Polar Knowledge Canada is proud to honour the Aklavik Hunters & Trappers Committee as the recipient of the 2024 Northern Science Award.
The Aklavik Hunters & Trappers Committee has been a leader in environmental stewardship and knowledge sharing in the Canadian North for over 40 years. The Committee works to preserve traditional hunting and trapping practices while ensuring sustainable wildlife management.
The Committee co-develops scientific projects that integrate Indigenous Knowledge and supports local training programs, ensuring community involvement and capacity-building.
They actively contribute to collaborative work with scientists including biologists, as well as environmental and social scientists, collaborating with organizations such as the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Inuvialuit Game Council, Natural Resources Canada and the Wildlife Advisory Council, among many others.
The Aklavik Hunters & Trappers Committee shares Inuvialuit knowledge broadly, on climate change, harvesting practices and land-animal relationships. Their work educates global audiences on the importance of Indigenous stewardship in understanding and addressing Arctic environmental change.
The Northern Science Award is presented to an individual or a team who have made a significant contribution to Northern Canada through scientific research or who possess and share Indigenous Knowledge in a collaborative way.
The award recognizes transformations in the way knowledge is produced and shared, and the impact research has on the North, its communities and people.
The Northern Science Award is presented by Polar Knowledge Canada because of its connection to its mandate to advance knowledge of the Canadian Arctic to improve economic opportunities, environmental stewardship and the quality of life of Northerners.
