Bats, Birds, Bees and Berries Project (BBBBP)-FARHA

Historically, the Anisininew were nomadic hunters and gatherers who spent part of the year on their ancestral trap lines during the hunting season, and the rest of the year on-reserve. They occupied a region from northeastern Manitoba to Ontario and southwards to Winnipeg. The Island Lake Anisininew communities face many challenges including, long-term evacuations from the devastating fires of 2025 and other effects of climate change, limited access to urban amenities including health care, and colonial assimilation practices which have reduced use of traditional healthy foods and medicines, and reliance on land-based traditional practices. Diet changes, reduced food security and physical activity have contributed to chronic health conditions like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma, obesity, renal and metabolic liver disease and a range of mental health conditions. In the coming years, these challenges are likely to be exacerbated as the homelands of the Anisininewuk face increasing pressure from development for resource extraction, further compromising traditional activities, food security, cultural preservation and public health.

The project, the “Bats, Birds, Bees and Berries Project” (BBBBP), will help FARHA co-create a program integrating western scientific approaches with Traditional Indigenous Knowledge, to provide land-based training and capacity building for monitoring ecosystem health, devise management and conservation plans for Anisininew territories and, ultimately, implement cutting-edge wildlife and plant monitoring plans that can help address public health and ecosystem conservation. FARHA’s holistic vision of Mamow Anisininew Minoyawin (Anisininew Oneness in Health and Wellbeing) treats the health of people and the health of the environment as inseparable pillars supporting wellness. “One-Health” in western public health and wildlife/ecosystem conservation relies on a similar perspective (e.g., Zinsstag et al. 2011). Our project will be guided by these crucial connections between people and the environment to prioritize species and habitat conservation/protection and education, data collection and improved social outcomes.

Faculty Supervisor:

Craig Willis;Kevin Fraser;Anne Worley

Student:

Partner:

Four Arrows Regional Health Authority Inc.

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Public administration

University:

University of Manitoba; University of Winnipeg

Program: