scholarly journals Trends and key elements in community-based monitoring: a systematic review of the literature with an emphasis on Arctic and Subarctic regions

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana Kouril ◽  
Chris Furgal ◽  
Tom Whillans
Keyword(s):  
First Nations ◽  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Indigenous Groups ◽  
Northern Regions

Community-based monitoring (CBM) is receiving much attention from the research community, particularly in Arctic and Subarctic regions of Canada and other circumpolar regions. Currently, there is a lack of understanding of the trends and patterns in its use within the literature and a documented need to improve environmental CBM efforts in the Arctic and Subarctic regions. A systematic literature review was conducted of CBM publications in peer-reviewed and grey literature to provide a synthesis of trends on the topic and to clarify key elements that are needed to operate an environmental CBM program in Arctic and Subarctic regions. Both sets of literature show a significant growth in the publication of CBM studies over time, with a high proportion of research taking place in North America and in the field of environmental sciences. More CBM studies are reported in connection to First Nations and Inuit groups, as compared to other Indigenous groups. Thirteen key elements of environmental CBM programs, commonly reported in the literature focused on Arctic and Subarctic regions, were identified in the analysis. Specifically, traditional and local ecological knowledge (TLEK) was a unique component highlighted in Arctic and Subarctic sources and a specific feature observed in studies focusing on Indigenous groups. The identification of such key CBM elements serves as a resource to guide current and future environmental CBM initiatives in northern regions and elsewhere. Future research on this topic should contrast and compare literature findings with existing environmental CBM programs and provide more case studies to show the process and utility of environmental CBM initiatives in the Arctic and Subarctic, particularly with use of TLEK and the ways to facilitate it within a CBM program.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Approaches to Depicting First Nations, Inupiat and Inuvialuit Environmental Information in GIS Format: Options for the Handling of Spatial Information in the Arctic Borderlands Ecological Knowledge Co-Op Database

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jadah Elizabeth Folliott
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
First Nations ◽  
Spatial Information ◽  
Time Series Data ◽  
Atmospheric Transport ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Sea Levels

As the pace of climate change continues to accelerate in the North, traditional environmental knowledge systems are increasingly recognized by researchers, land use planners, government agencies, policy-makers and indigenous peoples as important contributors to environmental impact and climate change assessment and monitoring. Increasing temperatures, melting glaciers, reductions in the extent and thickness of sea ice, thawing permafrost and rising sea levels all provide strong evidence of increasing temperatures in the Arctic. This warming climate has the potential to change migration patterns, the diversity, range, and distribution of animal and plant species, and increase contaminants in the food chain from atmospheric transport of organic pollutants and mercury, thus raising concerns regarding the safety of traditional foods. Since 1996, the Arctic Borderlands Ecological Knowledge Co-op (ABEKC) has systematically recorded First Nations, Inupiat and Inuvialuit observations of landscape changes in the lower Mackenzie, Northern Yukon and eastern Alaska. Time-series data (regarding berry, caribou, fish, weather, ice and snow, plants, and other animal observations) have been obtained through annual interviews with the most active fishers, harvesters and hunters in the communities of Aklavik, Arctic Village, Fort McPherson, Kaktovik, Old Crow, and more recently, in Inuvik, Tsiigehtchic, and Tuktoyaktuk. An evaluation of the spatial utility of the ABEKC database and the many steps that are involved in the collection, storage, and organization of the Co-op’s data was documented. The ABEKC database provided an excellent opportunity to explore the problem of depicting complex qualitative information on northern landscape change in an intelligible GIS format. Initial attempts to develop the database in spatial format were critically evaluated and recommendations were provided in order to explore whether the data gathering and subsequent mapping process can be improved, whether more useful information can be obtained from the data, and to ensure the proper handling of the data in future years.

scholarly journals Community-based Bamboo Stands Management in the Kali Bekasi Watershed, Indonesia

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Ni Wayan Febriana Utami ◽  
Hadi Susilo Arifin ◽  
HSA Nurhayati ◽  
Syartinilia Wijaya
Keyword(s):  
Local Community ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Main Function ◽  
Tree Species Diversity ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Run Off ◽  
Downstream Area

A high rate of vegetation clearing around the upper stream of Kali Bekasi watershed currently causes various environmental problems, such as floods. The impacts occur predominantly in downstream area, mostly affecting cities, due to a disruption of the ecosystem in the upper stream. The main function of the upper stream to humans is acting as a buffer to protect downstream areas from flooding, run-off, as well as biodiversity protection. To achieve this, many varieties of plant are grown including bamboo plantations, which serve as a buffer plants on critical land especially with steep contours. In this study we aim to provide a better understanding of the effectiveness of different bamboo stands buffering to improve information for making management recommendation. We examine different points along the stream by mapping bamboo distribution, analyzing bamboo and non-bamboo (tree) stands diversity and biomass, and provide recommendations for bamboo management based on combining our findings with local ecological knowledge. We implemented image classification analysis for classifying bamboo and non-bamboo land use cover. We also measured bamboo and non-bamboo diversity by using Shannon’s-Wienner diversity index. Our results showed that bamboo occupies approximately 5,360.89 ha or 11.39% of total area with six bamboo species. The highest bamboo diversity index was in the upper part of the Kali Bekasi watershed (0.62). In contrary, the highest bamboo biomass index was found in the lower part of the upper stream of Kali Bekasi watershed (98.96 ton ha-1). We also discovered about 29 species of tree (230 trees) and 27 above-ground plant species in the surveyed area. As a result of our findings, we propose a shift towards bamboo agroforestry management in a mixed garden of talun form, where the community implement their local knowledge on bamboo cultivation and management to maintain the bamboo. This option could improve cooperation among farmers and the local community in order to conserve bamboo and tree species diversity in harmony to local wisdom.

scholarly journals Renewable energy and energy autonomy: how Indigenous peoples in Canada are shaping an energy future

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert D. Stefanelli ◽  
Chad Walker ◽  
Derek Kornelsen ◽  
Diana Lewis ◽  
Debbie H. Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
First Nations ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Keyword Search ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Energy Autonomy

In 2015, the Liberal Party of Canada formed a majority federal government on a platform that included prioritizing Nation-to-Nation relationships with Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) peoples in the country and re-asserting global leadership in climate change action by moving away from fossil-fuel based extraction and toward renewable energy initiatives. It may be argued that addressing both of these issues, advancing Indigenous–Settler reconciliation, and mitigating climate change, can be done in the same space. Indeed, though Indigenous peoples in Canada and elsewhere have recently moved forward with renewable energy initiatives within their Territories, there has been very little critical analysis on just how such projects have been operationalized and whether renewable energy can or even should be considered a vehicle for reconciliation efforts. In this paper, we present a systematic review of Canadian literature (spanning from 1980 to 2017) concerning Indigenous peoples’ involvement in renewable energy to better understand the stated motivations and desires of Indigenous peoples in Canada taking leadership, partnering in, and (or) participating in the renewable energy sector. Using a series of keyword search strings across three academic databases, two theses databases, and a grey literature search, we retrieved literature (n = 980) that was subjected to four exclusionary forms and then thematically analyzed the included literature (n = 26). Our findings suggest Indigenous peoples’ experiences and motivations are varied, yet many are developing renewable energy in their Territories to: break free of colonial ties, move towards energy autonomy, establish more reliable energy systems, and reap the long-term financial benefits that clean energy can provide. Despite the apparent advantages seen throughout most of the literature reviewed here, we suggest further research in this area is necessary before this kind of positive rhetoric of renewable energy in Indigenous communities builds enough momentum that proponents become blind to possible shortcomings. We conclude with a broader discussion of the interactions between Indigenous–Settler reconciliation in the context of renewable energy projects as well as offering indicators for future research to fill current knowledge gaps.

scholarly journals Synthesizing evidence regarding community-based volunteer facilitated programs supporting integrated care transitions from hospital to home: A scoping review protocol

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle L. A. Nelson ◽  
Alana Armas ◽  
Rachel Thombs ◽  
Hardeep Singh ◽  
Joseph Fulton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Integrated Care ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Care Transitions ◽  
Voluntary Sector ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Hospital To Home

AbstractBackgroundGiven the risks inherent in care transitions, it is imperative that patients discharged from hospital to home receive the integrated care services necessary to ensure that the transition is successful. Despite efforts by the health care sector to develop health system solutions to improve transitions, problems persist. Research on transitional support has predominantly focused on services delivered by health care professionals; the evidence for services provided by lay navigators or volunteers in supporting people transitioning from hospital to home has not been synthesized to guide practice, policy or future research.AimThis is a protocol for a scoping review that will examine the role and contributions of voluntary sector personnel and services to support transitions from hospital to home.MethodsUsing the well-established scoping review methodology outlined by Arksey and O’Malley, a six-stage study is outlined (1) identifying the research question, (2) identifying relevant studies, (3) selecting studies, (4) charting the data, (5) collating, summarizing and reporting the results, and (6) providing consultation. The search strategy, designed by an information scientist, is applied to ten databases reflecting empirical and grey literature sources. A two-stage screening process will be used to determine eligibility of articles. To be included in the review, articles must report on a community-based program that engages volunteers in the provisions of services that support adults transitioning from hospital to home. All articles will be independently assessed for eligibility, and data from eligible articles will be abstracted and charted using a standardized form. Extracted data will be analyzed using narrative and descriptive analyses. Research ethics approval is not required for this scoping review.DiscussionThis scoping review will map the available literature focused on the contributions of voluntary sector personnel and services to support transitions from hospital to home.

scholarly journals Arctic Borderlands Ecological Knowledge Cooperative: can local knowledge inform caribou management?

Rangifer ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Don E. Russell ◽  
Michael Y. Svoboda ◽  
Jadah Arokium ◽  
Dorothy Cooley
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Local Knowledge ◽  
Information Source ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Management Decision ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Harvest Management ◽  
Herd Health ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Management Decision Making

While quantitative analyses have traditionally been used to measure overall caribou herd health, qualitative observational data can also provide timely information that reflects what people on the land are observing. The Arctic Borderlands Ecological Knowledge Co-op (ABEKC) monitors ecological change in the range of the Porcupine Caribou Herd (PCH). The community-based monitoring component of the Co-op’s mandate involves the gathering of local knowledge through interviews with local experts in a number of communities.We analyzed the responses to interviews collected during 2000–2007 related to caribou availability, harvest success, meeting needs and caribou health during fall and spring. Interviews revealed 1) caribou greater availability during the survey period, 2) an increasing trend in the proportion of harvesters that met their needs 3) no trend in animals harvested or proportion of successful hunters and 4) improving overall caribou health throughout the period.There was no population estimate for the herd between 2001 and 2010. In 2001, 123,000 caribou were estimated in the herd. Based on an estimated 178,000 in 1989, a declining trend of ~ 3% annually occurred at least until 2001. In the interim agencies and boards feared the herd continued to decline and worked towards and finalized a Harvest Management Plan for the herd. In contrast, from the Co-op interviews all indications suggested improving herd conditions throughout most of the decade. A successful survey in 2010 determined the herd had grown to 169,000 animals. We conclude that the community-based interviews provided a valid, unique information source to better understand caribou ecology and express community perceptions of overall herd status and could provide a valuable contribution to management decision making.  We recommend that ABEKC results become standard input into Porcupine Caribou harvest management decisions and serve as a model of integrating community based monitoring data into resource management decision making throughout the north.

scholarly journals Fish behaviour from fishers’ knowledge: the case study of tropical tuna around drifting fish aggregating devices (DFADs)

2007 ◽  
Vol 64 (11) ◽  
pp. 1517-1528 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gala Moreno ◽  
Laurent Dagorn ◽  
Gorka Sancho ◽  
David Itano
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Western Indian Ocean ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Fish Behaviour ◽  
Planning And Design ◽  
Tropical Tuna ◽  
Fish Aggregating Devices

Purse-seining for tropical tuna is one of the most technologically advanced fisheries in the world. The purpose of this study was to apply local ecological knowledge (LEK) to assist in the planning of future in situ studies of fish behaviour around drifting fish aggregating devices (DFADs) by prioritizing research topics, thereby reducing the number of potential hypotheses to explore. Interviews of fishing masters of the purse-seine fleets working in the western Indian Ocean provided an alternate, independent, and previously unexplored source of behavioural information, specifically on the attraction, retention, and departure behaviours of tuna schools in relation to DFADs. Most fishing masters agreed that the maximum attraction distance of a DFAD is approximately 10 km and generally agreed to the following statements. Tuna form distinct schools under FADs, commonly segregated by species and size. The main reasons for the departure of tuna aggregations from FADs are changes in currents or FAD movements and location in relation to physical or oceanographic features. The number of actively monitored DFADs at sea in the western Indian Ocean was estimated at approximately 2100. Incorporating fishers into the planning and design stages of future research projects will facilitate collaborative and integrated approaches.

scholarly journals Using local ecological knowledge to identify shark river habitats in Fiji (South Pacific)

2010 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
ERONI RASALATO ◽  
VICTOR MAGINNITY ◽  
JUERG M. BRUNNSCHWEILER
Keyword(s):  
Traditional Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Local People ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Coastal Resource Management ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Unknown Species ◽  
Coastal Resource ◽  
River Mouths ◽  
Shed Light

SUMMARYLocal ecological knowledge (LEK) and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) have the potential to improve community-based coastal resource management (CBCRM) by providing information about the presence, behaviour and ecology of species. This paper explores the potential of LEK and TEK to identify shark river habitats in Fiji, learn how locals regard and use sharks, and capture ancestral legends and myths that shed light on relationships between these animals and local people. Interviews with representatives from 22 villages, communities and fishing settlements associated with seven riverine areas on Viti Levu and Vanua Levu confirmed the presence of sharks in estuaries and rivers on Fiji. Hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna spp.) and larger sharks were reported being close to the river mouths, whereas an unknown species of small size with a rounded snout was reported up to >30 km upriver. Local people consume shark meat as a source of protein, but sharks also have a rich background in ancestral stories and play an important part in Fijian myths and legends, resulting in the support of conservation measures by local villagers.

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