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Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen

Words that come before all else

The Haudenosaunee’s Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen (Thanksgiving Address) reminds us we are all connected to nature, and we explore the Kaniatarowanenneh (St. Lawrence River) through the work of Mohawk artist, Victoria Ransom. 

An Ecosystem Report of the Upper St. Lawrence River

What’s the health
of the river?

When you ask a scientist this question, the answer tends to be “it’s complicated”. While the answer is complicated, the Great River Rapport aims to address this question in engaging and accessible ways.

When you ask a scientist this question, the answer tends to be “it’s complicated”. While the answer is complicated, the Great River Rapport aims to address this question in engaging and accessible ways.

We want this report to inspire you to become engaged, interested, and aware of how the health of the ecosystem is intrinsically linked to all of us.

Geographic Scope

Explore
the river

The geographic scope of this project includes the whole Upper St. Lawrence River, spanning from Kingston/Cape Vincent in the west to the end of Lake St. Francis in the east. For the purposes of this project, the Upper St. Lawrence River has been divided into five sections based on different features of the river: Thousand Islands, Brockville, Lake St. Lawrence, Cornwall, Massena, Akwesasne and Lake St. Francis. The Upper St. Lawrence River is approximately 300 km in length, and the region is home to an estimated population of half a million people.

Explore the River

Indigenous Art

The Haudenosaunee’s Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen (Thanksgiving Address) reminds us we are all connected to nature, and we explore the Kaniatarowanenneh (St. Lawrence River) through the work of Mohawk artist, Victoria Ransom.

Explore the River

Community Stories

For those that live within reach of the St. Lawrence River, their lives are intertwined with her. Through this portal we share stories from some of the people who know and love the river.

Kate Schwartz – The Naturalist

Kate is a young, knowledgeable naturalist, with a deep love and curiosity for the natural world. She has translated this passion into lifelong learning, a career, and through it, she is making a contribution to the Great River Rapport.

Norm Seymour – The Duck Hunter

Norm Seymour lives and breathes ecology. He’s spent a lifetime studying it, teaching it, and writing about it. Now he’s sharing everything he knows for the benefit of Great River Rapport.

Mackenzie Petrie – Know the River

There’s a new generation of avid anglers in our midst—and they’re filled with passion, generational knowledge, and a deep connection to the river. Meet one of them, Mackenzie Petrie.

Nancy Hildebrand – The Food Forager

We all connect to nature in different ways. For some, it’s through a walk, hike, snowshoe or cross country ski in the great outdoors. For others, it’s heading out to a river to paddle a kayak, canoe, or paddleboard. For foragers, that bond comes from collecting wild foods.

Ron Macdonald – Power of Water

With a connection to the great river dating all the way to the construction of the moses-saunders dam, Ron MacDonald is a man-in-the-know when it comes to changes to our local waterway.

Explore the River

Science

Using the lens of western science, we consider the health of the St. Lawrence River through discussions about observed changes, capturing and expressing these changes using ecological indicators.

Indicators

Datasets Analyzed (Oct 3, 2022)

Scientists Involved

Yellow Perch

Read Now

Osprey

Coming Soon

Many people ask us

What can I do?

Are you concerned about the environment? Are you looking for a way to get involved? Do you wonder what difference you can make? The Great River Rapport provides ways to explore the project’s scientific process and findings through workshops and informative videos, as well as avenues to contribute through citizen science platforms and initiatives and links to organizations with opportunities to get involved and take action.