Research in Remote Places: Trends in Local Community Involvement in Research from the Lhù’ààn Mânʼ (Kluane Lake) Region

Abstract

The Kluane Lake Research Station has served as a hub for research for many decades, serving as the basis for thousands of scientific publications and playing host to numerous large interdisciplinary project teams. However, it is only more recently that researchers have engaged local communities, including First Nations, in research, as attitudes have shifted towards reconciliation and community engagement best practices. This study reviews the scientific, peer-reviewed literature that has taken place near the station, analyzing major research trends and the extent to which communities have been engaged in the research process. As prior reviews have found, the major research topics have been wildlife and forestry/botany. Although there were a few published examples of community engagement (typically in the form of filing permits) in the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was not until the 2010 decade that more research teams began engaging communities through permitting processes, and later, through consultation, using traditional place names, and involving First Nations in the research process. These trends do not seem to differ by research topic or discipline. To ensure equitable and respectful knowledge sharing in the future, it will be important to continue understanding and respecting community norms and best practices for research in this area.