INUVIK
The consensus at a public meeting about the future of Herschel Island, also known as Qikiqtaruk, was that the island's environment must be protected but its potential as a tourist attraction must also be leveraged.

Facilitator John Glynn-Morris leads a public meeting on Herschel Island, also known as Qikiqtaruk. The Yukon Government is working on a new 10-year management plan for the location, which falls in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

"People coming to this area want what you have," said John Glynn-Morris, a facilitator helping the Yukon Government come up with a new 10-year management plan for the island, which is in northern Yukon and falls in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.

"They want a taste of the local food, they want to see the local products. They want it, you have it and you want to share it. There are other parts of the world that are struggling to have people want to come."

He discussed the park at a public meeting in Inuvik on Feb. 1. A handful of people attended, but they were all involved in giving ideas.

Between 2005 and 2016, almost 6,000 people visited Herschel Island, according to Yukon Parks numbers. That statistic likely misses a number of leisure campers during off-season months.

Annual visitation usually spikes and lulls in accordance with cruise ship traffic.

Representatives from Yukon Parks said that the authentic cultural experience is very desirable for cruise ship travellers. In the past, some travellers have had the opportunity to explore the island with a park ranger or sample locals' cooking.

Jackie Challis, CEDO project coordinator with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, attended the meeting and said the IRC is also looking to leverage cruise ship travellers for Inuvialuit economic benefit.

"It's certainly on our radar in terms of how we support arts and crafts," she said.

The access to markets for many of the coastal communities is difficult, she added, and opportunities with cruise ships need to be maximized.

One idea floated at the meeting was having cruise ship travellers be able to browse hand-crafted items for sale beforehand so that artists could travel in from their communities and sell straight to guaranteed buyers on Herschel Island, rather than having to lug a whole load of products that may or may not sell.

Park ranger Richard Gordon said he was living the dream looking after the island.

"We have grizzly bears, polar bears and muskox," he said. "We have porcupine caribou and we have foxes, and a lot of birds."

The wildlife is a main attraction for visitors, he said, but it's also very important to the Inuvialuit.

The island has changed a lot over the years.

"Climate change is something that is happening very fast," said Gordon. "There's a lot of erosion. Back in the good old days there were no bumps on Herschel Island."

The name "Qikiqtaruk" means "the island" and to Inuvialuit elders is considered "our place."

Yukon Parks is taking feedback from its many public meetings around the area and will be developing a 10-year management plan.

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