Case Study Summary

The Dene Sųłıné Yatı – EdaCho Kué Camp in Canada provides Indigenous youth with opportunities to connect with their own and other cultures while practising critical skills for research and adaptation in a changing climate. These stewardship camps support climate understanding and learning by combining cultural land-based learning and technical skills at the intersection of Indigenous knowledge and Western science.

Working in conjunction with existing networks among Dene community members and scientists, the research team includes a member of the  Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation and three settler-researchers from the University of Alberta. The team will explore the educational impacts of stewardship camps on youth, focusing on the Dene Sųłıné Yatı – EdaCho Kué Camp hosted at the Thaidene Nëné National Park Reserve in September 2022. Under the direct guidance of Łutsël K’é ’s Wildlife, Lands, and Environment Committee, this case study will support Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation’s educational aims through a holistic analysis of participant experiences within the broader context of the specific Dene Sųłıné Yatı – EdaCho Kué Camp. Using semi-structured interviews, participants will communicate their experiences at the camp. 

The case study aims to inform the planning of future stewardship camps according to youth visions, needs, and learning objectives. The findings of the research will have a direct impact on the planning of future youth programs through the Ărramăt network. The results of this case study will also inform stewardship camps run in other climate-impacted (settler, post-) colonial contexts that bring together Western science and Indigenous knowledge.