Ecological research should consider Indigenous peoples and stewardship

Abstract

<jats:p> The relationship between Indigenous peoples and the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems has received increased attention in recent years. As a result, it is becoming more critical for researchers focusing on terrestrial ecosystems to work with Indigenous groups to gain a better understanding of how past and current stewardship of these lands may influence results. As a case study to explore these ideas, we systematically reviewed articles from 2008 to 2018 where research was conducted in North America, South America, and Australia. Of the 159 articles included, 11 included acknowledgement of Indigenous stewardship, acknowledged the Indigenous Territories or lands, or named the Indigenous group on whose Territory the research was conducted. Within the scope of this case study, our results demonstrate an overall lack of Indigenous acknowledgement or consideration within the scope of our review. Given the recent advancements in our understanding of how Indigenous groups have shaped their lands, we implore researchers to consider collaboration among local Indigenous groups as to better cultivate relationships and foster a greater understanding of their ecosystems. </jats:p>

A more nuanced analysis of evidence-based decision-making by Canada’s protected area managers: a comment on Lemieux et al. (2021)

“…This is combined with the colonial structuring of most national and provincial-territorial protected areas, including the intentional exclusion of First Nations from their use and management (Binnema and Niemi 2006), and it creates a significant barrier. However, there is increased understanding of the pivotal importance and wisdom of Indigenous Knowledge (as reflected empirically by the higher species richness of Indigenous protected areas; Schuster et al 2019) and Knowledge Holders, academics, and land area managers are working to determine ways to equally weight Indigenous Knowledge (e.g., Schang et al 2020;Reid et al 2020), as noted by Lemieux et al (2021). Uncertainty about how to do this blending well is a significant barrier in Canada (Cooke et al 2016;Buxton et al 2021), but it is also an area inviting great innovation being bridged through careful and kind use of principles such as Ethical Space and Two-Eyed Seeing (Reid et al 2020;M's-it No'kmaq et al 2021) and through well-established co-management principles in some protected areas (Lee et al 2021).…”

A systematic map of knowledge exchange across the science‐policy interface for forest science: How can we improve consistency and effectiveness?

“…By improving the relevance, salience and legitimacy of the knowledge, participatory models increase the likelihood of uptake into policy and practice (Cash et al, 2003; Cvitanovic et al, 2015). Increasingly, there have been calls for researchers and decision‐makers tackling environmental problems to consider multiple ways of knowing, including Indigenous and local knowledge (Council of Canadian Academies, 2019; Schang et al, 2020). Both to improve the quality and applicability of environmental research, as well as to pursue goals of reconciliation between colonial institutions and marginalized peoples, co‐production of research (a type of collaborative exchange) with Western‐trained scientists and Indigenous and other local peoples is increasingly seen as a way forward (Ban et al, 2018; Popp et al, 2020; Schang et al, 2020).…”

“…Increasingly, there have been calls for researchers and decision‐makers tackling environmental problems to consider multiple ways of knowing, including Indigenous and local knowledge (Council of Canadian Academies, 2019; Schang et al, 2020). Both to improve the quality and applicability of environmental research, as well as to pursue goals of reconciliation between colonial institutions and marginalized peoples, co‐production of research (a type of collaborative exchange) with Western‐trained scientists and Indigenous and other local peoples is increasingly seen as a way forward (Ban et al, 2018; Popp et al, 2020; Schang et al, 2020). Although nearly a quarter of our retained items mentioned Indigenous, local or community knowledge, none clearly attributed members or organizations from those communities at the level of item authorship.…”

Habitation Sites Influence Tree Community Assemblages in the Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia, Canada

“…The quantification of these persistent effects allows researchers to generate a better understanding of the factors that may be governing their desired ecosystem. Here, we encourage researchers to carefully consider the effects that Indigenous groups may have had on the lands they wish to study to account for any persistent effects present within their system (Schang et al, 2020).…”