Community Sharing Circle Briefing Note

The document details a community workshop with the Poplar River First Nation to assess how the natural environment supports local well-being and to document observed ecological shifts. Participants highlighted the critical role of clean air, water, and traditional foods, while noting significant changes in weather patterns, ice thickness, and animal populations. The briefing concludes with community-proposed adaptation measures, including the transition to an all-weather road and the adoption of renewable energy sources.

• The local environment is fundamental to the community's survival and health, providing essential services such as clean air and water, traditional foods (berries, fish, moose, geese, and ducks), and spiritual benefits. Participants noted that a lack of fresh meat and river water coincided with health issues, and that trees are necessary to "brace the river bank against erosion."
• The community relies heavily on predictable weather and ice conditions for the construction of the winter road, which is essential for maintaining their current diet and overall financial and psychological well-being.
• Participants observed significant changes in weather and ice, including more violent storms, milder winters, and a reduction in river ice depth from 3-6 feet to often about 2 feet. They also noted that elders can no longer predict weather or ice conditions as they once did.
• Ecological shifts include the disappearance of frogs, snow worms, squirrels, and rabbits, alongside the arrival of new species like golden eagles and wood ticks moving north. There was also a reported sharp decline in bee populations, which participants linked to pollination failure.
• Moisture conditions have declined, leading to scorched berries, disappearing water from the muskeg, and heat-dried leaves on poplar trees. Additionally, water quality in Lake Winnipeg has been impacted by growing globs of algae and slime.
• To cope with future environmental changes, the community suggested several adaptation measures: replacing the winter road with an all-weather road, planting trees for wind and dust protection, implementing land and monitoring plans, and transitioning to renewable energy sources such as hydro, wind, or solar.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2011). Community Sharing Circle Briefing Note. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/community_sharing_circle_poplar_river.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Community Sharing Circle Briefing Note. 2011. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/community_sharing_circle_poplar_river.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Community Sharing Circle Briefing Note |date=October 2011 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/community_sharing_circle_poplar_river.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2011community, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Community Sharing Circle Briefing Note}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2011}, month = oct, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/community_sharing_circle_poplar_river.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }