Presentation Abstract
The Coastal First Nations (CFN) Regional Monitoring System (RMS) was redeveloped to support decisions related to threats to ecological and cultural values, resulting from changes to existing and impending resource use on the North and Central Coast of British Columbia. As First Nations reassert their governance authority, participate in shared decision-making with other governments, undertake land and marine use planning, and manage their territories and resources, the need for coordinated regional monitoring efforts are increasingly important. We used a systematic and inclusive strategy to determine a suitable monitoring approach to meet the needs of a diverse group of Nations across a broad geographic region. Linking data collection to decision-making and planning processes was central to our strategy. We began with engaging individuals at each Nation’s resource management office to gain a comprehensive understanding of the monitoring activities undertaken, the data being collected, the data desired, and the way data are used to support decision-making and planning processes. Concurrently, we worked with the member Nations to develop a decision-making framework to identify the monitoring activities best suited for the RMS based on the goals of the system. Applying the framework to the suite of monitoring activities being undertaken or desired resulted in a suite of monitoring activities that was further refined in a workshop with the Nations. We produced monitoring cards for each monitoring activity, which detail the monitoring research question(s), the data to collect, the sampling design and data collection protocols, and the decision-making and planning processes the data support. The RMS is designed to be adaptable as new priorities emerge. It is the only system of its kind on the coast of British Columbia, and it is increasingly looked to as a model for how First Nations-led monitoring programs can inform planning and decision-making processes.
Session Title
Strategic Recovery Part I: Managing Recovery at Different Scales
Keywords
Monitoring, First Nations, Indigenous, Decision-Making Framework
Conference Track
SSE4: Ecosystem Management, Policy, and Protection
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2018 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE4-666
Start Date
6-4-2018 11:15 AM
End Date
6-4-2018 11:30 AM
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Environmental monitoring--Pacific Coast (North America); Environmental protection--Pacific Coast (North America)--Planning; Regional planning--Pacific Coast (North America); Indians of North America--British Columbia
Geographic Coverage
Pacific Coast (North America); British Columbia
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Included in
Fresh Water Studies Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons
Designing data collection for decision-making: shaping the coastal First Nations regional monitoring system to meet the needs of the Nations
The Coastal First Nations (CFN) Regional Monitoring System (RMS) was redeveloped to support decisions related to threats to ecological and cultural values, resulting from changes to existing and impending resource use on the North and Central Coast of British Columbia. As First Nations reassert their governance authority, participate in shared decision-making with other governments, undertake land and marine use planning, and manage their territories and resources, the need for coordinated regional monitoring efforts are increasingly important. We used a systematic and inclusive strategy to determine a suitable monitoring approach to meet the needs of a diverse group of Nations across a broad geographic region. Linking data collection to decision-making and planning processes was central to our strategy. We began with engaging individuals at each Nation’s resource management office to gain a comprehensive understanding of the monitoring activities undertaken, the data being collected, the data desired, and the way data are used to support decision-making and planning processes. Concurrently, we worked with the member Nations to develop a decision-making framework to identify the monitoring activities best suited for the RMS based on the goals of the system. Applying the framework to the suite of monitoring activities being undertaken or desired resulted in a suite of monitoring activities that was further refined in a workshop with the Nations. We produced monitoring cards for each monitoring activity, which detail the monitoring research question(s), the data to collect, the sampling design and data collection protocols, and the decision-making and planning processes the data support. The RMS is designed to be adaptable as new priorities emerge. It is the only system of its kind on the coast of British Columbia, and it is increasingly looked to as a model for how First Nations-led monitoring programs can inform planning and decision-making processes.
