Photo credit: Mads Ole Kristiasen
The 2013 Declaration of the Responsible Ministers of the Polar Bear Ranges States recognizes “the importance and value of Traditional Ecological Knowledge in informing management decisions and the need for the range states to develop a common understanding of what constitutes Traditional Ecological Knowledge and how it should be used in polar bear management decisions.” Subsequently, during the creation of the Circumpolar Action Plan (CAP) the Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) working group was formed and tasked with all CAP actions which are related to Traditional Ecological Knowledge activities. As part of the 2015-2017 2-year implementation plan of the CAP, the TEK working group established a Range States definition of TEK, and a Compendium of Existing Guidelines for the Use of TEK in Decision Making. The TEK working group also manages the Range States TEK Acquisition Schedule (Appendix VI), which outlines planned, ongoing and completed TEK studies in each Range State as an ongoing action through the years of the CAP.
In April 2024, updated versions of the Compendium of Existing Guidelines and Acquisition Schedule were published online.
Indigenous and Traditional Ecological Knowledge Implementation Plan (2023-2025)
ITEK Actions:
ITEK-1- Maintain a compendium and schedule of ITEK studies
ITEK-2- Complete a review and analysis to identify potential approaches to enhance implementation of PBRS commitments to inclusion of ITEK and participation of Indigenous peoples and provide recommendations to the HoDs
ITEK-3- Prepare an ITEK knowledge synthesis on recent ITEK research
Indigenous and Traditional Ecological Knowledge Working Group
Range State members:
Contacts:
Amalie A. Jessen (Greenland; Ministry of Fisheries and Hunting)
Dominique Henri (Canada; Environment and Climate Change Canada)
Erik Andersen (United States; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Naja Holm (Greenland; Ministry of Fisheries and Hunting)
Invited specialists:
Allison Thompson (Wildlife Management Advisory Council, North Slope, Canada)
Amélie Roberto-Charron (Government of Nunavut, Canada)
Denis Ndeloh (Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, Canada)
John Cheechoo (Inuit Circumpolar Council – Canada, Canada)
Larry Carpenter (Wildlife Management Advisory Council, Northwest Territories, Canada)
Mark Basterfield (Nunavik Marine Region Wildlife Board, Canada)
Whitney Kellie (Pituk) (Alaska Nannut Co-management Council, USA)
