Naskapi Nation

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Long-Term Connections for Sustainable Outcomes

May 16th, 2023

A fundamental aspect to Water First’s work is striving for lasting results – which means sustainable outcomes to projects, with benefits remaining within Indigenous communities for the long term.

That’s why our focus is on education that supports a community’s long-term goals. Safe water needs skilled people, now and into the future.

This approach is clearly evident in our Environmental Water Program. Environmental projects take a long view. When it comes to fish habitat restoration or climate change monitoring, it can take months, years, or even longer to see noticeable positive change. So when a community reaches out to us for support in implementing a project or training strategy, we know it’s the start of a long-term relationship. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach

In preparation for the summer fish habitat assessment project, newly hired interns and previous partners spent time becoming familiar with various water quality monitoring tools and equipment.

Group photo outside of the Naskapi Water Pumphouse.

The collaboration we’ve had with the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach (NNK) in northern Quebec is a beautiful illustration of this approach. Our work together started in 2018, and led to the completion of three projects in support of lake health in the region. We’re planning ways to celebrate this relationship, so watch for more stories to come.

The partnership with Water First has allowed us to learn about the health of our lakes and fish on our traditional land. This knowledge will allow us to monitor and protect our resources for future generations.

David Swappie
Counselor, Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach

Sheshatshiu Innu Nation

Water First’s work with Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation (SIFN) is another example of a relationship with longevity. One of the benefits of this long-term collaboration is the opportunity for fieldwork at different points in the year. Last summer, Water First staff travelled to Park Lake, Labrador, to work with SIFN on projects to support strengthened capacity for fisheries management. And then, in February, the team revisited Park Lake for a winter water monitoring workshop. We look forward to more visits in the future!

Environmental Water Program

May 2nd, 2023

Making waves with the
Environmental Water Program

Environmental Water Program | Spring 2023

Water First and Naskapi Nation keep making waves!

Water First’s partnership with the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach, a community in northern Quebec, is a story of long-term collaboration. Starting in 2018 (making it our longest active project to date), the collaboration has seen the successful completion of three projects aimed at supporting the community to monitor lake health in the region, which is experiencing an increased interest in resource exploration. And the collaboration keeps getting stronger.

In 2022, Water First staff visited Kawawachikamach three times to deliver skills training to interns and community members. The interns were eager to participate in the training workshops on their own lands, which included conducting fish habitat surveys and creating an environmental baseline.

Noah and Cheyenne Swappie, both past interns, took on a leadership role with the newly hired interns and demonstrated use of the tools and equipment for the group. In this photo, they’re showing the group how to use a YSI Meter that tests for dissolved oxygen, temperature and pH.

Dillon from our Indigenous Schools Water Program at a local feast, the first gathering since before COVID; Caribou, pemmican, geese, fish, bannock!

Thanks to the long-term nature of the relationship, Environmental Interns from past projects shared their knowledge from previous training with new interns to help the team pick up the skills they needed.

Each week during the training, the interns sampled water at several locations around their community before transitioning into fish habitat assessment work in July. This water quality data formed a valuable baseline for their region, and the sampling trips helped keep their knowledge and skills sharp.

During the visit in August, the team joined the community’s 10th annual fishing derby, where they collected data such as length, weight, and sex from the fish that were caught, as well as samples to send to labs for analysis.

The Environmental Water team wasn’t the only Water First presence in Kawawachikamach. Last May, Dillon from the Schools Program team visited the community to deliver a workshop to students at Jimmy Sandy Memorial School. Two students, Jaylen and George, enjoyed the workshop so much that they ended up getting hired by the Environmental Water Program to work throughout the summer months, learning how to do water and fish sampling and proper protocols for handling and processing the samples project!

Kabimbetas (Noah) Mokoush, a former Environmental Water intern, also visited the school to help deliver a workshop and explained water science concepts to the students in the Naskapi language. Hearing the concepts in their own language, explained in a more familiar context, helped the students to grasp how watersheds work.⁠

Water First’s partnership with the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach has been a significant, long-term collaboration. We are grateful for the opportunity to work together, and we look forward to more successes in the future.

Climate monitoring with Brunswick House First Nation

In June 2022, Water First partnered with Brunswick House First Nation (BHFN) to create a climate monitoring plan for the Mountbatten Reserve to track the impacts of climate change on lands and waters. Water First team members Cory Savage and Tanya Sackaney began the project by identifying six survey sites on six different lakes in Mountbatten and providing hands-on training to a three-intern team of young Indigenous adults from BHFN. The interns — Santana, Paradise and Shawn — dedicated two months over the summer to sampling those waters to better understand and prevent the effects of climate change. Students from Chapleau High School joined in to take samples and observations from the wetlands, which was a great opportunity to engage them in water science skills and knowledge.

Later in the summer, Santana presented the results to the community, which was well received. Santana went on to present her work at the Indigenous Lands, Resources and Environment Management Conference 2023 at Science North in Sudbury. Water First looks forward to collaborating again with BHFN in this field season.

Summer and winter learning in Labrador

Last August, Environmental Water Program staff Ryan and Stephen were in Park Lake, Labrador to work on a collaborative fish habitat and climate monitoring project with Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation (SIFN).

The goal of the project was to support strengthened capacity for guides at Park Lake Lodge to manage a fishery on traditional territory at the headwaters of the Eagle River. The program supported interns in learning about fish anatomy and handling and the pressures on fish populations from a western science perspective, and placed a strong emphasis on incorporating cultural activities and Traditional Knowledge into the training.

One of the guides, Seth Hurley, presented on the project at the Labrador Research Forum, a biennial forum dedicated to sharing knowledge, experience, and innovations about diverse research happening all over Labrador. This was an exciting opportunity for Seth and the project team to share their findings and learnings.

The team’s visit to Park Lake in February for a winter water monitoring workshop was a very different experience from the summer – with temperatures getting below -30 degrees and snowdrifts high enough to bury buildings. Interns from Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation and Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach learned about the importance of winter water monitoring and explored the safe use of different techniques. In addition, participants heard from a local Knowledge Keeper from Sheshatshiu, Jean Pierre Ashini, who led a session that covered topics such as survival on the land and Innu history.

Strengthened capacity for aquatic stewardship and management with Innu Nation

Last year, Innu Nation in Labrador approached us for support in applying for funding to create an Aquatic Resource and Oceans Management Department. Not only was the application successful, but Water First continued to support Innu Nation with developing a strategic plan for the department – working with Innu Nation Guardians – and collaborated on a cumulative effects workshop.

All this work will inform Innu Nation’s stewardship and management decisions related to fish and aquatic resources into the future. We look forward to continuing this collaboration.

A labour of love in Long Point First Nation

Long Point First Nation (LPFN) Fish Habitat Coordinator Nathalie Mathias and her daughter Kayla did the heavy lifting on a fish habitat project – literally! The project involved moving more than 10 metric tonnes of rock from the source pit to the dam site to support walleye spawning. Kudos to Nathalie and Kayla for their hard work and commitment to local walleye populations.

Monitoring water quality in Lake Dana with Cree Nation Government

In 2019, the Cree Nation Government (CNG) received funding for a protected area program to support water quality projects. Water First was invited to work with CNG to gather data that will help quantify water quality in Lake Dana and train community members to be able to continue collecting data independently and for the long run. The technical water science skills training program is equipping community members with the skills, capacity and confidence to be able to assess changes – like whether the lake is getting muddier, staying the same or getting cleaner. 2023 is the second year of the collaboration with CNG and the Cree Nation of Nemaska. This year’s project is a refresher training for participants in last year’s project and training for new participants.

Collaboration and skills development – across programs and among communities

Last summer, interns from Water First’s Drinking Water program joined interns from the Environmental Water program for three days of training. Seven interns from six communities, along with Water First staff, gained their CABIN (Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network) certificate. CABIN is a training program run by Environment & Climate Change Canada that equips participants with the knowledge and skills to assess watershed health by looking at bioindicators like benthic (or bottom-dwelling) invertebrates.

⁠The training was an opportunity for Drinking Water interns from Dokis, Shawanaga and Wasauksing First Nations and Environmental Water interns from Long Point First Nation, Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation and Sagamok Anishnawbek Nation to spend time together. Everyone stayed in cabins just outside Long Point First Nation together, so they could share local dishes, chat about language differences, and learn about each other’s experiences in different Water First programs.⁠

The most rewarding part of this experience was bringing these amazing, passionate individuals together so they could connect with other Indigenous leaders in water sciences to advance their skills and knowledge.

More exciting collaborations on the horizon

A community-based fish habitat restoration and education project in the Spanish River Watershed:
This project is a collaborative effort between Water First and Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation. A few of our team members travelled to Sagamok Anishnawbek earlier this month to do initial walleye monitoring and host a community open house.

A new Environmental Water Internship:
This exciting new offering will be piloted in 2024-2025, and has emerged through the growth and evolution of the Environmental Water Program. The program will provide paid internships to Indigenous youth and young adults to develop technical and employability skills and achieve certifications to work in water and fish resource management within or near their own communities. Water First’s internship model has been successfully tested and delivered through the Drinking Water Internship Program since 2017. Watch for more about the internship to come!

Thank you for supporting environmental water projects and technical skills training, co-designed to advance community-identified goals.

Bringing Communities Together to Explore Winter Water Science

March 31st, 2023

Winter water monitoring can be challenging – think temperatures below -30°, biting winds, snowdrifts that can bury buildings, and lake ice so thick you need two people to drill through it. But gathering winter water data is incredibly important, especially for communities in the north. Monitoring lakes and rivers throughout the year provides a stronger understanding of the stressors on aquatic systems and how they change from season to season.

For the Water First team, February was the perfect time to bundle up for a trip to Park Lake in Labrador to work with Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation (SIFN) and the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach (NNK) on a winter water monitoring workshop.

The Park Lake workshop was a unique opportunity for participants from both communities to learn and winter monitor together.

Winter water monitoring at Park Lake in Labrador.

To kick off the week-long workshop, Ryan and Keegan from Water First’s Environmental Water Program delivered an introductory winter science and monitoring session. Throughout the week, the 10 participants attended sessions that explored techniques to monitor snow and ice and how these techniques can be used safely when out in the field. Together, the group learned about snow shelters, snowpack properties and processes, ice formation, strength and safety, ice measurement, and more.

Later in the week, the participants heard from a local Knowledge Keeper from Sheshatshiu, Jean Pierre Ashini. Jean Pierre, who was there for the full workshop, led his own session that covered topics such as survival on the land and Innu history.

With both communities attending the same workshop, everyone had the chance to connect with each other, exchange cultural knowledge, and learn about the different projects they are all working on. When participants from different communities can get together and learn about each other’s work, they can gather practical information and unexpected insights.

Winter workshops like these are important to communities in the north, and not just with respect to water health. Participants explore how winter science can be used to monitor snowmobiling trails for safety, how changing snow conditions can affect caribou migration patterns, or how changing amounts of snow falling can affect the overall temperature of a fishery once the snow and ice melt in the spring.

The Water First team is looking forward to warmer weather and more opportunities to expand water knowledge as our work with the SIFN and NNK communities continues.

To learn more about Water First’s Environmental Water Program, click here.

Inter-program Collaborations in Naskapi

June 10th, 2022

In late May, Dillon from our Schools Program team was in the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach to work with students from Jimmy Sandy Memorial School. After lengthy COVID restrictions, students and staff were thrilled to have some hands-on water science activities, including time on the land with fun tools and equipment.

Dillon worked with high school classes from three different grade levels, with a theme of water quality and watershed stewardship. Students learned to run their own “micro” water quality monitoring programs in our “Model Watershed” activity. They also learned how to interpret water quality data to identify sources of water pollution in our “Watershed Mysteries” activity. This 3-day water quality workshop was a warm-up for our fish habitat work that will pick up speed this summer. The land and water was our ideal classroom to learn and practice water testing and sampling techniques – including use of a YSI meter, recording good site information on data sheets, and use of some benchtop lab instruments (a turbidimeter and a colorimeter).

The big surprise was a visit to the community drinking water treatment plant! Jag (from the Water First Environmental Water Program team) arranged a guided tour by the plant operator, and the students learned about the system of pumps and filters that purify their water. They also learned that cleaner source water requires less intense treatment in the plant, calling back to the importance of good watershed stewardship!

Students went out on the land to learn about and practice water quality testing using Water Rangers kits. In this photo, they’re doing a dissolved oxygen test which acts as an indicator of the health of the water.

In addition to participating in the environmental water project this summer, Noah visited the local school to work with our Indigenous Schools Water Program on fun, hands-on water science programming.

Being from the community, Noah was able to chat with the students in Naskapi, the local language. Keegan, one of our technical trainers, noted that the students seemed to be more engaged in what was being taught when Noah explained the concepts to them in Naskapi.

When possible, we try to bring students to the local water treatment plant. This helps bring their understanding of water and water monitoring processes full circle. It also helps to deepen their appreciation for the work that goes into providing a community with safe, clean water.

Throughout the week, Keegan (from our Enviro team) and Kabimbetas (Noah) Mokoush, a long-standing Environmental Intern from the community, joined in the school programming. They showed the students the water quality tools that they use in their own environmental projects and explained the importance of those projects in the community. Kabimbetas drew on his years of experience in these projects to explain water science concepts to the students in the Naskapi language. Hearing the concepts in their own language, explained in a more familiar context, helped the students to grasp how watersheds work.

For Water First, inter-program collaborations like these deepen the impact of our programming in the community. For our interns, teaching the concepts they’ve learned to younger students helps to deepen and solidify their own knowledge — as they say, the best way to learn is by teaching someone else. We love it when our teams get to work together. It benefits everyone!

Each week this spring, this team sampled water at several locations around their community, before we transitioned into our fish habitat assessment work in July. This water quality data will form a valuable baseline for their region, and the sampling trips will help keep their knowledge and skills sharp!

As an added bonus, Water First staff were grateful to join the Community Cookout in Kawawachikamach — an event that has been missed during the pandemic. It was a chance for everyone in the community to come together over laughter and good food, including country foods like caribou, goose, ptarmigan, and lake trout!

Noah Mokoush has worked with Water First for many years. During the training, he was able to share his knowledge of water science tools and equipment with the other participants.

Noah and Cheyenne Swappie, both past interns, took on a leadership role with the newly hired interns and demonstrated use of the tools and equipment for the group. In this photo, they’re showing the group how to use a YSI Meter that tests for dissolved oxygen, temperature and pH.

In preparation for the summer fish habitat assessment project, newly hired interns and previous partners spent time becoming familiar with various water quality monitoring tools and equipment.

Group photo outside of the Naskapi Water Pumphouse.

Dillon from our Indigenous Schools Water Program at a local feast, the first gathering since before COVID; Caribou, pemmican, geese, fish, bannock!

#NoFilter

A Nation Equipping Themselves to Steward Their Water and Fish

December 17th, 2021

In early November, Water First returned to the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach. This trip was a special one as it encompassed presenting results of a three year project to the community, the beginning of a new training project and getting to know a new group of interns.

Since our partnership with the Nation began in 2019, Water First staff and Naskapi interns have been learning about community fishing practices – where do people like to fish, and what fish species are most valued as a traditional food? This information was used to guide a fish population study in a local lake called Iron Arm Lake, as well as a study of contaminants in fish tissue in several other preferred fishing lakes.

Mercury contamination was the greatest concern. However, mercury itself is unfamiliar for many elders in the community. So much so, that during this trip, we learned that there is no word for “mercury” in the Naskapi language. During the presentation to the community, Jag and Keegan from Water First shared the results of the fish population study, and suggested possible ways to reduce mercury intake, while still getting plenty of good, healthy fish in their diet.

The presentation was open to the whole community, and was advertised through posters, Facebook posts, and announcements on the community’s radio station. The interns helped with the meeting by translating and helping get in touch with elders.

The result was an open forum where community members could ask questions and raise concerns about the data. The turn out was exceptional with over 40 people in attendance.

At this gathering, Keegan and Jag took the opportunity to ask the community for input on what they want the next project’s focus to be.

After presenting the data collected during the previous project with the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach, Keegan and Jag’s latest visit to the community was also the to begin a new water quality monitoring program. Jag and Keegan from Water First recruited several new interns that will be trained through the project to do the monitoring. They started the training by working all together to start drafting a monitoring plan. Then, they went to Lake Peter, the drinking water source for the town, where the interns learned how to take water samples, use water quality testing equipment, and fill out reports, including observations about the shoreline and the weather.

As a hunter and a community wildlife officer, the women in these photos are frequently out on the land. The plan is for them to take sampling gear on regular hunting trips or patrols, so they can take samples whenever possible.

The rest of the week included the interns sharing local knowledge, where they usually go on the land, and discussing what they want to study through the project. Water First will use this information over the winter to fully develop the monitoring plan and be ready to return next summer.

To learn more about Water First’s Environmental Water Program, click here.

New environmental project kicks-off in northern Quebec

September 16th, 2019

This past spring, Water First and Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach, located in northern Quebec near the border of Labrador, started a collaboration on a new environmental project.

This three-year project includes both a contaminant study to establish baseline mercury and heavy metals concentrations in the soil, water, and traditionally harvested fish, and a community-based fish habitat restoration and education project in the Caniapiscau River watershed. Three local young adults were hired as interns for the project — Lawrence Mameanskum, Wayne Nattawappio, and Kabimbetas Mokoush — and have so far received hands-on training for water quality analysis, fish & soil sampling, fish biology, fish population assessment, and fish habitat restoration.

In June, the interns and Water First staff started the contaminant study, completing the sampling on Lac Vacher and the Iron Arm portion of Attikamagen Lake. In July, five large brook trout spawning shoals were constructed on Little Barry Lake. The sites were chosen through consultation with community elders, a restoration biologist, and Water First staff. In August, consulting biologist Richard Rowe of FRi Ecological Services joined the interns and Water First staff to perform a lake trout population assessment on the Iron Arm portion of Attikamagen Lake.

Watch for more updates this fall as the interns complete the sampling of Lac Astray and another bay of Attikamagen Lake for the contaminant study, and determine future fish habitat restoration sites.

Water First staff Jag with interns Wayne and Lawrence.

Collecting water samples to test for contaminants of concern.

Biologist Richard Rowe and Jag talking about the plan for fish sampling.

Richard measuring fish taken from the lake.

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Naskapi Nation

Long-Term Connections for Sustainable Outcomes

A fundamental aspect to Water First’s work is striving for lasting results – which means sustainable outcomes to projects, with benefits remaining within Indigenous communities for the long term.

Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach

Sheshatshiu Innu Nation

Environmental Water Program

Making waves with the
Environmental Water Program

Environmental Water Program | Spring 2023

Water First and Naskapi Nation keep making waves!

Climate monitoring with Brunswick House First Nation

Summer and winter learning in Labrador

Strengthened capacity for aquatic stewardship and management with Innu Nation

A labour of love in Long Point First Nation

Monitoring water quality in Lake Dana with Cree Nation Government

Collaboration and skills development – across programs and among communities

More exciting collaborations on the horizon

Thank you for supporting environmental water projects and technical skills training, co-designed to advance community-identified goals.

Bringing Communities Together to Explore Winter Water Science

Inter-program Collaborations in Naskapi

A Nation Equipping Themselves to Steward Their Water and Fish

In early November, Water First returned to the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach. This trip was a special one as it encompassed presenting results of a three year project to the community, the beginning of a new training project and getting to know a new group of interns.

New environmental project kicks-off in northern Quebec

Strong communities. Safe, clean water.

© 2024 All Rights Reserved. Water First Education & Training Inc. | Charitable Registration No: 83852 5269 RR0001

Naskapi Nation

Long-Term Connections for Sustainable Outcomes

A fundamental aspect to Water First’s work is striving for lasting results – which means sustainable outcomes to projects, with benefits remaining within Indigenous communities for the long term.

Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach

Sheshatshiu Innu Nation

Environmental Water Program

Making waves with the Environmental Water Program

Environmental Water Program | Spring 2023

Water First and Naskapi Nation keep making waves!

Climate monitoring with Brunswick House First Nation

Summer and winter learning in Labrador

Strengthened capacity for aquatic stewardship and management with Innu Nation

A labour of love in Long Point First Nation

Monitoring water quality in Lake Dana with Cree Nation Government

Collaboration and skills development – across programs and among communities

More exciting collaborations on the horizon

Thank you for supporting environmental water projects and technical skills training, co-designed to advance community-identified goals.

Bringing Communities Together to Explore Winter Water Science

Inter-program Collaborations in Naskapi

A Nation Equipping Themselves to Steward Their Water and Fish

In early November, Water First returned to the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach. This trip was a special one as it encompassed presenting results of a three year project to the community, the beginning of a new training project and getting to know a new group of interns.

New environmental project kicks-off in northern Quebec

Strong communities. Safe, clean water.

© 2024 All Rights Reserved. Water First Education & Training Inc. | Charitable Registration No: 83852 5269 RR0001

Making waves with the
Environmental Water Program