Research Priorities

Our Mandate

The Gwich’in Renewable Resources Board (GRRB) is the main instrument of wildlife, fish, and forest management in the Gwich’in Settlement Area (GSA) in the Northwest Territories of Canada. Our mandate, based on Section 12.8 of the Gwich’in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement, is to conduct and participate in wildlife research studies in the GSA and to encourage research that aligns with the communities’ interests and concerns. We act in the public interest, representing all the parties of the Gwich’in Comprehensive Land Claim Settlement – the Gwich’in, the people of the Northwest Territories and all Canadians.

Community Research Interests

GRRB staff members regularly meet with members of the communities in the Gwich’in Settlement Area (GSA) and their Renewable Resources Councils (RRCs). While at these meetings, we make note of any Research and Management Interests that are raised.

Why is this list valuable to researchers?

The list includes every interest the GRRB has heard directly from either community members, RRCs, or management plans. It is valuable because it offers researchers insights into the project interests of community members from the GSA. We encourage sharing it broadly. Please note that we do not monitor the status of the items on the list. Some topics may have active research underway or could have already been addressed. Because the Research Interests List can include topics outside of the GRRB’s mandate, which would not necessarily qualify for GRRB in-kind or financial support, we encourage researchers to review our Research Priorities (see below).

Research Priorities

Every five years, the GRRB assesses the items in the Research and Management Interests list and assigns them priority scores. The items with the highest scores form the GRRB Research and Management Priorities for the next five-year period and will determine which research projects the GRRB will support and participate in. Research Priorities are listed in broad categories (e.g. Caribou), indicating that there is potential for a wide range of research and reflecting the breadth of interests that community members often expressed in these topics. The GRRB values research approaches that include traditional management and/or community-based science. GRRB Research and Management Priorities 2025-2030:
  • Caribou
  • Moose
  • Dolly Varden
  • Fish
  • Grizzly Bear
  • Dall’s Sheep
  • Muskrat
  • Beaver
  • Otter
  • Waterfowl
  • Birds
  • Plants and Forests

  • Berries

Why is this list valuable to a researcher? Our Research and Management Priorities define where the GRRB focuses its resources, either through direct or indirect participation in research projects. We can offer support to researchers undertaking work that addresses any of our current priorities. See the Types of Support section for details.
Mary Effie Snowshoe, an elder from Fort McPherson, gathers traditional medicine near her camp on the Peel River.
Mary Effie Snowshoe, an elder from Fort McPherson, gathers traditional medicine near her camp on the Peel River.
Dolly Varden Char caught on the Rat River as part of a long term monitoring project. Photo by Colin Gallagher (DFO).
Dolly Varden Char caught on the Rat River as part of a long term monitoring project. Photo by Colin Gallagher (DFO).
The GRRB’s Divii Project uses camera traps to study the population dynamics of Dall’s sheep in the Richardson Mountains.
The GRRB’s Divii Project uses camera traps to study the population dynamics of Dall’s sheep in the Richardson Mountains.

Approaches

Traditional Management

The GRRB understands Traditional Management to be the ways in which the Gwich’in people have traditionally managed animal and land resources. We now have modern ways of hunting (e.g. snowmobiles) and managing the land (e.g. land claims), but long ago the Gwich’in people managed the animals and lands differently. The GRRB would support any project helping to communicate these traditional ways of managing resources. All Traditional Management work goes through the Gwich’in Tribal Council Department of Cultural Heritage and follows their policies.

Community-Based (Citizen Science)

The GRRB defines community-based projects as research addressing community questions and involving the direct participation of community members. Researchers may be involved initially, but the ultimate goal is to train the community to collect the data themselves.