scholarly journals Pastoralism Partnerships: Recognizing the Value of Local Involvement in China’s Snow Leopard Conservation Efforts

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (16) ◽  
pp. 6491
Author(s):  
Charlotte E. Hacker ◽  
Jan E. Janecka ◽  
Rodney M. Jackson ◽  
Diqiang Li ◽  
Yuguang Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Wildlife Conservation ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Exchange ◽  
Expert Elicitation ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Snow Leopard ◽  
Community Based Conservation ◽  
Local Community Member ◽  
The Many

Pastoralists are key stakeholders in environmental management decisions in China. Thus, their involvement in wildlife conservation and research is imperative for the success of long-term initiatives. Despite the many opportunities for herders to be included in these efforts, biases have hindered knowledge exchange and collaborative outcomes. This is detrimental for species living in quickly changing landscapes reliant on effective conservation, such as that of the snow leopard (Panthera uncia). Pastoralists living in snow leopard habitats on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau of China possess a deep and intricate understanding of the environments in which they live, and can serve as strong conservation allies by playing direct roles in scientific endeavors via expert elicitation and engagement. Here, we draw on our own experiences as academically trained scientists to present a framework for broadening opportunities for local community member participation in research efforts on the species. Framework outcomes include better targeting of conservation concerns, increased integration of Western science and local ecological knowledge, additional income to the community, clearer communication and trust between conservation stakeholders, greater flexibility in research, and additional platforms for community-based conservation. We outline avenues of involvement and considerations when working with local community members in snow leopard habitat, and submit this as an example with wide-ranging applicability to other parts of the world where livelihoods are intrinsically tied to the environment.

scholarly journals Continuing Wetland Degradation Dissociates Socio-Ecological Systems and Affects Interconnected Goals of Environmental Health, Equity and Wellbeing: A case Study from the Lower Gangetic Floodplains

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
TIASA ADHYA ◽  
SAYAN BANERJEE
Keyword(s):  
Local Community ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ecological Systems ◽  
Urban Landscapes ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Fast Tracking

Unplanned urbanisation and industrialisation have severely degraded natural ecosystems, particularly wetlands. The Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin support 630 million inhabitants; yet continue to be altered rapidly, jeopardizing the region’s social and ecological integrity. By conducting qualitative interviews and participant observation in a wetland dependent village located in the Lower Gangetic Floodplains we investigated how degrading wetlands in sub-urban landscapes were affecting socio-ecological systems. Not only did the wetlands provide livelihood options, mainly fishing and farming, but also provided prestige and autonomy. Vulnerable sections of the society across class, age and gender were solely dependent on the wetland. In absence of political will to safeguard wetland health, industries emerged by altering wetlands, which hampered local community’s livelihood and lifestyle. Further, our study demonstrated that local ecological knowledge could provide qualitative baseline information for fast-tracking identification of important wetlands and creating inventories to initiate wetland conservation and management. Finally, we recommend local governance structures should be strongly tied to international or national wetland policies so that wetland functions along with human health and well-being could be sustained. We strongly advocate that contradictions in policies be resolved to strengthen efforts to conserve wetlands which provide resilience to marginal communities in the face of calamities.

scholarly journals Community-based Bamboo Stands Management in the Kali Bekasi Watershed, Indonesia

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Ni Wayan Febriana Utami ◽  
Hadi Susilo Arifin ◽  
HSA Nurhayati ◽  
Syartinilia Wijaya
Keyword(s):  
Local Community ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Main Function ◽  
Tree Species Diversity ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Run Off ◽  
Downstream Area

A high rate of vegetation clearing around the upper stream of Kali Bekasi watershed currently causes various environmental problems, such as floods. The impacts occur predominantly in downstream area, mostly affecting cities, due to a disruption of the ecosystem in the upper stream. The main function of the upper stream to humans is acting as a buffer to protect downstream areas from flooding, run-off, as well as biodiversity protection. To achieve this, many varieties of plant are grown including bamboo plantations, which serve as a buffer plants on critical land especially with steep contours. In this study we aim to provide a better understanding of the effectiveness of different bamboo stands buffering to improve information for making management recommendation. We examine different points along the stream by mapping bamboo distribution, analyzing bamboo and non-bamboo (tree) stands diversity and biomass, and provide recommendations for bamboo management based on combining our findings with local ecological knowledge. We implemented image classification analysis for classifying bamboo and non-bamboo land use cover. We also measured bamboo and non-bamboo diversity by using Shannon’s-Wienner diversity index. Our results showed that bamboo occupies approximately 5,360.89 ha or 11.39% of total area with six bamboo species. The highest bamboo diversity index was in the upper part of the Kali Bekasi watershed (0.62). In contrary, the highest bamboo biomass index was found in the lower part of the upper stream of Kali Bekasi watershed (98.96 ton ha-1). We also discovered about 29 species of tree (230 trees) and 27 above-ground plant species in the surveyed area. As a result of our findings, we propose a shift towards bamboo agroforestry management in a mixed garden of talun form, where the community implement their local knowledge on bamboo cultivation and management to maintain the bamboo. This option could improve cooperation among farmers and the local community in order to conserve bamboo and tree species diversity in harmony to local wisdom.

scholarly journals Local Ecological Knowledge on Forest Clearing: A Case Study of Parak and Rimbo Practices in Simancuang Community, Indonesia

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 208-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ferdinal Asmin ◽  
Dudung Darusman ◽  
Iin Ichwandi ◽  
Didik Suharjito
Keyword(s):  
Local Community ◽  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Forest Degradation ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Forest Clearing ◽  
Local Practices ◽  
History Analysis ◽  
West Sumatra ◽  
Main Driver

Local communities are frequently judged as the main driver of forest degradation and deforestation because of the weak recognition to local ecological knowledge (LEK) or traditional ecological knowledge (TEK). We assessed that it is important to elaborate the attributes of LEK and TEK as a way to describe why and how the local community clears the forest, as well as its relation to local practices, named parak and rimbo. Our research uses case study method to describe the local practices in Simancuang community, Alam Pauh Duo Village, South Solok District, West Sumatra Province. We conducted unstructured interviews, observations, and documents selection which were analyzed through categorization and codification as well as complemented with history analysis, spatial analysis, and related document analysis. The results showed that Simancuang community knowledge can describe the attributes of LEK and TEK as a unified whole of local knowledge for sustaining their livelihoods. Therefore, the forest clearing by Simancuang people is one of the livelihoods strategies, but they were not the main driver of forest degradation and deforestation in South Solok District.

scholarly journals Local Ecological Knowledge Exchange of Steelhead

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikaela A. Weisenfluh
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Exchange ◽  
Species Conservation ◽  
Scientific Organization ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Steelhead Trout ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Organizational Differences

Local ecological knowledge (LEK) has been researched in the past to examine how it can aid and support scientific ecological knowledge (SEK). SEK is often seen as the preferred and superior type of knowledge when dealing with environmental changes. However, both of these types of knowledge are not segregated within individuals but are dependent on age, experience with the fishery, experience with a scientific organization, and/or perception of changes in the environment based on lived experiences. Interactions between LEK and SEK users is valuable to the conservation that is needed to protect these fish species and is dependent on how well these groups are sharing their knowledge and communicating with one another. For this study, I have examined the exchange of knowledge on steelhead trout within Idaho between anglers, Idaho Fish & Game, and the Office of Species Conservation. If these three groups are sharing SEK and LEK effectively, despite generational and organizational differences, then the variation between groups should be low. In addition to the exchange of knowledge, I have looked at communication, the meaning behind each group’s knowledge, and how age and experience play a factor into their perception of change. Of those that responded to the questionnaire, there were 26 angler respondents, 21 Idaho Fish & Game respondents, and 6 Office of Species Conservation respondents. Statistical tests indicated that there was a significant difference in LEK scores between groups, and there was low communication between the Office of Species Conservation and anglers. There was a significant difference in where these groups reported that most of the mortality for steelhead occurred, and age and experience did not have an impact on LEK scores. These results indicate that there is variation between groups’ LEK which could be due to variations in LEK between groups. How groups define local can cause variation between groups’ LEK.

scholarly journals Linking co-monitoring to co-management: bringing together local, traditional, and scientific knowledge in a wildlife status assessment framework

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 247-266
Author(s):  
Stephanie J. Peacock ◽  
Fabien Mavrot ◽  
Matilde Tomaselli ◽  
Andrea Hanke ◽  
Heather Fenton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Wildlife Conservation ◽  
Population Change ◽  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Assessment Framework ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
Status Assessment

Effective wildlife management requires accurate and timely information on conservation status and trends, and knowledge of the factors driving population change. Reliable monitoring of wildlife population health, including disease, body condition, and population trends and demographics, is central to achieving this, but conventional scientific monitoring alone is often not sufficient. Combining different approaches and knowledge types can provide a more holistic understanding than conventional science alone and can bridge gaps in scientific monitoring in remote and sparsely populated areas. Inclusion of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) is core to the wildlife co-management mandate of the Canadian territories and is usually included through consultation and engagement processes. We propose a status assessment framework that provides a systematic and transparent approach to including TEK, as well as local ecological knowledge (LEK), in the design, implementation, and interpretation of wildlife conservation status assessments. Drawing on a community-based monitoring program for muskoxen and caribou in northern Canada, we describe how scientific knowledge and TEK/LEK, documented through conventional monitoring, hunter-based sampling, or qualitative methods, can be brought together to inform indicators of wildlife health within our proposed assessment framework. Atuttiaqtut angutikhat aulatauni piyalgit nalaumayumik piyarakittumiklu tuhagakhat nunguttailininut qanuritni pitquhitlu, ilihimanilu pityutit pipkaqni amigaitnit alanguqni. Naahuriyaulat munarini angutikhat amigaitni aaniaqtailini, ilautitlugit aaniarutit, timai qanuritnit, amigaitnitlu pitquhit hiamaumanilu, atugauniqhauyut pitaqninut una, kihimik atuqtauvaktut naunaiyaiyit munariyauni kihimik amihuni naamangitmata. Ilaliutyaqni allatqit pityuhit ilihimanitlu qanuritni piqarutaulat tamatkiumaniqhanik kangiqhimani atuqtauvaktuniunganit naunaiyaiyit munarinit ahiniittut akuttuyunik amigaitni inait. Ilaliutyaqni pitquhit uumatyutit ilihimani (TEK) qitqanittut angutikhat aulaqataunit havariyaqaqtai tapkuat Kanatamiuni nunatagauyut ilaliutivakniqhatlu atuqhugit uqaqatigikni piqataunilu pityuhiit. Uuktutigiyavut qanuritnia naunaiyaqni havagut piqaqtitiyuq havagutikhainik hatqiumanilu pityuhit ilautitlugit Pitquhit Uumatyutit Ilihimanit (TEK), tapkualuttauq nunalikni uumatyutit ilihimanit (LEK), hanatyuhikhaini, atuqpaliani, tukiliuqnilu angutikhat nunguttailini qanuritnit naunaiyaqni. Pivigiplugit nunaliuyuningaqtut munaqhityutit havagutit umingmaknut tuktutlu ukiuqtaqtuani Kanata, unnirtuqtavut qanuq naunaiyaiyit ilihimani tapkuatlu TEK/LEK, titiqhimani atuqhugit atuqtauvaktut munaqhityutaunit, angunahuaqtumingaqtut naunaiyagat, uvaluniit nakuuninut pityuhit, atauttimuktaulat tuhaqhitninut naunaipkutat angutikhat tahamani uuktutauyuq naunaiyaqni havagutai.

scholarly journals Bison with benefits: towards integrating wildlife and ranching sectors on a public rangeland in the western USA

Oryx ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 549-554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dustin H. Ranglack ◽  
Johan T. du Toit
Keyword(s):  
Wildlife Conservation ◽  
Local Community ◽  
The Public ◽  
The North ◽  
Public Trust Doctrine ◽  
Public Resource ◽  
Community Based Conservation ◽  
American Model ◽  
Henry Mountains ◽  
Free Ranging

AbstractThe North American model of wildlife conservation, based on the public trust doctrine, is credited for the recovery of several charismatic wildlife species, including the plains bison Bison bison. In that model, wildlife is a public resource from which the private sector may not profit either individually or collectively. In recent years, however, resilience thinking is driving changes in the traditional state-run wildlife management model to allow for integrated multi-sector approaches at the landscape scale. A free-ranging herd of bison on public land in the Henry Mountains of Utah is used as a case study to consider if and how a community-based conservation programme could be developed for a state-managed wildlife resource to benefit all stakeholders. The Henry Mountains bison, which are disease-free, share the rangeland with cattle that are privately owned by individual ranchers and corporations with various economic goals and environmental values. The ranchers currently derive no benefits from the bison and have concerns regarding competition between bison and cattle. However, a threshold harvesting strategy with community participation could generate revenue to offset these concerns. It could also provide benefits to the local community, increase state revenue, and increase the size of the bison population while securing its long-term genetic viability. Implementation would initially require facilitation by policy specialists, after which we suggest a Henry Mountains bison partnership could serve as a model for bison recovery efforts elsewhere in North America.

scholarly journals Local Ecological Knowledge on Climate Change and Ecosystem-Based Adaptation Strategies Promote Resilience in the Middle Zambezi Biosphere Reserve, Zimbabwe

Scientifica ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Laiza Kupika ◽  
Edson Gandiwa ◽  
Godwell Nhamo ◽  
Shakkie Kativu
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Community Perceptions

Understanding local community perceptions on impacts, causes, and responses to climate change is vital for promotion of community resilience towards climate change. This study explored local ecological knowledge (LEK) held by local communities on climate change trends and impacts in the Middle Zambezi Biosphere Reserve (MZBR), Zimbabwe. The objectives of the study were to (i) investigate local community perceptions on trends and causes of climate change, (ii) identify biophysical impacts of climate change at the local level, and (iii) explore the ecosystem-based adaptation strategies towards climate change. The study used a mixed methods approach where a household questionnaire survey (n=320), key informant interviews (n=12), and focus group discussions (n=8) were used to collect data between April 2015 and October 2016. Results from the study show that local communities have observed decreasing rainfall and increasing temperatures as key indicators of climate change. Local communities observed water scarcity, changes in vegetation phenology, livestock and wildlife mortalities, and food shortages due to drought as the major impacts on their livelihoods. LEK can contribute to adaptive management strategies that enhance resilience of socioecological systems (SES) in the face of climate change by providing information on the status and use of biophysical components of the environment and by highlighting potential local adaptation strategies that can sustain key livelihood practices.

Synergy of local ecological knowledge, community involvement and scientific study to develop marine wildlife areas in eastern Arctic Canada

Polar Record ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark L. Mallory ◽  
Alain J. Fontaine ◽  
Jason A. Akearok ◽  
Victoria H. Johnston
Keyword(s):  
Community Involvement ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Canadian Arctic ◽  
Scientific Investigation ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Community ◽  
Marine Area ◽  
Anthropogenic Threats ◽  
Marine Wildlife

The Canadian Arctic provides important habitat for millions of marine birds. Some key habitat sites for these have already been protected, but many others lack official protected status and remain vulnerable to various anthropogenic threats. The authors worked with the community of Qikiqtarjuaq, Nunavut, to create two new National Wildlife Areas that protect the colonies, and the nearby marine area, of approximately 500,000 birds during the breeding season. The process has taken two decades to complete, in part due to misunderstanding and mistrust of government on the part of aboriginal residents. In this paper the path that led to the creation of these sites is traced. This has included the approach adopted to collaborating with the local community, incorporating aboriginal (local) ecological knowledge, conducting scientific surveys while building local capacity for further scientific investigation, and finding a solution that addressed the disparate interests of the various stakeholders in this process.

scholarly journals Drivers of Biodiversity Conservation in Sacred Groves: A Comparative Study of Three Sacred Groves in Southwest Nigeria.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Adeyanju ◽  
Janette Bulkan ◽  
Jonathan Onyekwelu ◽  
Guillaume Peterson St-Laurent ◽  
Robert Kozak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Local Community ◽  
World Heritage Site ◽  
Sacred Grove ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Sacred Groves ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Community Based Conservation ◽  
Southwest Nigeria ◽  
Traditional Norms

Globally, sacred groves represent a traditional form of community-based conservation system, recognized for their capacity to preserve areas that are of cultural and religious importance to local people. In most cases, the entire community takes on a watchdog role to guard against encroachment and unauthorized access either by its members or outsiders who might desecrate such sites. Our paper investigates the effects of different governance arrangements on three sacred groves in southwest Nigeria⎯Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove (UNESCO World Heritage Site); Idanre Hills (Nigerian National Monument) and Igbo-Olodumare (local cultural site)⎯on their socio-economic and religio-cultural benefits and contribution to biodiversity conservation. Using a mixed-methods design of a semi-structured questionnaire (n=167), key informant interviews (n=2), and focus groups (n=7), we collected data from local community members, traditional priests, sacred grove devotees and tourism officials. We found that customary institutions have guided reverence for sacralized spaces and wise utilization of their unique resources. The growing recognition of sacred groves has paved the way for socioeconomic rewards for individuals and government as cultural tourism increases. We found that the involvement of formal institutions alongside customary institutions in sacred grove management reinforces compliance with conservation laws within the sacred groves, especially where traditional norms are weak or may be disregarded. We discuss the implications of these observations and offer suggestions to improve community engagement, uphold traditional ecological knowledge, and develop ecotourism within the groves. We conclude that the co-existence of community-based conservation through a system of established traditional norms and prohibitions as well as formal government legislation and management, offers assurance for the long-term preservation of sacred groves and their biodiversity.

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