The Canadian Mountain Assessment (CMA) is the first formal assessment of what we know, do not know, and need to know about mountains in Canada. It is based on insights from First Nations, Métis, and Inuit knowledges of mountains, as well as findings from an extensive assessment of pertinent academic literature. Its inclusive knowledge co-creation approach brings multiple forms of evidence together in ways that enhance collective understanding of mountains in Canada, while also respecting and maintaining the integrity of different knowledge systems. The CMA provides insights into applied reconciliation efforts in the context of a major assessment initiative and points the way forward for mountain-focused research, relationships, and actions in Canada. In this presentation the CMA’s Project Leader will discuss the research experiences that led him to founding the CMA, the rationale for an assessment of mountain systems in Canada, and details of the assessment’s unique knowledge co-creation approach. The talk will conclude with reflections on the implications of the CMA for mountain research in Canada and future knowledge assessment initiatives more broadly. The Canadian Mountain Assessment can be read/downloaded here.

Graham is an environmental social scientist specializing in human vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in mountain regions, as well as knowledge assessment and co-creation activities. He has led community-engaged projects in the Nepal Himalaya, Peruvian Andes, Rocky Mountains, Greenland, and Baffin Island, and was the founder and leader of the Canadian Mountain Assessment. In addition, he is a two-time Contributing Author with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a member of the Advisory Committee for the Canada in a Changing Climate national assessment process, and a Canadian Steering Committee member for the UN International Year of Glacier Preservation. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society in 2021. Graham completed a Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Zurich and holds degrees from UBC (as Vanier Scholar), Oxford, and McGill. He is currently the Director of Science and Knowledge at the Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y) Conservation Initiative. Learn more about Graham at his website and Google Scholar profile. 

The Natural Resources & Environmental Studies Institute (NRESi) at UNBC hosts a weekly lecture series at the Prince George campus. Anyone from the university or wider community with interest in the topic area is welcome to attend. Presentations are also made available to remote participants through Zoom Webinar. Go to http://www.unbc.ca/nres-institute/colloquium-webcasts to view the presentation remotely.

Past NRESi colloquium presentations and special lectures can be viewed on our video archive, available here.