Cartographies of change: visualizing landscape transformation through participatory photo-mapping in the Crowsnest Pass

The practice of mining creates visible and invisible legacies on lands and livelihoods. In Canada, the mining
industry has left a large footprint on the landscape, whose recovery is required through ecological restoration
actions. However, current restoration practices face the pressure of adapting to a changing climate while also
taking into account the relationships people have developed with the landscapes they inhabit. How might these
practices evolve to meaningfully integrate these experiences and successfully recover both ecological and
cultural components of degraded lands? Working in partnership with Wildsight, this project will use historical and
repeated photographs of the Crowsnest Pass region in Alberta and British Columbia to understand and map
how people perceive change within mined areas. These images will provide an opportunity to (re)imagine the
landscape and engage community members in considering different visions of and for their region.

Faculty Supervisor:

Eric Higgs

Student:

Partner:

Wildsight

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Victoria

Program: