Indigenous leadership in ecological corridors
One main objective of the National Program for Ecological Corridors is to promote and advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. The program aims to weave Indigenous and western scientific knowledge, and foster opportunities for Indigenous peoples to be stewards of the lands, ice, and waters. Relationship-building and engagement activities have taken place, and are ongoing, including with:
- national and regional Indigenous organizations and governments
- Indigenous-led conservation networks and initiatives
The National Program for Ecological Corridors supports Indigenous leadership and stewardship by recognizing Indigenous stewardship values as a priority goal for corridors. The program has also supported an Indigenous-led pilot project and other projects that are engaging and collaborating with local Indigenous communities on the stewardship of these lands.
Engagement with Indigenous peoples on ecological corridors
What we heard
Weaving Indigenous Knowledge and perspectives into all aspects of the National Program for Ecological Corridors is a priority. To go about this work in a good way, several Indigenous communities, governments, individuals, and organizations were engaged to seek input.
The program also sought public input on ecological corridors through the 2020 and 2023 Minister’s Round Table.
Through this engagement, a wealth of input and feedback was received on the topics of:
Meaningful engagement of Indigenous governments and communities
- Early and ongoing engagement
- Range of perspectives (for example, Elders, youth, women, 2Spirit)
Prioritization of Indigenous views and perspectives
- Ethical space
- Two-eyed seeing
- Indigenous stewardship values:
- Cultural keystone species
- Bio-cultural monitoring
- Traditional trade routes
- Trapping/hunting routes
Indigenous leadership and accessibility
- Co-designation as an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area
- Stewardship/Guardians connections:
- Learning opportunities
- Gathering and ceremony
- Traditional medicine planting and gathering
- Hunting and trapping
- Indigenous languages
Co-existence with wildlife
- Indigenous-led conservation
- Sustainable management strategies that promote connectivity
Indigenous stewardship values
To take care of lands, waters, and ice, honouring and sustaining Indigenous stewardship values is critical. This fosters the local cultural and spiritual perspectives and visions of Indigenous communities and governments when creating an ecological corridor.
Parks Canada has adapted the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) definition of ecological corridors to better reflect the reality that Indigenous peoples have been stewarding the lands and waters since time immemorial: “A clearly defined geographical space where governance, management and stewardship over the long term maintain or restore effective ecological connectivity while upholding Indigenous stewardship values”. The objective of upholding specific Indigenous stewardship values works in harmony with the objectives of the National Program for Ecological Corridors.
Sample of broad objectives and outcomes
The objectives of an ecological corridor are flexible to ensure relevance for the local Indigenous community. The following represent a sample of broad objectives and outcomes of Indigenous stewardship values for ecological corridors:
Sample of broad objectives | Sample of outcomes |
---|---|
Conservation of cultural keystone species/culturally significant species | Enhancing ecocultural integrity and the recovery of western red-cedar in British Columbia |
Protection of biocultural diversity | Changing community gathering practices based on berry abundance and quality to ensure ecological and social sustainability of the community, wildlife, and the plant species |
Maintenance of subsistence networks (for example, traditional trapping and hunting routes) | Ensure continued migration of caribou through following traditional harvesting practices of “letting the leader pass” through historic migration routes |
Preservation of cultural connections (for example, traditional and trade routes) | Traditional travel and trade routes enhance biodiversity and cultural continuity through stewarding adjacent forest gardens |
Protection and stewardship of traditional lands and resources | Guardians program established to monitor species migration |
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