Local Traditional Knowledge Research Articles

Saberes tradicionales y transición agroecológica en la Mixteca Poblana

Este artículo contiene resultados de una amplia investigación realizada en la comuni-dad rural de Ayoxuxtla de Zapata, en la Mixteca Baja Poblana. El objetivo principal de la investigación es ubicar, describir y analizar procesos agroecológicos desde la estre-cha relación entre saberes, prácticas y creencias; considerando que los saberes locales tradicionales (la cultura) están en conexión con las implicaciones prácticas (produc-tivas) y el desarrollo de un cosmos en la reproducción de las creencias. Se parte de la hipótesis de que los saberes tradicionales forman parte de la identidad local y son elementos fundamentales de la transición agroecológica. Se describen y analizan pro-cesos bióticos y culturales relacionados con agroecosistemas tradicionales, como el del tlacolol. Con el enfoque teórico de la etnoecología y mediante una etnografía vasta, se realiza la lectura integral sobre conocimientos, prácticas y creencias, lo cual se siste-matiza y presenta en una matriz biocultural. En el cuadro sobre tramas epistémicas de ambas actividades agrícolas se presenta la comparación con sistemas productivos de la agroindustria, como los invernaderos de monocultivo que se encuentran en la región.

Arguments based on biocultural diversity to cease abandonment of traditional agricultural systems: Lessons from Poland

The Polish rural cultural landscape is inherently linked to a special, centuries-old system that combines agricultural tradition and biodiversity. One of such environmentally, ecologically, agriculturally, historically, and culturally unique areas is the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland. Home to small agricultural holdings, this diversified mosaic is where agricultural, husbandry, craft, and local industry experience is handed down the generational chain. Developmental changes and progress are becoming the gravest threats to the area. The purpose of the paper is to assess traditional agricultural systems in the Lesser Poland part of the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland considering landscape features, agricultural biodiversity, food and livelihood security, traditional local knowledge systems, cultural values—in particular, systems of values—and social organisations that promote them. The research shows that biodiversity is entwined with cultural diversity. The vanishing of agricultural systems due to changed socio-economic conditions and environmental overprotection is a serious threat to the biological and cultural diversity in the upland. The authors employed a SWOT analysis—a tool that can investigate interactions and determine the best development strategy—to identify relationships between cultural and biological diversity.

Features of Tourist Routes in the Republic of Sakha: Extreme Tours, Unique Natural Sites, Archaeological and Ritual Attractions

Tourism is an important element of the social and economic development of Russia. The northern territories play an important role in the development of the Russian economy in general and the tourism industry in particular. Nordic tourism involves careful respect for environmental and social sustainability, the promotion of traditional local knowledge and value systems, and the preservation of local cultural heritage and cultural landscapes. The article analyses the promotion of the tourism potential of Yakutia. The northern territories of Russia are rich in natural resources and economic potential but do not have an effective tourist infrastructure due to the harsh climate and vast territories of permafrost. The study presents the results of the analysis of the main tourist routes of the Sakha Republic. The main factors for the development of tourism were determined by a set of landscape characteristics (unique nature of the Lena River, biological diversity of flora and fauna), ethnocultural and historical context, as well as infrastructure considerations (proximity to the capital, inexpensive transport, and engineering systems). The study demonstrated that scientific tourism in Central Yakutia is quite real and has great prospects due to the unique landscapes. It can also give impetus to new scientific discoveries. Defining and describing cultural landscapes, collecting field materials and mapping cultural and landscape zoning can simplify the work for the creators of tourist routes in the future.

Do Wild Polar Bears (<i>Ursus maritimus</i>) Use Tools When Hunting Walruses (<i>Odobenus rosmarus</i>)?

Since the late 1700s, reports of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) using tools (i.e., pieces of ice or stones) to kill walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) have been passed on verbally to explorers and naturalists by their Inuit guides, based on local traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) as well as accounts of direct observations or interpretations of tracks in the snow made by the Inuit hunters who reported them. To assess the possibility that polar bears may occasionally use tools to hunt walruses in the wild, we summarize 1) observations described to early explorers and naturalists by Inuit hunters about polar bears using tools, 2) more recent documentation in the literature from Inuit hunters and scientists, and 3) recent observations of a polar bear in a zoo spontaneously using tools to access a novel food source. These observations and previously published experiments on brown bears (Ursus arctos) confirm that, in captivity, polar and brown bears are both capable of conceptualizing the use of a tool to obtain a food source that would otherwise not be accessible. Based on the information from all our sources, this may occasionally also have been the case in the wild. We suggest that possible tool use by polar bears in the wild is infrequent and mainly limited to hunting walruses because of their large size, difficulty to kill, and their possession of potentially lethal weapons for both their own defense and the direct attack of a predator.

Awareness of traditional knowledge and attitudes towards wildlife conservation among Maasai communities: The case of Enkusero Sampu Conservancy, Kajiado County in Kenya

AbstractTraditional wildlife conservation methods and attitude towards wildlife conservation are key for the success of wildlife conservation intervention. This study examined awareness of traditional wildlife conservation measures and socio‐demographic factors associated with attitudes towards wildlife conservation among the Maasai communities living in Enkusero Sampu Conservancy (ESC) in Kajiado County, Kenya. Data were based on a cross‐sectional household survey conducted from 02 February to 23 March 2018, among 278 heads of households. Analysis entails cross‐tabulation with chi‐square test and estimation of a multivariate logistic regression model. Awareness of traditional wildlife conservation methods and attitude towards wildlife conservation were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with gender and household size. Heads of household who were aware of traditional wildlife conservation methods were aged 50 or more years. While people from smaller household size (<6 persons) were more likely to have a positive attitude towards wildlife conservation. Those who experienced livestock predation or crop destruction by wild animals were less likely to have a positive attitude towards wildlife conservation. The findings underscore the need for conservation managers to factor in local people's traditional knowledge and attitudes to foster sustainable wildlife conservation in areas surrounding and within wildlife conservation areas.

Traditional Dimensions of Seabed Resource Management in the Context of Deep Sea Mining in the Pacific: Learning From the Socio-Ecological Interconnectivity Between Island Communities and the Ocean Realm

In many of the Pacific Islands, local communities have long-held cultural and spiritual attachments to the sea, in particular to species and specific marine areas, processes, habitats, islands, and natural seabed formations. Traditional knowledge, customary marine management approaches and integrated relationships between biodiversity, ecosystems and local communities promote conservation and ensure that marine benefits are reaped in a holistic, sustainable and equitable manner. However, the interaction between local traditional knowledge, contemporary scientific approaches to marine resource management and specific regulatory frameworks has often been challenging. To some extent, the value of community practices and customary law, which have provided an incentive for regional cooperation and coordination around ocean governance, is acknowledged in several legal systems in the Pacific and a number of regional and international instruments, but this important connection can be further enhanced. In this article we present a science-based overview of the marine habitats that would be affected by deep seabed mining (DSM) along with an analysis of some traditional dimensions and cultural/societal aspects of marine resource management. We then assess whether the applicable legal frameworks at different levels attach sufficient importance to these traditional dimensions and to the human and societal aspects of seabed (mineral) resource management in the region. On the basis of this analysis, we identify best practices and formulate recommendations with regard to the current regulatory frameworks and seabed resource management approaches. Indeed, the policies and practices developed in the Pacific could well serve as a suitable model elsewhere to reconcile commercial, ecological, cultural and social values within the context of deep sea mineral exploitation in addition to sustaining the Human Well-being and Sustainable Livelihoods (HWSL) of the Pacific communities and the health of the Global Ocean.

Permaculture gardening, the first step of food sustainability in the tropical freshwater wetland

Climate change has been causing severe damage in Kalimantan, such as forest fires in the dry season and flooding in the monsoon rain has been understood. Both of these results in loss of social-economic properties and environmental assets, and possible to create a climate emergence, especially in wetlands. The research about how the local people use traditional ways to revive their food and income through Permaculture garden in wetland has been conducted from 2018 – 2020. This research aims to elucidate the local people capability in use their local wisdom, traditional knowledge and ecological attitude on providing food in the transition of the wetland environment, through implementation of Permaculture concepts, learning and interaction.. About sixty voluntary respondents involve in forum group discussion, deep interview, and Permaculture gardening. The result shows that informal and local unique interaction among the local in implementing traditional, ecological knowledge and attitude in Permaculture gardening able to produce vegetables and fruits for daily, monthly and annual income. Thus, the observation of the implementation and the interaction on the concept of Permacultures may be possible to ensure us about the local sustainable food provision.

The Practices of Traditional knowledge and Wisdom by Multi-Ethnics on Swidden Agriculture of Kalimantan, Indonesia

Local wisdom and traditional knowledge have so far been neglected in the management of natural resources, especially in swidden agriculture or shifting cultivation (in Indonesian term so called ladang), whereas in reality there are still many communities of swiddeners practicing these traditional wisdom and knowledge. To promote an ecologically friendly agricultural system, this traditional wisdom plays an important role because it does not use chemicals that can damage the environment. However, there are still many local wisdoms, especially in farming practices that carried out by different ethnic groups in Indonesia, that have not been identified and have not been integrated so that they have not provided great benefits for environmentally and friendly agriculture. The objectives of the research are: (1) to explore traditional knowledge and wisdoms that believed by multiple ethnics on the practicing of Swidden Agriculture; and (2) to integrate the various traditional knowledge and wisdoms at every stage of work in swidden agriculture to improve rice productivity This research was conducted from December 2020 to March 2021 in Kalimantan, especially the Provinces of East Kalimantan and North Kalimantan, Indonesia. This research is a qualitative descriptive study. Data and information were collected by in-depth interviews with 15 key informants who mastered traditional agricultural wisdom from different ethnicities and sub-ethnicities. The data were analyzed using descriptive qualitative analysis. The results showed that the farming system was still widely practiced in the tropics by several ethnic groups who generally live in inland areas and utilize land and forests that are large enough for farming. In this cultivation system, various local wisdoms and knowledge are identified in practicing the swidden agriculture starting from the stages of looking for land, determining soil fertility, cutting, burning, controlling pests, harvesting and storing rice, especially rice for preparation of seeds for planting in the following year. The results of the research have also integrated various local knowledge and wisdom that are practiced by various ethnic groups at each activity stage so that when they combined, it can increase the production and productivity of upland rice and as a form of sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture. It is recommended that upland rice and upland rice farmers can adopt traditional wisdom from different ethnicities which are considered appropriate to local conditions. The government is also expected to acknowledge and support the practice of local wisdom in farming and utilizing forests as a form of environmental preservation.

Ethnobotanical study of some wild edible plants in Hujran Basin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

    Ethnobotany is a cross-disciplinary science at the confluence of the natural sciences, social economics and ecological studies, all within political and society framework. Ethnobotanical activities are an important component in the natural resources and ecosystem services, and play a key role in the human life development. In this context, the traditional knowledge has always been transferred from generation to generation throughout the natural course of everyday life, and in most cases is not written down anywhere. The present study was carried out during seasons (spring, summer, and fall) at (2018), in order to investigate and record the local traditional knowledge about the wild plants used in the food and medicine of Erbil Hujran Basin and its surroundings, Because of that Hujran Basin locate inside the Zagros area. The site study is located to the right of the main Salahaddin-Shaqlawa road, around 40 km far from the Erbil city and surrounded by Sefin Mountain and Hujran hills. Here This study involved interviews of 68 individuals, those with, maximum possible divers age, education level and gender categories to cover the traditional knowledge of the wild edible plants uses in this Basin area. Interestingly, a wide variety of plant species (87), belong to genera (67), families (25), used as wild edibles in Hujran area. The most dominant plant families were Fabaceae (13 taxa), Asteraceae (12 taxa), Brassicaceae and Rosaceae 10 taxa). For all these wild edible plant species, we have provided there scientific and local names, frequency occurrences, part used, purposes use. Of these total plant species, 66 were herbaceous species while only 12 and 9 were shrubs and trees, respectively. Overall, these wild edible plants were harvested according to different part uses and stages (seedling stage, leaves, shoot, fruit, flowers, bulbs, gum). The most striking result to emerge from the data is that the wild edible plants were found to be used for various purposes (Dolma, spice, salad, boiled and fried with egg, jam, eaten raw, etc.). The findings of this research study have important implications for developing a global biological conservation strategy to preserve simultaneously the remarkable biodiversity and ethnobotanical heritages of the Kurdistan Region known by its high multicultural and multiethnic communities.

An Assessment of Local Use Pattern and Traditional Knowledge on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Kapilvastu District Nepal

Background: Nepal is rich in culture, tradition, knowledge of traditional health practices. In fact, traditional healing practices have been a strong cultural and scientific heritage in this country. The majority of people (80%) in Nepal continue to rely on these practices of health care. Practitioners of this traditional medical wisdom are called as traditional healers (THs). THs are prevalent in every ethnic group and community. Majority of rural people are very dependent on traditional medical practices of THs who mostly use locally available medicinal herbs and spiritual methods to treat diseases. Therefore, this study had investigated whether traditional healers had the knowledge, skill, practices and technology of diagnosis and treatment of diseases which could be utilized to assist in providing health care services to rural people in Nepal.
 Materials and Methods: Using a cross-sectional research design a total of 25 traditional healers from Kapilvasttu district of Nepal were interviewed. Responses on the following topics were obtained: socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, skill and practice regarding medicinal plants use. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the responses.
 Results: Traditional healers’ knowledge, skill, practice and technology of diagnosis and treatment of diseases were related to tradition and culture of particular ethnic groups and communities. Majority of THs (n=25) are male (73.33%) and Hindu (88.29%) by religion. They mostly used medicinal plants (85.6%) singly or in combination with shaman, spiritual and others techniques. Less than 22.5% of THs had got training from health related institutions formally. Rest of the THs had acquired the knowledge and skill of traditional healing practices from ancestors, colleagues, self-study, from guru (traditional teachers), grandparents etc. Some of the both trained and untrained traditional healers would treat 52 types of diseases including gastro-intestinal and cardiac disorders, HIV, cancer, mental disorders, fractures and other common diseases with 79 known medicinal plants.
 Conclusion: The results indicate that traditional healers (THs) have acquired traditional medical knowledge, skill, practice and technology from their ancestors, teachers, trainings etc. They use medicinal plants as a means of treatment for providing primary health care to local people in the communities. This is significant considering, that are serving the health needs of a large percentage of the Nepalese rural population. However, further health policy and development of controlling mechanism for them on the treatment related issues is necessary.
 Keywords:Traditional healers, medicinal plants, traditional medicines, Nepal

Ethnobotanical survey of traditionally used medicinal plants in Deulgaon Raja Tehsil

Plants are used by tribal traditions in India in the treatment of many diseases; the traditional healers are on the decline because the younger members of the tribe have started moving towards the towns and cities and are not willing to practice this form of medicine. There is danger that the knowledge of these medicinal plants will also die with them. Some useful species are under serious threat due to unsustainable activities. Hence, a proper documentation of useful plants with their present status and local traditional knowledge as well as practices is urgently needed. The paper enumerates the traditional uses of 11 plant species belonging to 11 families, which are used by the tribal communities of the Buldhana district for the treatment of various diseases.

Pandemics and Sustainable Human Nature Relations: A Case study in Baduy Community, South Banten, Indonesia

In the past, traditional people across cultures in the world in utilizing and managing natural resources and the environment were based on the local knowledge (LK) or Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and embedded with culture, so that the environment was avoided from damage. Today, as a result of changes in human behavior towards the environment, it has caused various environmental damages and the emergence of pandemic diseases, such as the Covid-19. This article elucidates the relationship between human and natures and environmental changes that have caused emergence of pandemic diseases, including Covid-19. Various efforts have been undertaken by the Indonesian government to cope Covid-19. For example, to prevent the widespread spread of Covid-19 in society, the Indonesian government has recommended every individual to implement the standard health protocols, such as by applying ‘three m’:menjaga jarak(physical distancing),mencuci tangan dengan sabun(washing hands with soap), andmenggunakan masker(wearing masks). Culturally, most of the rural communities in Indonesia initially have a tradition of maintaining health in the family based on local knowledge and strongly embedded by culture, as shown by the traditional people of Baduy community who reside in Village of Kanekes, South Banten. Therefore, the authors suggest that various multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary studies, including the Ethnobiology study, should be carried out more intensively in Indonesia because the results of these studies can be useful for the development of science, and the practical results could be used to integrate with Western scientific knowledge to support various sustainable development programs, such as disaster management, including pandemics that are caused by viruses due to environmental changes..

El conocimiento tradicional hñähñu de las características físicas de la fibra de ixtle (Agave spp.)

This article presents an ethnographic description of the artisanal production of maguey fiber in Indigenous hñähñu localities of the Mezquital Valley in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. From an ethnobotanical perspective, that considers the physical characteristics of the fibers, a description is provided of the selection and extraction process, the preparation of the leaves before the defibration process, the defibration process itself, and the subsequent treatment of the ixtle (maguey fiber), as well as the carding techniques. Results show that both the selection process (species, variant, age of the leaf, and its central or marginal location) and the preparation of the fiber itself are variable but firmly rooted in local traditional ecological knowledge that corresponds with the required physical characteristics of length (cm), thickness (µm), linear density (dtex), tensile strength (N), and color of the fibers for textile production.

Saberes tradicionales locales y el cambio climático global

Los conocimientos o saberes tradicionales locales están estrechamente relacionados con la cultura de las comunidades, las relaciones sociales y con sus ecosistemas, representan la cosmovisión de los pueblos mesoamericanos. Es así como el conocimiento del clima a través de la historia siempre ha estado presente de diferentes formas: calendario agrícola, cabañuelas, el tipo y forma de nubes, se puede constatar que el cambio climático ha estado afectando, a los ciclos biológicos de las plantas y animales y al ser humano y modificando estos saberes. El objetivo central, se presenta un análisis del modo de vida inherente a los saberes tradiciones en la agricultura de granos básicos en la región Sierra Alta de Hidalgo. La metodología que se implementó es con un enfoque cualitativo, el método es deductivo, con estudio descriptivo, para la técnica de recolección y análisis se aplicó una encuesta estructurada. Se concluye, que estos saberes están amenazados gravemente, debido a los procesos de aculturación, dado que la población adopta nuevos patrones culturales, ajenos a ellas, abandonando u olvidando saberes ancestrales, ello limita la adaptación, mitigación y combate al Cambio Climático a nivel local y global.

Transiciones socio-tecnológicas en el Soconusco. La reconfiguración del paisaje a través de nichos de innovación en fincas cafetaleras

Se analizaron las transiciones sociales y tecnológicas que han tenido las fincas cafetaleras en el Soconusco, Chiapas, para mantenerse competitivas ante el estrés climático que anualmente amenaza la producción agrícola, así como ante los shocks económicos y políticos con respecto a los precios y comercialización internacional del café en las últimas cuatro décadas. Se recurre al concepto de transiciones socio-tecnológicas, destacando los nichos de innovación que desde la segunda mitad del siglo XX han implementado los propietarios de las fincas en sus prácticas de cultivo y políticas laborales; estos nichos han escalado a nuevos regímenes tecnológicos que han configurado un nuevo paisaje socio-tecnológico a nivel región. Se emplearon datos obtenidos a partir de literatura especializada con información recabada en trabajo de campo, entrevistando a finqueros y a productores del Soconusco, concluyendo que el régimen socio-tecnológico regional transitó de la explotación laboral y el monocultivo a la inclusión y la cooperación social, la valoración ambiental y cultural de los recursos regionales.

Disappearing reeds on Chongming Island: An environmental microhistory of Chinese eco-development

This paper critically examines current ecological development planning and practice in China through an environmental microhistory approach. By tracing the gradual disappearance of an indigenous plant – the common reed ( Phragmites australis) – on Chongming Island in Shanghai, which is known for the grand Eco-Islands development plan, this paper reveals the paradox of ecological destruction through eco-development in China. Based on data collected from archives, through oral history and through on-site fieldwork, we have reconstructed and analysed the transformation of Chongming Island’s reed ecology over time. Our research documents the historical importance of reeds to Chongming culture and identity. The transformation of the reed landscape mirrors, we argue, broader environmental and social transformations on the island. The near extinction of the once abundant reed in the coastal wetlands due to massive land reclamation projects for the purpose of industrialisation and urbanisation is a reflection of the prevailing pursuit for economic growth. Land reclamation projects in the early 2000s were facilitated by the planting of an invasive grass that replaced reeds and other native wetland plants. Ironically, the invasive grass served to legitimise continuous land reclamation as part of Chongming’s eco-development. Moreover, reeds that grew by the rivers and constituted a central part of local livelihoods were gradually wiped out as a result of a series of river regulation projects under the eco-development. Our research reveals that the current ecological agenda has privileged modern engineering solutions and aesthetics while largely ignoring local traditional knowledge. The case of Chongming delivers a sobering message that well-intentioned ecological initiatives can in fact have disastrous effects if the local environment, its ecological features, cultural characteristics, and historical and social contexts are not fully considered. Overall, this paper pioneers an environmental microhistory approach in evaluating contemporary urban ecological initiatives and contributes methodological and empirical insights to advance Chinese eco-developments.

An ethnobotanical analysis on flora-medicine continuum among the tribal inhabitants of Ratnagiri and Palghar district, Maharashtra, India

Background: Considering the applicability of wild plants in the pharmaceutical industries, two tribal predominant areas of Maharashtra- Sangameshwar Taluka (Ratnagiri district) and Saphale village (Palghar district) - were chosen to document the local traditional knowledge about medicinal plants. Methods: The ethnomedicinal data were collected through a questionnaire-based survey and extensive personal dialogues adopting the chain sampling referral method with native villagers and Hakims (Traditional healers). The field-based investigations were carried out from September 2017 to April 2018 under the regulatory directives of K.J. Somaiya College of Science and Commerce (Autonomous- affiliated to University of Mumbai). Results: A total of 51 Traditional Medicinal Plants (TMPs) were documented from the responses of 92 inhabitants in the study areas. The investigators taxonomically categorized these plants into their botanical families, yielding the results- 22 dicot families, 7 monocot families, 2 magnoliids, and 1 pteridophytic family- for the present study. Results revealed that leaves were the most frequently used medicinal part of the documented species and decoction was the most commonly prepared medicinal formulation. Conclusion: Of the 51 TMPs, six medicinal plants- Adhatoda vasica, Aloe vera, Ampelocissus latifolia, Glossocardia bosvallia, Ricinus communis, and Woodfordia fruticosa - were found to be common in both the study regions. We believed that social factors tend to influence the traditional medicinal knowledge since the same plants were known by different names for treating two unlike ailments. Highest use reports were observed for Terminalia paniculata in Sangameshwar Taluka (Ratnagiri district) and Ampelocissus latifolia in Saphale village (Palghar district). The study realised the fact that both the areas were rich in floral vegetation with interminable floral diversity but remained botanically virgin and unexplored neither for medicinal nor for scientific endeavors. Keywords: Ethnobotany, Traditional medicinal plants (TMPs), Tribal, Hakims, Maharashtra

A learning network approach to resolve conservation challenges in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) is a protected area and UNESCO World Heritage Site and part of the Serengeti‐Ngorongoro Biosphere reserve in northern Tanzania. It is famous for its large volcanic caldera, unique cultural heritage, early hominid fossils and significant wildlife populations. NCA has been managed as a multiple land‐use area since 1959, a designation intended to foster a harmonious coexistence between indigenous residents and wildlife (Goldstein, 2004).

Shuttling between Land and Sea: Contemporary Practices among Amis Spearfishing Men as a Foundation for Local Marine-Area Management

This paper explores how the Amis people on the east coast of Taiwan who practice freediving spearfishing manage the local marine area. Among the coastal Amis people, freediving spearfishing is not only a way of life but is also closely related to ritual ceremonies. Amis spearfishing men are knowledgeable of the near-shore sea and coast, and the practice of spearfishing collectively cultivates their ability to deal with both public affairs and human relations in the community. However, the Taiwanese government regards spearfishing guns as weapons and restricts them. Furthermore, the assumption that spearfishing destroys the coral ecosystem and fishery resources means that the practice is often demonized or increasingly restrained. In this paper, I argue that local marine Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) among Amis spearfishing men can be the foundation for local marine conservation under the concept of community-based natural-resource management (CBNRM), involving both the local Amis community and the government, in spite of both parties still having their own issues to overcome.

Shifting Strategies between Generations in Sami Reindeer Husbandry: the Challenges of Maintaining Traditions while Adapting to a Changing Context

Many traditional pastoralist systems are greatly impacted by cumulative encroachments of other land users and by climate change. Understanding land degradation and the adaptive capacity of people who are dependent on the rangelands is an urgent priority for many areas in the world. In this research we explore how changing environmental conditions affect herding strategies on winter pastures and the role of indigenous and local traditional knowledge (ILK) in Sami reindeer husbandry. Our results indicate that traditional Sami reindeer herding strategies are still practiced, but that rapidly changing environmental circumstances are forcing herders into uncharted territories where these traditional strategies and the transmission of knowledge between generations may be of limited use. For example, rotational grazing is no longer possible as all pastures are being used, and changes in climate result in unpredictable weather patterns unknown to earlier generations.