Bear It in Mind: Conducting Northern Research Safely and Respectfully

Northern researchers routinely engage with natural and cultural landscapes in the course of their research programs. This engagement with the land occurs on its terms, and on the terms of peoples connected to it. This includes practical aspects such as bear safety, sustainability, and limiting our environmental footprint. It also includes comporting oneself on the land in a manner that is culturally sensitive. This workshop will focus on bear safety as a model for land-based remote research, and on planning generally for such research. It will also explore the rationales behind this planning and allow participants to share their own experiences in back country settings.