Eco-Research Chair of Environmental Law and Policy

Organization Mandate
We address several specific environmental and resource use sectors, taking a structural perspective. In adopting a political ecology framework, we seek to understand ways in which the overall "system dynamics" of our knowledge base and institutions of economic and legal development may be made inherently more sustainable. Such research is necessary today, as the emphasis is frequently on sectoral studies without sufficient critical attention to broader contextual concerns.

Our research and policy work is directed to four broad areas:


Developing constitutional and economic theories and models of sustainability, addressing especially the role of community-based institutions;

Providing directions for the ecological transformation of resource-based industries, especially forestry and fisheries;

Developing new processes and policies for sustainable cities; and

Fostering innovative science policies to guide ecological transition.

Locations
Our office is at the University of Victoria in Victoria, British Columbia, but our scope of research ranges from regional to global.

Current Activities and Projects
Recent Projects include:

- The International Community Forestry Conference and The International Network of Forests and Communities.
- Smart Growth British Columbia: Building Community and Institutional Knowledge.
- Forest Futures: A Campaign for Positive Change.

Completed Activities and Projects
None specified.

Fundraising Initiatives
None specified.

Partners
The Chair was originally established with operational funding from the Eco-Research Secretariat (Ottawa). Current financial support comes from a range of sources, including endowments from the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia, the BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, and the Notary Foundation of British Columbia.

Additional financial support has been received from the University of Victoria, the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund, the Institute of Ocean Sciences, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), BC Wild, Environment Canada, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Ford Foundation, Natural Resources Canada, VanCity Credit Union, the Bullitt Foundation, the Endswell Foundation, the South Island Aquatic Stewardship Society, BC Hydro, Human Resources Canada, the Provincial Capital Commission, the Law Foundation, the Real Estate Foundation, MCRI (through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council), the Vancouver Foundation, the North American Fund for Environmental Cooperation (NAFEC), BC Ministry of Community Development, Cooperatives and Volunteers, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, BC Ministry of Forests, Tides Foundation, Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation, the Notary Foundation, Forest Renewal BC, and a number of private donors.

Publications
Keep up-to-date with the newest research and developments at the Eco-Research Chair by reading our publications! Whether your interest is forestry, ecological economics, First Nations, urban sustainability, or political theory, our publications file is the place to look.


Publishing timely and relevant materials is an important component of the Chair's mandate, providing for the exchange and sharing of new research and writings in a publicly accessible manner.


We offer three types of publications:


Reports
Reports cover major projects or areas of research pursued by the Chair, and provide detailed information on a range of contemporary topics.

Discussion Papers
These shorter papers are intended to provoke discussion and debate about current concerns. As they are frequently ideas- and works-in-progress, comments and suggestions would be warmly welcomed by their authors.

Eco Notes Newsletter
Our semi-annual Newsletters will keep you informed about Chair activities, and provide an interesting mix of news, interviews, opinion, and reviews.





A bibliography of all of our publications is available online. For full-text copies of all papers, which are available for a modest charge to cover printing and mailing costs, please contact the Chair's office by phone (250-721-6388) or email (ecochair@uvic.ca).

Volunteers Not Required

Conservation Connection

University House 4, UVic
Victoria, BC V8W 3R4

Phone: 250-721-6388
Fax: 250-472-5060
Email: ecochair@uvic.ca

Website: law.uvic.ca/~elp