Topic: Discuss the importance of ethical inclusion of Indigenous languages, concepts and science in order to improve comprehensive sustainability.

Relevant readings:
Bhati, H. V. & Epstein, Y. Protection of Biocultural Heritage in the Anthropocene: Towards Reconciling Natural, Cultural, Tangible and Intangible Heritage. Journal of Environmental Law 35, 353–375 (2023).

• THis article gives a good overview of the concept
• The World Heritage Convention 1972 definition relies on the idea of pristince wilderness which hindered consevation
• concept of "biocultural heritage" can bridge the two
• Biological diversity and cultural heritage are linked inextricably since these communities have developed a deep connection to their ecosystems over time

Tengö, M., Austin, B. J., Danielsen, F. & Fernández-Llamazares, Á. Creating Synergies between Citizen Science and Indigenous and Local Knowledge. BioScience 71, 503–518 (2021).

• This one from the assigned reading, my notes on it are here: Reading - Citizen Science and Indigenous Local Knowledge
• Some of the sources listed here might be useful also

Gavin et al

Gavin, M. C. et al. Effective Biodiversity Conservation Requires Dynamic, Pluralistic, Partnership-Based Approaches. Sustainability 10, 1846 (2018).

• This one is more about differences between approaches
• They describe how debates intrinsic rights of nature vs sustainable development only waste time and looks for common ground between them (like as described in Bhati). The shared vision of the importance of bioiversity is impotant. They suggest that a new idea which can contribute to these is the importance of cultural diversity also for adaptive capacity
• who is affected by th conservation decisions and contribute to animosity towards conservation regulations
• Decisinos need toi match socio-ecological context
• Establish conflict resolution mechanisms from the start between stakeholders- involving all parties from the beginning can lead to improved understanding
• Concedes that more empirical research is needed to tell if this approach worksinpractice - along with indicators of conservationsuccess (modeling) - a use for Western ecologocial modelling/data science
• Example: Gwaii Haanas
  • co-managed by Haida and Canada
  • Follows Haida concept of yahguudang - respect for all living things
  • goal of protecting native species and habitats and also needs for food health and well-being
  • Haida Gwaii Watchmen program has been the model for other Land Guardians in Canada - incorporation of TEK

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02174-8

• Pirjo's study which used both indigenous knowledge and remote sensing
• She mentioned how this article was much more well received than articles which didn't use any numbers, I think this makes sense and isn't really a bad thing, the knowledge systems need to be taken together for effective communication of the concepts
• She cites the multiple evidence based approach from Tengö as an inspiration for their methodology (a 2014 paper)
• After the geospatial research, they set up communication workshops with Apurina people based on the trusted relationships and participation of Francisco Apurinā to make sure the data wasn't being misinterpreted. The story they told was consistent with the data. I wish the methods went into more detail about how this worked specifically.
  • "traditional narratives analysis" - more details?
  • It seems like there might be some ethical issues with relying on local people's knowledge - there would be a strong incentive to report on how Apurina have stewarded territories and avoid reporting on Apurina areas that have experienced deforestation, given that the context of the study was shared with them maybe

Weiss et al - bridging knowledge

Weiss, K., Hamann, M. & Marsh, H. Bridging Knowledges: Understanding and Applying Indigenous and Western Scientific Knowledge for Marine Wildlife Management. Society & Natural Resources 26, 285–302 (2013).

• Indigenous knowledge is oftn compared to Western science and used as a secondary choice and consider. Also considered "tratitional" when it can be contemporary
• Devising management strategies for Indigenous peoples to hunt dugongs and turtles

Overview

Improving scientific outputs

• Lion guardians in Kenya (Tengö et al)
  • Data was improved through the inclusion of traditional Massai tracking techniques - cite both Tengo and the original study
  • due to conflicts with livestock in Kenya lions aredifficult to track
  • Maasai men aged 15 to 5 with no formal education collecting data onAfrican lions
  • Developing countries hacve isues withmonitoring problems due to lack of professionals
  • Maasai warriors traditionally hunt lions to protect their livestock
  • This conservation program hired lion hunters to be lion guardians - interviewed and tested on tracking skills - at first they were asked to report findings which were verified by a scientist
  • They taught the guardians how to read and write Swahili (not their native language Maa), radiotelemetry and systematic survey methods. They walked a systematic transect line each week
  • GIS methods used to establish lion ranges and distribution.
  • Scientists determined they were accurate in 89.1% of cases in their observations of presence of lions (they followed the lions with a scientists after seeing tracks)
    • 89.0% accurate identity of individual lion (when it could be determined)
    • This high accuracy of reporting shows that it's probably good to trust local knowledge - but study design is very important
  • Increased detection of dispersal allowed them to study the metapopulation better
  • This study is more about using the local people's existing skills to be better "western" scientists and protect the lions from hunting
  • The program also taught literacy to the guardians, employed them, and they also worked rounding up livestock and reinforcing corrals
  • Giving the lions Maasai names also made them a lot more charismatic in the community
  • This is going against tradition? Bad?
    • Tengö notes that they still weren't involved in the planning

Because there was no change in prey numbers or water distribution during the first 18 months of Lion Guardians, we attributed the apparent increase of lions to firm identification of unverified individuals, due to involvement of the guardians, not to an actual increase in thc lion population. Through the reporting efforts of the guardians and systematic identification of the sighted lions by the scientists, annual population counts were obtained. These counts of observed individuals documented an increase in the lion densities from 1.8 lions/ 100 km2 in 2007 to 3.49 lions/100 km2 in MGR (Doircnry 2013).

• Pirjo's study (above)

Ensuring just involvement of community

• Mention Pirjo's article again
• Greenland from Tengö (Piniakkanik Sumiiffinni Nalunaarsuniq ) ensured just involvement of community
• Gwaii Haanas from Gavin et al

Raising legitimacy of Indigenous voices and evidence making and cultural diversity-preservation of language

• Gavin et al. 2018 - cultural diversity importance for increasing conservation outcomes, although empirical data is lacking
• Greenland study used Indigenous language, but it was hard to find more info about this
• From Maasai: they taught them reading and writing in Swahili (not Maa), since this language could be used to communicate better with scientists and other Kenyans, a more "useful" language than Maa - realistic limits to working with Indigenous language preservation
• Pirjo's study working to share information in Apurinā with the community
• The Australia study (Weiss 2013) has the best example of this