Caring For Coastal Wetlands

How do Indigenous communities in Canada balance the development needs of a growing population with cultural commitments and responsibilities as stewards of their lands and waters? Caring for Eeyou Istchee recounts the extraordinary experience of the James Bay Cree community of Wemindji, Quebec, who partnered with a multi-disciplinary research team to protect a territory of great cultural significance in ways that respect community values and circumstances. By addressing fundamental questions such as what should be protected and how, Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners reveal how protected area creation presents a powerful vehicle for Indigenous stewardship, biological conservation, and cultural heritage protection.

Coastal wetlands are under a great deal of pressure from the dual forces of rising sea level and the intervention of human populations both along the estuary and in the river catchment. Direct impacts include the destruction or degradation of wetlands from land reclamation and infrastructures. Indirect impacts derive from the discharge of pollutants, changes in river flows and sediment supplies, land clearing, and dam operations. As sea level rises, coastal wetlands in most areas of the world migrate landward to occupy former uplands. The competition of these lands from human development is intensifying, making the landward migration impossible in many cases. This book provides an understanding of the functioning of coastal ecosystems and the ecological services that they provide, and suggestions for their management. In this book a CD is included containing color figures of wetlands and estuaries in different parts of the world. * Includes a CD containing color figures of wetlands and estuaries in different parts of the world.

This book represents the proceedings of the firstGreat Lakes Costal Wetlands Colloquium (November 5-7, 1984; East Lansing, Michigan). The theme wasNatural and Manipulated Water Levels in Great Lakes Wetlands. This material constitutes both Great Lakes wetlands and the state of understanding about them. It is intended to provide fisheries and wildlife biologists, ecologists, aquatic resource managers and planners and environmental scientists information about the coastal wetlands in regard to eight priority areas. The colloquium and publication of the proceedings were cosponsored by Sea Grant Program and Environment Canada.