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

• 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

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.