This fall, the Dehcho First Nations intends to sign an agreement with the federal government to establish Edehzhie, a 14, 249 square kilometre area of forest and wetland, as the first Dehcho Protected Area.

The land, which contains the Horn Plateau, will be co-managed by the Dehcho First Nations and the Canadian Wildlife Service, drawing on traditional knowledge and western science.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 a long history of Dene use in that region,SA国际影视传媒� said Dahti Tsetso, resource manager for the DFN and director of the Dehcho KSA国际影视传媒櫭﹉odi Stewardship and Guardians program. SA国际影视传媒淣ot just by the Dehcho but also by the Tlicho regions. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 a recognition between our regions of the shared land use area in Edehzhie.SA国际影视传媒�

Representatives of the Tlicho Government will also be signing the agreement this fall.

Tsetso said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 often heard elders describe Edehzhie as the breadbasket of the region.

SA国际影视传媒淧eople often go there in times of scarcity, and people also cite it as having an important source water, because water flows from the Horn,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Jonas Antoine, an elder whoSA国际影视传媒檚 been working on the establishment of the area since 1990, said the establishment of this area protects a place that is very special to the communities of Fort Simpson, Fort Providence, Wrigley and Jean Marie River, SA国际影视传媒渂ecause of its location, its importance, its abundance of game, and the lakes and the pure water and the fish.SA国际影视传媒�

The agreement will see the creation of a board with members from each of those four communities, as well as a representative from Canada, according to Tsetso.

This board will create the management plan, with input from harvesters and elders from each of the communities.

SA国际影视传媒淥nce the management plan is created, it will guide the work of our guardians,SA国际影视传媒� said Tsetso.

The guardians will be the SA国际影视传媒渆yes and ears out on the land,SA国际影视传媒� she said, and will work alongside researchers and biologists, and will bring youth out on the land.

Two guardians and one coordinator will come from each community. There will also be a regional coordinator to oversee the actions of the communities and the federal government. Antoine said he heard an old audio clip of his uncle Leo Norwegian a few weeks ago, talking about how important the area is to the people in the area.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was a wish from others before him, so he was carrying this forward,SA国际影视传媒� said Antoine of his uncle, who is no longer alive. SA国际影视传媒淲e took it and we carried it as far as we can. Now weSA国际影视传媒檙e looking forward to the next generation to guard it and look after it and manage it.SA国际影视传媒�

Antoine said the journey has been hard, and many different approaches have been taken over the years leading to this agreement.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e compromised,SA国际影视传媒� said Antoine. SA国际影视传媒淚t was a huge study area. We gave up about 40 per cent of the study area to get where we are today.SA国际影视传媒�

The DFN and the federal government have been at loggerheads over proposals to develop the protected area and over the subsurface rights for any minerals, oil or gas.

SA国际影视传媒淭he Dene concept of land is that land is right from the top to the very bottom,SA国际影视传媒� said Antoine. SA国际影视传媒淵ou donSA国际影视传媒檛 try to slice it in layers and sell it off.SA国际影视传媒�

Antoine said this agreement gives protection from the surface on down.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is our land and it is our wish and it is our law that we are establishing up there.SA国际影视传媒�

He said the DFN and the Canadian Wildlife Service see eye to eye on this, and that he is happy with the agreement that has taken shape.