Ensuring continuity and impact in Arctic monitoring: a solution-orientated model for community-based environmental research

Community-based monitoring (CBM) is increasingly cited as a means of collecting valuable baseline data that can contribute to our understanding of environmental change whilst supporting Indigenous governance and self-determination in research. However, current environmental CBM models have specific...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental Research: Ecology
Main Authors: Louise Mercer, Dustin Whalen, Deva-Lynn Pokiak, Michael Lim, Paul J Mann
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2023
Subjects:
Arctic
Inuit Nunangat
community-based research
environmental monitoring
Indigenous Knowledge
Ecology
QH540-549.5
Canada
Tuktoyaktuk
Climate change
inuit
Inuvialuit
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-664X/ad0241
https://doaj.org/article/cdcdd9ea72184452921b17b6342406f4
Description
Summary:Community-based monitoring (CBM) is increasingly cited as a means of collecting valuable baseline data that can contribute to our understanding of environmental change whilst supporting Indigenous governance and self-determination in research. However, current environmental CBM models have specific limitations that impact program effectiveness and the progression of research stages beyond data collection. Here, we highlight key aspects that limit the progression of Arctic CBM programs which include funding constraints, organisational structures, and operational processes. Exemplars from collaborative environmental research conducted in the acutely climate change impacted Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk, Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR), Canada, are used to identify co-developed solutions to address these challenges. These learnings from experience-based collaborations feed into a new solution-orientated model of environmental community-based research (CBR) that emphasises continuity between and community ownership in all research stages to enable a more complete research workflow. Clear recommendations are provided to develop a more coherent approach to achieving this model, which can be adapted to guide the development of successful environmental CBR programs in different research and place-based contexts.

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