Resident Attitudes and Beliefs Toward Bison, Disease and Management in Wood Buffalo National Park
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Memorial University Research Repository RESIDENT ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS TOWARD BISON, DISEASE AND MANAGEMENT IN WOOD BUFFALO NATIONAL PARK by © Alice Will [email protected] A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Geography Memorial University of Newfoundland February 2015 St. John’s, Newfoundland ABSTRACT This study investigates the human dimensions (HD) of wood bison conservation in Wood Buffalo National Park of Canada (WBNP). Use of a quantitative questionnaire uncovers Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal attitudes toward wood bison, disease, and management approaches. Focus groups with local Aboriginal community members revealed themes related to bison and their management in and around WBNP. These investigative instruments show that the majority of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal participants support the presence of wood bison in WBNP, despite prevalence of disease. This support extends to protection offered to wood bison through park management. There is low support for the destruction of the entire WBNP population as a means of managing disease. While there is consensus amongst Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal residents regarding the acceptability of various management options, Aboriginal residents consider bison more valuable for ceremonial, spiritual, economic, and food purposes than non-Aboriginal respondents. Strongly emphasized throughout the focus groups are issues of trust, communication, and participation between local Aboriginal groups and WBNP decision-makers. Wildlife managers in national parks are increasingly using public participatory approaches when making decisions in order to produce management plans that are more publicly acceptable. By identifying local perspectives regarding the management of diseased bison, this study brings interest group input into decisions regarding wildlife management, which is crucial to successfully implementing wildlife management decisions. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The many individuals and organizations who offered their support throughout this project have made the journey, which can be arduous at times, quite rewarding. I would firstly like to thank all of the residents of Fort Chipewyan, Fort Fitzgerald, and Fort Smith for welcoming me into their communities and for giving me the opportunity to listen and learn from them. I am grateful for the support of the local Aboriginal governments consisting of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, Fort Chipewyan Métis Local 125, Fort Smith Métis Council, Mikisew Cree First Nation, Salt River First Nation, and the Smith’s Landing First Nation. This project would not have been possible without your support. To my supervisor, Alistair Bath, thank you for the insight into the world of human dimensions and your constant encouragement. A big thanks is extended to committee members Dean Bavington, Stuart Macmillan, and John Sandlos for their contributions at various stages along the way. I would like to thank the human dimensions team, including Carly Sponarski and Vesna Kereži, for their time and generous advice. Gratitude is extended to the people of Parks Canada for their faith and encouragement to take this journey in Wood Buffalo National Park. I am also grateful to the Aurora Research Institute and the South Slave Research Centre for their in kind support and to Memorial University’s Department of Geography and Parks Canada for their financial support. A deep thanks to my family and dear friends who offered their encouragement and laughter throughout all parts of this project. Lastly, love and a special thank you to Steve, who bravely endured this journey and who shared his humour, love, and delicious meals (very important) along the way! iii Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents .............................................................................................................. iv List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... vi List of Figures ................................................................................................................... vii List of Abbreviations ...................................................................................................... viii Glossary of Main Concepts .............................................................................................. ix List of Appendices .............................................................................................................. x Co-authorship Statement ................................................................................................. xi Part I: Background of the Research ................................................................................. 1 1.0 Dissertation Overview 1.1 Research Goal & Objectives ........................................................................ 3 2.0 Introduction 2.1 Literature Review 2.1.1 Human Dimensions of Wildlife & Geography .......................... 5 2.1.2 Human Dimensions – A Brief History ....................................... 5 2.1.3 Aboriginal Peoples & National Parks ........................................ 7 3.0 Study Area ............................................................................................................. 10 4.0 Methods .................................................................................................................. 14 4.1 Theoretical Concept ................................................................................... 14 4.2 Methods of Inquiry .................................................................................... 14 5.0 Contribution to Literature & Applied Implications ............................................... 17 6.0 Summary ................................................................................................................ 17 7.0 References Part I .................................................................................................... 18 Part II: Papers Paper 1 8.0 Understanding Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal beliefs and attitudes toward wood bison management: A case study of Wood Buffalo National Park of Canada ............. 26 iv Paper 2 9.0 Fostering Relationships: Aboriginal Peoples, Bison, and Wood Buffalo National Park of Canada ................................................................................................................... 54 Part III: Thesis Summary ............................................................................................. 113 10.0 Key Findings ...................................................................................................... 113 11.0 Contributions to Literature ................................................................................. 116 12.0 Recommendations for Policy Development and Management of Bison ........... 118 13.0 Recommendations for Future Research ............................................................. 120 14.0 References Part III ............................................................................................. 121 v List of Tables Table 1 The results of independent t-test between the dependent variable, feelings and importance of and the independent variable, Aboriginal or Non-Aboriginal .................... 38 Table 2 The results of independent t-test between the dependent variable, hunting, and the independent variable, Aboriginal or Non-Aboriginal ........................................................ 39 Table 3 The results of independent t-test between the dependent variable, disease, and the independent variable, Aboriginal or Non-Aboriginal ........................................................ 40 Table 4 The results of independent t-test between the dependent variable, bison management and the independent variable, Aboriginal or Non-Aboriginal ...................... 42 Table 5 Information about focus group participants .......................................................... 69 Table 6 Themes and their corresponding categories and sub-categories ........................... 75 vi List of Figures Figure 1 Map of Canada -Wood Buffalo National Park of Canada is highlighted in black ............................................................................................................................................ 11 Figure 2 Map of Wood Buffalo National Park of Canada ................................................ 12 Figure 3 Stakeholder influence on wildlife management decisions using different management approaches ................................................................................................... 59 vii List of Abbreviations ACFN – Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation AB – Alberta FCMN – Fort Chipewyan Métis Local 125 FSMC – Fort Smith Métis Council HD – Human Dimensions MCFN – Mikisew Cree First Nation NT – Northwest Territories SLFN – Smith’s Landing First Nation SRFN – Salt River First Nation TEK – Traditional Ecological Knowledge WBNP – Wood Buffalo National Park viii Glossary of Main Concepts Aboriginal peoples: original peoples of North America and their descendants. In Canada