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Nunavik Sentinels: documenting northern insect biodiversity and supporting Indigenous youth leadership through participatory research and education

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2024

Amélie Grégoire Taillefer Open the ORCID record for Amélie Grégoire Taillefer [Opens in a new window] ,
Maxim Larrivée ,
Julia J. Mlynarek Open the ORCID record for Julia J. Mlynarek [Opens in a new window] ,
Haylee Petawabano  and
Marjolaine Giroux
Amélie Grégoire Taillefer*
Affiliation:
Montreal Insectarium | Espace pour la vie, Montréal, Québec, H1X 2B2, Canada
Maxim Larrivée
Affiliation:
Montreal Insectarium | Espace pour la vie, Montréal, Québec, H1X 2B2, Canada
Julia J. Mlynarek
Affiliation:
Montreal Insectarium | Espace pour la vie, Montréal, Québec, H1X 2B2, Canada
Haylee Petawabano
Affiliation:
2022 Sentinel in the Cree Nation of Chisasibi, Eeyou Istchee, Québec, J0M 1E0, Canada
Marjolaine Giroux
Affiliation:
Montreal Insectarium | Espace pour la vie, Montréal, Québec, H1X 2B2, Canada
*
Corresponding author: Amélie Grégoire Taillefer; Email: amelie.gregoiretaillefer@montreal.ca
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Abstract

There is strong evidence that a biodiversity crisis is underway, fuelled by pollution, climate change, and invasive species. These impacts are especially important in northern Canadian regions. However, insect and other arthropod monitoring in Northern Canada urgently needed for land preservation is lacking. This paper presents the Nunavik Sentinels, a community-based participatory research programme (see definition, Table 1), that is aiming to fill those knowledge gaps while promoting collaboration among all stakeholders (organisations and members of northern communities, and scientists). Nunavik Sentinels is a unique insect-monitoring programme facilitated by the Montréal Insectarium – Espace pour la vie (Montréal, Québec, Canada), making entomology accessible to Indigenous youth by providing them with tools to lead expeditions in unexplored habitats and involving them in data collection. We present how this programme came to existence and its four-pillar framework (i.e., training land camp, summer employment, educational kit, and research). We touch upon how the programme is continually evolving. Finally, we demonstrate the benefits of the programme and how it will help better define the actions to be taken to prepare for future changes in northern biodiversity.

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Type
Research Paper
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The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 156 , 2024 , e5
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of Canada

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Footnotes

Subject editor: Kyle Bobiwash

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