A Case for Indigenous Community Forestry

What does it mean to be

“…Recent developments such as Indigenous biocultural knowledge, however, may offer a path forward for future conceptual and methodological development (Bohensky and Maru 2011;Ens et al 2015;Gregg et al 2015;Bussey et al 2016). Structures and processes that foster the integration of human dimensions into conservation work can offer guideposts for settler-coloniser conservation practitioners to build authentic partnerships with Indigenous peoples (Bussey et al 2016;Lawler and Bullock 2017;Wallen 2017;Wehi et al 2019). Moreover, social science has been traditionally neglected by dominant settler-coloniser conservation practices.…”

“…In practice, land that was taken during colonisation should be returned to Indigenous ownership, followed by effective comanagement and collaboration (MacKenzie et al 2007;Lawler and Bullock 2017). Effective conservation co-management of species and landscapes requires settler-coloniser conservation practitioners to acknowledge different ways of knowing in the context of violent colonial and neocolonial history (Valandra 2005;Smith 2013;Kahanamoku et al 2020), rather than resorting to performative, institutionally mandated boxticking.…”

Indigenous peoples and collaborative forest governance in northern forests: examining changes in policies, institutions, and communities

“…While this has far from erased long-standing socioeconomic injustices faced by Indigenous communities, there are nonetheless increasing opportunities for Indigenous peoples to participate in collaborative initiatives (Blaser et al 2004;Nadasdy 2005;Fortier et al 2013). These initiatives are diverse, involving government, the private sector, and non-Indigenous communities, and they go by a variety of names including, for example, consultation protocols, co-management initiatives, community forests, and joint ventures (Trosper et al 2008;Teitelbaum 2014;Lawler and Bullock 2017). While the stated goals of these initiatives address issues of shared decision-making, community development, and the protection of Indigenous cultural and ecological values, many questions and concerns remain regarding the transformative potential of these arrangements.…”

“…Existing research on Indigenous participation in resource management provides some important insights regarding the qualities of collaboration in the field of resource management, including topics such as institutional design and power-sharing (Hibbard et al 2008;Lawler and Bullock 2017;Rodon 2018), Indigenous values and worldviews (Spak 2005;Stevenson 2006;Houde 2007;von der Porten and de Loë 2013;Beaudoin et al 2015), the integration of science and traditional knowledge (Moller et al 2004;Armitage et al 2011), social and cross-cultural learning (Castro and Nielsen 2001;Natcher et al 2005;Berkes 2009), and corporate social responsibility (Cameron and Levitan 2014;Papillon and Rodon 2017;Wyatt and Teitelbaum 2018). Research is helping to build a portrait of Indigenous participation in the resource sector; however, more work is needed to keep abreast of new initiatives and the rapidly evolving legal and policy context at both national and international levels.…”

Preserving Ecosystem Services on Indigenous Territory through Restoration and Management of a Cultural Keystone Species

“…Implementing these scenarios would only have a marginal effect on the economic return of forestry operations compared to current operations, while favoring increased provision of several ecosystem services for Indigenous people, including medicinal plants, timber, cultural sites, landmarks, wildlife habitats, aesthetic value, and biodiversity. This integrated approach contributes to a growing body of literature on the inclusion of sociocultural factors in forest management and planning (e.g., [6,[17][18][19][20][21][22][23]). It will thus be of interest to researchers and forest managers working in a variety of ecological and cultural contexts.…”