Bridging local and scientific knowledge for area-based conservation of useful plants in Colombia

Abstract

While the importance of interdisciplinary approaches is increasingly recognised in conservation, bridging knowledge systems across scales remains a fundamental challenge. Focusing on the Important Plant Areas (IPA) approach, we evaluate how complementing scientific and local knowledge can better inform the conservation of useful plants in Colombia. We worked in three municipalities to investigate knowledge on useful plant richness, species composition and use types, as well as perceptions on area-based plant conservation approaches. Participatory focus groups and ethnobotanical walks-in-the-woods were undertaken with local communities, while scientific data were represented by occurrence records from global data aggregators and digitised collections. A total of 1190 species with human uses were reported. Combining knowledge systems provided the richest understanding of useful plants but the relative contribution of each system varied between study areas, influenced by the history of scientific studies, socio-ecological context and study design. Meanwhile, local perceptions of how conservation areas should be selected differed from global IPA criteria. These results show that working with local communities can improve biological understanding for spatial conservation planning. Additionally, participatory approaches must move beyond community-based conservation and data collection, to inform the design of global conservation programmes.

Ethnobotanical Survey of Culturally Important Plants and Mushrooms in North-Western Part of Croatia

“…The conservation of traditional knowledge is associated with at least seven sustainable development goals provided by Agenda 2030 [ 16 ], and ethnobotanical studies can significantly contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of natural flora. Ethnobotany connects local and scientific knowledge aiming to improve biological understanding for spatial conservation planning [ 17 ]. This linkage contributes to sustainability across the globe and plays an important role in assessments and policy formulation for biodiversity and ecosystem services [ 18 ].…”