Knowledge Use in Co-Management |
|
Funding Body | Marsden Fast Start Grant (The Royal Society of New Zealand) |
Total Contract Value | $300,000 |
Start Date | February 2011 |
End Date |
January 2014 |
Principal Investigator(s) |
Dr. Chris Jacobson |
Staff Involved |
Dr. Chris Jacobson, Dr. Janet Stephenson, Rauru Kirikiri |
Dr. Chris Jacobson (CSAFE); Dr. Janet Stephenson (CSAFE); Rauru Kirikiri (Indigenous Mentor, Te Wh?nau-?-Apanui); Professor Helen Ross (University of Queensland, Australia); Professor Fikret Berkes (University of Manitoba, Canada)
In this project, we are interested in the co-management of resources and places (e.g. wildlife, protected areas) by the government and indigenous groups. Examples include Auyuittuq National Park in Canada, Ulu?u-Kata Tju?a National Park in Australia, and Te Waihora in New Zealand. "Co-management" involves shared responsibility for the management of a resource. We use the term broadly, recognizing that the terms "Joint Management" and "Co-governance" are used to convey a similar concept in Australia and New Zealand, respectively.
An important aspect of any co-management arrangement is the contribution each person makes. Many indigenous groups contributing to co-management would like to apply their knowledge to achieve better outcomes. Knowledge can influence:
In this project, we want to understand how knowledge is used in co-management activities. We are particularly interested in whether co-management delivers on indigenous peoples? visions for how their knowledge could be applied in co-management, and whether these visions are achieved. We are also interested in hearing people's experiences in applying indigenous knowledge and local community knowledge together with scientific knowledge.
Our project will be completed in the following four stages:
Our project involves examples of co-management from New Zealand and Australia. We want to learn if experiences are similar or different, and why. This will help us to understand if lessons about how to produce good outcomes for indigenous people can be taken from one country and applied in another. The project will help identify where things are working well, and where they could be improved.