EXPLORING LEARNING WITHIN A DECOLONIAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP: IMPACTS ON EVOLVING RELATIONSHIPS AND RECONCILIATION IN A CANADIAN CONTEXT

Abstract

Conservation partnerships are projects with various goals around management of protected areas, species, capacity building, education, or financial and technical support that can involve Indigenous Peoples, non-government organizations, the Canadian state, the public, and researchers. Conservation partnerships are becoming increasingly interested in respecting and affirming Indigenous Peoples’ rights and activities that promote Indigenous Peoples’ reconnection and relationship to their territories. Relational aspects, such as trust, power dynamics, and how conflict is handled, are important for partnerships to be effective. As Indigenous-led conservation initiatives increase and efforts toward Reconciliation are made, the relationships of those involved continue to change, thus, learning around relationships must be examined. Social learning theory is a useful tool to examine learning since it focuses on what was learned and how learning happened. This study focused on the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership (CRP) as a case study to examine what kinds of shifts in relationships are taking place as this partnership embodies learning and generating knowledge to support Indigenous-led conservation. This study used social learning to explore the learning outcomes and processes of relationships and relationship-building of those involved with the CRP. The following objectives guided this research: (1) identify the SL processes and outcomes that emerged from relationships developed among those individuals involved with the CRP, and (2) explore if and how individuals’ learning outcomes from engagement with the CRP inform relationship-building practices outside the CRP, and (3) explore how evolving relationships between CRP participants are impacting personal and organizational understandings and actions of reconciliation. Fourteen people engaged with the CRP were interviewed following a semi-structured format. The results found many relationship outcomes and processes that allowed the CRP to be a positive and collaborative space and combined with the relational aspects of strong leadership and facilitation, which allowed trust to be fostered throughout engagements. Only a few participants’ learning outcomes were brought back to their organizations due to power, such as job role and who is perceived as being able to change social norms. Participants also shared diverse perspectives about reconciliation and what changes are needed on a personal, organizational, and societal level. Many shared the importance of relationship building within the CRP as key to helping them learn or recognize spaces where reconciliation may not be as accepted. A few participants shared criticisms about reconciliation and the colonial undertones of the term and conservation might undermine relationship efforts. These findings demonstrate the importance of examining the relational aspects of partnerships so they can be equitable and as reconciliation continues to be advanced within Canada.