\u201cWisdom of the Elders\u201d or \u201cLoss of Experience\u201d as a Mechanism to Explain the Decline in Traditional Ecological Knowledge: A Case Study on Awaji Island, Japan

Yoshihiro Sawada,Kaori Okui,Takehito Yoshida

doi:10.1007/s10745-021-00237-w

Abstract

Previous studies have reported that older people are more knowledgeable about nature than the younger generation. The relationship between people’s age and level of knowledge can be explained via two mechanisms: knowledge increases with age (wisdom of the elders), and opportunities to acquire knowledge decrease with successive generations (loss of experience). In this study, we examined the association between age and knowledge regarding the use of wild fruits among people living on Awaji Island in Japan. Analysis of the results revealed that the decline in knowledge among young people can be attributed to loss of experience. Furthermore, we found that the channels of knowledge transfer have changed between generations, earlier, children received it from their peers, but in recent years, it has been coming to them from older people and teachers.

Highlights

Local ecological knowledge (LEK) refers to human’s ability to use their natural surroundings, and especially the knowledge that has been passed down through generations, is called traditional ecological knowledge (TEK)
Ltd., Tokyo, Japan 3 University of Hyogo, Hyogo, Japan 4 Awaji Landscape Planning and Horticulture Academy, Hyogo, Japan 5 Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan 6 University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan focused on the knowledge of indigenous peoples, known as Indigenous Ecological Knowledge; in contrast, knowledge regarding the use of natural resources in developed countries has gained attention in recent years
If the age effect is predominant over the cohort effect, there exists possibility where knowledge increases with age, and young generations should acquire it in the future

Summary

Introduction

Local ecological knowledge (LEK) refers to human’s ability to use their natural surroundings, and especially the knowledge that has been passed down through generations, is called traditional ecological knowledge (TEK). TEK can be wide-ranging, including the knowledge and skills used in the conservation of rare species (Uchida and Kamura 2020), management of protected areas (Gómez-Baggethun et al 2010), and the use of sustainable resources (Berkes 1999). Gómez-Baggethun et al (2010) studied changes in traditional knowledge in agriculture and livestock farming among three generations in communities linked to protected areas in Doñana, southwestern Spain, revealing a decline in knowledge between generations. The local and traditional knowledge of using nature is for indigenous peoples, but is relevant for ecosystem management and conservation in other regions, including any developed countries

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