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Environmental Stewardship: History, Theory and Practice Workshop Proceedings (March 11-12, 1994)

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Environmental Stewardship: History, Theory and Practice Workshop Proceedings (March 11-12, 1994) Environmental Stewardship: History, Theory and Practice Workshop Proceedings (March 11-12, 1994) Occasional Paper No. 32 __________________ edited by Mary Ann Beavis 1994 __________________ The Institute of Urban Studies FOR INFORMATION: The Institute of Urban Studies The University of Winnipeg 599 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg phone: 204.982.1140 fax: 204.943.4695 general email: [email protected] Mailing Address: The Institute of Urban Studies The University of Winnipeg 515 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B 2E9 ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP: HISTORY, THEORY AND PRACTICE WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS (MARCH 11-12, 1994) Occasional Paper No. 32 Published 1994 by the Institute of Urban Studies, University of Winnipeg © THE INSTITUTE OF URBAN STUDIES Note: The cover page and this information page are new replacements, 2015. The Institute of Urban Studies is an independent research arm of the University of Winnipeg. Since 1969, the IUS has been both an academic and an applied research centre, committed to examining urban development issues in a broad, non-partisan manner. The Institute examines inner city, environmental, Aboriginal and community development issues. In addition to its ongoing involvement in research, IUS brings in visiting scholars, hosts workshops, seminars and conferences, and acts in partnership with other organizations in the community to effect positive change. ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP: HISTORY, THEORY AND PRACTICE WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS (MARCH 11-12, 1994) Occasional Paper 32 Mary Ann Beavis, editor Institute of Urban Studies 1994 ii PUBLICATION DATA Mary Ann Beavis, ed. Environmental Stewardship: History, Theory and Practice-Workshop Proceedings (March 11-12, 1994) Occasional Paper 32 ISBN: 1-896023-1 0-X I. The University of Winnipeg. Institute of Urban Studies II. Title. Ill. Series: Occasional Papers (The University of Winnipeg, Institute of Urban Studies); 32. This publication was funded by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, but the views expressed are the personal views of the author(s) and the Corporation and the Council accept no responsibility for them. Published by: Institute of Urban Studies The University of Winnipeg 51 5 Portage A venue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2E9 copyright 1994 ISBN: 1-896023-1 0-X Institute of Urban Studies iii CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv INTRODUCTION Mary Ann Beavis ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP IN HISTORY, THEORY AND PRACTICE 3 Mary Ann Beavis GLOBAL WARMING AND STEWARDSHIP OF THE PLANET'S HEALTH 9 Roger Hutchinson ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP: A CHRISTIAN THEOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING 18 Roger Hutchinson IMAGINING THE WORLD, DOING JUSTICE 27 Carl Ridd ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP: AN ECOFEMINIST PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE 42 Karen J. Warren OUR KARMA AND DHARMA TO THE ENVIRONMENT: AN EASTERN PERSPECTIVE 59 O.P. Dwivedi STEWARDSHIP IN SOME FEDERAL AQUATIC MANAGEMENT POLICIES, AND THE NEED FOR NEW MODELS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICE 75 Diane F. Malley LOCAL STEWARDSHIP: CREATING AN ENVIRONMENTAL VANGUARD 93 Sally Lerner THE NATURAL HERITAGE STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM 109 Stewart Hilts INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS AND CROSS-CULTURAL ASPECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP 118 D. Michael Warren STEWARDSHIP OR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: WHICH APPROACH FOR THE RED RIVER WATERSHED? 131 Bryan Oborne CONCLUDING REMARKS 139 Mary Ann Beavis APPENDIX 1: WORKSHOP PROGRAMME 141 APPENDIX 2: WORKSHOP SUMMARY 147 INTRODUCTION This volume contains the proceedings of a two-day workshop, "Environmental Stewardship: History, Theory and Practice," held at The University of Winnipeg and co-ordinated by Mary Ann Beavis of the Institute of Urban Studies (March 11-12, 1994). This event was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada as a Strategic Workshop in Applied Ethics. The mandate of Strategic Workshops is "to examine specific research topics, delineate research questions and needs, elaborate methodologies, or communicate research results.... This workshop focused on the applied ethic of stewardship, which, as the following pages show, is an environmental ethic widely advocated by some theologians, philosophers, planners, policymakers and activists, but which is also held to be inadequate by others. The purpose of the event was to bring together "theorists" of stewardship (e.g., philosophers, theologians) with "practitioners" (e.g., planners, politicians, activists) in order to explore, elaborate and criticize the ethic of stewardship, to share research, experience and insights, to gauge the adequacy of stewardship theory and practice, and to sketch future directions for research in environmental ethics. On the first day of the workshop, four invited presenters, as well as the co-ordinator of the event, addressed the "theoretical" side of stewardship, from historical, theological, ecofeminist and Aboriginal standpoints (Beavis, Hutchinson, Ridd, K. Warren, Bresette). Presenters on the second day represented "policy and practice," and spoke about the relevance of stewardship in federal aquatic management policy (Malley), local environmental awareness/action programs (Lerner, Hilts), watershed management initiatives (Pinkerton, Oborne) and indigenous knowledge systems (M. Warren). Respondents invited from the local community, as well as some 80 workshop registrants, had the opportunity to engage the presenters in discussion and debate. The event also included two well­ attended public lectures, presented on the evenings of March 10 and 11 (Hutchinson, Dwivedi). It became very apparent in the course of the workshop that the seemingly innocuous term "stewardship" means different things to different people, and that it is by no means uncontroversial. Among the different meanings of stewardship are: 11 Stewardship as a responsible and creative mode of "being-in-the-world" in relation to God, other human beings and creation. 11 Stewardship as a principle equivalent to responsible environmental management for governments, professionals and organizations. 1111 Stewardship as a personal commitment to caring for nature "in one's own backyard." While it is certain that, in Western culture, the idea of stewardship has biblical roots, it has been adopted by policymakers, planners, activists and others as an environmental ethic or principle with ·social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, SSHRC Granting Programs: Detailed Guide (Ottawa: SSHRC, 1993), p. 31. more or less awareness of its theological implications. Both religious and secular advocates are often surprised to discover that stewardship has been incisively criticized by ecofeminists, deep ecologists, Aboriginal spiritualities, etc. for its patriarchal, hierarchical, utilitarian implications. The workshop brought together both strong proponents and critics of stewardship in both its theological and secular forms, and stimulated both groups to rethink their views of the stewardship ethic. Strong advocates of stewardship were challenged to refine and clarify their ethical stance, while critics were brought face to face with practical examples of beneficial environmental programs and initiatives motivated by a commitment to stewardship. For example, as someone who has numbered herself among the critics of stewardship ethics,· I found myself more prepared to concede that, although inadequate as an all-encompassing environmental ethic, stewardship may have a place within a more developed environmental philosophy, as a motivation for grassroots environmental activities, or as a stage in moral development. One question that is increasingly being raised with respect to the current "environmental crisis" is that of what motivates human beings to engage in more ecologically benign behaviour. While for some people, self-interest or NIMBYism may be the strongest impetus, it is not too far-fetched to suggest that ethical considerations may be highly significant for others. It became apparent at the workshop that underlying "stewardship" initiatives there is often a very real sense of personal and organizational responsibility and serious moral commitment to ameliorating environmental problems. Perhaps the most provocative of all of the aspects of stewardship discussed during the workshop was the potential of this action-oriented environmental ethic for human transformation and ecological preservation/restoration evidenced in some of the presentations. These proceedings contain the majority of the papers presented on the two days of the workshop (see Appendix 1 v· as well as the two public lectures by Roger Hutchinson and O.P. Dwivedi. Appendix 2 contains a workshop summary based on detailed notes. The summary reflects all of the workshop presentations, public lectures, responses and discussion periods. The following pages therefore give a good overview of the workshop as it unfolded from the initial public lecture on Thursday evening to the concluding remarks late on Saturday afternoon. Mary Ann Beavis Conference Co-ordinator ·see Mary Ann Beavis, "Stewardship, Planning and Public Policy," Plan Canada, 31,6 (1991 ): 75- 82. ··unfortunately Walter Bresette and Evelyn Pinkerton were unable to submit papers for these proceedings. 2 ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP IN HISTORY, THEORY AND PRACTICE Mary Ann Beavis Institute of Urban Studies Conference Co-ordinator Good morning, and welcome to this workshop on "Environmental Stewardship: History, Theory and Practice," sponsored by the Institute of Urban Studies and the Canadian Coalition for Ecology, Ethics and Religion. This workshop is being
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