The Buzz at KEPO Issue 5

THE BUZZ AT KEPO

What's the Buzz at KEPO?

Welcome!

This is the official newsletter of the Kahnawà:ke Environment Protection Office (KEPO). The Buzz at KEPO is a new quarterly newsletter that will provide updates on current KEPO initiatives and events, as well as environmental information relevant to Kahnawa'kehró:non. Keep on reading to see what we’ve been doing to protect and better our environment.

Highlights & Project Updates

Aquatic Stewardship Program

Environmental Education

Food Forest

Wildlife profile: Teiotién:taron

Meet the Team

MOTUS Installation

RAD Gathering

Healthcare & Environmental Health

Project Update

Aquatic Stewardship Program U

by Tyler Moulton, Environmental Projects Coordin Aquatic Habitats

What did we do?

KEPO completed its first full year of creek monitoring in Kahnawà:ke under the Aquatic Stewardship Program in 2022 We monitor the Surface Water Quality (SWQ) and Benthic Macroinvertebrates (BMI) annually, and the fish communities of the creeks on a rotating 3 year basis Surface Water Quality includes measurements of oxygen, temperature, pH (acidity), nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), and metals in the water Benthic (bottom-dwelling) Macro-(visible to naked eye) invertebrates (no spine) include animals like crayfish, worms, insect larvae, and snails Both the diversity and sensitivity of different types is used to help assess the water quality

Threats?

Areas with high human disturbance had lower water quality. North Creek, for example, had a very low diversity of macroinvertebrates that was composed of only very durable species. Areas of the Little Suzanne River near the 207 highway, and parts of Delormier Creek had high nutrient levels (nitrogen and phosphorus). This leads to algal blooms, die offs, and high decomposition which lowers oxygen available for fish and other water breathers.

The good news?

Amazing animals were seen in all of the creeks or the habitat around them. Amphibians (frogs, salamander, mudpuppy), turtles (painted, snapping), birds (blue heron, black-crowned night heron, egret) and mammals (beaver, muskrat, otter, snowshoe hare) were seen in and around the creeks, some even right in the middle of town. Even where water quality was scored “Poor”, 20 species of fish were documented in the Little Suzanne River, including some beautiful and sensitive species like logperch, bridle shiners, and brook silversides. No invasive fish were found in this creek (no gobies or tench), and the vast majority of fish captured were in good health (no tumors, few visible signs of stress).

The Suzanne River had the highest water quality with 23 invertebrate groups, including sensitive species of mayfly and caddisfly The Suzanne River is also a great example of the benefits of forests and wetlands to stream health when the Suzanne enters Kahnawà:ke from Chateauguay, it has some minor nutrient and industrial pollution, but after passing through several miles of forested and wetland habitat, those pollutants have been effectively filtered out by the ecosystem

Butwait-there'smoregoodnews!

While North Creek (Whakeras Creek) has poor overall water quality right now, we can make it better Thanks to conversations with community members and work in our office, we will be working on projects in the coming years to improve flow and create better habitats in this creek (and others!). This is going to be a community-driven process. We want to gather stories of what North Creek used to be like what lived there? How did people interact with it? – and together envision what the creek can be like in the future. KEPO will be announcing new funding this summer that will be used to implement restoration works of the creeks Stay tuned for this announcement and workshop dates!

North Creek

Summer Student Special

Environmental and Wildlife Management

by Wahariwakeron Kirby, Junior Environmental Technician

Shé:kon, my name is Wahariwakeron Kirby and I’m currently a Junior Environmental Technician at KEPO interested in all things having do with nature and the environment around us. As a full-time student at Vanier college studying Environmental and Wildlife Management, having this opportunity to work in this field with KEPO and it’s incredible staff has been a fun experience that has taught me a lot I’ll be explaining today what my educational program is and how it can also be a good opportunity for other people in the community

For many Kahnawákeró:non, we share a passion of caring for the land and Mother Earth, especially now when action is needed to combat climate change and other environmental issues. For youth in our community who have an interest in the flora and fauna that surrounds us and an interest in work that allows you to interact with the environment, either through field or lab work, this program is perfect for you

Vanier college offers a three-year career program called Environmental and Wildlife Management. This program allows graduates to practice their profession upon completion with their DCS (diploma of collegial studies), equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in their respective fields and where a path to university is still possible This program gives students a science-based education in small, focused classes taught through a practical hands-on approach Students receive both outdoor field and laboratory experience, with access to a multitude of facilities made for helping them succeed They will learn how to identify bird, mammal, reptile, fish, and even plant species. They are also taught a variety of techniques required of an environmental technician, which is the title given upon graduation.

Overall, this opportunity can be very useful for youth in the community that want to pursue a career in environmental management, protection and conservation, while travelling and doing work that makes a big difference in the world. For more in-depth information on what the program grid entails, feel free to check out the below link or stop by KEPO to chat about what this program will give to you during your three years at Vanier

www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/ewm/

New Project

Kahnawà:ke's Food Forest

by Marina Gosselin, Environmental Projects Coordinator - Climate Change

This fall, KEPO will be planting a food forest on Tekakwitha Island. The goal of the food forest will be to plant native edible trees and plants to create a space for the community to come and gather food and seeds One of the aims of the forest is to both mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change, as well as be a source of food, medicine, and a place for Kahnawa'kehró:non to connect and enjoy. The garden will be composed of all native plants from the upper canopy, down to the ground level including trees, shrubs, flowers, and edible plants This project will also address food sovereignty, biodiversity protection, and will create opportunities for seed saving At the core of the food forest, we will plant a Miyawaki forest (a small and dense style of planting) that will provide habitat for birds and other wildlife and will help us support local biodiversity.

Focus areas of food forest:

Food sovereignty for the community, Planting native edible species of plants and trees.

Create opportunities for seed collecting.

Climate change:

Protecting and enhancing carbon stores.

Adaptation to climate change with additional food security for the community.

Educational tool to teach about plants and their care. Names of plants will be displayed in Kanien’kéha.

What is a food forest:

A food forest attempts to mimic a forest edge and the ecosystems and growing patterns found in nature. There are typically seven layers in a food forest – the overstory, the understory, the shrub layer, the herbaceous layer, the root layer, the ground cover layer, and the vine layer Planting in layers, more plants can fit in an area without creating too much competition. A food forest generally includes fruit and nut trees, shrubs, herbs, vines and perennials which are directly useful to people. Making use of companion planting, these can be intermixed to grow in a succession of layers to build a woodland habitat.

If you have any questions or would like to offer your advice or feedback on the food forest, please contact Marina Gosselin at KEPO at marina.gosselin@mck.ca or 450-635-0600.

Credit: Ourwildgarden com

wildlife profile

Teiotién:taron

Lake sturgeon

Acipenser fulvescens

The Lake sturgeon is a long sleek torpedo-shaped fish with a pointed snout They do not have scales but instead rough skin and four barbels (sensory organs) that look like whiskers in the front of their mouth. They can range from a bluish black to brown colour on their back with a whitish underbelly. Sturgeon can reach up to lengths of 6 feet, can weigh up to 200 pounds, and in the wild males have an average lifespan of 55 years while females can live up to 150 years

The Lake sturgeon is currently listed as an endangered species as assessed by the COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada). They are impacted by overfishing, invasive species, pollution, habitat loss and restriction due to human activity such as dams. Their populations can be found in the St. Lawrence River, the Great lakes, and many other rive systems across Turtle Island, often in isolated populations

The Lake Sturgeon have a carnivorous diet of small invertebrates (animals lacking a spine) such as crayfish, snails, leeches, and clams on the bottoms of lakes and rivers which varies depending on what’s available. They have very few natural predators

Females can lay 2 to 3 million eggs per spawning season

Meet the Team

Carlee Kawinehta Loft

Environmental Projects Coordinator - Policy and Outreach

They are anadromous, meaning that they travel between fresh water and salt water during different life stages

policy and outreach. She studied psychology and behavioural science at McGill University and is passionate about community organizing, which has been her focus since completing her bachelors in 2018 Carlee loves to be outside and to create. Watercolour, beading, zine making, and working with pressed flowers are some of her favorite mediums to create.

Carlee believes strongly in the importance of culture, collective movements, and creativity in restoring our relationship with the natural world

She brings this perspective to her role at KEPO

She is excited to get out there and hear more from Kahnawákeró:non their aspirations for our lands, waters, and the rest of our kin in the natural world.

Considered an important part of Kanien'kehá:ka, Wendat, and Anishnabeg feasts, ceremonies, and customs

Human made barriers such as dams disrupt migration and breeding

Credit:TennesseeAquarium

Project Updates

Bank Swallow Banding + MOTUS Tower Installation

by Cole Delisle, Environmental Projects Coordinator - Terrestrial Habitats

This year we’ve been busy following up on our bird projects and starting new ones In April, we refurbished the bank swallow habitat to prepare for their arrival. This year we’ve had 97 pairs of swallows at the habitat! To help us better understand the behaviour of the species, we installed a MOTUS tower on the island. This is a small radio tower which can pick up the signals given off by tagged birds when they pass by the tower.

In June, we also had the chance to tag and band 60 of the swallows which nest in the habitat The birds are caught using nets at the entrance to the nest. ID tags are put on their legs, and the tag is attached to their back, like a small backpack. Kahnawà:ke’s tower is part of the MOTUS network which stretches all the way down to South America. Bank Swallow have been detected as far as Mexico so it will be exciting to see where our birds overwinter!

Economic Opportunity for Indigenous Conservation

RAD Network Gathering

by Saba Thackurdeen, General Manager of Environment Protection

This past April, on behalf of KEPO, I joined a group of Indigenous leaders and allies to envision the Indigenous-led conservation economy during a gathering held on the unceded and unsurrendered Territory of the Wolastoqwiyik at Sitansisk (aka Fredericton, New Brunswick)

The gathering was hosted by the Restore, Assert, Defend (RAD) Network, a network emerging from the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership (CRP) and which is dedicated to advancing economic pathways for Indigenous-led conservation in so-called Canada. The core belief of the network is that the protection of biodiversity and resurgence of Indigenous self-determination go hand in hand, and the gathering was initiated to co-create a shared vision for the network and to identify pathways forward.

Given the range of the perspectives and experience present at the gathering, a big picture conversation was essential We spent time discussing our relation to conservation and unpacking key terms, such as "nature-based solutions", "conservation" and certainly "finance". The feeling in the room was, overall, an unease with these ways of relating, but also a sense that shared understandings could be achieved in ethical space, where Indigenous rights are fundamental.

From the gathering emerged a purpose that the network would play a supporting role for Nations interested in conservation economies the network being the sparks and embers, not the leaders.

The vision, however, was reaffirmed that with the support of networks like RAD, there is opportunity and need to affirm Indigenous leadership and authority in the emerging field of conservation finance

Should you be interested to follow the work of RAD, be sure to check out their website: conservation-reconciliation.ca/rad

Attendees at Apr 2023 RAD Network gatherng, Envisoning the Indigenous-ed Conservaton Economy Photo

Summer Student Special Environmental

and Wildlife Management

by Jade McComber, Junior Environmental Technician

Kwe, my name is Jade McComber I am working as a Junior Environmental Technician this summer with the Kahnawà:ke Environment Protection Office. I am entering my 4th year of nursing school at the University of New Brunswick in the fall. As I have been studying in the health care system, I have come to learn how intertwined personal and population health is with environmental health. I have always been interested in environment health, as I spend most of my free time fishing, learning to track and hunt I have also been learning to tan moose and deer hides for the past few years I am excited to be learning about more tangible ways our community can take action in helping our environment thrive. For example, air quality testing and water sampling are two KEPO projects that I’ve been able to learn about and will be able to carry that knowledge as I continue in my studies.

In health care, we study how climate change, or land and water destruction impacts entire communities. There are communities with health issues like cancer or respiratory system issues due to environmental contamination. In nursing we study how to manage or mitigate these issues, but not how to prevent the actual causes. Working at KEPO is helping me to gain a more realistic picture on how to prevent those causes. I am excited to be blending my studies and passions, as I am gaining greater perspective on how to help care for our environment and people.

Kahnawà:ke Environment Protection Office