Catalyzing Indigenous-led conservation in Canada

with the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership

What we did

  • Consultation
  • Naming
  • Branding
  • Video
  • Interactive website
  • Consultation
  • Naming
  • Branding
  • Video
  • Interactive website
VISIT THEIR WEBSITE

What they needed

The Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership (CRP) works to advance Indigenous-led conservation and Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) across Canada. They came to us with an idea for a platform where they could collect knowledge about these efforts and share it in a respectful way.

In a series of listening sessions, we heard from Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and conservation leaders about their creative vision for the experience. The result was a story-based brand and digital space that celebrates the diversity of the lands, peoples, animals, and cultures that IPCAs sustain.

About the logo

The keystone species of buffalo, polar bear, salmon, and beaver nestle together with a human being on the Turtle’s back. Together they form a landscape symbolizing Mother Earth, the Sky world, the plant world, and the element of water. The human being in the middle serves as a reminder that we are all interconnected.

“Nature has rights, Humans have responsibilities.”

– Mi’kmaq Elder Albert Marshall

Bear paw prints

How we helped

We took care with the design of the platform to respect the knowledge it contains. Users are prompted to uphold the principles of Reciprocity, Respect and Responsibility when they create an account. They are then free to browse the site’s rich collection of documents, images, and recordings and save them in personal “Knowledge Baskets”. Oral recordings of narrative sources of knowledge feature prominently, while immersive nature sounds and animated imagery bring the space to life. The design is also compliant with accessibility standards, ensuring that it is inclusive of all users.

IPCA Knowledge Basket brand guide open booklet
IPCA Knowledge Basket brand guide booklet cover
An icon of a constellation
An icon of a hand drum
An icon of a flame
An icon of a plant
An icon of a medicine bag
The IPCA website on a phone screen showing the menu
The IPCA website on a phone screen
The IPCA website on a phone screen
The IPCA website on a tablet screen

Making a difference

IPCA Knowledge Basket is more than a repository of information: it is a platform for collaborative learning, and a case study in meaningful representation of Indigenous peoples and communities. Since it launched, the site has seen numerous visitors from across Canada access its knowledge and contribute their own. Now it is an active community of hundreds of people, with new users joining every week and resources being added regularly.

A salmon jumping swimming against the current
A polar bear walking in the snow
“This digital space is a much-needed and valuable resource that can support Indigenous communities as they work to reconcile with their hearts and feel their cultures, languages, practices, knowledges and ecosystems, while also upholding their rights and responsibilities. This ultimately reflects true reconciliation.”

– Marilyn Baptiste, former Chief of the Xeni Gwet’in First Nation and 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize winner

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