Treaty 2 territory – Natural World Circle staff recently completed a mapping project of the entire Treaty 2 Territory. The purpose of the work is to measure the capability of reserve land to sustain agriculture and how that capability measures against the land capability off reserve land but within the Treaty 2 Boundary. The study
Treaty 2 Territory – Natural World Circle staff recently completed a mapping project of the entire Treaty 2 Territory. The purpose of the work is to measure the capability of reserve land to sustain agriculture and how that capability measures against the land capability off reserve land but within the Treaty 2 Boundary.
The study uses data collected for the Canadian Lands Inventory at a scale of 1:250,000. This scale is appropriate for community planning. In all some 93 maps were produced with detailed statistics including every acre in Treaty 2 Territory – on reserve lands and off. Land was classified in 8 categories outlined below:
The results of the study provided some insights for Treaty 2 Signatory Nations and Nations that reside in Treaty 2. Examples of some of these insights:
-Of the 5,2175.95 acres of Class 1 (land with no limitations for Agriculture) available within the territory reserve lands for both signatory and non-signatory did not receive any.
-Signatory Nations received 3.51% if the land base available in Treaty 2 Territory.
-Non-Signatory Nations received 11.24% of land base in Treaty 2 Territory.
-Class 2 land (Moderate Limitations) accounts for 26% of the land available in Treaty 2 Territory. Of this land classification Signatory Nations received 0.06%. Non-Signatory Nations received 0.98%.
-Class 3 land (Moderately Severe Limitations; range of crops restricted or special conservation practices required) makes up 17% of the Land Base within Treaty 2 Territory. Non-signatory Reserves received 0.98% share while signatories received 0.51%.
-Class 7 land (No Capability for Arable Culture or Permanent Pasture) makes up 0.52% of the land base. Non-Signatory nations received 0.83% while signatory nations received 0.98%.
More insights are sure to follow as we continue to pour through the data – but the insights already gleaned from the map work quantify what is a broadly held assertion. The Dominion did not honour or respect the Indigenous population enough in the Treaties. Not only were Nations confined to small tracts of land – the land we have been confined to is of the poorest capability for agriculture available.
Last modified: June 16, 2020
