Community-Based Monitoring
Canada-wide, we are facing challenges and threats to the security, availability and quality of our freshwater and the ecosystems, people and communities that depend upon it. For example, several species, such as caribou and sturgeon, are at risk of being endangered. Community-based monitoring (CBM), the process where concerned people from different backgrounds and sectors collaborate to monitor, track, and respond to issues of common community concern, can be an effective way to gather this much needed data. Community-based data collection, monitoring, and action planning leads to effective decision making that is based on the information collected by the people who have vested interests in the lands and waters that they depend upon. Indigenous communities are ideally suited to take part in environmental monitoring because of their rights to their lands and waters and unique Indigenous Knowledge about these areas.
CIER assists communities to collect information about their lands and waters, the plant and animal species that live there, and to monitor the condition of lands, waters and species over the long-term. CIER does this through providing technical data collection, monitoring training in the field and by helping to plan monitoring programs. CIER works closely with communities to guide planning for actions that will benefit species as well as meet First Nations' environmental management goals.
Do you want to get involved in community-based monitoring? We want to hear from you! |
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