The Rights of Nature: Conservation and Colonialism in BC’s Provincial Parks

Abstract

This paper examines the interplay between conservation, colonialism, and the conceptualization of nature's rights within British Columbia's provincial parks. By focusing on Strathcona Provincial Park, located on Vancouver Island, it is discovered that, while BC has established a significant network of protected areas, the underlying frameworks remain deeply rooted in colonial, anthropocentric ideologies. By privileging landscapes deemed aesthetically or recreationally valuable, these frameworks perpetuate exclusions of Indigenous perspectives, severing traditional relationships with the land and, thus, reinforce state control. By critically analyzing the historical and legal foundations of provincial parks, the limitations of current conservation practices in addressing broader ecological and social justice concerns are unveiled. This paper, therefore, advocates for adopting biodiversity-based approaches and integrating Indigenous law to redefine nature's rights. Through this, a decolonized conservation strategy can be utilized to support sustainable, equitable relationships between humans and non-humans alike.