Academia has finally come to the conclusion that in terms of conservation, there is much to learn from Indigenous knowledge, practices, and customs. But how do we turn this knowledge into tangible action? On Friday, October 7, students and professors gathered for a discussion of one answer to that question: Indigenous co-management.
ELP panel event “Turning Acknowledgement into Action: Indigneous Participation in Land Management,” explored the importance of Indigenous participation in conservation, what co-management looks like in practice, and what further steps we need to take in the name of Indigenous and environmental justice.
The panel featured Kevin Chang and Pat Gonzales-Rogers, both champions in the arena of Indigenous and environmental justice. Kevin Chang is the Executive Director of Kuaʻāina Ulu ‘Auamo (KUA), a non-profit focused on advancing community-based natural resources management in Hawai’i. Pat Gonzales-Rogers is a Distinguished Practitioner in Residence at the Yale Center for Environmental Justice, Lecturer at the Yale School of the Environment, and also the former Executive Director of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition.
As the event began, Pat highlighted the need for Indigenous co-management, not just collaborative management. “We are still operating within the [Doctrine of Discovery] paradigm that was established hundreds of years ago. This is something we must confront.” While the US now requires Indigneous “consultation” in some circumstances, Pat argues that there needs to be more than that. “Indigenous conservation management is effective conservation management.” Indigenous voices shouldn’t just be limited to collaborators: they need to have an active, powerful role in actually making decisions and ensuring they are followed through.
When asked about what Indigenous co-management looks like in practice, Kevin highlighted Hawaiʻi Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Areas (CBSFA). In partnership with the State, CBSFAs empower communities to have an active role in the development and execution of management strategies for their area. These designated places specifically emphasize the use of Native Hawaiian customary practices and traditional knowledge to yield management strategies that are truly sustainable.
Both Pat and Kevin are hopeful for our future. The two panelists encouraged the audience to keep pushing for active Indigenous participation and ʻāina based solutions. “We have the most power when we create healthy networks and advocate together as a community.”
Thank you Pat and Kevin for a wonderful event!
– SM 11/21/22