Putting indigenous conservation policy into practice delivers biodiversity and cultural benefits

Ens, Emilie; Scott, Mitchell L.; Rangers, Yugul Mangi; Moritz, Craig; Pirzl, Rebecca

doi:10.1007/s10531-016-1207-6

Cited by 70 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Indigenous savanna burning projects aim to use cross-cultural science (Indigenous and western knowledge systems [35]) for best-practice adaptive management of fire, incorporating natural and cultural values. Indigenous knowledge and languages are under grave threat globally [36] and intergenerational transmission of this knowledge is constrained by pervasive variables in the contemporary environment [37,38]. Around the world, seasonal calendars are viewed by Indigenous communities as an important way to collect and share Indigenous knowledge [39] and to signify the profound connection between people, country and the yearly cycle of change on country [40].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Indigenous Knowledge and Seasonal Calendar Inform Adaptive Savanna Burning in Northern Australia

et al. 2020

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Indigenous fire management is experiencing a resurgence worldwide. Northern Australia is the world leader in Indigenous savanna burning, delivering social, cultural, environmental and economic benefits. In 2016, a greenhouse gas abatement fire program commenced in the savannas of south-eastern Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, managed by the Indigenous Yugul Mangi rangers. We undertook participatory action research and semi-structured interviews with rangers and Elders during 2016 and 2019 to investigate Indigenous knowledge and obtain local feedback about fire management. Results indicated that Indigenous rangers effectively use cross-cultural science (including local and Traditional Ecological Knowledge alongside western science) to manage fire. Fire management is a key driver in the production of bush tucker (wild food) resources and impacts other cultural and ecological values. A need for increased education and awareness about Indigenous burning was consistently emphasized. To address this, the project participants developed the Yugul Mangi Faiya En Sisen Kelenda (Yugul Mangi Fire and Seasons Calendar) that drew on Indigenous knowledge of seasonal biocultural indicators to guide the rangers’ fire management planning. The calendar has potential for application in fire management planning, intergenerational transfer of Indigenous knowledge and locally driven adaptive fire management.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Indigenous Knowledge and Seasonal Calendar Inform Adaptive Savanna Burning in Northern Australia

et al. 2020

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“…Most internationally derived indicator sets (e.g., GDP ranking, world development indicators, IUCN Red List index) measure ecosystem and human health separately. Recent efforts to reconcile nature conservation and human development include promoting the integration of social sciences into conservation (Mascia et al 2003, Agrawal and Ostrom 2006, Brosius 2006, Barry and Born 2013, Sandbrook et al 2013, Bennett et al 2016, Ives et al 2017 and the integration of local actors (e.g., community members, NGOs, local government) into research and action through social-ecological systems resilience studies, community-based management, or in situ conservation of agrobiodiversity (Altieri and Merrick 1987, Alcorn 1993, Pinedo-Vásquez and Padoch 1993, Berkes 2008, Liu and Opdam 2014, Ens et al 2016. These efforts have led to (1) more nuanced human well-being indicators, modified from the Human Development Index, to better integrate material conditions, quality of life (e.g., spiritual dimensions, social connections, environmental quality, and subjective wellbeing), and sustainability of well-being (i.e., human, social, economic, and natural capital) (Clark 2014, OECD 2015, Biedenweg et al 2017, Gross-Camp 2017, Wali et al 2017, and (2) sets of indicators, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, that include people-focused and ecological goals but fall short in integrating these domains through attention to the feedbacks and interactions between humans and the environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Moving beyond the human–nature dichotomy through biocultural approaches: including ecological well-being in resilience indicators

Caillon¹,

Cullman²,

Verschuuren³

et al. 2017

E&S

121

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ABSTRACT. Diverse and productive ecosystems and human well-being are too often considered opposing targets. This stems mainly from nature being perceived as separate from culture, which results in resilience indicators that focus predominantly on either ecosystems or humans, and that overlook the interplay between the two. Meanwhile, global targets for biodiversity conservation and human wellbeing have yet to be satisfactorily achieved. We believe that in order to develop effective, culturally appropriate, and equitable conservation strategies that ensure social-ecological resilience, conservation planners and practitioners must conceive of human and ecological wellbeings as an interrelated system. By giving nature a voice, and by viewing nature and people as an undifferentiated whole, some indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLC) have philosophical bases for achieving well-being for both humans and nature. Biocultural approaches to conservation ground management in local knowledges, practices, and ontologies. These approaches encompass both the biological and cultural aspects of a system, address complex relationships and feedbacks within human and ecological well-being, and offer flexible frameworks that facilitate synthesis across different metrics, knowledge systems, and ontologies. The process of developing indicators of resilience with a biocultural approach could help (1) overcome the human-nature dichotomy that often makes global approaches incompatible with local approaches by integrating local peoples' diverse forms of relating to nature, (2) reflect two-way feedbacks between people and their environment by focusing on processes, not just final states, and (3) define, measure, and monitor ecological and human well-being as a whole. It can also facilitate dialog between IPLCs and global decisionmakers who are disconnected from local realities, and between people from a diversity of disciplinary, ontological, and professional backgrounds.

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“…In different cultural contexts the types of stewardship actions that will be deemed appropriate will differ (Gavin et al 2015;Ens et al 2016). For many indigenous communities whose cultural identity and harvesting practices are deeply interconnected, the idea of "no-take" conservation may be antithetical to their holistic "social-ecological" worldview (Berkes 1999).…”

Section: The Social-ecological Context Of Stewardshipmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Stewardship: A Conceptual Review and Analytical Framework

Bennett¹,

Whitty²,

Finkbeiner³

et al. 2018

Preprint

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There has been increasing attention to and investment in local environmental stewardship in conservation and environmental management policies and programs globally. Yet environmental stewardship has not received adequate conceptual attention. Establishing a clear definition and comprehensive analytical framework could strengthen our ability to understand the factors that lead to the success or failure of environmental stewardship in different contexts and how to most effectively support and enable local efforts. Here we propose such a definition and framework. First, we define local environmental stewardship as the actions taken by individuals, groups or networks of actors, with various motivations and levels of capacity, to protect, care for or responsibly use the environment in pursuit of environmental and/or social outcomes in diverse social–ecological contexts. Next, drawing from a review of the environmental stewardship, management and governance literatures, we unpack the elements of this definition to develop an analytical framework that can facilitate research on local environmental stewardship. Finally, we discuss potential interventions and leverage points for promoting or supporting local stewardship and future applications of the framework to guide descriptive, evaluative, prescriptive or systematic analysis of environmental stewardship. Further application of this framework in diverse environmental and social contexts is recommended to refine the elements and develop insights that will guide and improve the outcomes of environmental stewardship initiatives and investments. Ultimately, our aim is to raise the profile of environmental stewardship as a valuable and holistic concept for guiding productive and sustained relationships with the environment.

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Putting indigenous conservation policy into practice delivers biodiversity and cultural benefits

Cited by 70 publications

References 26 publications

Indigenous Knowledge and Seasonal Calendar Inform Adaptive Savanna Burning in Northern Australia

Indigenous Knowledge and Seasonal Calendar Inform Adaptive Savanna Burning in Northern Australia

Moving beyond the human–nature dichotomy through biocultural approaches: including ecological well-being in resilience indicators

Environmental Stewardship: A Conceptual Review and Analytical Framework

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Putting indigenous conservation policy into practice delivers biodiversity and cultural benefits

Cited by 70 publications

References 26 publications

Indigenous Knowledge and Seasonal Calendar Inform Adaptive Savanna Burning in Northern Australia

Indigenous Knowledge and Seasonal Calendar Inform Adaptive Savanna Burning in Northern Australia

Moving beyond the human&#8211;nature dichotomy through biocultural approaches: including ecological well-being in resilience indicators

Environmental Stewardship: A Conceptual Review and Analytical Framework

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Product

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Moving beyond the human–nature dichotomy through biocultural approaches: including ecological well-being in resilience indicators