Document Details

Title
A Critical Review and Analysis of Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ITK) Research to Improve Provincial Mechanisms for its Incorporation in Forest Management
Author
Smith, M.A. (Peggy)
Date
2010
Abstract
Forest managers and policy-makers need to improve the participation of Aboriginal peoples in forest management. More effective incorporation of Indigenous Traditional Knowledge in forest management will contribute to sustainable forest management by protecting Aboriginal values and land uses and ensuring this knowledge informs conservation biology, ecosystem-based and watershed management and an understanding of forest dynamics, especially forest management impacts on non-timber forest values. There is now a large body of studies on ITK that has been conducted through non-governmental organizations like the National Aboriginal Forestry Association (Bombay et al. 1996), provincially-based organizations like the University of Northern BC (Hawley et al. 2004), and national-level organizations like the Sustainable Forest Management Network (Stevenson 2005) and the Canadian Forest Service. Numerous authors have provided good overviews of the value of and challenges in applying ITK in western science-based regimes (Berkes 1999, Colfer et al. 2005, McGregor 2004, Menzies 2006, Nadasdy 2003, Usher 2000). Currently, no synthesis or critical analysis of this large body of research has been completed. This project will carry out such a synthesis analyzing the existing body of ITK research and comparing how provincial jurisdictions currently address the incorporation of ITK in forest management planning in three areas: 1) the Forest Science Program themes mentioned above?Theme 1.0, Ecosystem Based Management and Conservation Biology, Theme 3.0 Watershed Management and Theme 4.0 Forest Dynamics; 2) the protection of Aboriginal values and land uses and 3) consultation approaches, the means by which the province interacts with Aboriginal communities in forest management. Additionally, the project will identify Aboriginal peoples? aspirations in these two areas to analyze the gap between what Aboriginal people want and current government practices. Recommendations for addressing this gap will provide direction for more effectively accommodating Aboriginal peoples? values and land uses in forest management. This synthesis will provide practical direction to policy-makers, forest managers, researchers and Aboriginal peoples to improve how Aboriginal issues are addressed in forest management. Key to this practical direction will be the development of extension notes for practitioners (forest managers and Aboriginal communities) and the exploration of the feasibility of a searchable database of current research and best practice case studies. This project will complement the existing body of knowledge on ITK, by providing a practical focus for forest practitioners, using the analysis to make recommendations for more effective provincial approaches.
Report Number
FIA2010MR264
 
Title
View
Executive Summary
Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ITK) Newsletter, March 2010
Annotated bibliography on applying ITK in forest management in Canada
Developing an Indigenous Traditional Knowledge Database: A Discussion Paper on Feasibility
Workshop report: Can We Use ITK to Improve Forest Land Stewardship?

EIRS Search Options

Useful Contacts