Objectives of CoPEH-Canada

Many Canadian researchers have adopted ecosystem approaches to health over the past decade, and in doing so, have widely contributed to the development and dissemination of Ecohealth ideas and practices throughout Canada and abroad. The IDRC has supported and financed international research initiatives in Ecosystem Approaches to Human Health including communities of practice, as well as contributing to the training programs of young Ecohealth researchers.

Despite important advancements in ecosystem approaches to health, Ecohealth remains an emerging field and the long term development of this approach requires work in consolidation, cooperation and skill development. Today, diverse approaches to health are increasingly grouped under the title “ecohealth.” This attests to the richness of the field, and demands that such approaches be given careful consideration, and would benefit from a forum for exchange of ideas and sharing of diverse experiences.

The growing demand for Ecohealth research, education and practice has led a team of Canadian researchers from three universities (University of Guelph, University of British Columbia, Université du Québec à Montréal) to create, with the support of IDRC, a project to develop a Canadian Community of Practice in Ecosystem Approaches to Health (CoPEH-Canada). CoPEH-Canada has the following objectives:

• to jointly plan and deliver a course on the Ecohealth approach for students and professionals doing international/development work;
• to manage an Ecohealth awards program for graduate students to conduct international development research;
• to provide a forum for Canadians to consolidate and extend the Ecohealth approach through collaboration, exchange, and scholarly attention to methodology, pedagogy and knowledge translation;
• to conduct an integrated program of participatory research and evaluation to examine the networking, educational and capacity building outcomes of the community of practice;
• to identify and develop strategies for long-term regional and institutional capacity to support ecosystem approaches to human health, including complementary funding for diffusion,research and exchange.

Click here to read our executive summary.