The Delta Dialogue Network
Kiri Staples, Project Manager
February 26th, 2015
www.usask.ca/research-groups/ddn
www.usask.ca
Inland deltas face similar challenges
Problem
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Research and monitoring programs (scientists,
government, community groups)  water, air, wildlife
But - information doesn’t always reach the people who
want and need
Knowledge mobilization: making sure that knowledge
serves society well
Goals
1) Synthesize, bridge, translate and mobilize existing
knowledge from existing monitoring programs;
2) Identify potential knowledge gaps;
3) Engage youth in collaborative and culturally sensitive
ways;
4) Support local, regional and national decision-making;
5) Create an inland delta network that can share good
practices and lessons learned about knowledge
mobilization.
Partners and Collaborators
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Charlebois Community School
Shaun Greer, Ducks Unlimited
Sarah Rosolen, Aurora Research
Institute
Mary Head, Opaskwayak Cree
Nation
Government of the Northwest
Territories
Parks Canada
Slave River and Delta Partnership
Peace-Athabasca Delta Ecological
Monitoring Program
Slave River and Delta Partnership
Peace-Athabasca Delta Ecological Monitoring Program (2014) –
www.pademp.ca
Interdisciplinary Co-Investigators
Toxicologist
Ecologist
Engineer
Policy Scientist
Geographer
Social scientist
Political Scientist
Social psychologist
Systems
Analyst
Environmental Scientist
Chemist
Three main projects:
1.
Evaluation of existing knowledge
mobilization tools in the Slave River Delta
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Student: Veronica Mauel, MES Candidate
Advisors: Toddi Steelman, Maureen Reed
Partner organization: Slave River and Delta
Partnership
2. Knowledge mobilization for policy and
decision-making in the Peace-Athabasca
Delta
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Student: Sarah Baines, MES Candidate
Advisors: Toddi Steelman, Lalita Bharadwaj
Partner organization: Peace-Athabasca Delta
Ecological Monitoring Program
Photo credit: Jason Straka
3. Knowledge mobilization with youth in the
Saskatchewan River Delta
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Student: Evan Andrews, MES Candidate
Advisor: Toddi Steelman
Partner organization: Charlebois Community
School
The Next Generation of Delta Stewards
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Understanding the role of
youth in dealing with
environmental change and
preserving their community’s
way of life
Using the “Circle of Courage”
to discuss culturally
important practices
Sharing experiences with
peers in other delta
communities
Next steps
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Hiring community coordinators – Fort Chipewyan, Fort
Resolution, Fort Smith (April 2015)
Further develop research questions with partners in the
Slave River and Peace-Athabasca deltas
Data collection summer 2015
Youth engagement project in
the Saskatchewan River Delta
Collaborative workshop –
Delta Day 2016?
Continue web development
Thank you!
Contact:
Kiri Staples
(306) 966-7135
kiri.staples@usask.ca
Toddi Steelman
(306) 966-1499
toddi.steelman@usask.ca
http://www.usask.ca/research-groups/ddn