Conservation Biology in the Boreal
HOW DOES NEWFOUNDLAND and LABRADOR COMPARE??
Highlighting the Benefits and Obstacles Associated with Reaching Conservation Goals
Advantages:
• indigenous people can provide unique knowledge to conservation projects
• inclusivity of all social groups creates more successful protected areas and conservation projects, because people feel they are a part of the project and their opinions and rights are respected
Obstacles:
• historically sidelined indigenous communities, are understandably hesitant to trust government agencies, like Parks Canada because of past grievances
• the long history of indigenous peoples, on the lands being made into protected areas, is sometimes still ignored in tourism literature or management documents (21)
• conflict can occur when so many groups are involved in a conservation project, which can sometimes slow the process
We've created quite a rosy picture of how and why indigenous people should be and are involved in conservation, but that is not to say there are not obstacles associated with their involvement (and advantages too of course!).
• co-management of protected areas, and increased involvement in other aspects of protected areas can create jobs in indigenous communities
• co-management of protected areas can also help preserve the cultural heritage of the indigenous people that live in these areas
• helps to develop social equality
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work by conservation organizations in indigenous communities can foster the ability for future independent conservation action in the communities
• sometimes there are fundamental differences in the way that indigenous people and “western-conservation biologists” enforce conservation (legal vs. social taboos) (5)
• belief by “westerners” that the “western” management practices are the best, and so indigenous involvement must be fitted in to the way “we” do things (21)
• there may be conflicting agendas with conservation projects , which could jeopardize the success of the goals of the conservation project, i.e hunting in NP.
Public Drop-in Session with Parks Canada.
Source: http://www.parks-parcs.ca/
Signing and Agreement on a Protected Area
Source: http://www.parks-parcs.ca/
Recent News...
George River Caribou Hunting Ban in Newfoundland and Labrador
In December 2012, the government of Newfoundland and Labrador issued a ban on hunting the George River caribou herd, as the population has declined from about 500, 000 in the 90’s to approximately 22, 000 currently (22). The Nunatsiavut Government also followed suit by asking their people to stop hunting the caribou, which has been respected (23). The caribou hunt, and the food supplied by it is very important to the Labrador Inuit, and so it is a big sacrifice for them to lose it, however they recognize the importance of conserving the herd for future generations (23). However in March 2013, Quebec Innu communities carried out a caribou hunt (24).
