From GeoConnections’ Aboriginal Communities Success Stories.
Other Aboriginal Communities Success Stories can be viewed here:
http://www.geoconnections.org/en/communities/aboriginal/successStories
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The future of Kivalliq, Nunavut rests on its ability to make the best decisions regarding its land and sea resources. With over 83,000 square kilometres of land to manage, and with several levels of authority that must have input into Nunavut’s Land Use Plan, the Kivalliq Inuit Association (KIA) developed a geographic information system (GIS) to track and approve all land use applications.
During the 1980s, prior to the incorporation of Nunavut as a territory, several areas had been contaminated by commercial uses such as mining, and oil and gas exploration. The KIA, in turn, had no efficient system to track land use or to effectively rectify any contamination. Using GIS, the KIA is now able to store all the information — traditional and scientific knowledge, information about wildlife populations, water resources, tourist activities, and oil, gas, and mineral deposits — that is required to make sound land use decisions.
When Luis Gerardo Manzo first took his position as KIA’s Director of Lands, he discovered that many of the reports that
needed to go to the federal government regarding land use applications had not been done. Before approaching GeoConnections’ Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI), Mr. Manzo developed a database to store all the information that was currently on file. "The database now tracks all of the land use applications, and we charge companies a security deposit for any equipment or damage to the land," says Mr. Manzo.
The KIA then contacted SCI and set in motion a pilot project to develop its GIS. SCI provided funding for computer hardware, software, and training. "It was fascinating to see how easy it was for my staff to manage the maps," says Mr. Manzo. "When I started it took me a while to get used to them, but staff knew the area and had to navigate through snow with nothing but the map and a global positioning system." All staff members have now been trained to use GIS and the KIA will be opening up two new staff positions in 2004.
"The KIA is responsible for any activity on the land, and that’s one of the main reasons why this system has worked so well. We can add layers of all different kinds — geological, wildlife, water, archeological — and have that on our desktop computer in a short time," Mr. Manzo explains. "Sometimes it’s difficult to fuse traditional information with modern, scientific knowledge. The GIS has allowed us to do that so that we can pass it to the community."
All land use proponents apply to the KIA first for a land use application. To ensure that any activity meets the goals of Nunavut’s land use plan, several other levels of authority must also have input into each application, such as the Nunavut Planning Commission (NPC), Regional Inuit Associations (RIA), the Community and Land Resources Committee (CLARC), and the Nunavut Water Board. Prior to implementing the system, it typically took the KIA about two and half months to process each application. "Right now, in my office, once we receive the application, it takes one day to develop the map and the necessary information layers, and one day for analysis," explains Mr. Manzo. "In the meantime, the system automatically generates a letter of receipt to the applicant, and I can send the information to the CLARC, the NPC, and if necessary to the Water Board for their comments."
The system has dramatically improved the level of information the KIA is able to pass to the community, to scientific researchers, and to commercial organizations that wish to explore the land for economic development. The addition of Landsat and infrared photographs has also made water and wildlife management much more efficient and allows the KIA to promote and protect its natural resources.
Mr. Manzo believes that, without SCI, this project would not have been possible. "Our budget is quite small and we only get a two per cent increase each year, so to adminster that quanity of land with that money is impossible," says Mr. Manzo. "With this system, we’ve demonstrated that we can do it better in less time and with more information."