The Blackfoot Confederacy Tribal Council is partnering with Parks Canada for a new project in southern Alberta.
The Blackfoot Guardianship of the Eastern Slopes of the Rockies project will be Siksikaitsitapi-led, with help from Park Canada staff at Waterton Lakes National Park.
It will see dedicated Indigenous Guardians on the ground to monitor and protect sacred lands. They will operate along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in southwest Alberta, going from Waterton Lakes National Park in the south to the Livingstone Range area in the north. Guardians will share stories of the land and culture with park visitors.
Since 2017, projects from the Guardians have championed Indigenous rights and responsibilities in protecting and preserving ecosystems, developing and maintaining sustainable economies and continuing to support the connections between natural landscapes and Indigenous cultures.
The Blackfoot Confederacy Tribal Council includes Kainai, Piikani, Siksika and Amsskapipiikani nations.
Officials say the areas included in the project hold significant environmental and cultural value but face many challenges, including growth in land disturbance, increased frequency and intensity of floods, fires, droughts, along with shrinking populations of culturally significant species.
“As stewards of these ancestral lands, the Blackfoot Confederacy takes great pride in this opportunity to ensure the continued health and vitality of our environment,” says Jack Royal, chief executive officer of the Blackfoot Confederacy Tribal Council.
“This project is not only a commitment to preserving the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the Blackfoot territory but also a testament to the strength and resilience of the Blackfoot people. We look forward to a future where our lands thrive, protected by the watchful eyes of our guardians, for generations to come.”
“Blackfoot Peoples have been stewards of the lands and waters in this region since time immemorial,” adds Ron Hallman, president and chief executive officer of Parks Canada.
“The Blackfoot Confederacy Eastern Slopes Guardian program will offer solutions on climate change and biodiversity loss while safeguarding the natural spaces we all depend on. Parks Canada is pleased to support this initiative both in and around Waterton Lakes National Park.”
In 2021, the federal government committed $173 million to new and existing Indigenous-led Guardians projects. Parks Canada has received upwards of $61.7 million of this for Indigenous Guardians programs at agency-administered places.
