Keyword Biodiversity

The Kainai First Nation team’s video ‘Kawapaomahkaiksi: Cultural Connection to Animals’ documents how climate change is impacting their community’s relationship with animals in their territory.

Warmer temperatures could bring some benefits to farming in Canada, but climate change will also likely lead to new risks that farmers haven’t seen before. Anne Blondlot of Ouranos breaks down some of the key changes the agricultural community could be facing.

“The buffalo is the best environmentalist you can have,” Dr. Leroy Little Bear of Kainai First Nation says. In the Prairies, the buffalo is not only a keystone species, but a critical part of Blackfoot culture. A professor at the University of Lethbridge, Dr. Little Bear is a strong advocate for why it’s crucial to include Indigenous worldviews in environmental management. In this video, he discusses the environmental change he’s witnesses, and why buffalo restoration is critical for restoring ecological balance.

Robin Tunnicliffe has farmed for about 25 years, growing a wide range of organic vegetables for local restaurants and farmer’s markets. When she started farming, there was a more predictable climate, but she is now experiencing more weather extremes that put her farm at risk. To combat the problem, Robin is breeding climate resilient seed that is adapted to her specific growing conditions, which gives her hope for the future.