Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Environmental Studies (MES)

Department

Geography & Environmental Studies

Program Name/Specialization

Human Geography

Faculty/School

Faculty of Science

First Advisor

Dr. Andrew Spring

Advisor Role

Thesis Supervisor

Abstract

The Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation (KTFN) community in the Northwest Territories is experiencing rapid environmental changes which are driven by climate change. These changes are threatening the community’s food security. The community is seeing a disruption to its traditional land-based food systems due to increasing climate risks such as unpredictable weather, thawing permafrost, wildfires, and flooding. These changes are reducing access to traditional foods and intensifying threats to harvester safety. Building on the existing relationship with the community through previous projects, this thesis examines the impacts of climate risks on the availability and access of the KTFN’s on the land harvesting practices with a particular focus on harvester safety. Using a Participatory Action Research approach, the study conducted a community-led workshop that included the use of semi-structured interviews and a participatory mapping session to document harvester experiences on the land amidst climate change.

The research reveals three core themes: declining availability and access to traditional food sources, increased environmental risks to harvesters such as unstable ice, wildfires, flooding, predator encounters, and community-driven adaptation and resilience efforts. Changes driven by climate change, such as permafrost thaw, shifting migration patterns, and unpredictable weather, have made the community’s traditional harvesting routes riskier and more difficult to access. Despite these challenges, the KTFN community is coming up with adaptation strategies which include the expansion of safety infrastructure on the land, community-led environmental monitoring, and active advocacy for their land sovereignty. This thesis, therefore, highlights the ongoing impacts of climate change on the KTFNs’ ability to access and maintain traditional food security and reveals the community’s proactive efforts in adapting and sustaining their cultural harvesting practices.

Convocation Year

2026

Convocation Season

Spring

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Available for download on Monday, March 02, 2026

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