(adapted from the Yukon State of the Environment Report 1995)
The landscape of the Northern Yukon is diverse ranging from the coastal plain bordering the Beaufort Sea to areas that are heavily forested, wetlands or mountainous. Residents from communities in the Mackenzie River delta maintain seasonal camps at several locations along the Yukon coast. However, the only permanent settlement in the region is the village of Old Crow with a population of 270. There is no road access to the community and subsistence is a way of life in Old Crow. The Vuntut Gwitchin emphasize the links between a healthy environment and the continuation of their lifestyle and culture based on traditional harvesting activities. The seasonal round in Old Crow finds people gathering food from a variety of sources: muskrats and waterfowl in spring, salmon in summer and caribou in autumn.
Salmon have long been an important food source for the Vuntut Gwitchin. Three species, chinook, coho and chum travel up the Yukon and Porcupine Rivers on their way to spawning areas on the Fishing Branch River. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans, in cooperation with the people of Old Crow, have set up a counting weir and are closely monitoring yearly salmon returns. Heavy harvests by Alaskan fishers have taken a toll and the numbers of returning chum are below management objectives.
Graph: Fishing Branch River chum salmon returns
The Porcupine Caribou Herd, a large population of migrating Grant's caribou, has been an important part of the northern Yukon's natural environment for thousands of years. (The name Porcupine is taken from a river near the center of the caribou herd's range.)
Gwich'in, Inuvialuit, Northern Tutchone and Inupiat from 13 communities in Alaska, Yukon and the Northwest Territories, rely on the Porcupine Caribou Herd for food. Non-native people from these villages and from larger communities such as Whitehorse and Fairbanks also hunt these caribou. The community of Old Crow has depended on the caribou for thousands of years and the Gwitchin people are dependent on the herd for the survival of their culture. The herd also supports predators such as wolves, grizzly bears and golden eagles.
There are several challenges to managing wildlife in the northern Yukon. Many animals move back and forth across political boundaries and may be harvested by people from different communities. As a result transboundary issues and coordination are key concerns. In addition, the health of many northern populations depends on certain key habitats at particular times of the year. These critical habitats must be identified and protected.
The Inuvialuit Final Agreement was signed in 1984 and established a cooperative management process for the Inuvialuit Settlement Region that extends across the northern Yukon. There is now considerable habitat protection. Ivvavik National Park was created in 1984 as part of the Final Agreement and this was followed by Herschel Island Territorial Park. As a result of the 1995 Vuntut Gwitchin land claim agreement Vuntut National Park was created.
