Game bird consumption in Dene communities of the Northwest Territories, Canada

Objective: Game bird consumption is an important part of the diet of Indigenous populations in Canada and, as part of country food consumption, is associated with improved nutritional status. The objective of this project was to document the consumption of game birds for Dene First Nations in the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada. Design: Participants were invited to complete a FFQ using an iPad to document the types of country foods consumed, as well as consumption frequency and preparation methods, including thirteen types of game birds. Setting: The project was implemented in nine communities in the Dehcho and Sahtú regions of the NWT, Canada. Participants: A total of 237 children and adult participants from Dene First Nations in the Mackenzie Valley region of the NWT took part in the current study. Results: FFQ findings indicated that game birds were frequently consumed in both Dehcho and Sahtú communities. Canada goose and mallard were found to be consumed by the largest number of participants. Five different species (including Canada goose and mallard) were found to be consumed by at least 25 % of participants over the last year. When consuming game birds, most participants reported consuming the meat as well as most, if not all, other parts of the bird. Conclusions: Differences were observed since the last country food assessment in the 1990s in the same regions. These findings increase knowledge of the current Dene diet patterns and support the understanding of diet transition.

Effects of liberalizing harvest regulations on Canada goose (Branta canadensis) demography in Nebraska.

Harvest regulations are used to manage populations of game species. Across their range, Canada goose Branta canadensis populations have recovered from near extirpation and are now perceived as overabundant and even a nuisance or a threat to human safety in many regions. Like many states, Nebraska has liberalized harvest regulations to increase recreation opportunities for consumptive users and to control increasing numbers of Canada geese. However, the efficacy of harvest regulations to control populations of geese is unclear. We used a live capture-recapture and dead recovery data set of more than 19,000 Canada geese banded in Nebraska 2006-2017 to determine the effect of liberalized harvest regulations on goose survival and overall growth rate. Our goals were to 1) estimate demographic parameters for Canada geese in five different regions in Nebraska 2) estimate the effect of increasing daily bag limits during the early September season and regular season on survival of hatch-year, juvenile, and adult Canada geese and 3) relate the effect of estimated changes in survival to population growth rate. We found survival (0.54-0.87), fidelity (0.14-0.99), and productivity (number of young per adult, 0.17-2.08) varied substantially among regions within Nebraska. We found increasing early season bag limits, but not regular season bag limits, reduced survival in Canada geese. However, this effect was most pronounced when comparing years without an early season to years with the highest daily bag limits used in Nebraska (eight). Survival of juvenile geese (2-3 years post-hatch) were unaffected by changes in daily bag limits during any season, though the probability of reporting was greatest for this age-class. The observed reductions in survival probability of hatch-year and adult geese due to increased daily bag limits during the early season (<10%) had only weak effects on regional growth rates. Regional growth rate estimates appeared more responsive to changes in adult survival, but only decreased ~5% between years with the most liberal early-season daily bag limits to years without an early season. Our results suggest increased bag limits during the early season may reduce Canada goose survival, but has a weak impact on population growth in Nebraska.

Corporate Greenwashing and Canada Goose: Exploring the Legitimacy–Aesthetic Nexus

Public discourse on environmental responsibility and sustainability continues to pressure corporations, especially those that have been portrayed as key contributors of environmental harm. Greenwashing is a strategy that companies adopt to engage in symbolic communications with environmental issues without substantially addressing them in actions. This paper aims to raise awareness of corporate greenwashing, drawing attention to issues that progress the trend of individualized responsibility and consumption, while concealing the social and (eco)systemic issues in the process. By drawing on the case study of winter apparel company Canada Goose, this paper questions whether businesses can ‘go green’ in good faith, if corporate responsibility and environmental responsibility can ever be reconciled, and if there is considerable need to clarify the intended effects and unintended consequences of corporate greenwashing.

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis Linnaeus, 1758).

This chapter describes the common terminologies, taxonomy, morphology, geographical distribution, physiology, diet, behaviour, reproduction, habitats, ecology, invasion pathways, environmental impact, control and human use of the Canada goose (Branta canadensis).