A forest fire almost completely destroyed the Scotty Creek Research Station (http://www.scottycreek.com/) over the weekend of October 15th (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/scotty-creek-research-station-fire-1.6625171).

Five of the nine buildings which housed state-of-the-art research equipment and provided laboratory space, sleeping accommodation and other facilities were burned to the ground. The remaining buildings sustained varying amounts of damage, and some will need to be replaced. Many storage containers filled with educational and scientific instruments, tools and equipment were also destroyed, as were support structures, platforms and solar arrays.

The Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation recently took on the leadership of the station making Scotty Creek one of the first Indigenous-led research stations in the world and a "flagship" for scientific-Indigenous collaboration in Canada’s North. Scotty Creek has become a locus for the inclusion of Indigenous Canadians in research, empowering Indigenous youth through education/training initiatives and facilitating engagement between Indigenous community members and researchers through respectful sharing of knowledge and experiences as “partners in learning” (https://youtu.be/Niy7R0sXeZg)

Researchers from around the world depend on Scotty Creek to provide critical data on the rates, patterns and impacts of climate change. Scotty Creek makes major contributions to the knowledge economy of the Dehcho and contributes significantly to businesses in the region throughout the year. Scotty Creek also regularly hosts field courses, on-the-land camps and other events for local communities, high school students and Indigenous Guardians from across the Dehcho. All of these benefits must now be halted until the station can be rebuilt.

The Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation greatly appreciates your contribution to help rebuild our research station.