Tim Burkhart, Canada
Tim Burkhart, University of Northern British Columbia
xCommunity xOnline xWeb xPlan xCollaboration xPPP xPublic Participation Planning x2014Talk xTalk xCanada xNorthAmerica
2014 Conference Student Paper:
Counter-Mapping and Conservation: Challenges and Opportunities in the Peace River Break ++
Presenter(s): Tim Burkhart, University of Northern British Columbia SESSION: Community Mapping and Public Participation GIS
"Geographic Information System (GIS) technology provides a powerful tool for articulating visions of protected space and for equipping social movements with representative, visual productions of their goals but can also marginalize communities and individuals who do not have the expertise or resources GIS demands. Counter-Mapping seeks to empower communities to overturn the power dynamics of mapping by sharing a visual representation of space in a way that is accessible to the public and that presents utility to community conservation goals. I am building a community-driven, web-accessible spatial mapping “hub” for the Peace River Break region of BC. Through the design of this tool, I will be examining what opportunities and challenges GIS technology presents for conservation movements in empowering local communities to take a lead in decision making over protecting their landscapes, in generating public engagement with conservation practices and efforts, and in challenging the limits of conservation to the fixed protected area. Through semi-structured interviews with representatives of conservation organizations, First Nations, and individuals involved in stewardship of the land, I will be examining how a GIS-facilitated conservation strategy can embrace a more reflexive epistemology that addresses and integrates multiple voices, views and understanding of local conservation desires in the context of larger, regional conservation visions such as Yellowstone to Yukon."
