A research initiative being established at the University of Alberta will help conserve Canada's grasslands, which are vital to the environment.
The Grassland Learning and Knowledge Hub, supported by a $4-million grant from Environment and Climate Change Canada's Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund, will build crucial understanding of what motivates conservation - or not - of the valuable ecosystem, says John Pattison-Williams, adjunct professor at Augustana Campus and lead researcher on the project.
The hub is one of five set up across Canada dedicated to conserving grasslands, wetlands and forestry, and promoting Indigenous-led knowledge.
Important for capturing harmful greenhouse gases, supporting bird and wildlife biodiversity and providing grazing land for cattle and bison, grasslands are among the most endangered ecosystems in the world, he says.
"Globally about 30 to 50 per cent of the Earth's surface is grasslands, and in North America, about 60 per cent of those have been cropped or lost to transportation corridors or urban development.
"As we lose these grasslands, we want to understand the values and concerns of the people that live on the prairies - Indigenous communities, farmers and ranchers - to get localized knowledge on why grasslands are important to them and what could impact their decisions if they are converting that land."
The initiative will also help Canada meet its climate plans and targets, he adds. "One of the drivers is to use landscapes that naturally store carbon to help us meet those climate goals."
Over five years, the hub will see U of A researchers from various faculties, including Augustana Campus, Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation and Faculty of Native Studies, collaborating with three partner groups: the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association, Ducks Unlimited Canada and the RAD Network, an Indigenous-led organization focused on reconciliation and land use.
"Bringing these different groups together is a community-based learning approach that provides commonality, and lets everyone connect and share their knowledge and perspectives about what has or hasn't worked around past conservation initiatives," notes Pattison-Williams.
It also helps the researchers establish relationships to share their findings back out to the community, he adds.
"We learn from them and they learn from us, and that can help shape policy for grasslands conservation."
The research conducted through the hub will explore several questions, including what economic drivers are influencing landowner decisions.
"We want to talk to farmers to understand what their profitability is when they keep or convert grasslands," Pattison-Williams says. "Understanding the financial motivations can help guide policy decisions that blend financial incentives and regulation."
Social and cultural values held by landowners also have to be considered, he adds. "Are there norms that could positively or negatively impact conservation, such as succession planning, family stories, faith-related or spiritual beliefs?"
It's also key to identify gaps in existing policies that may only indirectly relate to grasslands, but could still have an impact, he adds.
"We can build recommendations on how that can be improved to provide better protection. There might be a policy about renewable energy or endangered species, for example, that has an impact."
Establishing a "community of innovation" with various partners to advance grasslands conservation is also one of the hub's strategies.
"Events such as annual meetings will bring together anyone involved in grasslands and conservation work, and some partnerships could be established from that."
The hub will serve as a source of grasslands education through events such as webinars and podcasts for farmers, ranchers, Indigenous communities, other researchers and the general public, says Pattison-Williams.
"They'll be able to learn about programs, activities and funding opportunities that assist in grasslands conservation."
Building a deeper understanding of Indigenous grassland governance, stewardship, strategies and protocols is also a key goal for the hub, along with co-creating an Indigenous research approach rooted in "two-eyed seeing" methods.
The concept brings together Indigenous and western worldviews to consider grasslands conservation, Pattison-Williams says.
"Often these two worldviews are separate and distinct, from research and conservation activities, to policy. So we want to learn, share and highlight the different perspectives and how they work together."
As a "gathering place," the hub, overall, represents an innovative way to address the issue of disappearing grasslands, Pattison-Williams believes.
"It's collaborative; it allows for local perspectives to be heard. We've got these different sectors who've come together to consider the financial, cultural, spiritual and policy aspects of grasslands conservation. That allows people in different spaces to talk to each other and get involved in protecting what we have left."
