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About the Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board

Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board
Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board
Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board

Background
The Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board (GRRB) was established under the guidance of the Gwich’in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement (GCLCA) to be the main instrument of wildlife, fish and forest management in the Gwich'in Settlement Area (GSA). The powers and responsibilities of the Board are detailed in Chapters 12 & 13, Vol.1 of the Agreement.

 

Mission
 To conserve and manage renewable resources within the Gwich'in Settlement Area in a sustainable manner to meet the needs of the public today and in the future.

Vision
We believe that people in the Gwich'in Settlement Area are responsible for using, protecting and conserving their resources, as well as, active partners with the Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board in managing their resources.

Operations
The GRRB is a co-management board that acts in the public interest to manage renewable resources in the Gwich’in Settlement Area. Although Board members are nominated by the Gwich’in Tribal Council (GTC) and various government departments, all members act in the public interest, independent of their nominating organization or department. Having a mix of Gwich’in beneficiaries and government appointments provides the diversity and balance needed to allow the Board to make informed decisions. The Chairperson of the Board must reside within the GSA and all Board procedures and direction are developed in accordance with an Operating Procedures Manual.

GRRB Finances
Securing adequate funding for research, support staff and research and management programs is a high priority for the Board. Although the GRRB receives funds from several sources each year, the Gwich'in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement implementation dollars from the Federal Government are the main funding source. Having independent funding and expenditure programs allows the Board to be financially efficient and effective.

  • Audited Financial Statements: Each year the Board has an independent auditor prepare audited financial statements. Wowk, Wong and Associates and Paul Teoh have prepared all of the past audited statements. These statements are submitted to the federal government each year and are available for review at the GRRB Office.
Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board
Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board

Helping Gwich'in Communities Manage Their Resources
The GRRB recognizes the importance of building capacity among community members to better manage their resources. Community-based management depends on informed community members to make good decisions when managing their resources. To help build capacity at the community level the Board has sponsored and organized several workshops and programs.

  • Community & Resource Council Coordinators: The Board also works in conjunction with Renewable Resource Council Coordinators (RRC coordinators). Each of the four Gwich'in Communities in the GSA have a coordinator who are of Gwich'in heritage and lives/works in the community. Coordinators must also work alongside Band Office staff and others who are working to implement the Land Claims Agreement. The four Renewable Resource Council coordinators in the GSA meet regularly to discuss common resource management issues as there are many shared resources.
  • Community-Based Research Projects: The RRC coordinators in each community are encouraged to identify renewable resource research projects, prepare project proposals, conduct the research and complete project reports. GRRB and agency staff assist the RRCs to plan and conduct projects so that community members learn field research skills. Community research projects have been conducted in all four Gwich'in communities.
  • Community Field Assistants and Monitors: The RRCs for each community have been (and/or are) involved in most research projects in the GSA. Field assistants from the communities are hired by the RRCs to assist with research projects. Field assistants and monitors learn data collection skills and assist with the field portion of research projects. Over the past 5 years the Board and agencies have hired over 50 community assistants to help with wildlife, forestry and fisheries projects.
  • RRCs and Community Member Workshops: To help build community capacity for renewable resource management the Board has organized several workshops for RRC and community members at the request of the RRC coordinators. The workshops have brought together community members, GRRB staff and government department staff to discuss community and resource management concerns. Past workshops have addressed the following topics:
    • fur and trapping issues ,
    • guiding and outfitting concerns ,
    • eco-forestry principles,
    • grizzly bear management,
    • forest management,
    • youth and Elders’ concerns,
    • bluenose caribou , and
    • Dempster Highway caribou hunting
  • Community Interviewers: The Gwich’in Environmental Knowledge Project, Harvest Study and Forest Use Study have all relied on community interviewers to conduct interviews with Elders and community members. These programs have also trained community members in research and interviewing and research techniques. As well, each interviewer has increased his/her knowledge of renewable resource management in the GSA.
  
 
 
Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board