Format: In-Person
Author(s):

• Robin

  Woywitka

  - MacEwan University
• Damon

  Pelley

  - MacEwan University
• Zabarah

  Cedron

  - MacEwan University
• Boyd

  Brendan

  - MacEwan University

The CAA has issued five climate change calls to action. This paper assesses the current practice of climate change archaeology in Canada relative to these calls. We find that there are several initiatives that are making (or are poised to make) significant contributions to managing climate-related losses of the archaeological record. Most existing initiatives operate at site or local scales and are concentrated in coastal areas. Funds for this work are limited and accessed through disparate organizations. Awareness of funds is also limited in many academic, professional, and local communities. We conclude that more can be done to address the calls to action. We make the case for more coordinated research design and funding for climate change archaeology at regional and National scales.  

Format: In-Person
Author(s):

• Andrea

  Richardson

  - Cape Sable Historical Society

Climate change poses a serious and ongoing threat to archaeology and heritage across Nova Scotia. The province has witnessed the direct impacts of sea level rise, more frequent and intense storms, flooding, erosion, drought, and wildfires, all of which have negatively impacted archaeological sites. In response to these challenges, the archaeology sector in Nova Scotia has come together to develop and implement a climate adaptation strategy. As the strategy implementation enters its final year, the primary focus is the establishment of an archaeological site stewardship program.

A team of dedicated volunteers has created a community workshop designed to collaborate with interested community members. These workshops support individuals and groups in monitoring archaeological and cultural sites and the surrounding landscapes. The workshops aim to strengthen connections between professional archaeologists and communities, and to foster collaboration among communities. By building these relationships, the stewardship program strives to empower communities across Nova Scotia, enabling them to make decisions about the future of their cultural heritage.

Format: In-Person
Author(s):

• Christian

  Thériault

  - Government of PEI

Since the 1970s, archaeologists conducting fieldwork and research in Atlantic Canada have been working effortlessly to define means to better understand and manage the effects of climate change and sea-level rise on the archaeological record. The impact of such changes and large impact events such as Fiona alters both our natural and cultural heritage as well as our relationships with these landscapes. The province of Prince Edward Island is actively working on monitoring climate hazards and risks that would affect various sectors of our economy and cultural heritage. The coastlines of the island are being monitored and surveyed yearly to determine the short- and long-term impacts of coastal erosion on coastal archaeological sites. These visits allow us to collect data to better understand how the effects of sea-level rise alter past cultural and environmental landscapes. As most sites appear to be significantly altered by our dynamic coastlines, some appear to be protected by natural factors such as receding dunes covering previously exposed landscapes. This research will look more closely at a few archaeological sites/landscapes affected by these processes.

Format: In-Person
Author(s):

• JENNIFER

  RYCHLO

  - Stantec

The Lake Diefenbaker region of south-central Saskatchewan is an archaeologically significant area of the Northern Plains, containing over 500 recorded archaeological sites spanning the entirety of the Plains cultural chronology. One such site, the Camp Rayner Site (EgNr-2), is located on the lake’s northern shores and contains archaeological evidence ranging from the Early Precontact to the Post-Contact periods, with ethnohistorical evidence indicating continued use by Indigenous groups into the early to mid-20th century. The scientific and cultural importance of the Camp Rayner site cannot be understated; however, continued erosion of Lake Diefenbaker’s shoreline threatens its existence. This presentation will explore the history of research at Camp Rayner, the site’s value to archaeological research on the Northern Plains and discuss strategies to mitigate further damage to this valuable cultural resource.

Format: In-Person
Author(s):

• Cameron

  Poole

  - University of Alberta
• Robin

  Woywitka

  - MacEwan University
• William

  Wadsworth

  - University of British Columbia, University of Alberta
• Diana

  Tirlea

  - Royal Alberta Museum
• Alberto

  Reyes

  - University of Alberta

 

Thousands of archaeological sites in the boreal forest ecoregion of Canada are located on the ridges of late-Pleistocene aeolian dunes, which formed during ice sheet retreat and stabilized following the establishment of post-glacial forests. Despite an abundance of sites, interpretation is limited as acidic forest regosols often degrade organic material, lack stratigraphic layers, and leave artifacts shallowly buried, hindering radiocarbon dating and stratigraphic analysis. These factors leave sites vulnerable to development, recreational use, and climate change.  Unlike ridge-top conditions, low-lying interdunal peatlands contain stratified accumulations of organic matter suitable for dating and preserve stone and organic archaeological material. Peatlands also serve as valuable paleoenvironmental archives. However, these peatlands are increasingly under threat from anthropogenic climate change, particularly through drought and development. This study assesses the archaeological potential of an interdunal peatland in Smoky River dune field, Grande Prairie, Alberta. Using ground-penetrating radar (GPR), C14 dating, luminescence dating, macrofossil analysis, and sediment sampling, we present a model for peatland initiation and lateral expansion. Results indicate peat formation began ~6500cal BP and GPR reveals a buried landscape suitable for archaeological occupation. This research highlights the potential for well-preserved sites in interdunal zones and the urgency of protecting them from future climate-based threats.