A Review of Crown Legislation for Protected and Conserved Areas in Canada: A Guide for Indigenous Leadership
This guide provides an overview of Canadian federal, provincial, and territorial legislation for the creation of protected areas and parks. It is intended to inform Indigenous governments interested in advancing Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) through the Canadian legal system . This guide outlines potential pathways for reaching agreements on establishing IPCAs that complement federal, provincial, or territorial protected or conserved area designations. It was prepared by Victoria Kacer with contributions from Leora Gansworth, Larry Innes, Kerry Lee Cormier, Kelsey Scarfone, Ian Attridge, and Matthew Green.
Building Public Understanding of Indigenous-led Conservation: Insights from Communications Strategies in Five National Parks
This report outlines lessons learned in building public support for Indigenous-led conservation efforts. It highlights the communications tools that the conservation sector can use to change public attitudes about Indigenous-led conservation. This includes conflict resolution approaches, particularly in relation to issues such as Indigenous harvesting activities within and around state-led conservation areas. This report was prepared by Dawn Dietrich with Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources and Kwilmu’kw Maw-klusuaqn.This work was produced with support from Parks Canada Agency.
Giving in a Good Way: Transforming Colonial Funding Practices for Conservation
This report was developed by Sara Wilbur-Collins from a more extensive research paper requirement of the Master's of Conservation Leadership (MCL) program at the University of Guelph in 2022. The paper was centred around the voices of those who shared their perspectives on challenges related to meaningfully funding Indigenous-led efforts.
Indigenous-led Conservation Reading List
The Indigenous-led Conservation Reading List is an open-access bibliography that lists academic literature relevant to the Indigenous-led conservation movement. This includes literature relevant to Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs, Canada), Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs, global), Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs, global), or various forms of Indigenous-led co-governance mechanisms that elevate Indigenous rights, responsibilities, and legal traditions.
It was compiled and is managed by Megan Youdelis, Kim Tran, and Elizabeth Lunstrum with contributions from Allison Bishop, Victoria Hodson and Stacey Mortimer. The reading list is sponsored by the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership; Canadian Conservation in Global Context; National Science Foundation, Project #2117652; Boise State University; University of Guelph; York University; Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
IPCA Creation Guide
The IPCA Creation Guide was created to support Indigenous Nations (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) to establish Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs). The guide includes questions and examples for visioning and planning, but is not meant to be directive. It includes some examples that are not specific to IPCAs but that might be helpful. The lead author was Justine Townsend. The artwork is from Nicole Marie Burton.
IPCA Governance Models: A Snapshot of Existing Conservation Governance Arrangements
This resource is intended for Indigenous Nations and governments who are interested or currently engaged in the creation of an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) or other Indigenous-led conservation initiatives. It provides a snapshot of how IPCAs are being governed across what is now known as Canada. It was prepared by Megan Youdelis with contributions from Eli Enns and Terry Dorward (Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks); Justine Townsend, Jonaki Bhattacharyya, Roger William, and Russell Myers Ross (Dasiqox-Nexwagwez?an); Kerri Garner (Qat’muk); Steven Nitah (Thaidene Nëné); Martin Lougheed and Judy Rowell (Tongait KakKasuangita SilakKijapvinga / Torngat Mountains National Park); and Chantal Tetreault (Eeyou Istchee Protected Area Network).
Land Trusts and Indigenous Peoples: The Canadian Context
Land trust models offer potential opportunities for Indigenous Peoples to reclaim lands lost through ongoing dispossession. Having a land trust organization allows a group to accept the donation of lands and money and manage them according to the mandate of the land trust. This may be a particularly important tool for Indigenous Peoples whose traditional lands have a high percentage of private property.
Indigenous Peoples continue pursuing avenues of self-determination to fulfill their responsibilities to current and future generations. Land trust models are potentially innovative approaches that may be more flexible than they first appear. Those seeking this model, those seeking access to land and opportunity, may find collaboration and inspiration, but also constraint.
The purpose of this document is to offer considerations that can be taken up in different places according to the specific priorities of those involved. It was written by Kristi Leora Gansworth through a three-year collaboration between the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership (CRP) and the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
Nature-based Solutions: Indigenous-led conservation and carbon storage in Canada
This report is a synopsis of a 2018-2019 research and engagement project entitled, Nature-Based Solutions: Indigenous-led Conservation and Carbon Storage in Canada. The purpose of this project was to explore the potential alignment of Indigenous-led conservation (i.e. conservation and stewardship led by Indigenous Peoples) and Indigenous-led (nature-based) carbon storage by centering Indigenous perspectives. The gathering strove to identify the opportunities, challenges, and priorities in the convergence of these two innovations in environmental governance. The report was authored by Justine Townsend and Mary-Kate Craig (Department of Geography, Geomatics and the Environment, University of Guelph) with support from Faisal Moola, Ben Bradshaw, Robin Roth, and Abigail Sparling (University of Guelph). The project was supported by the Metcalf Foundation, the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership, the University of Guelph, Shared Value Solutions, Anwaatin Inc., and KAP Design.
Parks Canada Management Planning: A Guide for Indigenous Leadership
The purpose of this guide is to inform and support Indigenous governments as they engage with Parks Canada’s management planning process in its current form. While there are several types of agreements Indigenous governments can establish with Parks Canada, this guide focuses on management planning. This guide was developed by Kai Bruce (Concordia University) in collaboration with the CRP. It was created in a collaborative spirit with generous input from Peter Lariviere, Graham Dodds, Karen Haugen, and Emily Martin.
Unsettling Conservation Collective
The Unsettling Conservation Collective is an Indigenous-led group of contemporary artists (Adrian Stimson, Glenn Gear, Melaw Nakehk’o, Michelle Wilson, and Sheri Osden Nault) who embarked on a year of land-based research and creation.
This project highlights how conservation has been, and in some cases continues to be, a tool for Indigenous dispossession. They created unique artwork and documented their community-engaged processes. The artwork showcases Indigenous Land and Water relations, governance, and the colonial forces that attempt to disrupt them.
The collectives’ artwork and mini-documentaries will be exhibited at the Art Gallery of Guelph starting in September 2025, and will be transformed into interactive exhibits on the IPCA Knowledge Basket.