Indigenous Conservation and Sustainability
Colonial Impacts on Indigenous Conservation and Sustainability
In partnership with Onyotaá;ka, The Oneida Nation of the Thames
When and Where
2024 Field School: July 8th to 15th, 2024
Places visited: Oneida of the Thames, Southwestern Ontario, Canada
How to Apply
Applications for 2024 are closed.
Contact geography@uvic.ca if you have any questions.
Program Overview
Are you interested in immersing yourself in an intensive, experiential, field-based, and culturally-grounded field school in Southwestern Ontario? The Oneida Field School (Indigenous Knowledge, Mapping, and Resource Management) is based on the Oneida Territory, where students will camp around the nation’s Longhouse. The class runs from July 8rd-15th, 2024. The class is offered in partnership with the Oneida Nation in order to both map and outline strategies for addressing food insecurity and sovereignty, as well as the conservation and management of an environmentally sensitive area for the nation. This land-based educational experience weaves together Indigenous Knowledge and science in the context of natural resource use and management. Designed to be highly experiential, the course gives students time and opportunities in the Oneida watershed to interact with its natural features as well as with Knowledge Holders, scientists, and other community members.
See the Complete Information Sheet for more details.
Eligibility:
- Students must have third or fourth year standing
- This field school is designed primarily as a capstone experience for senior Geography students, but the selection committee will consider other applicants from UVic and beyond based on a variety of factors, including course, life, and work experience. We are particularly interested in students from local Indigenous communities in the area (and offer fellowships to eligible applicants; please contact Dr. Mateer for more information on this).
- This field school will involve outdoor activities that will at times be physically demanding, such as hiking over rough or steep terrain. Applicants must mention if they have any accessibility needs that may affect their ability to participate in these activities, so that potential accommodations can be discussed.
- Finally, we ask applicants to answer several questions, which allows us to assess the fit of each applicant and what they could contribute to the learning and community-engaged experience.
Fees and Financial Support
Field school fees can be paid by cheque, money order, counter cheque, or cash ONLY. Cheques should be made payable to the 番茄社区. Payment can be dropped off at the Geography main office (David Turpin Building room B203), or mailed (cheque only). DO NOT MAIL CASH.
Field school fees:
- $200 deposit paid at time of application, plus:
- $500 paid by May 15th
Field school fees include:
- Room & board in Oneida Nation of the Thames
- Transportation from Toronto to the Oneida Settlement and back
- Teaching- and research-related equipment and materials
- Compensation for guest lecturers and knowledge holders
Field school fees do not include:
- Tuition
- Travel to and from Toronto
- Other expenses such as any personal gear (e.g. hiking shoes) required for the course.
Financial Support:
This field school has been directly subsidized by the Faculty of Social Sciences Field School Support Fund. No application is necessary to receive this support, as it has already been built into the field school fees.