WOLANKEYUTOMUK KIHTAHKOMIKUMON!

PROTECTION

The primary goal of the Skutik Indigenous Protected and Cultural Area (IPCA) is to:

Protect and care for the land within the traditional Peskotomuhkati territory, especially within the Skutik watershed, for the next 7 generations and beyond.

The initial target area of the project is 11,500 hectares(28,500 acres) along the Skutik River.

To date, including the protection of the Chiputneticook Lodge property, the Skutik IPCA consists of

2,055 hectares (5,078 acres).

In addition to the 2,055 hectares (5,078 acres) protected, we continue to negotiate with the Province of New Brunswick to return an additional 2,500 hectares (6,178 acres) of crown land back to us, the Peskotomuhkati Nation at Skutik, as the rightful protectors and stewards.

As an intermediate measure, we, the Peskotomuhkati Nation at Skutik, are in the process of developing a land-holding organization.

As we began our IPCA project, we did not have a land-holding organization in place. Therefore, our partners, the Nature Trust of New Brunswick, agreed to hold the private protected lands in the IPCA. When our land-holding mechanism is in place, we will work in collaboration with the Nature Trust to transfer the lands back to our Nation.

Future Goals for the Next Seven Generations and Beyond:

  • Ensuring there is no commercialization/industrialization on the protected properties;

  • Negotiations with the Province of New Brunswick to transfer Crown Lands back to the Peskotomuhkati Nation;

  • Protection of private lands to expand the IPCA project;

  • Transfer of protected IPCA lands from the Nature Trust of New Brunswick to the Peskotomuhkati environmental organization;

  • Protection of key cultural species and species at risk.

Do you want to learn about protection options in our territory? We’d be happy to send you some information around donation and purchases of land, as well as conservation easements. Send us a message below and we’ll be in touch with you soon.