Since its founding, the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council (YRITWC) has played a vital role as an inter-tribal environmental protection organization. The first summit in winter of ’97 drew the line in the sand and was a defining moment for Alaska Natives and Canadas First Nations People. The ultimate vision of the Watershed Council was to see our peoples become leaders in protecting the Last Frontier and Yukon Territory, and to always be able to drink directly from the rivers. In many ways, the YRITWC has advanced this vision beyond what was initially predicted. The establishment of the Science Department in 2000, and subsequently the Indigenous Observation Network (ION), signified the harnessing of modern knowledge in unity with the traditional knowledge of our peoples and the wisdom of our elders, past and present. Since just 2006 our partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey has produced thousands of water samples and countless hours have been dedicated to the analysis and understanding of the baseline state of the river. By 2009 the Active Layer Network (ALN) was established to better understand the dynamics of frozen permafrost during climate change. Overtime, through the collection of samples and through years of analysis in ION and ALN, we will know whether or not the watershed is healthy and whether or not it is changing. The Yukon River, at 1,982 miles long and with an average discharge of 227,000 cubic feet per second, has been widely considered one of the most pristine waterways in the world for its size. The communities of the Yukon River watershed have shown themselves to be accomplished environmental stewards and scientific ambassadors and these efforts have thus far been an immense success. Between 2004 and 2005, the YRITWC expanded to include the Sustainable Lands and Solid Waste Departments, a fulfillment of the vision of its founders to address the issues of contaminated lands. Ten years later there are lands that remain polluted but there is more momentum now than ever to implement innovative thinking. The resolution of our Brownfield Program to assess, cleanup, and repurpose lands that have been abandoned has made it one of the most successful endeavors of the YRITWC. In addition to brownfields, the Sustainable Lands Department has in recent years begun to tackle the topic of energy resources with the early development of an Energy Program at the YRITWC. The goal is to make emerging renewable technologies an accessible opportunity to all communities within the watershed. This would assist people in living comfortably off the land while not worrying about future energy obstacles. As the youngest department at the YRITWC, formed in 2013, the Drinking Water Improvement Program (DWIP) has had the privilege of making the principal vision a reality. Each year, DWIP has created and distributed a Drinking Water Safe Practices Manual, provided three-day trainings for operators, workers, and educators in both Fairbanks and Anchorage, and has given public presentations in 10 or more remote villages. The department has plans to continue these sessions and more in the coming years. Each year, DWIP brings us closer to being able to drink directly from the Yukon River again. The YRITWC is wholly committed to keeping all things transparent and on preserving the positive relationships formed between all who live by the Yukon River and influence its nature. Entering its 17th year, the Watershed Council recognizes the challenges and responsibilities that come with being a leader of a movement much larger than itself. The council, its employees, and its stakeholders are optimistic that these efforts will continue and will allow those who live by the Yukon River and its tributaries to see pristine water running long into the future. The Canadian headwaters feed more than the people that depend upon it, transport more than the fish that trek it, and diffuse more than the effluents we put into it. The Yukon River is larger than life and its people embody the notion that we stand in solidarity with each other and the natural environment. Join in celebration of your successes and the anniversary of YRITWCs founding by watching the first historical summit in Galena here. youtu.be/8fMefOWHuLI?t=30s Thank You! -The YRITWC Staff
Posted on: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 03:39:15 +0000