Land Use Planning Services
Traditional Land Use Planning
Our land use planning services help communities balance
traditional practices with contemporary needs.
Mapping Wisdom: Land Use & Knowledge Studies
Imagine standing on a landscape where every tree whispers stories, every river carries memories, and every path is etched with generations of wisdom. This is not just land—this is living history, breathing culture, a continuous conversation between people and place.
Effective land use planning goes beyond infrastructure; it encompasses cultural preservation, environmental protection, and sustainable development. ICE collaborates with Indigenous communities to co-create land use plans that honor traditional land use, respect community goals, and align with regional growth needs.
Protecting Cultural Sovereignty
Knowledge is a Gift,
not a Resource to be Extracted.
Creating Sustainable Futures
The ICE team works with Indigenous Nations and communities to co-create land use plans for reserve lands or their territories — we document and map traditional land use to support land claims, resource management, and impact assessments.
Our land use planning process weaves together traditional knowledge with contemporary planning practices to create comprehensive, culturally-grounded development frameworks. We understand that effective land use planning must balance preservation of traditional practices with the evolving needs of growing communities.
Our Land Use
Planning Approach:
Our professionals combine deep cultural understanding with technical expertise in environmental science, community planning, and traditional knowledge documentation.
We help communities balance traditional practices with contemporary needs.
• Community members guide interpretation of findings
• Indigenous knowledge systems inform analysis
• Multiple ways of knowing are honored
• Research outcomes align with community needs
• Findings are validated by community members
We've successfully partnered with communities across Canada, helping them create land use plans that protect cultural heritage while supporting sustainable development.
Creating Sustainable Futures
Grounded in Traditional Wisdom
Working under frameworks like the First Nations Land Management Act and Far North Act, we help create comprehensive plans that:
• Protect culturally significant areas
• Optimize infrastructure development
• Resolve potential land use conflicts
• Support economic development opportunities
• Preserve traditional harvesting areas
• Plan for community growth
Our land use planning services help communities balance traditional practices with contemporary needs.
Land Use
Planning Services
Our land use plans protect cultural heritage while supporting sustainable development:
Cultural Heritage Protection
Our planning process places special emphasis on identifying and protecting sites of cultural significance. We work with community members to map traditional hunting grounds, gathering areas, ceremonial sites, and other culturally important locations, ensuring these spaces are preserved for future generations.
Infrastructure Development Planning
We help communities plan for growth while respecting traditional land use patterns. This includes strategic planning for housing development, community facilities, and infrastructure expansion that minimizes impact on traditional use areas while meeting modern community needs.
Comprehensive Territory Analysis
We begin by conducting detailed assessments of your territory's current uses, environmental conditions, and cultural significance. This analysis incorporates traditional ecological knowledge, helping identify areas of particular cultural or spiritual importance that require special consideration in planning decisions.
Indigenous Knowledge & Land Use Planning
Your community's
knowledge is invaluable.
We understand the delicate balance between preservation and progress, let's work together to preserve traditional wisdom while creating sustainable pathways for growth and prosperity.
Seasonal Use Considerations
Our plans account for seasonal land use patterns, including traditional hunting and gathering cycles, ensuring that development activities don't interfere with these crucial cultural practices.
Economic Development Integration
Our planning process helps identify opportunities for sustainable economic development that aligns with community values and traditional practices. We assist in locating appropriate areas for business development, resource management, and tourism initiatives that can provide economic benefits while preserving cultural integrity.
Future Generations Planning
We help communities create plans that preserve traditional land use opportunities for future generations while accommodating projected growth and development needs
Environmental Stewardship
Our land use planning goes beyond conventional zoning and development. We integrate Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) with modern planning principles to create comprehensive land use strategies that honor sacred sites, protect traditional territories, and create space for sustainable development.
This includes detailed mapping of cultural and ecological assets, development of land use designation systems that reflect Indigenous values, and creation of management frameworks that protect resources for future generations.
An Invitation to Transformation
Your knowledge is not just information—it's a living legacy. Together, we can:
- Preserve ancient wisdom - Support community resilience - Create sustainable futures - Celebrate the ongoing story of your people
Your stories matter.
Your land speaks. We're here to listen.
Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+)
Understanding that projects impact community members differently, our GBA+ framework captures diverse perspectives:
- Women and gender-diverse individuals
- Elders and knowledge keepers
- Youth and future generations
- Active land users
- People with varying abilities
- Community members across geographic locations
Data Sovereignty & Protection
We strictly adhere to OCAP (Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession) principles:
- Community ownership of all gathered information
- Protected data storage and management
- Controlled access to sensitive knowledge
- Community-directed information sharing
- Ethical research protocols
Indigenous Knowledge Studies
Every patch of earth tells a story. For Indigenous communities, these stories span generations—woven into the fabric of culture, identity, and traditional ways of life. We partner with communities to preserve and protect this precious knowledge, transforming ancient wisdom into powerful tools for modern stewardship and sustainable development.
Indigenous Knowledge Studies
01
Indigenous Relations
Why Partner with ICE?
Our professionals combine deep cultural understanding with technical expertise in environmental science, community planning, and traditional knowledge documentation.
Indigenous Relations
Expertise You Can Trust
We've successfully partnered with communities across Canada, helping them create land use plans that protect cultural heritage while supporting sustainable development.
Indigenous Knowledge & Traditional Land Use
We understand the delicate balance between preservation and progress.
Our team brings together decades of experience in Indigenous knowledge gathering and land use planning. We're committed to helping communities find solutions that honor traditional values while building for the future.