Confronting Colonial Standard Making Practices: Environmental Governance and Invasive Species Management at Walpole Island First Nation

• Main Author: Nicholson, Kristy A
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Scholarship@Western 2014
• Subjects: Walpole Island First Nation; Environmental Management; Invasive Species; Standard Making; Governance; Social and Cultural Anthropology; Moe; First Nations
• Online Access: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/2376; https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/context/etd/article/3888/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf

Hegemonic standard making practices in Ontario environmental governance can disregard the interests of First Nations by limiting funding and scope for community environmental management (Dalton, 2009). Invasive species management at Walpole Island First Nation has sought to control aggressive plant species that have infiltrated culturally and economically important ecosystems. Ontario government agencies, Ministry of Environment (MOE), and Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), offer funding through sources such as the Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund (GLGCF) for community management projects with the intent to encourage collaboration. However, predetermined ‘acceptable’ project designs can override community defined-goals. This was evident during the funding process for an invasive species management project undertaken by the Walpole Island Heritage Centre during the 2013 summer field season targeting invasive white sweet clover and Phragmites. I address colonial processes in Ontario invasive species management and advocate for an equitable platform for environmental discussion, decision-making and co-governance (Dalton, 2009).