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RADILIH KOE/FORT GOOD HOPE - The community of Fort Good Hope was recognized for its commitment to conservation at an awards gala in Ottawa this month.

Fort Good Hope won this year's community Boreal Award, given by the Canadian Boreal Initiative, for its work to protect 25,000 square kilometres of forest in the Ts'ude niline Tu'eyeta region, east of the community.

Fort Good Hope is trying to get the Ramparts River network protected as a future Environment Canada National Wildlife Area and has had it designated an NWT Protected Area, temporarily.

Isidore Manuel, who is co-ordinating the effort in the community, travelled to Ottawa with community council member Tammy Proctor to represent Fort Good Hope and accept the award.

"I think we had three or four good community meetings to ask people what they think about protecting the Ramparts and why we are protecting it," said Manuel, who has been working on the initiative since 2003.

The Ts'ude niline Tu'eyeta area holds significant cultural importance.

"It has been used by our people for a long time - for generations - to go there to hunt, fish and trap," said Manuel.

"There are a lot of cultural sites - campsites, trails, burial sites, sacred areas, too.

"It has provided for the community for thousands of years and it still does today, so we have a lot of respect for the land, which comes from our elders, who taught us to respect it.

In November 2007, the land was withdrawn for temporary protection. The community now has four years to undertake cultural and environmental assessments in the proposed boundary before they can move for Ottawa's approval to get the area permanently protected.

Manuel has been fighting to give the community as much say as possible on what should and shouldn't be allowed to take place in the area.

"Inside the boundary we can say no development, no oil and gas development, no mineral development," said Manuel. "We can also say no commercial hunting or commercial cutting of trees."

"We can allow certain activities, with conditions, too, though. Our rights to hunt, fish and trap will be in there. We can continue that once it is protected."

The community has been working with both federal and territorial governments, along with other non-government organizations such as Ducks Unlimited and the World Wildlife Fund to hammer out the final boundary and get the area permanently protected.

Larry Innes, executive director of the Canadian Boreal Initiative, said the community was recognized with the award for its hard work and patience while working with the various groups through the complex process. The protection of the Ramparts River area is very important to the boreal forest system in Canada, he said:

"It's one of the most significant wetland river complexes in the boreal," he said. "It's a very important nesting and breeding area for migratory birds."

Contained within the region are the boreal woodland caribou and the peregrine falcon, both endangered species.

The Canadian Boreal Initiative has a dual mission to conserve and protect at least half of Canada's remaining intact boreal forest. Its also works to make sure that when development does occur in the forest, it is done to the highest environmental standards.

In 2007, the Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation won the community award for its work towards designating the East Arm of Great Slave Lake designated as a national park.