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 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.
Project Update
North Creek Community Visioning Project
by Carlee Kawinehta Loft, Environmental Project Coordinator - Policy & Outreach
The North Creek Community Visioning Project (NCCVP) officially started in the summer of 2023 and is part of a larger project known as Entewahnekahserón:ni' (We are Rejuvenating the Water) KEPO launched the Entewahnekahserón:ni' project to improve the habitat in three of Kahnawà:ke's creeks and the Recreation Bay While out in the creeks for routine water sampling, community members approached the KEPO team with stories of how the waters used to be, especially North Creek, also known as Whákeras Creek This is why we decided to start with the NCCVP, which focuses on the history, health, and restoration of North Creek
We started the project by collecting the history of the creek through stories, photos, and one-on-one interviews with elders and community members who live along the creek. Using some of these recorded interviews, we created a short video featuring the elders’ stories to preserve, highlight, and share this piece of our history. We heard from 53 community members during the history phase.
The next goal was to gather a shared vision of the future of the creek. We did this through two community working sessions in collaboration with water resources engineering consultants, Water’s Edge. In addition, we released a community survey, and two film screenings of the short video. We heard from 80 community members in the vision phase.
We are now moving forward with a community-driven restoration of the creek. The scheduled work will come from priorities identified during the visioning phase. We are excited to announce that work is scheduled to start in the fall of 2024
What exactly will we be doing to improve the creek? The plan is to remove debris and invasive plant species, and re-naturalize the banks and channel throughout the creek. In specific locations, we will also be replacing or improving culverts. All of this work is to reach the priorities identified in the community survey and throughout our engagement process.
1.Bringbackflow/movementtothecreek.
2.Removeinvasiveplantsandplantnativespecies.
3.Protectingandenhancingexistinghabitats.
KEPO would like to offer our sincerest condolences to the families of Patsy Cross and John Jacobs Patsy and John generously shared their knowledge with the NCCVP team, the project would not be the same without their contributions
WHATTOLEARNMORE?
StopbytheKEPOinformationkiosk July11from10:00AMand2:00PMat TótaMa’s(freecoffeeandsnackwhile supplieslast).Wewillbeanswering anyquestionyouwanttoknowabout theupcomingrestorationwork.
NorthCreek 2023
NorthCreek 2023
Project Update
Drone Surveying Work
by Cole Delisle, Environmental Project Coordinator - Terrestrial Habitats
Recently, KEPO has been utilising drones to help with fieldwork and monitoring projects. We recently acquired a new Mavic 3M drone; its features give us a lot of new possibilities! This drone is marketed to farmers who can use its multispectral camera to help analyze their crops. But we can use that same technology to help us determine forest health, target areas for planting, and track invasive species. In this picture of the marsh on the island for example, we can see where plants are growing well (red), having some more trouble (yellow & green), or where there’s ground (blue).
With the high-quality images from the drone, we’ve also started using photogrammetry in our work Photogrammetry uses images from drone photos to measure distances or survey in the world Using specialized software, we can create 3D models of a location We can use these models to monitor shoreline erosion, invasive species removals, and our restoration work In this image of the marsh, I’m using the polygon tool to measure the size of the wetland area This use of drones can support our on the ground data collection or even replace it, especially in hard to access areas improving the quality (and safety) of work we can do!
MultispectraldroneimageofMarshandLinearPond
Summer Student Special Fish, Birds, Snakes, Oh My!
by Kahsennaró:roks Deom Junior Environment Technician
Kwe! My name is Kahsennaró:roks Deom and I am one of the summer students working with KEPO. I will be doing my master's degree in the fall in the realm of Indigenous aquatic sciences. I am very thankful to be learning so much from the team at KEPO. I didn’t have a lot of field experience in water or with fish before, as my work usually centers on terrestrial habitats and plants. I completed my undergraduate degree in Environmental Science at the University of British Columbia in November 2023. I was introduced to aquatic science and fisheries through my grad supervisor, Dr. Andrea Reid. Dr. Reid is from the Nisga'a Nation and leads the Centre for Indigenous Fisheries at UBC. I was interested in working for and learning from an Indigenous professor while at UBC in my undergrad, and she was so welcoming and encouraging. I have since been gaining knowledge in west coast Indigenous fisheries, the criminalization of said fisheries, and the cultural importance of water, fish, and other aquatic species.
My goal since doing my undergraduate degree has always been to work in Kahnawà:ke with our human and non-human community members to restore, maintain, and continue to help our land to thrive. Working with the environment office will prepare me for any obstacles or unknowns that I might encounter while doing my studies.
While working as a Junior Environmental Technician, I have already been able to help a lot in the short time I've been here Here are some tasks I have been assisting with:
Marsh Monitoring: With the restoration of the bay, we have been monitoring the marsh area for snakes and turtles, along with the artificial bank made for the bank swallows
Electrofishing: As part of the fish and fish habitat monitoring program, we’ve been collecting diversity data of the creeks This includes information such as fish species, sizes, and making note of if species are invasive, have diseases, or injuries
Birds and Nest Boxes: KEPO had set up nest boxes along the Sports Complex fields and at the KSS trail We are monitoring these boxes for birds using them, and then tagging the birds to see if they will come back to these boxes So far, we have spotted tree swallows, house wrens, and one box contains Eastern bluebirds We also tagged and banded around 60 of the bank swallows that are using the artificial bank by the marsh We did this with a team from Environment and Climate Change Canada - Barbara Freia, Anna Morales, Catherine Jarjour
Brownsnakemonitoring
ECCCandKEPOteam
Turtlenestingbeach Lance-leavedcoreopsis Treeswallownest
Nestboxmonitoring
Community Spotlight
Creating a Sustainable Garden: Insights from Doug & Gail
by Julie Teio’kerathe Delisle, Environmental Projects Coordinator - E
One sunny June morning, I had the chance to visit Doug Lahache and Gail Taylor’ gardens. Doug and Gail are seasoned gardeners with a passion for permaculture and sustainable gardening While touring their meticulously curated garden, Doug and Gail shared their knowledge and experiences, offering valuable tips for fellow gardeners keen on fostering biodiversity and sustainability.
A Legacy of Gardening
Both Doug and Gail inherited a love for gardening from their families They always remembered having gardens while growing up They remembered their elders teaching them to put the seeds in their mouth before planting them so that the seeds would grow to benefit what their body needed
They started developing their own gardens in the mid1980s, with mail order plants, one of which, a Japanese
integrating native species and natural processes They leave plants natural at the end of the season to feed birds during winter and are exploring lasagna gardening to enhance soil health and water retention All space is well thought out and used efficiently to benefit biodiversity and increase space for crops
Creating Pollinator Sanctuaries
Central to their garden plan was creating a space to benefit local pollinators Their sloped pollinator garden bed has beautiful variety of native flowering species attracting essential bees and butterflies The garden will be vibrating with honey-bees in the spring and your can sometimes hear the earth worms in the healthy soil Bird feeders can be found throughout the yard and Gail shared that almost every local bird species has been spotted at some point
Gaildetailingthenativeflowersintheirpollinatorgarden
Challenges and Learnings
Reflecting on challenges, Gail mentioned struggles with pests and weed management They've dealt with issues like flea beetles from store-bought mulch, opting for effective solutions like coconut mulch and natural soap based insecticides
Advice for Aspiring Gardeners
For novices, Doug recommends starting small, experimenting, and replicating natural elements they admire He has incorporated driftwood pieces into their garden décor They stress learning through experience, asking for help and keeping detailed garden logs to track successes and failures “Plan something out, it doesn’t have to be big, just get your hands in the dirt and get started”, recommends Doug
“I want to leave my part of the world better than I found it. If everyone did, things would be better off for the seventh generation”.
Future Directions
Looking ahead, they plan to expand their herb garden, integrate solar-powered features like a pond, and enhance water efficiency through the permaculture design course with KEPO. They view each year as an opportunity for growth and learning.
A Commitment to Nature
Doug and Gail's dedication to ecological stewardship can be seen throughout their space. Starting from an ecological desert, their garden now thrives with diverse flora and fauna, nurturing a vibrant ecosystem.
Overall, Doug and Gail’s journey encapsulates the transformative power of gardening and how From childhood roots to sustainable practices, their work will hopefully inspire others to cultivate not just plants, but a deeper connection with Mother Nature.
Meet the Team
Tyler Moulton
Environmental Projects Coordinator – Aquatic Habitats
Tyler has worked at KEPO since May 2021 as the Environmental Projects Coordinator – Aquatic Habitats. He leads the Aquatic Stewardship Program (ASP) with KEPO’s Project Support Technician, Brandon Rice The ASP encompasses long-term monitoring of Kahnawà:ke Creeks, short term studies like Kahnawà:ke Fish Health Study (contaminants in fish), and the restoration project Entewahnekahserón:ni' (We are Rejuvenating the Water) Tyler has overseen the beginning of longterm monitoring of Tioweró:ton’s creeks and lakes to understand the quality habitats available to the Tiotià:kton (Brook trout) He has also facilitated community collection of samples from harvested Tiotià:kton to help understand the relative growth rates and health of their populations among the different lakes and creeks
Tyler grew up in the U.S. (Maryland) but moved to Tiohtià:ke to study biology at McGill with a focus on fish physiology and ecology He taught college biology labs in the U.S. and worked for Vermont Fish and Wildlife before returning to Canada and finding his way to KEPO
Tyler is very grateful for his position and his amazing colleagues at KEPO. Working at KEPO has taught him so much and has reshaped how he thinks about science, community, conservation and environmental health. Tyler has always loved fishing, hiking, and canoeing, and is delighted to be working in nature In his free time, Tyler enjoys making annoying puns and talking about himself in the third person.
wildlife profile
À:kweks
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
The Guardian of The Five Nations, the Bald Eagle sits atop the Great Tree of Peace ready to alert The Confederacy to any dangers that may approach No bird is as well suited to the task The bald eagle’s vision is estimated to be up to 8 times more powerful than humans Like humans they have binocular vision which provides them with depth perception and the ability to judge distances They have a higher density o f photoreceptor cells compared to humans which gives them the ability to see colors more vividly and t hey have a larger amount of rod cells which allows them to see better in low light conditions
Bald eagles also have specialized flight feathers that are arranged to take advantage of thermal updrafts The lightweight structure of the feathers helps them conserve energy during their hunt which can last for prolonged periods The shape of their wings while in flight are rounded which provides lift , while primary feathers at the tips of their wings keeps them stable Once an eagle has spotted prey, they will descend and execute a maneuver known as a hunting dive They tuck their wings backwards and descends The contour feathers that cover the exterior of their body maintain their aerodynamic profile, reducing drag and maximizing velocity The result is often a very surprised fish being snatched out of the water by razor sharp talons that can squeeze with upwards of 400 psi
Bald eagles have a translucent third eyelid called a nictitating membrane that protects their eyes from debris when hunting and feeding.
During a hunt the Bald Eagle will soar as high as 10,000 feet into the sky to survey an area for prey.
When a bald eagle loses a feather on one wing, it will lose a feather on the other in order to keep its balance
A bald eagle's white head may make it look bald. But actually the name comes from an old English word, "balde," meaning white
KEPO Training
Turtle Island Indigenous Science Conference
by Carlee Kawinehta Loft Environmental Project Coordinator - Policy & Outreach
In late May, some of the KEPO team attended the 2024 Turtle Island Indigenous Science Conference in Treaty Four, Regina, Saskatchewan The conference brought together scholars, knowledge keepers, and other experts from across Turtle Island to share advances and experiences in Indigenous science, research, education, and policy The goal of the conference is to advance evidence-based approaches in Indigenous knowledge and science, while honoring ancestral knowledge. We presented KEPO’s work on the North Creek as part of the “Indigenous engagement with water, land and the environment” theme.
CarleeandJulieatFileHillsQu'appelleTribalCouncilonTreaty4Territory
Attending this conference was a great opportunity to hear how other communities are handling engagement around important, and sometimes tricky, environmental issues. A presentation that stands out to me was one by the Eskasoni Fish & Wildlife Commission, on their Land Guardianship Program – which aims to protect the land and traditional land-based practices For this program, on top of doing community outreach, they created a community committee to guide their work. The committee had so many interests that they made subcommittees, each with their own focus including water, language, infrastructure, flooding, forestry, and biodiversity
In my role at KEPO, one of the things I have been working towards is bringing back a community advisory committee. So, it was interesting and very helpful to hear how something similar is working in another community. I got the contact information of one of their coordinators and look forward to learning more about their initiatives!
However, my favorite presentation was the elders’ panel They spoke a lot about the importance of getting out on the land and listening to our elders to really learn “in balance with nature”. To quote one of the elders, “never mind a damn book, come and walk with me!”
