Many Aboriginal Nations in Canada seek to be involved in protected areas planning and overall land management. In a partnership study conducted with Fond du Lac Denesuline Nation in northern Saskatchewan, the cultural and ecological uses of land and resources were documented for the Athabasca sand dunes region on the south shore of Lake Athabasca. Denesuline land uses provided a basis to discuss the role of traditional land use and indigenous knowledge in the co-stewardship of protected areas in Saskatchewan.

Gathering indigenous knowledge in Fond du Lac Denesuline Nation involved a participatory research design developed through community meetings and study team working groups. Interviews and individual map biographies resulted in a collection of composite maps. The thesis does not include material considered confidential by indigenous knowledge holders. The partnership study was part of a larger project entitled "Respecting and Preserving Fond du Lac Denesuline Indigenous Knowledge: thai gayé, ethedustél túe", published by Fond du Lac Denesuline Nation (2004). (Abstract shortened by UMI.)