Across Northern Canada, Indigenous land-based programs are gathering a wealth of information—photos, maps, audio recordings, field observations, and other types of data—to guide stewardship decisions.
This information often carries cultural knowledge and responsibilities, and it must be collected, stored, and used in ways that respect Indigenous data rights and align with community values and needs. That’s why MakeWay’s Northern Program recently provided funding to the Northern Indigenous Stewardship Circle, Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre at Carleton University, and Exchange for Local Observations and Knowledge of the Arctic (ELOKA) to understand and support the data needs of Northern Indigenous Guardians.
The project brought Guardians together to discuss the data they collect, how they use data, and their data needs. It also involved creation of a new guide that offers practical information for Northern Indigenous land-based programs that want to design and implement community-based data management systems that help record and safeguard knowledge.
The guide, now available below, will be paired with an interactive online tool coming in early 2026.
MakeWay supports the leadership of northern people, communities, and organizations advancing community wellbeing, economic prosperity, and environmental stewardship solutions through our Northern Program.