Spring 2022 Edition
Our Seasonal Partner Update helps to ensure we’re rising together in the spirit of respect, mutual responsibility, and reciprocity. For Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership members only, these internal newsletters include:
· Ongoing and upcoming projects at various phases from Co-Learning Circles and Work Streams
· Upcoming communications and knowledge-sharing activities and opportunities to spread the word
· Opportunities for collaboration
· Information on how members of the CRP family can actively contribute to our collective work.
These internal updates will complement our seasonal public-facing newsletters which focus on sharing the story of work that has been recently completed. To sign up for the public-facing newsletter, click on the button below:
New and Ongoing Projects
Solutions Bundle > IPCA Knowledge Basket
We are excited to announce that the website formerly referred to as the Solutions Bundle will now be named the IPCA Knowledge Basket. This initiative is one of the three legacy protects of the CRP.
The IPCA Knowledge Basket will hold stories, videos, songs, government reports and policies, academic articles, resources, and artwork available to all who seek to support Indigenous-led conservation. The basket represents the strength and beauty we can create by weaving multiple knowledge systems together. The IPCA Knowledge Basket will provide opportunities for users to harvest, collect, and contribute resources to support their learning journeys. When we share with one another, we rise together!
We are working towards a soft launch of the IPCA Knowledge Basket for the CRP's anniversary celebration in May, and a full public launch on National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, 2022.
Shifting Public Understanding Project
CRP researcher Dawn Dietrich, PhD, is working with Parks Canada and other partners to conduct research into strategies for building public understanding and support for Indigenous conservation approaches and decolonizing parks in different jurisdictions across Canada. This research project has included a systematic review of the literature, including (but not limited to) behaviour change strategies in conservation.
Dawn also conducted interviews with Parks Canada field units and partner Indigenous organizations who are using communications tools to build support for Indigenous-led conservation. The research has come to a close, with a full report and accompanying blog coming in April. In addition, the full report will help to inform the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership Communications Guidelines that the Communications Learning Circle is currently drafting for publication in May of 2022. Read more about the Communications Guidelines below in the Knowledge Mobilization and Communications Section.
Ongoing Projects
For updates on the following projects, please visit the Winter 2022 Edition of our Internal Newsletter or click on the button below:
Legal Scan: Domestic Law and Policy Stream
Indigenous-led Conservation on Fee Simple Lands: Indigenous Land Trust Circle
Governance Scan: Conservation Governance Stream.
WORK STREAM PROJECTS
The IPCA Economics, Infrastructure and Finance Stream (7th Stream)
Indigenous Rights and Carbon Project
Indigenous-led conservation areas require an economic heart. One approach could come through natural climate solutions (NCS) – activities that protect, restore and manage lands to maximize carbon sequestration and storage. Indigenous Peoples have been managing their lands and waters for thousands of years, and they have a wealth of knowledge to continue to steward these lands in healthy and resilient ways. However, there are legal and regulatory challenges to be overcome in actualizing Indigenous-led NCS. Clearly delineated rights to manage the carbon in lands is a necessary precursor to creating Indigenous-led NCS as part of thriving conservation economies in Canada. Led by Mary-Kate Craig, Steven Nitah and Kevin Smith, the 7th Stream will convene conversations and gatherings to determine action steps to achieving carbon rights.
New Course Development and Delivery at the University of Victoria
A new course entitled CIVE 412: Infrastructure Design with Indigenous Nations has been developed by the 7th Stream for the University of Victoria. Currently, there are 37 enrolled students working directly with five partner Nations on seven Nation-identified infrastructure projects. Students undertook a month of intensive cultural acumen and historical training, including the KAIROS Blanket exercise in preparation to engage with Nation representatives. The students are encouraged to try to see beyond the scope of the project, to the values, and goals, and deeper meanings that motivate the project. Projects include: A creek restoration, clam-garden design, subdivision design, graveyard expansion planning, recreational field design, and the design of a carving shed.
T'Sou-ke Housing Solutions Lab
This project seeks to decolonize the concept of ‘home’ and investigate how regional housing policies and development models can be established in Ethical Space. It also seeks to reposition an understanding of ‘home’ as one that is intrinsically connected to the broader (Indigenous) territory or watershed. The project takes place within T’Sou-ke Territory and in collaboration with T’Sou-ke Nation, local/regional governments, academia and civil society organizations. This initiative aims to answer the following questions:
· How might we support community health, wellbeing, and connection to ecosystems within T’Sou-ke Traditional Territory through the creation of housing strategies that embrace Indigenous worldviews of "home"?”
· How might we develop housing strategies that foster and honour peace and friendship treaty responsibilities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents living within the traditional territory of T’Sou-ke Nation?"
The project has entered into the prototyping phase and through extensive community engagement with T'Sou-ke First Nation we have addressed the following prototypes to investigate further.
7th Stream Student Projects
Linking Nature-Based Climate Solutions and IPCAs
Supervised by Kristian Dubrawski at the University of Victoria, Master’s Candidate Astra Lincoln is undertaking a project to develop a training toolkit to support Indigenous Nations in developing multi-stakeholder and partnership engagement strategies for nature-based climate solutions. This project aims to ensure that Indigenous Nations and governments have the capacity to accomplish their own visions and objectives for nature-based climate solutions as part of their IPCA initiatives.
While nature-based climate solutions are the focus, aspects of the module will have applicability beyond this focus, and will be useful for Nations and governments seeking to design community engagement strategies for other aspects of IPCA establishment.
Exploring relational values of sociocultural and biophysical ecosystem services in Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas
A post-doctorate and consultant with the Pacific Institute at the University of Victoria, Dr. Gregg Brill will be working with Kristian Dubrawski to explore innovative financing solutions for Indigenous-led conservation initiatives and IPCAs through an ecosystem valuation approach. This project will explore how a variety of Indigenous Nations and governments benefit from and assign value to ecological services. Of particular interest, is the value of ecological services to IPCAs and how these values can contribute to the just and equitable governance and management of systems.
Knowledge Systems Stream
Indigenous Knowledge Systems Podcast Project
The Indigenous Knowledge Systems Podcast project aims to amplify the research and insights of the CRP’s Indigenous Knowledge Systems Stream community in an approachable and accessible format. Each episode contains a series of conversations that explore how Knowledge Systems Stream members approach the topic of Indigenous Knowledge, how their work engages Indigenous Peoples and their knowledge systems, and how they personally understand Indigenous Knowledge.
This project is led by Deb McGregor, with Dan Dkendure, Dali Carmichael and Ethan Persaud-Quiroz recording and producing the podcast.
Launching in April of 2022, this podcast series will be available on the CRP website and promoted on social media. Stay tuned!
Indigenous Land Trust Circle
Osgoode Hall Law School Student Project
Five students from Osgoode Hall Law School’s Environmental Justice and Sustainability Clinic are conducting research related to Indigenous Land Trusts (ILTs). With the guidance of Professor Estair Van Wagner, and assistance from Nathan Cardinal (NCC) and Ian Attridge (Trent University and lawyer), they are helping CRP’s Indigenous Land Trust Circle answer some strategic and legal questions. Their research elements include:
background on ILTs in Canada and other common law countries;
state-based legislation for land trust formation, land securement, and related tax incentives;
Indigenous legal orders and land back;
interviews with those operating or forming ILTs;
interplay among state- and Indigenous-based conservation on private lands; and,
short- and longer-term reforms to better enable Indigenous-led conservation.
Reconciliation in National Parks Podcast Project
Members of the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership (CRP) are collaborating to support the creation of an audio series featuring stories of relationships and reconciliation between members of Indigenous communities and National Parks.
The goal of the audio series is to share perspectives of Indigenous community members regarding their relationships to the National Parks in their territories. This may include stories about the complex histories of the parks, including dark histories of disconnection and dispossession of land due to the imposition of National Parks, as well as attempts to create a more equitable relationship that upholds Indigenous governance and legal orders within National Parks.
This project is in the planning stages and more information will be coming soon.
Local IPCAs Research Project
The Local IPCA Project will explore the journeys of three urban and local-scale Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) across Canada to understand how they have been created and managed.
This project has been funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and will be undertaken by Dr. Joli Rumi Borah and Dr. Faisal Moola as part of the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership.
IPCAs can vary across communities in terms of partnership, governance, and management practices. Therefore, the experiences and stories of existing and emerging IPCAs are required to understand and communicate what IPCAs can look like in Canada and the successes and potential benefits of this approach.
This research aims to provide in depth information on three local IPCAs to inform government decision-making and build learning tools through the IPCA Knowledge Basket, a toolbox to support Indigenous communities in the planning, development, establishment, and ongoing management of IPCAs. This will be a useful resource for communities and partners involved in the establishment of IPCAs.
Third Moose Circle: Knowledge Mobilization and Communications
The Third Moose Circle comes from the ‘Four Moose Narrative’ in the Indigenous Circle of Experts Report, We Rise Together. Four Moose (jurisdiction, financial solutions, capacity development and cultural keystone species) were identified as thematic areas that need to be addressed to support Indigenous-led conservation (pg. 11-13).
Communications Learning Circle: CRP Communications Guidelines
Members of the Communications Learning Circle are currently collaborating to draft a set of Communications Guidelines for communicating with and about Indigenous conservation leadership. These guidelines are intended to provide communications best practices and guidance to Crown organizational and agencies, environmental organizations, philanthropic organizations and civil society, and consultants. The key objectives for these guidelines include:
· To shift the dominant narrative of conservation in Canada.
· To dispel stereotypes of Indigenous Peoples in Turtle Island/Canada
· To inform and generate greater understanding of Indigenous-led conservation among the Canadian public
· To build capacity for Indigenous-led conservation initiatives.
· To advance reconciliation and the TRC Calls to Action (especially those related to media, language, and culture)
· To decolonize communication practices in the conservation sector.
For information regarding webinars, blogs, and other communications and knowledge mobilization activities, please sign up for and read our external newsletter by clicking on the button below: