RESOURCE EVALUATION

As this chapter is based only on published sources, the following recommendations and suggestions arise only from these limited sources. With the completion of the Oral History Project, a more comprehensive evaluation of cultural resources will be possible.

a) Resource Priorities

Covers importance of historical resources, representativeness, rarity, scientific interest, culturally significant features and areas.

Among the most important of the Vuntut Gwitchin post-contact sites are the caribou fences found in the Park. These sites have been comparatively well-studied, but little information has been returned to the community until recently (Greer and Le Blanc 1992). As some of the fences are deteriorating rapidly, it is important that as many Elders as possible visit the sites and that their knowledge of these sites be recorded as soon as possible.

In terms of the non-Gwitchin history, the camps and caches of the International Boundary Commission Survey of 1911-1912, are significant historic sites. These sites are internationally important as their original construction and on-going maintainance is shared between Canada and the United States. As feasible, the camp locations as marked by Geist (1956?) should be visited and the sites assessed.

b) Research

Covers information gaps and requirements.

The most obvious gap in our knowledge of the history of the Old Crow Basin area is from relatively recent times. Recording the history of seismic explorations in the 1960s and 1970s would be of great importance in terms of assessing the long term ecological damage caused by this exploration. Current residents of Old Crow who worked on the seismic lines should be interviewed to ensure that their personal knowledge of this recent history topic is not lost.

There is a great deal of information available on historic sites within the Old Crow Flats Special Management Area. The current Oral History Project will pull together much of that information, and produce more significant information. It is recommended that Parks Canada concentrate on interviewing the Old Crow Elders whose families have lived and trapped within Vuntut National Park. It is important to map precise locations of cabins, trap lines, fish traps, and caches within the National Park, together with traditional knowledge, place names, and stories of this area.

Neither the Canadian office of the International Boundary Commission nor the National Archives of Canada maintain the original photographic record of the 1911-1912 International Boundary Survey. It would be of value to Vuntut National Park to consult with the American office of the International Boundary Commission to locate and obtain original photographs of the Boundary Survey activities that are not available in the reports and publications accessible in Canada.

Knowledge of the early gold exploration within the Old Crow Flats Special Management Area is meager. There would be some value in further archival searching, perhaps in the Yukon mining claims registry, for new material. Also, the oral history research project should be aware of the potential that a local oral history of that "gold rush" event may exist. It would be of interest to know the locations of the prospecting on the Old Crow River and near Mount Ammerman, in order to better understand historic sites and to avoid possibility of confusion with sites associated with International Boundary Commission survey of 1910-1912.

c) Potentials and constraints

Covers visual aesthetics, sensitivity, educational opportunities, interpretation, cultural heritage appreciation, relation to park management.

Because the people of Old Crow and their ancestors have been involved in one way or another in virtually all of the historic expeditions, surveys, and research expeditions that have taken place in the Vuntut Gwitchin homelands, the people of Old Crow, and the students at the local school and college have a major interest in the recorded history of the Park and SMA. There is a wonderful opportunity for Parks Canada to work with the VGFN Heritage officer to interpret this history for the local people and visitors in the future Visitor or Interpretation Center.

The Heritage section of the VGFN has already developed a major source of historical documents, artifacts, specimens, and archives in Old Crow. It is recommended that Parks Canada continue to work closely with the VGFN, to ensure that efforts are not duplicated, and to co-operate in preserving historic sites and objects that will be of great interest to visitors to the Park and to Old Crow. An example is a riverboat that lies in the woods beyond the west end of the Old Crow airstrip. Although it is not of direct interest to the Park, it is an example of local history that requires action to ensure it is not lost.

d) Guidelines for park planning

Covers land Management Direction, protection versus use, specific management areas.

Parks Canada should assess whether under the established Parks Canada zoning regulations, camps, caches and cabins of post-contact times have a level of protection adequate for their preservation similar to that given to archaeological sites.

Parks Canada will have to assess the historic sites within the Park to determine whether visitors other than Vuntut Gwitchin should be encouraged to visit the sites, or if they should be visited only with special permits.

Parks Canada should consult with the International Boundary Commission so that they can be consulted whenever boundary maintenance is planned, and perhaps accompany boundary insection trips.

e) First Steps

Covers what should be done first? in the immediate future?

A Parks Canada survey of historic sites should be made as soon as possible. This survey should include detailed mapping of sites, GPS locations, video and still photography, and assessment of needs for stabilization or restoration. Many of the sites feature structures made of wood and these are quickly deteriorating. Many approximate locations are available on maps and would be relatively easy to check if helicopters are available.