Masko cimakanic aski is a project that seeks to create the first Atikamekw protected area on the Nitaskinan. In a few decades, Masko cimakanic aski could become a vast space of biodiversity and a source of pride and self-determination for the Atikamekw Nation. Masko cimakanic aski means "to protect the bear and Mother Earth", the expression echoes the ancestral responsibility of the Atikamekw people towards all life forms on the land. Masko cimakanic aski covers an area of nearly 600 km south of the community of Wemotaci.
This status designates the land protection areas whose development and management are ensured by the Indigenous communities. Thus, these statuses are implemented and applied by the communities themselves according to the needs and specificities of the targeted places or lands. The federal government is increasingly recognizing these protected areas for formal inclusion in the Canadian Protected Areas Register and is providing funding to facilitate their establishment, although many of these areas are not yet formally recognized by governments.
Nomination: Local Management Initiative
Useful links:
List of APCAs recognized by the government
Federal Programs for Aboriginal Leadership and Initiatives
Indigenous Guardians of the Land Program
Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk
Aboriginal Circle of Experts Guide to Biodiversity Protection
