Loss Of Local Knowledge Research Articles

The Hybridisation, Resilience, and Loss of Local Knowledge and Natural Resource Management in Zambia

AbstractThe contribution of Indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) to natural resource management has recently gained increasing prominence in academia, policymaking, and civil society. However, persistent knowledge gaps concerning the contribution of ILK to sustainable landscape management remain. We investigate existing local knowledge and practices of the Tonga of Kalomo District, Zambia, and their contribution to sustainable landscape management by combining walking interviews with photovoice. Especially Tonga women and youth are important knowledge holders for land management, agricultural practices, and tree conservation. We found that local knowledge is often ‘hybridised’ with ‘external knowledge’ when local knowledge alone is deemed insufficient. In some cases, introduced ‘external knowledges’ are simply reconstituted long-standing local practices. Nevertheless, local communities often perceive external knowledge holders as “knowing better.” Finally, we show how local knowledge and associated practices have been simultaneously eroded and lost and describe those that have remained resilient to provide insights into the complexity of hybridisation processes where different knowledge systems interact.

Impact of Climate Change on Traditional Agricultural Practices: An Ethnoecological Perspective

This research discusses the impact of climate change on traditional agricultural practices from an ethnoecological perspective. Through a literature review method, we analyzed various relevant sources to understand the complexity of the relationship between humans, the environment, and culture in the context of global climate change. Findings indicate that climate change poses serious challenges to the sustainability of traditional agricultural systems, such as changing weather patterns, vulnerability of agricultural ecosystems, and loss of local knowledge. However, local knowledge also offers significant adaptation potential in facing climate change, with the integration of traditional knowledge and modern science being key to developing effective adaptation strategies. In conclusion, this research highlights the importance of understanding and preserving the sustainability of traditional agricultural practices in the era of climate change.

Local wisdom-based tourism and creative economy development strategies in Cisantana Village

The objective of this research is to perform an analysis aimed at identifying tourism development strategies for Cisantana village in the Cigugur district of Kuningan regency, as no tourism development model has been previously studied in this area. Semi-structured interviews with 100 respondents, including village authorities, company owners, tourist object managers, and Kuningan district office officials, were conducted throughout the research's six-month period from February to August 2023. It employs descriptive qualitative analysis. Literature, FGDs, interviews, and observation are used to acquire data. Using Nvivo 12 software, qualitative data analysis approaches were used. The findings indicated that the tourism and creative economy development model based on local wisdom in Cisantana village can be developed through strategies including a) prioritizing local tourism businesses, b) contributions from all parties, c) community empowerment, d) cooperation, collaboration, and synergy across sectors, e) strengthening partnerships so they don't become competitors, f) sustainability and continuity, g) infrastructure improvement, h) research studies and development applications. The benefits of tourist development and creative companies include great tourism potential, boosting local economies, enhancing local knowledge, and chances to build businesses and jobs for nearby areas. The marginalization of farmer groups, the decrease of cultural culture, the appearance of trash, waste, and pollution in tourist regions, as well as the loss of local knowledge, are the negative effects. The public sector, the government, and other relevant parties can benefit from this study. The research's overall goal is to improve public awareness of the value of fostering a creative economy and tourism based on local knowledge.

Use of wild edible and nutraceutical plants in Raya-Azebo District of Tigray Region, northern Ethiopia

BackgroundAlthough there is a wide use of wild edible plants (WEPs) in Ethiopia, very little work has so far been done, particularly, in the Tigray Region, northern Ethiopia, to properly document the associated knowledge. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to document knowledge and analyze data related to the use of wild edible and nutraceutical plants in Raya-Azebo District of Tigray Region. The district was prioritized for the study to avoid the further loss of local knowledge and discontinuation of the associated practices because of the depletion of wild edible plants in the area mainly due to agricultural expansion and largely by private investors.MethodsA cross-sectional ethnobotanical study was carried out in the study District to collect data through individual interviews held with purposively selected informants, observation, market surveys, and ranking exercises. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods were employed to analyze and summarize the data using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.ResultsThe study documented 59 WEPs, the majority of which (57.63%) were sought for their fruits. Most of the WEPs (49 species) were consumed in the autumn, locally called qewei, which includes the months of September, October, and November. Ziziphus spina-christi L. Desf., Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del. and Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller were the most preferred WEPs. Both interviews and local market surveys revealed the marketability of Opuntia ficus-indica, Ziziphus spina-christi, Ficus vasta Forssk., Ficus sur Forssk., and Balanites aegyptiaca. Of the total WEPs, 21 were reported to have medicinal (nutraceutical) values, of which Balanites aegyptiaca and Acacia etbaica scored the highest rank order priority (ROP) values for their uses to treat anthrax and skin infections, respectively.ConclusionsThe current investigation demonstrated the wide use of WEPs in the district. In future nutritional composition analysis studies, priority should be given to the most popular WEPs, and nutraceutical plants with the highest ROP values.

Exploring Grassroots Renewable Energy Transitions: Developing a Community-Scale Energy Model

Decarbonizing energy systems through the integration of decentralized renewable energy generators creates opportunities for community-scale actors to participate in energy system decision-making. However, typical modelling approaches exclude community stakeholders, causing a loss of local knowledge. This exclusion is problematic for Indigenous peoples in so-called Canada where the natural resource industry harms their land and communities. The Exploring Grassroots Renewable Energy Transitions (EGRET) platform introduced in this work presents an alternative to typical energy system modelling because it facilitates community participation throughout the model development and application process. This platform was developed in partnership with a local First Nation's energy specialist to assess whether solar panels could increase community energy sovereignty. The platform's user interface, visualization suite, and high-speed machine learning models make energy system modelling accessible to community members through interactive workshops. In the future, the EGRET approach could be generalized for stakeholder-led renewable energy exploration in other community settings.

Traditional sports and games among the S\xe1mi people in Northern Fennoscandia (S\xe1pmi): an ethnobiological perspective

IntroductionModern sports equipment is nowadays manufactured industrially according to globally accepted and standardized models, but traditionally tools for play and games were prepared from materials found in the local environment. The objective of this article is to investigate various aspects of Sámi local knowledge about organisms used for their material culture of traditional sports and games in northern Fennoscandia (Sápmi). What functions did the surrounding biota have in the production of equipment used in sports and games?MethodsA qualitative method was used; the ethnographic literature and travel narratives have been analyzed particularly for descriptions and notes on traditional games, toys, and sports.ResultsBefore the turn of the twentieth century, bats, balls, and skis were seldom produced in factories, but by children and adults who utilized available materials from the surrounding environment. The manufacture of tools for play and games was characterized by a rich creativity in the use of various biological and natural resources. A wide range of such resources is presented in this article, among them the bracket fungus Fomitopsis betulina, used for making balls, reindeer antlers utilized for lassoing contests, and pine bark painted with reindeer blood, prepared for playing cards. We also highlight how tools usually associated with means of transport could switch functions and serve playful and competitive purposes, such as skis made of compression pine or walking sticks of birch: The former were used in skiing races, and the latter appeared in fencing competitions.ConclusionThe industrialization of the material culture of sports has been contributed to a loss of local knowledge and familiarity with locally available organic stuffs for producing equipment for play and games. By reconnecting with previous knowledge of traditional games, we discover a potentially new direction for modern sports and games, shifting from globalization to environmentalization. Such an environmentalization could permit the local environmental context define the content, meaning and structure of sports, and simultaneously enrich both sports and outdoor life.

Decision-Making to Diversify Farm Systems for Climate Change Adaptation

On-farm diversification is a promising strategy for farmers to adapt to climate change. However, few recommendations exist on how to diversify farm systems in ways that best fit the agroecological and socioeconomic challenges farmers face. Farmers’ ability to adopt diversification strategies is often stymied by their aversion to risk, loss of local knowledge, and limited access to agronomic and market information, this is especially the case for smallholders. We outline seven steps on how practitioners and researchers in agricultural development can work with farmers in decision-making on on-farm diversification of cropping, pasture, and agroforestry systems while taking into account these constraints. These seven steps are relevant for all types of farmers but particularly for smallholders in tropical and subtropical regions. It is these farmers who are usually most vulnerable to climate change and who are, subsequently, often the target of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) interventions. Networks of agricultural innovation provide an enabling environment for on-farm diversification. These networks connect farmers and farmer organizations with local, national, or international private companies, public organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and research institutes. These stakeholders can work with farmers to develop diversified production systems incorporating both high-value crops and traditional food production systems. These diversified farm systems with both food and cash crops act as a safety net in the event of price fluctuations or other disruptions to crop value chains. In this way, farmers can adapt their farm systems to climate change in ways that provide greater food security and improved income.

Knowledge of Native Edible Plants in a Monoculture Plantation-Dominated Landscape

The loss of forests is a factor that could account for the loss of local knowledge about edible plants. In Chile, the replacement of native vegetation by monoculture plantations of exotic trees has been the main cause of forest loss in recent times. We assess whether this loss of forests affects knowledge of wild edible plants by conducting household surveys in coastal rural localities in south-central Chile, subject to different degrees of replacement of forests. Based on the extinction of experience concept, we analyzed changes in knowledge of edible plants, as well as their gathering and use, through interviews comprised of freelisting and open-ended questions. Our results suggest that loss of native vegetation leads to a reduction in knowledge and use of native edible plants by the local population, but that this reduction occurs at a slower pace than land-use change. Individuals exposed to abundant native forest cover in the past have greater knowledge of edible plants today.

MEDICINAL PLANTS OF SELECTED WETLANDS IN PANNISSERY AREA, THRISSUR DISTRICT, KERALA–A PRELIMINARY SURVEY

Objective: Wetlands are vital ecosystem which provides livelihoods for millions of people who live within around them. Man depends on wetlands for most of his needs from time immemorial. The present study is a preliminary step for the identification of valuable medicinal plants in the wetlands of Pannissery area. This attempt was made since it is equally important to understand the traditional medicines and beliefs as well as to have scientific awareness for protection and conservation of the sewetlands.
 Methods: Frequent field visits were carried out from September 2018 to January 2019 to collect different Wetland medicinal plants in Pannissery area, Kandanassery Panchayath, Thrissur district. Plants were collected carefully with hand and identified by using the standard literature such as Flora of the Presidency of Madras by J. S. Gamble, 1915-1936. The collected plants were authenticated by a plant Taxonomist Dr. Udayan. P. S. from the Post Graduate and Research Department of Botany, Sree Krishna College, Guruvayur.
 Results: A slight alteration of the wetland may result in the disappearance or the extinction of these plants [1].
 Conclusion: This will ultimately result in large scale economic loss in terms of the medicinal product. Apart from the loss of plants, this will also result in the loss of local knowledge on the medicinal properties of these plants which very often can't be retrieved. An attempt has been made to document some of the little known medicinal properties of wetland plants used by local community.

MEDICINAL PLANTS OF SELECTED WETLANDS IN ARIYANNUR, THRISSUR DISTRICT, KERALA–A PRELIMINARY STUDY

Objective: Wetlands are a vital ecosystem which provides livelihoods for millions of people who live within around them. The main aim of this study is to identify the wetland medicinal plants, medicinal values of wetland medicinal plants, to evaluate the current status of the medicinal plant diversity in wetlands of Ariyannoor area, importance of wetlands, to build awareness.
 Methods: Frequent field visits were carried out from September 2018 to January 2019 to collect different Wetland medicinal plants in Ariyannur area, Kandanassery Panchayath, Thrissur district. Plants were collected carefully with hand and identified by using the standard literature such as Flora of the Presidency of Madras by J. S. Gamble, 1915-1936. The collected plants were authenticated by a plant Taxonomist Dr. Udayan. P. S. A total of 10 plant species was collected and identified during the investigation with potential medicinal value.
 Results: These plants are used for curing more than 20 diseases, including Blood dysentery, cough and cold, skin diseases, anemia etc. Herbs have been called part of “nature’s pharmacy”. Although their action can in some ways be similar to modern drugs, herbal remedies are generally gentler and safer. Many of the drugs used in conventional medicine are derived from herbs [1].
 Conclusion: Slight alteration of the wetland may result in the disappearance or the extinction of these plants2. This will ultimately result in large scale economic loss in terms of the medicinal product. Apart from the loss of plants, this will also result in the loss of local knowledge on the medicinal properties of these plants which very often can't be retrieved. An attempt has been made to document some of the little known medicinal properties of wetland plants used by local community.

Management of Wild Edible Fungi in the Meseta Purépecha Region, Michoacán, México

Ethnoecology is the study of the relationship between humans and their environments and components, including fungi. México is an exceptional setting for studying the interactions between humans and fungi, since most of the native cultures have interacted with these organisms for thousands of years. The state of Michoacán is particularly relevant, since nearly 11% of the fungi species recorded in Mexico occur there, 139 of which are edible. The aim of this study was to analyze the interactions of the Purépecha native communities with edible fungi and their environment, the position of mushrooms in the local worldview, and the classification system, management forms, and social and environmental problems associated with their use. Semi-structured interviews at regional markets were conducted. We conducted participant observation, proof interviews in harvesting areas, and workshops with the communities. Ethnoecological information was recorded for 21 edible fungi species and the environments where people interact with these mushrooms. People called hongueros (fungi handlers) identified the following environmental problems: A loss of local knowledge, a decreasing consumption of fungi among young people, land-use changes, the illegal extraction of forest resources, deforestation, unplanned urban growth, uncontrolled fires, livestock raising, and agricultural intensification. These issues affect fungi diversity, distribution, and abundance. All these factors, in turn, affect decreasing economic incomes associated with this activity and changes in the diets of the local people. Information from this study will help local authorities and people of the community to design management strategies for maintaining the environment and fungi, strategies which aim to contribute to the sustainable use of both fungi and forests.

Utilization of Family Zingiberaceae as medicinal plant by birth shaman along coastal zone in Jember District, East Java

Abstract. Puspitasari SOA, Asyiah IN, Astuti P. 2019. Utilization of family Zingiberaceae as medicinal plant by birth shaman along coastal zone in Jember District, East Java. Pros Sem Nas Masy Biodiv Indon 5: 444-449. The coastal area in Jember District, East Java has a long history of utilizing various species of plants in daily life, including as food, medicine or ritual processions. The knowledge of traditional medicine is obtained from generation to generation which is one of the studies of ethnobotany. However, along with the times and the advancement of modern medicine, the tradition of traditional medicine began to decline. Since the issuance of the Regulation of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia Number 1464 / Menkes / Per / X / 2010 concerning Permits and Implementation of Midwife Practices, it has the impact on the prohibition of the use of delivery services by birth shaman. This prohibition is feared to cause the loss of local knowledge regarding the use of medicinal plants by birth shaman, because of the birth shaman uses various medicinal plants. The medicinal plants are the most used, one of which comes from the family Zingiberaceae. This study aims to determine the various benefits of the members of family Zingiberaceae used by traditional birth attendants along the coast in Jember District. The type of research was descriptive exploratory and the sampling collections used purposive sampling and snowball sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews using open-ended type questions. The results showed that there are 6 plant species from the family Zingiberaceae used by a birth shaman along the coast in Jember District that is, ginger (Zingiber officinale), kencur (Kaempferia galanga), turmeric (Curcuma domestica), galangal (Alpinia galanga), temu kunci (Boesenbergia rotunda), and temulawak (Curcuma xanthorrhiza). Keywords: Coastal community, medicinal plants, Zingiberaceae

Cultural heritage and local ecological knowledge under threat: Two Caribbean examples from Barbuda and Puerto Rico

Cultural heritage and local ecological knowledge under threat: Two Caribbean examples from Barbuda and Puerto Rico Rebecca Boger, Sophia Perdikaris, Isabel Rivera-Collazo Abstract While the impacts to the infrastructures in Barbuda and Puerto Rico by Hurricanes Irma and Maria have received attention in the news media, less has been reported about the impacts of these catastrophic events on the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of these Caribbean islands. This report provides an assessment of the impacts on the cultural heritage by these storms; tangible heritageincludeshistoricbuildings, museums, monuments, documents and other artifacts and intangible heritageincludestraditionalartistry, festivities, and more frequent activities such as religious services and laundering. While the physical destruction was massive, the social contexts in which these islands existed lessened the resiliency of the people to respond and rebuild after the storms. While change may be inevitable for Barbuda and Puerto Rico, disaster capitalism is threatening the cultures of the people, and may result in the loss of local knowledge and practices. Full Text: PDF DOI: 10.15640/jaa.v7n2p1

The Role of Swidden Cultivation in Shaping Ethnozoological Knowledge: Integrating Historical Events and Intergenerational Analyses among Quilombolas from Southeast Brazil

In this article, we investigate the loss of local ecological knowledge (LEK) of wild mammals among quilombolas in southeastern Brazil. Using an Event Ecology approach, free listing exercises, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews, we recorded local knowledge relevant to wild mammals as well as key events in the life histories of residents. Next, we built a causal model connecting age; formal education; years outside the community; years in the pre-village context; and individuals' degree of LEK. Statistical analysis showed that the formation of sedentary communities and the abandonment of swidden cultivation among young people are the main sources of the erosion of LEK observed. This is the first study connecting a decrease in swidden cultivation with loss of local knowledge about fauna. The importance of swidden cultivation for non-agricultural domains of knowledge was somewhat surprising and particularly relevant in the current scenario of a worldwide collapse of this horticultural system.

Trees in a human-modified tropical landscape: Species and trait composition and potential ecosystem services

Worldwide, large areas of the tropics are transformed into simplified ecosystems characterised by altered tree species composition and diversity. Human activities in these landscapes have a strong effect on the land cover and exert a selective force on tree species and functional traits, hereby potentially shaping the distribution of ecosystem services in the landscape. The aim of this study was to asses how the land use determines tree species assemblages, their associated traits and potential ecosystem services, which was studied for 589 systematically sampled locations in the Afromontane highlands of Taita Hills (SE Kenya). Several tree traits were non-random distributed in the human-dominated landscape. For instance, on croplands (70% of the sampled locations) belonged 66.5% of the observed species to the exotic tree species group. This group was characterised by significantly larger seeds and fruits, corresponding with the abundance of many fruit trees. Also three functional traits (i.e. economic function, nitrogen fixation and agroforestry potential) were clearly associated with this group. The cloud forest tree species group and small-leaved indigenous group were significantly more present on woodes sites and homesteads (∼42%). However, no functional traits were unique for both indigenous groups, implying that farmers may exchange them by exotics, which could be catalysed by the loss of local knowledge about indigenous tree resources and benefits. Other indigenous species, including endemic or late-successional species were rare or absent in the matrix and their conservation can only be guaranteed by protecting the remaining indigenous forest fragments.

Wyoming's Aging Agricultural Landscape: Demographic Trends Among Farm and Ranch Operators, 1920–2007

On the Ground • Across the United States, farmers and ranchers are getting older, and fewer young operators are entering the agricultural workforce than in the past. • We statistically and cartographically explored demographic trends among farm and ranch operators in Wyoming to see if and how the agricultural community was aging. • Census records indicate that Wyoming's agricultural community is in fact aging, and that the relative proportions of younger operators are dwindling rapidly. • With a changing local agricultural community, we face risks associated with loss of local knowledge, loss of tradition, and loss of investment that stem from a deep-rooted sense of place. • We face a fundamental challenge in inspiring young agriculturalists to take up residence in the state to help replace those of retirement age. • This might be accomplished through shifts in education, public policy, economic incentives, or through targeted cultivation of personal connections to the land.

Future sea changes: Indigenous women's preferences for adaptation to climate change on South Goulburn Island, Northern Territory (Australia)

Research on South Goulburn Island aimed to improve understanding of Indigenous perspectives on climate change and options for adaptation within the scope of the local coastal, marine environment and resources utilized by the community. We also aimed to promote awareness among community members of western scientific concepts of climate change. Workshops and interviews with participants emphasized the use of participatory, visual techniques to encourage discussion and visioning of the future. Participants indicated very limited understanding of western concepts and English language terms associated with climate change and why change was occurring. However, in deeper conversations, many reported observing unusual patterns of environmental change they could not explain by other means. These observations, combined with changes in customary practices and loss of local knowledge in recent years, worried participants, particularly the elderly. The idea that climate change was resulting from human impacts on the environment was an easy concept for most participants to grasp. The demonstrated worldviews of participants was dominated by social and cultural links to the past and present, but had weaker links to western concepts of ‘the future’. Thus, discussions around planning adaptation did not generally fit easily into peoples' framings of their worlds. People's preferences for adaptation included building general community capacity, drawing from customary knowledge, being more involved in decision-making and learning more about scientific knowledge on climate change. Enabling collection of plant and animal foods and associated interaction with the landscape was also considered important for improving community independence, resilience and well-being for adaptation.

Knowledge and use of medicinal plants by people around Debre Libanos monastery in Ethiopia

The study was conducted around Debre Libanos monastery from October 2005 to June 2006. A total of 250 villagers, 13 monks and 3 nuns were interviewed using semistructured questionnaire on the knowledge and use of medicinal plants. The informant consensus factor (ICF) and the fidelity level (FL) of the species were determined. Eighty medicinal plant species were reported. The average medicinal plant reported by a female is 1.67 ± 0.33 and a male is 5.77 ± 0.71 with significant difference between them ( α = 0.05, p = 0.023). The ICF values demonstrated that local people tend to agree more with each other in terms of the plants used to treat ‘Mich’ and headache (0.69) and intestinal illness and parasites (0.68) but a much more diverse group of plants are cited to treat problems related to rabies (0.14) and unidentified swelling and cancer (0.11). The FL values are also similar to ICF values. The knowledge of the villagers close to the monastery is found to be higher than those distant from the monastery and the correlation between Abichu and Telaye ( r = 0.970, α = 0.05, p = 0.001), and Zegamel and Doreni ( r = 0.745, α = 0.05, p = 0.027) is significant indicating the relationships between the number of plants reported by the informants and the distance from the monasteries to the villages. This study was not able to determine the knowledge difference between the villagers and the monastery dwellers because the monks and nuns were not willing to give information on the knowledge and use of medicinal plants. This may result in the long run in loss of local knowledge in the surrounding area and the country at large for preparation of pharmacologically effective remedies.

Herbal medicine industry threatens future of thousands of wild plants

The rapidly growing herbal medicine industry is threatening thousands of plant species around the world, according to a report by Plantlife International. About 35 000 plants are used medicinally worldwide, and there are fears that between 4000 and 10 000 species may now be endangered. Alan Hamilton of the World Wildlife Fund said, “We have concerns about biological and cultural loss, and about loss of local knowledge--we can learn a lot about …

Conservation II: Conservation for Romania

The study was conducted around Debre Libanos monastery from October 2005 to June 2006. A total of 250 villagers, 13 monks and 3 nuns were interviewed using semistructured questionnaire on the knowledge and use of medicinal plants. The informant consensus factor (ICF) and the fidelity level (FL) of the species were determined. Eighty medicinal plant species were reported. The average medicinal plant reported by a female is 1.67 ± 0.33 and a male is 5.77 ± 0.71 with significant difference between them (α = 0.05, p = 0.023). The ICF values demonstrated that local people tend to agree more with each other in terms of the plants used to treat ‘Mich’ and headache (0.69) and intestinal illness and parasites (0.68) but a much more diverse group of plants are cited to treat problems related to rabies (0.14) and unidentified swelling and cancer (0.11). The FL values are also similar to ICF values. The knowledge of the villagers close to the monastery is found to be higher than those distant from the monastery and the correlation between Abichu and Telaye (r = 0.970, α = 0.05, p = 0.001), and Zegamel and Doreni (r = 0.745, α = 0.05, p = 0.027) is significant indicating the relationships between the number of plants reported by the informants and the distance from the monasteries to the villages. This study was not able to determine the knowledge difference between the villagers and the monastery dwellers because the monks and nuns were not willing to give information on the knowledge and use of medicinal plants. This may result in the long run in loss of local knowledge in the surrounding area and the country at large for preparation of pharmacologically effective remedies.