The Protected Landscape Approach - Centre for Mediterranean ...

14. Collaborative management of protected landscapes
In 2000, strongly focused community action (with coordinated environmental group
activity) pushed the federal Ministers of Canadian Heritage and Indian and Northern Affairs to
withdraw land at Sahyoue/Edacho from development. The resulting five-year interim land
withdrawal provides protection for Sahyoue/Edacho while stakeholders work towards an ef -
fective mechanism for long-term safeguard and management consistent with its ecological and
cultural values (CPAWS, 2001; Canada Department of Justice, 2001). Evaluations of eco -
logical, cultural and economic values are now being completed toward formal establishment of
Sahyoue/Edacho as a protected area. The process should result in a plan for how the two
peninsulas will be managed for long-term protection.
Implementation of the NWT Protected Areas Strategy at Sahyoue/Edacho reflects the trend
in Canada’s north to identify new protected areas which will protect cultural values, harvesting
areas and traditional travel routes rather than focusing selection only on natural region
representation, and recreation and tourism values (Stadel et al., 2002). In this region, landscape
protection needs to be integrated – by means of a participatory process – with community
priorities, local planning, economic development, tourism initiatives and their associated
funding sources. Sahyoue/Edacho illustrates how many parties working from the community
base may provide a model for cooperative action among First Nations peoples, NGOs, and
levels of government in protecting such areas.
Concluding remarks
This diverse set of case studies demonstrates the wide applicability of the protected landscape
concept throughout the US and Canada. The case studies range from bioregional planning in
urban-centred regions, to the protection of cultural landscapes associated with indigenous
peoples and rural working landscapes of European settlement, and the conservation of areas
with high natural resource value. These large-scale landscapes are cohesive units due to a
regional identity, a shared history or culture, a watershed or other ecosystem boundary. These
are complex landscapes with multiple values where nature and culture live alongside human
communities, often for many generations. In many cases, the value of the landscape is due to
the interaction with people over time, and the protection of the landscape requires sustaining
that relationship and the communities’ stewardship. The ownership of the land is mostly private
with some limited public holdings. The threats facing these places are many and challenging
and include changing economies and land uses, suburban growth from development and
recreation, and extractive industries.
It is within these complex and challenging settings that innovative approaches to conser -
vation are being crafted. Although there is great diversity among the case studies presented,
there are also similarities in approach. In each case, there is a management framework and an
entity that serves as the forum for collaboration and as a venue for creating a collective vision of
the future. Many of these large landscapes cross political boundaries, so some type of new
entity is created to facilitate exchange and cooperation, overcoming the barriers of boundaries.
Existing legal tools are employed in many instances, such as the national designation of parks
or other protected areas, but there is innovation in the type of relationship between responsible
government agencies and the communities within the area. Government agencies become
catalysts and facilitators, working as partners with local communities and local people to
develop strategies for effective conservation. Through a variety of participatory methods, the
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