Systematic conservation planning in Tsay Keh Dene Territory: incorporating climate change and interweaving traditional ecological knowledge

Abstract

Systematic Conservation Planning (SCP) is the practice of comprehensively assessing a landscape for its conservation value via geospatial analysis. This research project applied SCP principles and tools to Tsay Keh Dene Nation Territory in north-central British Columbia, Canada. Working with the Tsay Keh Dene community, we articulated conservation goals and determined important features on the landscape that helped attain those goals. This effort also examined climate change and connectivity impacts on conservation, comparing which lands are most worth conserving today versus 30 and 60 years from now. Finally, this work explored the interweaving of Traditional Ecological Knowledge with the Western science-based SCP framework to ensure a more holistic and inclusive outcome. Our findings both validated ongoing conservation efforts in the Territory and identified additional high-value areas for future consideration. This research can also serve as a guide for other accessible TEK-focused or community-led SCP efforts.