Annie Goose

This paper presents research that integrates natural and social science data with the knowledge from commu-nity members to document the implications of climate change for travel routes, used by community members in Ulukhaktok to access seasonal harvesting grounds, and how policy decisions can enhance capacity to adapt in the future. It outlines steps for engaging arctic com-munities in climate change research and describes an approach to assessing vulnerability. The approach is ap-plied in a case study for the community of Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories (NT), Canada. Information was collected from a triangulated set of resources including, community reports, climate records, existing research, and 62 in-depth interviews with community members. Data indicates that climate change together with soci-etal changes have resulted in compromised trail routes to harvesting grounds and increased hazards for travel-ers. Current adaptive strategies involve traveling via alternative modes of transportation and travel routes, taking extra precautions before and during travel and sharing country foods. Adaptations are not universal among community members and changing trail condi-tions have resulted in community members spending less time traveling on the land harvesting country foods which has implications for food security, local economy, cultural preservation and health. Since March, changes go from fog to rain, it is not normal weather. It really aff ects the people who go out on the land, travel on the land. When peo-ple want to travel and weather pa " erns change like this it aff ects their emotions, their mental-ity. They live on country food. It [traveling on the land and harvesting] is good for their soul, a time to spend with family (translated from Inu