Chris's research is part of a larger project that seeks to strengthen relationships and support the process of reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous peoples by respectfully and responsibly including Indigenous peoples and knowledge in biosphere reserve management and governance.
Chris will be involved in the planning and hosting of a conference in June 2017 at Manicouagan-Uapishka Biosphere Reserve, with the Canadian Biosphere Reserves Association (CBRA). The conference will focus on, “Co-building in sustainability and reconciliation” with the intended outcome to establish a shared commitment to reconciliation across all 3 biosphere reserve functions and across the nationwide network. Specifically, he is assessing the factors that contribute to and inhibit collaboration in strategic planning as well as assisting in the creation of a strategic action plan on sustainability and reconciliation for CBRA. He is also working to develop an assessment tool to assist present-day collaborative planning efforts. This same tool will be utilized to support an assessment of the factors that contribute to or inhibit collaboration in strategic planning, as well as the evaluation of the strategic plan’s potential.
