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Adapting to Climate Change Interview
Kerry Ann Charles as Podcast Guest
Kerry-Ann Charles
Environment Partnership Co-ordinator
Anishinaabe KWE/Newfoundlander from Georgina Island First Nation
Business and Human Resource Studies
Spirit Statement
My spirit comes from the generations before me. Growing up, I have had the privilege of being able to witness how hard work, perseverance, and most of all kindness assists you in achieving anything that you set your mind to. I have been taught that it is OK to be different, always put your best foot forward, and be honest with yourself; that failure is okay as long as you learn from it, and that every story has two sides that must be heard in order to make your own, best conclusions.
Having the privilege of growing up on and off-reserve, and having strong influences from both my mom (of Newfoundland decent) and my dad’s (Anishnaabe) side of the family, I have gained various perspectives which have assisted me throughout my adult life. I also give credit to the Georgina Island First Nation Community (my home community) for my successes as they have given me the support, encouragement, and love needed to take chances and grow into my career at CIPS.
I have always been very connected to the outdoors, loved learning new things, meeting new people, and I am pretty confident about who I am as a person. I am always seeking the opportunity to learn more about my Anishnaabe roots. To be able to have the opportunity to do all of this while connecting people to each other and the environment is a blessing. To create opportunities for myself to learn about my culture, traditions, and people, and be able to do my part to ensure a better future for everyone, is a feeling that I struggle to describe. To date, the best I have come up with is the words Mno Bimaadizwin. It translates to “living the good life.”
Corporate Highlights
Relevant Experience = 20 Years
-- Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation Council Member --
-- International Guest Speaker, Indigenous Climate change Perspectives --
-- TD Friends of the Environment Review Board --
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Articles & Videos by Kerry-Ann
1) The following webinar was hosted by the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition (RLSC). Three climate change experts joined RLSC Executive Director Claire Malcolmson to discuss mitigation measures on how to lessen the impacts of climate change to Lake
Kerry-Ann Charles (Environment Partnership Coordinator for Cambium Indigenous Professional Services) provides insight into the effects climate change will have on First Nations communities, specifically Georgina Island and discusses opportunities for climate change adaptation planning in Lake Simcoe. (Kerry-Ann's session starts at 1:00:00. Click here to view the web page for a complete discussion and transcription.Simcoe.
2) An Indigenous Lens on Climate Change Adaptation Planning.
Climate change has and will continue to have growing public health implications for the population of Ontario. Public health authorities have a duty to respond and are progressively working to address the health impacts of climate change. The following report will examine Indigenous perspectives (on climate change) and the importance of including these perspectives into climate-adaptation and strategies to assist public health authorities in doing so.
Click here to view the report "An Indigenous Lens on Climate Change Adaptation Planning"
3) Climate-Health Adaptation Planning: Two Approaches, One Shared Learning Journey.
For many, land means property, the water, the air, and all that live within these ecosystems. For Indigenous peoples, land means more than property and even ecosystems – it encompasses traditions, culture, relationships, social systems, spirituality, values, responsibility and Law.
The following video and report examine Indigenous perspectives on climate change and how these perspectives can be used to help improve climate change-adaptation models.
4) What Does Sweetgrass Look Like?
Today, I am going to show you what sweetgrass looks like and how to identify it. Sweetgrass can be found just about anywhere including meadows, riverbanks, forests, marshes, bogs and in open ground. With it's sweet aroma, sweetgrass can be identified by smell and colour. Click the link below to find out more.
5) Beausoleil First Nation’s Climate Monitoring Project
This is a video recording on the work that I am doing with the Beausoleil First Nation called "Agaaming - Across the Bay Beausoleil First Nation Wind and Water Monitoring Project. I have been working with the Beausoleil community on the project since 2015. This original idea for this project was based on a climate adaptation framework using Traditional Ecological Knowledge (which is the foundation for this particular adaptation planning model). This program "morphed" into a more focused initiative that over time became a wind and water monitoring program (for the Beausoliel First Nation Community).
See the video recording here