Partners gather at ICC-Canada office to welcome Josh Komangapik as the CAFF Arctic Indigenous Canadian Youth Fellow

The Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna is pleased to announce Josh Komangapik has been awarded the first CAFF Arctic Indigenous Canadian Youth Fellowship.

Josh Komangapik is an Inuk from Iqaluit, Nunavut and is the oldest of five siblings. He lives in Iqaluit with his partner Daniel. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from Bishop’s University and is currently pursuing a Masters of Science in Environmental Practice at Royal Roads University. He has worked for several years in protected areas management with Environment and Climate Change Canada, Parks Canada and the Government of Nunavut. He is a Students on Ice alumni and former member of the Nunavut Climate Change Youth Advisory Committee. He is the Qikiqtani Inuit Association appointee for the Iqaluit Kuunga and Qaummaarviit Territorial Parks Joint Management Committee. Josh is passionate about Inuit self-determination, environmental justice, and wildlife management.

In late November, ICC Canada hosted a kick-off workshop in Ottawa to bring partners together and welcome Josh in his role as CAFF Arctic Indigenous Canadian Youth Fellow. The workshop introduced Josh to representatives from the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program-Coastal, the Inuit Circumpolar Council, the Arctic Eider Society, the CAFF Secretariat and colleagues from the Carleton University Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre. Workshop attendees further scoped work to be undertaken in the Fellowship.

Over the next five months Josh will work with an advisory team to explore data from projects in SIKU where permissions have been obtained from project members. SIKU is the Indigenous Knowledge Social Network that facilitates self-determination in research, education and stewardship for Indigenous communities. Josh will explore contributions and make recommendations to CAFF’s CBMP. We look forward to working with Josh, the Arctic Eider Society, SIKU, the Inuit Circumpolar Council and CBMP representatives on the exciting work ahead.