SYMP 20 - Indigenous Knowledge, Place-based Ecology, and the Well-being of People and Biodiversity

Organizer(s)

• RS

  Renato Silvano, Ecology

  Professor
  Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)
  Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Co-organizer(s)

• MH

  Murray Humphries, Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment

  Professor
  McGill University
  Montreal, Quebec, Canada

This session offers distinct cultural and ecological perspectives, spanning tropical to polar regions and the Global South and North, focused on how ecological sciences, Indigenous knowledge, and local knowledge contribute to the understanding and protection of the relationships between biodiversity and human well-being. These knowledge priorities and approaches have recently coalesced around a large global project Ărramăt, funded for 2021-2027 by the New Frontiers Research Fund Transformations Program in Canada. This international project includes the representation of more than 100 Indigenous Governments and Organizations and more than 50 co-applicant and collaborating researchers from around the world. Ărramăt is a concept in Tamasheq, the Indigenous language spoken by the Tuareg people whose ancestral land encompasses the current territories of Algeria, Burkina-Faso, Libya, Mali, and Niger, that describes a state of well-being shared by the environment, animals, and humans. The Ărramăt project and this symposium are committed to interdisciplinary and participatory research, strengthening health and wellbeing through Indigenous-led conservation, and promoting sustainable relationships with biodiversity. Indigenous Peoples and local knowledge are and should be at the forefront of biodiversity conservation because they are often the people who rely most on biodiversity and who suffer most from biodiversity loss. Indigenous Peoples and traditional-livelihood communities have a wealth of knowledge about ecological relationships that has been too often neglected by the ecological sciences and undermined by resource development, environmental impacts, and geopolitical conflict. This session should raise awareness of the importance and urgency to properly consider Indigenous and traditional ecological knowledge in research and decision-making, thus contributing to empower Indigenous Peoples and local communities. The session will offer novel and diverse insight of interest to all those who want to learn more about ecological research and collaborations focused on traditional knowledge and participatory and action-oriented research with Indigenous Peoples and local communities. This symposium offers significant contributions to ecological understanding, presents innovative and interdisciplinary approaches, and includes novel collaborations and syntheses across subdisciplines of ecology related to biodiversity science, protected areas and species, traditional ecological knowledge, and people-nature relationships.

Presentations:

• 3:30 PM – 3:50 PM PDT

  Te mauri o te kererū – Exploring the cultural keystone species concept as a basis for biocultural forest management by Māori in Aotearoa-New Zealand
  

  Presenting Author: Puke Timoti – Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research

  Co-author: Puke Timoti – Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research
• 3:50 PM – 4:10 PM PDT

  The Cherokee Environmental Leadership Program: Indigenous Land Education and Conservation in Oklahoma
  

  Presenting Author: Clint Carroll, Department of Ethnic Studies – University of Colorado Boulder

  Co-author: Summer Wilkie – University of Arkansas

  Co-author: Kakiley Workman – Cherokee Nation

  Co-author: Larry Carney – Cherokee Nation

  Co-author: Savannah Anderson – Independent

  Co-author: Ashley Poafpybitty – Independent
• 4:10 PM – 4:30 PM PDT

  Fishers' local ecological knowledge contributions to ecological science in tropical small-scale fisheries
  

  Presenting Author: Renato A. M. Silvano, Ecology – Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)

  Co-author: Paula E.R. pereyra, Dr. – Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)

  Co-author: Gustavo Hallwass, Dr. – Universidade Federal do Oeste do Para
• 4:30 PM – 4:50 PM PDT

  Project Ărramăt: Strengthening Health And Wellbeing Through Indigenous-Led Conservation and Sustainable Relationships With Biodiversity
  

  Presenting Author: Murray Humphries, Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment – McGill University

  Co-author: Brenda Parlee – University of Alberta

  Co-author: Mariam Wallet Aboubakrine – Ărramăt Project

  Co-author: Danika Billie Littlechild – Carleton University

  Co-author: Sherry Pictou – Dalhousie University

  Co-author: John O'Neil – Simon Fraser University
• 4:50 PM – 5:00 PM PDT

  Discussion