Using Clam Garden Research to Span the Boundary Between Indigenous Communities and Academic Research

Archived video recording of this Zoom webinar.

Within natural and social science research, resource management, and applied conservation, there is growing focus on the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge, Indigenous knowledge systems and partnerships with Indigenous communities by governments (TRC 2015; Government of British Columbia 2019; IUCN 2011), funding agencies (Parks Canada Agency 2019; TriCouncil of Canada 2020), and scholars (Salomon et al. 2019; Artelle et al. 2018). As the number of scholars and managers making efforts to bridge the gap between Indigenous communities and resource managers grows, there is a growing need for a set of skills, values and priorities that support the development of equitable, enduring partnerships that span disciplinary and cultural boundaries. The role of a boundary spanner has assumed new importance that has not yet been described within the field. Here I will use clam garden research as an example of a project that spans the boundaries between academic research, federal agencies, and Indigenous communities.