Current Work

The Coastal Habitat Comprehensive Research Project

In August 2016, an agreement was signed between the Cree Nation Government and Hydro-Québec that mandated Niskamoon Corporation to implement a comprehensive program to better understand the decline of eelgrass. The Coastal Habitat Comprehensive Research Project (CHCRP) started in 2017 and ended in 2022. A CHCRP final symposium was held in Chisasibi September 2022 and a final report was shared with Cree land users, multiple Cree entities, Eeyou Marine Region Wildlife Board and local governments.

Toward the end of the CHCRP, Cree land users and local governments expressed interest in continuing the project. The project’s second phase will focus on doing research on the changing landscape, coastal environment, and wildlife, as well as hunting practices, to promote long-term, Cree-led monitoring and action. Niskamoon and other Cree entities will continue to support CHCRP initiatives. The research teams will seek funding from several agencies to leverage the funds provided by Niskamoon, the Eeyou Marine Region Wildlife Board, and Hydro-Québec.

The next phase of the CHCRP includes three research teams, which are:

1. Coastal Ecosystems project (Principal investigator Mary O’Connor, University of British Columbia): this project aims to better understand the impact of changing environment on eelgrass.
2. Co-developing Cree way tools for coastal wildlife monitoring project (Principal investigator Murray Humphries, McGill University): This project aims to build long-term capacity for Cree-led monitoring.
3. Landscape change project (Principal investigator Paul del Giorgio, Université du Québec à Montréal): This project aims to assess climate and human driven landscape changes in James Bay, and how these are affecting the coastal habitats.

The next phase of the CHCRP starts in 2024 and ends in 2029.