Six Nations Lands and Resources

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Six Nations Wildlife
Management Office
/Land Use Unit

Wildlife/Eco Centre

•		The Eco Centre encourages the protection of endangered species, such as the Black Rat Snake.

•		They were also instrumental in introducing wild turkey’s onto the Reserve.

•		The Wildlife Officer participates in over 50 Committees/Groups in the Grand River Watershed.

The Haldimand Proclamation of 1784
Whereas His Majesty having been pleased to direct that in consideration of the early attachment to his cause manifested by the Mohawk Indians and of the loss of their settlement which they thereby sustained - that a ...

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Six Nations Wildlife Management Office/Land Use Unit

The Six Nations Wildlife Management Office and the Six Nations
Land Use Unit are located at the Six Nations Eco-Centre and is
supervised by Paul General, Wildlife Officer/Eco-Centre Manager.
Since 1993, the Wildlife Management Office has been very
effective in opening the lines of communications with various
outside agencies both private and public. Appropriate provincial
ministries and federal departments have all been contacted and
the office also has an open and ongoing working relationship with
several colleges and universities in the surrounding area and has
formed partnerships with several others on long term projects.
These working relationships are useful for acquiring accurate and
up-to-date information regarding projects, proposals,
environmental issues, hunting and fishing rights both on and off
Six Nations reserve.

By 2004, the Wildlife Management Office was reviewing over 700 permits/licenses a year. In order to assist in reviewing the applications, the Land Use Unit was developed as a branch of the Six Nations Lands and Resources Department. This Unit is located at the Six Nations Eco-Centre and supports the Wildlife Management Office in monitoring the development of lands and the use of resources within specific land claims arising from the Six Nations tract, granted by the Haldimand Proclamation of October 25, 1784, being six miles on each side of the Grand River from Lake Erie to the river’s source (approximately 950,000 acres). Additionally, Six Nations treaty rights and interests in our 1701 Treaty territory are asserted and protected.

The goals of the Six Nations Wildlife Management Office/Land Use Unit are:

  •   Provide effective communication within the Grand River Watershed and beyond, thereby creating an atmosphere of
understanding and tolerance of both the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal cultures now inhabiting the watershed;

  •   To facilitate effective educational opportunities and experiences for our Schools and encourage our neighbours
in the watershed to learn about our community;

  •   Monitor and respond to approximately 700 permits a year and review various environmental assessments, impact
statements, official plans, archaeological reports and the federal and provincial environmental registries;

  •   Oversee various activities affecting the Grand River Watershed and projects dealing directly with the community such as
wetland studies, wildlife trail mapping, traditional knowledge studies and encouraging the protection of endangered species;

  •   Provide input in the development of consultation and accommodation protocols/policies and in preparing
and negotiating impact benefit agreements and land use agreements that address meaningful consultation,
accommodation and compensation requirements;

  •   Provide the non-Aboriginal population with information and education on the many aspects of Aboriginal
concepts of the land, environment, forests, fish and wildlife and to encourage our community to better
understand the differences of the non-Aboriginal attitude towards these same issues, in the hopes of
finding a common ground where all can exist in harmony; and

  •   To actively participate in and encourage co-operative management regimes within the Grand River
Watershed for the benefit of all and to ensure respect for the river is paramount.

One of the most productive
methods of information
gathering and sharing has
been for the Six Nations
Wildlife Management
Office/Land Use Unit to
actively participate in
various committees which
have been formed to deal with
the long term management
of the Grand River Watershed.
It has been most beneficial
to be able to contribute to
or express concerns at the
planning stage of a proposal
rather than attempt to make
changes at the implementation
stage of a project. Partial
listings of these committees are:

  •   A.D. Latornell Steering Committee

  •   Adaptive Co-management Working Group

  •   Airport Employment Growth District Community Liaison Committee

  •   Archaeology/Six Nations Working Group

  •   Brant Resources Stewardship Network

  •   Brant Rural Water Quality Program

  •   Brownfields Community Advisory Committee

  •   Burtch Property Assessment Committee

  •   Caledonia Fishway Committee

  •   Carolinian Woodland Recovery Strategy

  •   DCE Archaeological Side Table

  •   DCE Lands Resolution Side Table

  •   Dunnville Fish Ladder Operations Management Committee

  •   Dunnville Fishway Committee

  •   Dunnville Marsh Management Committee

  •   Emergency Water Measures Committee

  •   Exceptional Waters Committee

  •   Food Systems Partnership/Agrigroup

  •   Grand Strategy Co-coordinating Committee

  •   Grand River Fisheries Committee

  •   Grand River Fisheries Plan Implementation Committee

  •   Grand River Heritage Working Group

  •   Grand River Monitoring Committee

  •   Grand River Watershed Forum

  •   Grand Valley Water Supply Project

  •   Habitat Haldimand

  •   Haldimand Community Forest Initiative

  •   Habitat Stewardship Program-Partners in Recovery

  •   Haldimand Stewardship Council

  •   Hamilton Harbour Fisheries Mgt Plan

  •   HONI Joint Working Group

  •   IMC Decommissioning Committee

  •   Iroquois Wildlife Association

  •   Lake Erie Shore Water Protection Working Group

  •   Low Water Response Team

  •   Lower Grand River Land Trust

  •   Lower Grand Eco-system Restoration Working Group

  •   Migratory Fish Working Group

  •   Natural Heritage Working Group

  •   OPG Community Liaison Panel

  •   Ontario Raccoon Rabies Communications Team

  •   Redhill Valley Joint Stewardship Group

  •   Six Nations Source Water Protection Task Force

  •   Spills Notification Committee

  •   Taquanyah Restoration Committee

  •   Thames River Management Committee

  •   Water Forum Steering Committee

  •   Water Managers Committee

  •   Windermere Basin PAG

The uncertainty as to jurisdiction and ownership on lands where Six Nations’ interests remain unattended and addressed by the Crown had resulted in various confrontation and blockades against municipal developments. As an interim measure, the Indian Commission of Ontario mediated the signing of the Grand River Notification Agreement (GRNA) on October 3, 1996. It was the first of its kind in Canada where eight Municipalities, two First Nations, a Conservation Authority and the Governments of Canada and Ontario agree to information sharing, consultation on economic development, land use planning and environmental issues without prejudicing Six Nations’ Land Claims. The Grand River Notification Agreement was renewed on October 3, 1998, October 3, 2003 and is in the process of a third renewal with an expected date of October 3, 2008.

The Six Nations Wildlife Management Office/Land Use Unit will continue to be involved with the GRNA to promote and encourage the remainder of the Grand River Watershed to participate in the Agreement. This was and is an important initiative within the watershed and is often used to encourage improved communications of various organizations within the agreement area. It has been determined that the purpose and intent of the Agreement works well. However, the real issues of the unresolved Six Nations Specific Claims and the effects of uncertainty and impediments to economic development in Municipal communities continue to be a contentious issue.

With the population of the watershed expected to reach well over one million people within the next twenty years, it is imperative that Six Nations have a voice in the future of the Grand River; the Six Nations Eco-Centre has proven to be an effective channel for providing this opportunity.