Bringing Back the Caribou: Planting 1 Million Trees on Tłı̨chǫ Lands in NWT

Tree Canada has partnered with Tłı̨chǫ Government to heal lands devastated by wildfires and regenerate caribou habitat by planting one million trees in the Northwest Territories.  

Millions of hectares of land have been devastated by forest fires these past few years, with 2023 being the worst season on record. While the evacuation of Yellowknife made national news, the four communities that make up the Tłı̨chǫ Nation were also deeply affected. 

Featured image and this image courtesy of Tłı̨chǫ Government

Wildfires burned through large swaths of Tłı̨chǫ Lands located between Great Slave Lake and Great Bear Lake, destroying vital boreal caribou habitat in the region. In the Northwest Territories, the boreal caribou is listed as a threatened species, as the population is estimated between only 6,000 and 7,000 adults. Habitat disturbance is adding pressure as fires destroy the lichen that the caribou feed on. 

This innovative partnership represents the most ambitious reforestation project ever undertaken in the Northwest Territories. It will help accelerate the restoration of important wildlife habitat, while helping to fight climate change and rejuvenate local ecosystems.

Image courtesy of Randall Van Wagner

The Head of Tree Canada’s National Greening Program, Randall Van Wagner, was invited by Tłı̨chǫ Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty to visit the areas that will be replanted last fall:

“During my visit, I was fortunate to meet with Elders from the community, who spoke about how wildfires have impacted their lands and people,” said Van Wagner. “Planting one million trees will help bring back the caribou over time, but it will also improve the lives of Tlicho citizens who are engaged in all aspects of the project, from seed collection to planting and monitoring the trees.”

The project incorporates the Tłı̨chǫ philosophy of ‘Strong Like Two People’, as it is guided largely by Tłı̨chǫ Traditional Knowledge and is supported by Western Science. Community Elders, environmental monitors, and forestry and silviculture experts are working together to identify priority planting areas and tree species best suited for caribou habitat reforestation. 

Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty noted that Tłı̨chǫ people have resided on the land since time immemorial and the Tłı̨chǫ Government is committed to sustaining our lands, water, and wildlife “for as long as this land shall last.” The planting of one million trees on Tłı̨chǫ land aligns fully with the development of protective measures to support the birds, wildlife, and fish populations and their habitats, and we support the collaborative efforts of Tree Canada and others to move this important project forward.

Image courtesy of Randall Van Wagner

As with all National Greening Program projects, the plantings will focus on native trees that are adapted to local conditions. In October 2023, a group of Tłı̨chǫ citizens, including community Elders, were trained and engaged in coning and seed collection. They collected millions of black spruce cones and white birch seeds, which were shipped to a nursery in Saskatchewan. From here, they will be grown into viable seedlings before being shipped back to the Northwest Territories for initial planting in 2025. 

This project has already received major funding support from L’Oréal Canada. Committed to the project’s long-term success, L’Oréal Canada is engaging its extensive network to ensure stable funding and support for planting these one million trees.