines in non-resident outfitted hunting is directly linked to declines in caribou herds accross the NWT (See Focal Point 15 WILDLIFE).

Fishing remains an important activity for NWT people, both for subsistence and for recreation. Declines in the number of anglers visiting the NWT from the U.S. likely reflect broader trends in tourism.

Looking around

Hunting and fishing activities are declining in other jurisdictions6,9 as well. Studies have proposed that the major causes of these declines include increased urbanization, an aging population, and increased cost of travel and permitting.

Find out more

• Additional information can be obtained from hunting surveys conducted by the Gwich’in Renewable Resources Board and the Sahtu Renewable Resources Board as part of their work on Aboriginal subsistence hunting needs under land claim settlement agreements.
• Commercial hunting and fishing is not included in this indicator. Commercial hunting is carried out by holders of a special Commercial Hunting license to obtain meat for selling to markets in the NWT and elsewhere in Canada. This type of hunting occurs only on Banks Island for muskoxen, and has been permitted for other species in the past, but very sporadically. More information on commercial hunting can be obtained from ENR. Commercial fishing is managed in the NWT by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and has been permitted on Great Slave Lake and in the lower Mackenzie at a lesser scale. Commercial fishing in the Canadian portion of the Beaufort Sea is banned under an agreement between the Inuvialuit and Fisheries and Oceans Canada signed on 15 April 2011. More information on commercial fishing indicators can be obtained from the Mackenzie Basin State of the Aquatic Environment report.
• See STEWARDSHIP for more information on the role of hunting and fishing in tourism.

Updated: 12 August 2011

18.3 Country food use in NWT ecozones

This indicator tracks the percentage of NWT people who reported that more than 75% of meat (mammals and birds) and fish they consumed was harvested in the NWT. It also provides data on the percentage of NWT people involved in gathering plants and berries.

This information is summarized from NWT Bureau of Statistics – Quarterly reports18, the 2002 NWT Regional Employment and Harvesting Survey17, and the 2004 and 2009 NWT Community Surveys19.

NWT Focus

The most direct link between people and their environment is through food. The NWT is rich in mammal, bird and fish populations. These species have sustained Aboriginal peoples in the NWT for thousands of years.

Loss of access and reduction in abundance in country food are two of the most direct ways people would note a change in the state of their environment. People who have knowledge and harvest NWT resources actively monitor wildlife populationsand their health to ensure sustainable use. People who rarely rely on animals and plants available in their immediate environment for food may be less inclined to note changes in that environment. Changes in the use of country food could have impacts on both the state of the environment and stewardship actions.

Current view: status and trend

About 40-60% of NWT people living in small communities in every ecozone rely on country food for most (at least 75%) of their meat and fish. This percentage has not changed greatly for the past 10 years.

Percent of households who reported that more than 75% of meat-fish was harvested from the NWT Source : NWT Bureau of Stats. 1994 and 1999 - NWT Labour Force Survey; 2004 and 2009 NWT Community Surveys. Large: Yellowknife, Inuvik; Medium: Aklavik, Behchoko, Fort Providence, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Hay River, Norman wells, Tuktoyaktuk. Small: all other communitites.
Northern Arctic: Ulukhaktok (Holman), Sachs Harbour; Southern Arctic: Paulatuk, Tuktoyaktuk; Taiga Cordillera: Wrigley; Taiga Plains: Aklavik, Colville Lake, Déline, Fort Good Hope, Fort Liard, Fort McPherson, Fort Providence, Fort Resolution, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Hay River, Inuvik, Jean Marie River, Kakisa, Nahanni Butte, Norman Wells, Trout Lake, Tsiigehtchic, Tulita, Whatì;Taiga Shield: Behchokò (Rae-Edzo), Detah, Gamètì (Rae Lakes), Lutselk'e, Wekweètì, Yellowknife.

The percentage of NWT people living in medium and large communities that consume country food (meat and fish) is lower than for people living in small communities. A greater percentage of NWT people eat country foods in Northern Arctic and Southern Arctic. Differences among ecozones are explained by large communities in the Taiga Shield (Yellowknife) and Taiga Plains (Inuvik). The lowest percentage(4%) of people who eat mostly country food (meat and fish) live in Yellowknife, the only large-sized community in the NWT (Taiga Shield ecozone).

Fifteen percent to 27% of people from small and medium sized communities gathered berries in 2002. About 10% of these people also gathered plants. The percentage of people from Yellowknife involved in these activities was slightly lower; still, 13% of people in Yellowknife gathered berries in the surveyed year.

Percentage of NWT population 15 years of age and older, involved in harvesting berries and plants in 2002. Source: 2002 NWT Regional Employment and Harvesting Survey17

Looking forward

A decline in country food use is noted in the NWT’s medium and large communities. If the NWT’s population continues to move from small to larger-size communities, the percentage of people using country food may continue to decrease in the future. People in larger communities appear to have less access, less time or inclination to harvest country food than people living in smaller communities. They also have greater access to imported food and are more likely to have come from outside the NWT where the tradition of using country foods may not be as great.

Still, many NWT residents show a high reliance on country food as a daily source of energy and essential nutrients14,15. Considering the relatively low quality and high cost of market food available in most small communities in the North, country food, and hence an environment that sustain this resource, is essential to the health of NWT’s people14,10. Our changing climate is predicted to have a significant impact on the ability of NWT people to have access to country food, to be able to store, dry, freeze and hence conserve, this food, and to be able to predict animal behaviour and weather pattern to successfully harvest this food.7

Find out more

• For more information on the health and country food research and their links to the environment go to McGill University’s Centre for Indigenous People’s Nutrition and Environment at http://www.mcgill.ca/cine/.
• For more information on NWT’s Social Indicators go to NWT Stats at www.gov.nt.ca.

Other Focal Points

• See USE OF RENEWABLE RESOURCES, CLIMATE and WEATHER, and WILDLIFE for more information on indicators related to country food.

Updated: 12 August 2011

18.4 Trends in trapping

This indicator tracks the number of people participating in trapping each year.

Trapping participation is influenced by a variety of factors, including: fur prices, unemployment levels in communities; the cost of trapping equipment, fuel and supplies, and other employment opportunities. Active trappers are defined as those who sell their furs through participation in the Mackenzie Valley Fur Program through the Department of ITI, GNWT. Other individuals may trap fur for their own use, but this activity is not included in this indicator.

Information is obtained from the Fur Database and from the Mackenzie Valley Fur Program administered by ITI, GNWT12.

NWT Focus

The existence of furbearer populations and large natural areas provides the necessary natural resources for trappers to continue this traditional lifestyle in the NWT. Traditional trapping areas continue to be handed down through families in many communities.

Trapping is now rarely a full-time occupation for most people who participate. For these people trapping provides a second, or in some cases third, source of household income. Trapping is dependent upon people having the resources necessary for the activity. Many trappers rely on their primary or secondary sources of income to provide the means to go trapping. Trapping is part of the annual cycle of activities that generate food and income needed to sustain this lifestyle.

Current view: status and trend

The number of people trapping in the NWT has decreased since the early 1980s, but leveled to more stable numbers in recent years.12

Total number of active trappers in the NWT (1957-2008).12

Number of active trappers in each ecozone of the NWT from 2001-2008.12

The number of active trappers has remained relatively constant in all ecozones of the NWT for the last 8 years. Differences in the number of trappers in each ecozone result from differences in the number of people and communities in each ecozone, the prevalence of traditional lifestyles, available wage opportunities and available species. Increased availability of wage employment as an alternative to trapping may present a greater challenge to maintaining this traditional lifestyle in ecozones with more economic opportunities. More information on species and level of activity in each NWT ecozone is provided in Details on trapping in NWT ecozones document.

Market prices also affect trapper participation (see details in Trapping and the Global Economy document). For example, artificially high fur prices in 2006, driven by China purchasing fur at premium prices, resulted in more trappers participating the following year in all ecoregions except the Northern Arctic, where marten are not available to harvest.

Looking forward

GNWT-ITI operates a number of programs including Trapper Training and Take a Kid Trapping to support continued participation in traditional livelihoods - the benefits of which are often measured in non-economic values.

Find out more

• More information can be found at http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/fursagriculturefisheries.
• More information on the Mackenzie Valley Fur Program can be found at http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/fursagriculturefisheries/genuinefurs.shtml.
• More information is provided in the documents Details on trapping in NWT ecozones and Trapping and the Global Economy.

18.5 Trends in eco-tourism

This indicator tracks the number of tourists that visit the NWT each year, the amount of money they spend while visiting, and their primary reason for visiting.

Every four years the GNWT conducts a Visitor Exit Survey to better understand why non-NWT residents visit the North2,3. Annual surveys at airports, license plate counts on NWT ferries and surveys of road travelers are used to track travelers to the NWT. Visitor tally counts at visitor centers, and campground, fishing and hunting licenses and permits are also used as indicators of trends in visitor volumes.

NWT Focus

Interest in visiting the NWT is based on a healthy, functioning natural environment, as most visitors come to the NWT to experience its wilderness or to enjoy experiences that can only be enjoyed in wilderness settings. Tracking this information can provide information to help managers know whether recreational areas and facilities are adequate and help managers safeguard the environment from unintentional degradation.

Current view: status and trend

The prime motivator for visitors to choose the NWT as a vacation destination in 2006-2007 was the NWT’s ‘wilderness, isolation, landscape or wildlife’2 . The attraction value of these features contributes to the local economy. In 2009-10, 42, 000 leisure visitors spent a total of $50 million in the NWT.

Number of leisure visitors to the NWT2.

Number of leisure visitors to the NWT according to visitor segment (fishing, hunting, general touring, outdoor adventure, aurora viewing), for 2000-20102.

The number of people who come to the NWT to hunt has declined, less than 800 visits in 2009-2010. Most hunters who come to the NWT harvest barren-ground caribou. While the quality of hunting and fishing opportunities in the NWT has not changed, resource issues have created uncertainty in the hunting market, resulting in reduced bookings for many of the sports hunt outfitters. A reduction in the availability of barren ground caribou tags for sports hunts in 2008 and in 2010 a ban on caribou hunting in the barren lands (Southern Arctic) were necessary to help conserve the rapidly declining Bathurst caribou herd (ENR 2011). As well the ban on the import of polar bear hides into the US have contributed to a cloudy future for this industry sector.

The number of anglers purchasing angling lodge packages in the NWT has been declining by around 1% per year since 2000-2001. This reflects the general decline in consumptive tourism, perhaps due to changing social pressures and increased interest in a variety of non-consumptive activities. In addition, older angers are leaving this market faster than they are replaced by new, enthusiastic anglers1.

Aurora travel (primarily by Japanese and other international tourists) decreased substantially following the events around 9/11 and SARS. This type of tourism had recovered slightly but then declined again in recent years mostly due to economic difficulties in Japan and globally. Other non-consumptive tourism to the NWT increased after 9/11, as North American travelers chose destinations closer to home. This is reflected in the increase in both general touring and outdoor adventure travel1.

Looking forward

Non-consumptive tourism is the category most likely to increase in the NWT1. Outdoor adventure is a category of tourism that is growing internationally. In addition, as intact wilderness becomes less common in other locations, the NWT may become an even more attractive ecotourism destination for people outside of the NWT and Canada. Many factors such as the economy, fuel prices and international events can influence holiday travel, making it difficult to predict future trends. However, NWT’s appeal as a tourist destination will continue to depend on its vast, wilderness environment that showcases its clean air and water, healthy wildlife, vibrant cultures and unique natural features.

Looking around

International travel to Canada has been variable in recent years, while the number of Canadians choosing to travel inside of Canada has increased1. Most people who visit the NWT indicate that they did not have an ‘alternate destination’ in mind. People who were considering different destinations most often mention Alaska, the Yukon, and British Columbia as alternative vacation options2.

Find  more

• More information can be found at http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/tourismparks/.
• The Visitor Exit Survey Summary Reports are at http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/tourismparks/tourismresearch.shtml

Other focal points

• NWT conservation and education related initiatives are reported on in the Environmental Awareness focal point.

Updated: 15 August 2011

18.6 Trend in number of visitors to Territorial and National Parks

This indicator tracks the number of registered visitors to parks in the NWT.

In addition to providing fresh air, clean water, and sustaining the natural processes all people depend on, the environment also provides for the ability to enjoy and be refreshed by spending time in outdoor, nature-oriented activities. Parks are one location where this kind of non-consumptive use is tracked. Some parks are designated to protect representative landscapes and the features and wildlife they contain, while others exist to provide places where people can spend time in a natural environment.

Data on National Parks is provided by Parks Canada4,5,13. Data on Territorial Parks11 is provided by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, GNWT.

NWT Focus

Outdoor activities are important to NWT residents and visitors alike. While many outdoor activities take place outside of established parks, the use of territorial and national parks provides a measure of the value of these NWT natural areas to residents and visitors to the NWT.

Current view: status and trend?

Territorial Parks: NWT parks are divided into four categories (# of parks):

1. Heritage Parks (1)
2. Natural Environment Parks (3)
3. Recreational Parks (17)
4. and Wayside Parks (12)

Number of visitors to NWT Territorial Parks, 2005-201011.

NWT park permits issued by party origin for 2010.11
* Canada-NT= Northwest Territories
** Canada-Non-NT= Canada, excluding the Northwest Territories

The number of visitors to NWT territorial parks in each ecozone has been relatively consistent since 2004. Differences in the number of visitors to each ecozone partly reflect the number and accessibility of territorial parks. There are 3 territorial campgrounds and 9 day use areas in the Taiga Shield ecozone; 10 campgrounds and 7 day use areas in the Taiga Plains ecozone; and 4 campgrounds and 1 day use area in the Taiga Plains North ecozone.

The number of territorial parks permits issued each year has remained about the same since 2005. Most park permits are issued to people from the NWT and from the rest of Canada.

Nahanni National Parkis located in the Taiga Cordillera Ecozone. It was established in 1976, and designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978.  This park was greatly expanded in 2010, attracting visitors wanting to experience its many unique features, including the South Nahanni River. 

Aulavik (“place where people travel”) National Park is located in the Southern Arctic Ecozone. The main reason people visit AulavikNational Park is to canoe the Thomsen River.

Tuktut Nogait (“young caribou”) National Park is located in the Northern Arctic Ecozone. Tuktut Nogait visitors include hikers as well as people canoeing or kayaking the HornadayRiver.

Wood Buffalo National Park is located in the Taiga Plains Ecozone. It was established in 1922 and became a World Heritage Site in 1983. Wood Buffalo National Park is Canada’s largest national park, extending south of the NWT into Alberta. It protects the only known nesting site of the Endangered Whooping Crane as well as other rare species, the Peace-Athabasca Delta and vast expanses of boreal wilderness. Visitors come to experience these and its many other unique cultural and natural features.

Nahanni National Park Reserve5 - Taiga Cordillera
Park staff have looked at various trends that might impact the number of visitors to Nahanni National Park, such as fuel prices and the monetary exchange rate, but no distinct links with the pattern of visitation (for example, slightly more visits in the early 1990s) have been apparent. Overall, the number of visitors has remained relatively constant.

Aulavik National Park4 - Northern Arctic
Tuktut Nogait National Park - Southern Arctic4
Visitor numbers to these parks in the far north are very low, so any variation causes a large change in a graph. In 2001 a cruise ship with 60 people stopped at AulavikNational Park for a day, causing the spike evident in the graph. In 2005, more private groups visited these parks, several of which were from Europe.

Wood Buffalo National Park13 - Taiga Plains
It is difficult to track exact visitor numbers to Wood Buffalo National Park without a park ‘gate’. In this graph the earlier years (1999-2000), reflect visitor numbers of those people who stopped at the Visitor Information Center. The 2004-2008 data includes additional activities such as campground stays. In the future, trail counters will provide an even more accurate picture of how many people use Wood Buffalo National Park. If you include all local/regional ‘visits’, Wood Buffalo National Park receives over 6000 'visits'/year.

Looking forward

Overall, visitor numbers to territorial and national parks have been stable during the past decade. 

Two major trends in Canada will likely impact visitor numbers in the future: the rapid growth of numbers of new and recent Canadians and the surge of baby boomers hitting retirement. Currently, the largest proportion of non-NWT visitors to our parks and campgrounds are retired Canadian couples. In the near term, the proportion of our population comprised by this segment will increase, and we can expect that more visitors from this group will visit our campgrounds. In the medium and long-term, as new Canadians become a larger part of the Canadian mosaic, their travel patterns will likely influence the number of visitors to NWT campgrounds and parks.

Looking around

The Arctic Borderlands Ecological Knowledge Co-op reports on park visitors as an indicator: http://www.taiga.net/coop/indics/parks.html.

Find more

• More information about NWT Territorial Parks can be found at http://www.spectacularnwt.com and http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/tourismparks/ .
• More information on the NWT’s National Parks can be found at:
• http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/nt/tuktutnogait/index_e.asp
• http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/nt/aulavik/index_E.asp
• http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/nt/woodbuffalo/index_e.asp
• http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/nt/nahanni/index_e.asp

Other focal points

• See PROTECTED AREAS AND LAND USE PLANNING for more information related to land conservation.

Updated: 16 August 2011

References

Ref 1 - Tourism 2015: New Directions for a Spectacular Future.  Available at www.iti.gov.nt.ca/tourismparks.

Ref 2 - 2007. Northwest Territories 2006 Visitor Exit Survey Summary Report . Available at www.iti.gov.nt.ca/tourismparks.

Ref 3 - Northwest Territories Visitor Exit Survey Summary Reports. Current. Industry Tourism and Investment (GNWT). See at www.iti.gov.nt.ca/tourismparks.

Ref 4 - Adriana Bacheschi, Barb Brittain, Parks Canada, personal communication.

Ref 5 - Ann Ronald, Nina Squires, Parks Canada, personal communication.

Ref 6 - Boxall P. C., Watson D. O., McFarlane B. L.2001. Some Aspects of the Anatomy of Alberta's Hunting Decline: 1990-1997. Human Dimensions of Wildlife 6:97-113

Ref 7 - Furgal C., Jacinthe S./12. Climate Change, Health, and Vulnerability in Canadian Northern Aboriginal Communities. Environmental Health Perspectives 114:1964-1970

Ref 8 - Government of the NWT.  2008. LISIN database. 
 
Ref 9 - GSGislason & Associates Ltd. 2003. Resident hunting in BC – An economic profile. Economic Development Branch, BC Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management.

Ref 10 - Kuhnlein, H. V., Receveur, O. Soueida, R., Berti, P.R. 2008. Unique patterns of dietary adequacy in three cultures of Canadian Arctic indigenous peoples. Public Health Nutrition 11:349-360

Ref 11 - ITI. 2007. Northwest Territories 2004-2006 Territorial Park Permits Report , Tourism and Parks, Industry, Tourism and Investment, Government of the Northwest Territories. Updated data provided by Kira Pena, ITI.

Ref 12 - ITI .2008. GNWT Fur Harvest Database , Industry,Tourism and Investment (GNWT).

Ref 13 - Janna Jaque, Parks Canada, personal communication.

Ref 14 - Kuhnlein H. V., Receveur O., Soueida R., Egeland G. M.2004. Arctic Indigenous Peoples Experience the Nutrition Transition with Changing Dietary Patterns and Obesity. J. Nutr. 134:1447-1453

Ref 15 - Kuhnlein H. V., Receveur O. 2007. Local Cultural Animal Food Contributes High Levels of Nutrients for Arctic Canadian Indigenous Adults and Children.  J. Nutr. 137:1110-1114

Ref 16 - NWT Bureau of Statistics. Current. NWT Labour Force Surveys . See www.stats.gov.nt.ca

Ref 17 - NWT Bureau of Statistics. 2002. The 2002 NWT Regional Employment and Harvesting Survey. Available at www.stats.gov.nt.ca

Ref 18 - NWT Bureau of Statistics .Current. Statistics Quarterly . See www.stats.gov.nt.ca

Ref 19 - NWT Bureau of Statistics.  2009. NWT Community Survey. http://www.stats.gov.nt.ca/ .  Updated raw data from Vishni Peeris and Jill Herbert, NWT Bureau of Statistics.

Ref 20 - Receveur O., Boulay M., Kuhnlein H. 1997. Decreasing Traditional Food Use Affects Diet Quality for Adult Dene/Metis in Communities of the Canadian Northwest Territories. J. Nutr. 127:2179-2186