For thousands of years, the Tłı̨chǫ people have called the northern boreal forest of the Northwest Territories home, maintaining a profound connection to the land. However, catastrophic wildfires-exacerbated by the global climate crisis-have devastated this critical ecosystem in recent years. In 2023, during the hottest year on record, fires burned regions ten times larger than average, profoundly impacting local wildlife and the landscape.
In response, Tree Canada has joined forces with the Tłı̨chǫ Government, Let’s Plant Trees, L’Oréal Canada, and the Government of Canada’s 2 Billion Trees program to launch the most extensive reforestation project ever attempted in the Northwest Territories. Our shared goal is to plant one million trees on Tłı̨chǫ lands, restoring habitat for the boreal caribou and other species while supporting the local ecosystem.
Guided by the Tłı̨chǫ philosophy of "strong like two people," this project merges traditional knowledge with Western science. Tłı̨chǫ Elders, forestry specialists, and trainees have already gathered million of seeds. These seeds will be grown into seedlings before being returned to Tłı̨chǫ lands for planting, ensuring a healthy and diverse forest for generations to come. At every stage, Tłı̨chǫ citizens play a vital role in developing local skills and capacity for future restoration projects.
Learn more about this collaborative effort to restore a thriving boreal forest: treecanada.ca/article/bringing-back-the-caribou-planting-1-million-trees-on-tli%CC%A8ch%C7%AB-lands-in-nwt/
Special thanks to Chad Galloway and Trail Films for kindly allowing the use of footage from Walking With Caribou (2023) - www.trailfilms.ca
Tłı̨chǫ Government: tlicho.ca/government
Let's Plant Trees: letsplanttrees.ca/
L’Oréal Canada: www.loreal.com/en/canada/
2 Billion Trees program: www.canada.ca/en/campaign/2-billion-trees/2-billion-trees-program.html
Tree Canada: treecanada.ca/our-programs/national-greening-program/
#Tłı̨chǫ #Reforestation #TreeCanada #ClimateAction #2BillionTrees #BorealForest #WildfireRecovery #IndigenousLeadership