Ecosystem restoration policies and initiatives are mostly based only on Western science and ecological knowledge. But partnership with indigenous people and local communities and their Traditional Ecological Knowledge is proving to be of great value.
Several decades ago, the practice of ecosystem restoration emerged to address the dramatic decline of the many diverse ecosystems on earth. A much younger practice than nature conservation, ecosystem restoration is now acknowledged as fundamental for the protection and restoration of nature. The UN declared 2020 – 2030 the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and at the same time the grassroots movement, powered by organisations like Ecosystem Restoration Camps, has been growing worldwide.
Many ecosystem restoration policies and initiatives are based only on Western science and ecological knowledge. However, indigenous people and local communities often have unique knowledge of the local ecosystem, its the animals and plants, seasonal changes and other dynamics. Partnership between western and traditional ecological knowledge has proven to be of great value. And beyond restoration benefits, this type of knowledge can also help us reflect on our worldviews and offer ways to restore our relationship to the land itself.
“…reconnecting people and the landscape is as essential as reestablishing proper hydrology or cleaning up contaminants.
Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass
It is medicine for the earth.”
Traditional Ecological Knowledge, also known as TEK, is the unique cultural knowledge of a people. It has been defined in the early 1990s as the knowledge that is passed orally, as well as in practical teachings across generations, informed by cultural memories and reciprocity [4]. Concepts similar to TEK are IK (Indigenous Knowledge), TKW (Traditional Knowledge and Wisdom), and LEK (Local Ecological or Environmental Knowledge). This unique knowledge has allowed human cultures to adapt to their environment over millennia, and includes in-depth knowledge of local species, ecological relationships and ecosystem functions, as well as unique human cultures [5].
Mostly indigenous people have kept this knowledge alive, and it is part of their social and spiritual view of the world. It is the kind of knowledge that is only understood when it is known with our minds, bodies, emotion and spirit [4]. TEK it is considered complementary to scientific ecological knowledge, but there is not enough dialogue between these worlds, and the challenges that arise from the differences between the knowledge systems [4].
Partnerships between indigenous and western science have proven successful successful when it comes to planning, executing and monitoring of ecological restoration projects. But TEK is often not included yet in studies, national or global policies, or practices [3]. In ecosystem restoration, TEK can provide highly localised, qualitative ecological data, based on long term observations [2]. So far, traditional ecological knowledge has proven valuable when selecting priority sites for ecological restoration. It can help with the construction of historical reference ecosystems, especially when there is not enough historical information. TEK can also support the selection of species, land management practices, and management of invasive species (4,6,7]. In addition, traditional monitoring methods are based on observations over long time periods, they have large sample sizes, and are generally low-cost, so they can be effective in combination with Western scientific methods [8].
Some types of TEK are specific to a local ecosystem, but some knowledge can also be relevant across the globe. Another reason to partner with indigenous people and local communities if the work takes place on their territory, is because they are the ones directly impacted by restoration policies and practices [2]. Of course, not all traditional knowledge is wise, and some scientists doubt if there if it can be considered scientifically valid. There are also concerns about the unethical use, when knowledge is separated from its cultural context [4,6].
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