Role of traditional beliefs of Baima Tibetans in biodiversity conservation in China

Abstract

Baima Tibetans, a unique ethnic group inhabiting the hilly regions of the southern tip of Gansu Province, possess ancient religious beliefs and rich traditional knowledge. Baima Tibetans have developed their culture, traditional beliefs, knowledge, customs and resource use systems through their productive activities and living practices over many generations. These have played a critical role in conserving local biodiversity, including the giant panda, and preserving the livelihoods of local inhabitants. People in the local Baima community have a great sense of self-identity that is related to their traditional beliefs and knowledge. They possess a strong recognition of the role that traditional beliefs play in protecting their villages and conserving the wealth of biodiversity. Consequently, Baima peoples respect their traditional ways and the customary regulations of the village that relate to the conservation and use of natural resources. Biodiversity conservation and community development have faced challenges in Baima Tibetan communities in recent times, which are largely due to the imposition by external actors of a powerful development model based on modern scientific knowledge and technologies, a model that usually neglects the role that traditional religious beliefs, production practices, and local governance systems play in biodiversity conservation and community development. In this paper we analyze of these issues on how the Baima Tibetan people's traditional knowledge, practices, and local institutions may be better utilized to meet biodiversity conservation and community development needs in the future.