Title | An examination of the cumulative effects of oil sand development on the traditional lands and resources used by the people of Fort MacKay |
Publication Type | Report |
Year of Publication | 1998 |
Publication Language | en |
Keywords | cumulative effects, oil sands development, traditional knowledge and land use |
Abstract | There were four objectives set out for this cumulative effects study. The first was to delineate the extent of the Traditional Lands of the People of the community of Fort McKay. Second, was to outline the amount of surface disturbance, which has taken place (and is being planned for) on the Traditional Lands of Fort McKay. The third objective noted in this study is to calculate in a relatively gross and simple fashion, what the standing crops of a few species of fish, wildlife and plants most commonly used by community members might have been available for harvest from this area before it was disturbed. This was done using survey data from a variety of industry and government agencies. The fourth objective was to calculate how much of this standing crop falls into the category of "foregone opportunity" for the people of Fort McKay, what the dollar value of this foregone opportunity would add up to over the years between 1965 and 1998 and extrapolate the value on what these foregone opportunities will represent by the year 2050. These objectives were met through discussions with Elders and other community members; by canvassing government and industry and reviewing literature to determine annual wildlife and fish population levels throughout the area, and in particular, those which might have existed on the lands which have been, and are about to be disturbed; by determining the standing crop of fish and wildlife for the period of time covering surface disturbance, using the information derived from the completion of the third objective; and by producing a series of overlay maps covering the Fort McKay Traditional Resource Use Area. This series includes all oil sands mines and leases, forestry operations, cities, towns, seismic work and any other surface disturbances which have occurred (and which have not been reclaimed) from about 1965 to the present, and which are located on what has been defined as Fort McKay Traditional Land. This report and the maps provided clearly demonstrate that the changes in the making are severe, and the rate at which the amount of disturbance is multiplying is exponential. |
Notes | Consultant commissioned by First Nation group |
Topics | Traditional land use study |
Locational Keywords | Fort McKay, Alberta |
Group | CEMA |
Citation Key | 24893 |