Indigenous guardians as an emerging approach to indigenous environmental governance

Abstract

Over the past 3 decades, indigenous guardian programs (also known as indigenous rangers or watchmen) have emerged as an institution for indigenous governments to engage in collaborative environmental governance. Using a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature for research conducted in Australia, Canada, Aotearoa-New Zealand, and the United States, we sought to characterize the emergence of indigenous guardians in the literature and explore whether guardian approaches are representative of Indigenous approaches to environmental governance. Using a multistep relevance-screening method, we reviewed 83 articles published since 1995, that report on, critique, or comment on Indigenous guardians. Our findings indicated that most articles on the topic were published in the last decade (88%), focused on Australia (65%), and were in a social science discipline (53%). The lead author of the majority of articles was an academic, although only half of the articles included an indigenous scholar or member of an indigenous group or organization as a coauthor. Finally, 11 articles were on research of guardian programs that were locally led and only 5 exemplified indigenous governance, based on 2 well-known community-based monitoring typologies. Our findings indicate that more research is required to understand the implications of current guardian programs for indigenous self-determination, particularly when such programs are embedded in a broader western environmental governance structure.

Ten considerations for conservation policy makers for the post-COVID-19 transition

“…Incentivizing citizens to fill in knowledge gaps and embracing community collected data may provide policymakers with the opportunity to mobilize public involvement in making better ecosystem protection decisions. In some Indigenous communities, the concept of Indigenous Guardians has become popular with benefits for the environment (especially for monitoring to inform decisions) and self-determination (Reed et al, 2021). With a continued emphasis on the importance of long-term monitoring from both scientific and citizen or community groups, further discoveries can be made regardless of obstacles such as COVID-19.…”

The Concept, Practice, Application, and Results of Locally Based Monitoring of the Environment

“…Scientists designed these systems and analyze the data, but the local stakeholders collect the data, make decisions on the basis of the findings, and carry out the management interventions emanating from the monitoring system. These programs include, for example, many Indigenous guardian programs (also known as indigenous rangers or watchmen or -women; Reed et al 2020a ), BirdLife International's monitoring of important bird areas, and fisher and hunter records programs such as wildlife triangle monitoring (Cretois et al 2020 ).…”

Indigenous Environmental Justice within Marine Ecosystems: A Systematic Review of the Literature on Indigenous Peoples’ Involvement in Marine Governance and Management

“…Even when recognition of IK, values, and worldviews occurs, problems still arise (#19, #22, #23) when translating the rhetoric of reconciliation (particularly prominent in Australia and South African contexts) and inclusion into on-the-ground actions that offer tangible benefits for Indigenous communities [210][211][212][213]. Reed et al (2020) observed that in Australia and elsewhere, Indigenous environmental governance and management regimes are frequently tied up with colonial entanglements whereby Indigenous participants are required to resist and contribute to the expansion of colonial government bureaucracies [214,215]. These types of systems [213,216], which employ state-based recognition of Indigenous rights, knowledge, and values through mechanisms, including co-governance arrangements, can serve as tools that maintain the systems of oppression of Indigenous peoples instead of providing greater opportunities for Indigenous authority, self-determination, and sovereignty over their ancestral lands, waters, and seas.…”