Pimachiowin Aki

Located in Ontario and Manitoba in Canada, this cultural site encompasses a vast landscape of boreal forests, lakes, and rivers that has sustained Indigenous peoples for millennia. Pimachiowin Aki, which means "the land that gives life" in the Ojibwe language, represents an outstanding example of the long-standing relationship between the Anishinaabe and Oji-Cree peoples and their natural environment. The site is characterized by its pristine wilderness areas interspersed with evidence of traditional land use, including traplines, portage routes, and seasonal gathering places that remain integral to Indigenous cultural practices. The inscription recognizes the site's significance as a living cultural landscape where traditional ecological knowledge and sustainable harvesting practices continue to be transmitted across generations. The forests, wetlands, and waterways provide essential resources for hunting, fishing, and gathering that form the foundation of Indigenous livelihoods and spiritual traditions. This designation affirms the importance of protecting Indigenous territories where cultural heritage and biodiversity conservation are inseparable.