The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations is voicing their concerns over what they say is a lack of First Nations involvement in a study on Woodland Caribou.

Recently the province announced $340,000 in funding for a study on Woodland Caribou. The study comes in response to a protection plan from the federal government in 2012 after Woodland Caribou were considered to be an at risk species. Ottawa gave the province’s five years to come up with a protection plan.

The FSIN says there has been no indication that there will be Indigenous participation in this study. They believe First Nation elders hold valuable knowledge on the animals and land and the government has done a “poor job” in including them.

Vice-Chief Heather Bear says she is especially concerned about the so-called exclusion because the caribou population is vital to Saskatchewan’s northern Indigenous population.

“Climate change, and with it, the increase in forest fires is changing the migration patterns of animals like the caribou, and pushing them into new areas,” said Bear. “Reclamation of habitat is critical.”

Chief Bear says food security remains an important issue in First Nations communities and the decrease in Caribou and other wild game herds continues to be a contributing factor to that.

“We are the most affected, we are the most impacted,” she said. “First Nation communities must be involved.”

The Ministry of Environment has not yet been available for comment on the issue.

(PHOTO: Woodland caribou.  Photo courtesy of the Province of Saskatchewan)