Traditional Environmental Knowledge Bibliography
September 10, 2008
Fort McMurray, Alberta – The Cumulative Environmental Management Association (CEMA) announces a Bibliography of Existing Traditional Environmental Knowledge Resources relating to the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. This work was commissioned by CEMA’s Traditional Environmental Knowledge Advisory Committee to compile new sources of traditional knowledge relating to the local region in a single accessible location.Traditional Environmental Knowledge (TEK) is a body of local environmental knowledge and beliefs that has been gathered by firsthand observations from living in close contact with nature, and transmitted through oral tradition It includes a system of classification, a set of empirical observations about the local environment, a system of self-management that governs the sustainable resource base, and an understanding of the relationships of living beings with one another and their environment. Environmental aspects are closely tied to social and spiritual aspects of the knowledge system. TEK is both cumulative and dynamic, building on the experiences of earlier generations and adapting to the new technological and socioeconomic changes of the present.
This Bibliography allows for searches by category, as well as by keyword. The categories for the Bibliography are: Direct Aboriginal Support, Industry Initiatives and Reports, Historical Materials, Provincial and Federal Government Initiatives, Traditional Land Use Handbooks, Academic Reports and Approaches, General Materials Related to Communities and Additional Relevant Titles.
“As an elder who lived my whole life in the Fort Chipewyan, I know the importance of maintaining and preserving the traditional way of life.” Stated Fred “Jumbo” Fraser, Co-Chair of TEK Advisory Committee. “This important project over the past year is another strong indication of the excellent work of CEMA’s TEK group”
CEMA is a nonprofit association based in Fort McMurray, Alberta. CEMA’s mandate is to develop frameworks and guidelines to manage cumulative environmental effects caused by development in the region and to present these recommendations to the government for implementation. This is the second database that CEMA has completed and made available to the general public in 2008. To date CEMA has produced hundreds of reports and eight Management Frameworks and Guidelines.
For additional information or a copy of TEK bibliography please visit www.cemaonline.ca.
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For more information please contact:
Corey Hobbs
Communications Director
Cumulative Environmental Management Association
780-881-4943
Corey.hobbs@cemaonline.ca
