This thesis seeks to highlight the importance of a geographic and culturally specific knowledge base to guide natural resource management and governance policy, particularly within the West African context. In order to demonstrate the level of complexity that may exist within this realm, the Kedougou region of Senegal is used as a case study. Traditional Method of Subsistence (TMoS), Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), and ethnic diversity are considered in order to validate the need to go beyond a superficial involvement of community within models such as Community-based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM). Focus groups were conducted for this case study in order to identify areas of similarity and difference that exist along ethnic lines. Two areas of concern that all ethnic groups agreed upon was a depletion of water resources and a diminished growing season that leads to an annual food shortage in the region. Three primary areas of difference were found to coincide with traditional ethnic boundaries in the region: traditional religious belief, wealth accumulation and social hierarchy. The findings of this research demonstrate that while areas of cohesive community concern may serve as a focal point for CBNRM programs, it is also important to consider areas of ethnic difference which hold the potential to significantly influence sustainable and equitable resource management. For example, while traction methods for intensified agriculture are identified as important by all ethnic groups represented in this thesis: (A) traditional agricultural ethnic groups already have experience with these methods, and may only need access to assistance such as micro-credit opportunities, (B) the pastoral ethnic groups already have an abundance of traction animals, and so equipment may be what is primarily needed, while (C) the horticultural group may not have access to the land necessary for optimal traction agriculture. It is therefore suggested that CBNRM programs must be structured around community variables found along cultural lines in order to be of value to government and non-government conservation programs and policy formation in the region.

In landscape ecology, it is widely acknowledged that landscape is as much a social and cultural entity as it is biophysical, and that people and place must be jointly considered to fully understand the evolution of spatial pattern. This thesis explores the overlapping biophysical and human dimensions of landscape in the context of an (i) ecological and (ii) ethnoecological classification on the local landscape of the Tayal Mrqwang indigenous people in north central Taiwan. The goal of the ecological classification was to identify ecosystem types for a ~3000 acre landscape by relating vegetation patterns to gradients of physiography, soil, humidity, light, pixel brightness, and human modification across 76 transect sample plots. Using multivariate analyses, seven ecosystem types were identified, ranging from xeric through submesic pine, bamboo, alder, and laurel forests to mesic evergreen broadleaved and mixed coniferous forests. At the broad scale, ecosystems were distributed along gradients of elevation, soil, humidity and human modification, while factors related to local variability in physiography and soil development were more important at the fine scale (i.e., within elevational ecoregions). Within lower elevation sites in particular, patterns of forest variation and soil development were resonant of ancestral practices, including shifting cultivation, terrace farming, arboriculture, and selective extraction. The objective of the ethnoecological classification was to explore whether the Mrqwang people categorize landscape variation according to systematic or multidimensional knowledge structures. Results of interviews and free-listing exercises revealed an unsystematized classification that recognizes a continuum of forest variation through the intersection of three overlapping categories: history of disturbance, topography and substrate, vegetation. These categories are modified through land tenure and toponyms. The classification appears accommodating of personal experience, and it is theorized that this flexibility results in dynamic knowledge that evolves with time, generating variable characterizations of forest variation rather than formalized categories. The thesis concludes that despite the lack of formalization, the Tayal are nonetheless highly cognizant of how current forest variation coincides with the environment and the activities of their ancestors. This knowledge represents immense local expertise and must not be excluded from conservation and co-management projects in the local area. / NSERC CGS-D

Indigenous knowledge use in identifying artisanal fishing zones is the core issue in this dissertation. It seeks, on one hand, to show the potentially of this knowledge and to establish the relationships between indigenous and scientific knowledge in fishing zones identification and, on other the hand, it is also a trend for alleviating those fishing zones surrounding beaches, estuaries and bays highly exploited by artisanal fishermen. Pushing artisanal fishermen upward offshore and/or into the open sea, they will fish more quality and high economic value fish contributing to enhance their income. By so doing, artisanal fishermen will uplift their living standard and, at the same time, they will contribute to sustainable artisanal fisheries management. Angoche District in Nampula province, north of Mozambique is the study area. The study was carried out to describe the logical sequence underlying on the process of identifying artisanal fishing zones using indigenous knowledge. The relationship between indigenous and scientific knowledge is treated with particular attention. The nature of the study is descriptive and analytical based on qualitative and quantitative data. The method used for data collection was face-to-face interviews using structured and semi-structured open-ended questions. Data on socioeconomic, traditional and cultural practices, technological and climate characteristics were collected, analyzed and discussed. Factors underlying artisanal fishing zones were studied. Spatial and non-spatial information for artisanal fishing zones identification was recorded applying Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and, later, processed and analyzed employing Geographical Information Systems (GIS). Finally, a map showing the localization and distribution of the identified fishing zones in the study area was produced. Results from the research show that identification of fishing zones offshore or open sea can be done simply based on local indigenous knowledge. The GIS technology employment facilitates the inclusion of indigenous knowledge into other knowledge which can be used for local decision making. Sustainable fisheries management can only be achieved by developing a science based on the priorities of local people, and creating a technological base that includes both traditional and modern approaches to problem-solving. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

The Mackenzie Delta region of Northwestern Canada is a dynamic environment that is ecologically and culturally significant. This region is experiencing rapid environmental change that is expected to worsen with continued climate warming and additional anthropogenic stressors. In northern regions, conventional environmental monitoring strategies can be hindered by complex and cost prohibitive logistics. In this context of environmental change and uncertainty, there is a critical need to draw on traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and observations to inform decision-making. In some areas changes in land cover are occurring so rapidly that maintaining an accurate inventory is problematic. Knowledgeable land users are in a unique position to assess changes in regional environmental conditions and inventory cumulative impacts. Environmental decision-making in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region requires Inuvialuit participation in several co-management bodies. The objectives of this project were to develop and field-test a community-based monitoring program that shares Inuvialuit observations with stakeholders in environmental decision-making in a standardized and accessible format. Working with the Hunter and Trapper Committees of Aklavik, Inuvik, and Tuktoyaktuk, the Inuvialuit Joint Secretariat, and the Cumulative Impacts Monitoring Program we (1) adapted a participatory photo-mapping (PPM) method to record Inuvialuit observations of environmental conditions using a strategy consistent with community goals and Inuvialuit culture. In the summer of 2010, we worked with knowledgeable Inuvialuit hunters and land users to document Inuvialuit observations of environmental conditions using digital cameras and hand held GPS units. Subsequently, digital photographs and video footage became the focus of photo-elicitation interviews, which added a detailed narrative to each geo-referenced observation. Following fieldwork and interviews, geo-referenced photos, video, and associated text files were entered into web-based map. Approximately 150 observations were mapped and grouped into 33 themes. Interviews with monitors and a range of potential map users suggest that web-based mapping is an effective way to record and share observations and concerns related to the regional environment. We found that PPM could be very useful for northern researchers, decision-makers, and planners because it can facilitate knowledge transfer among stakeholders, facilitate community consultation, and contribute to environmental impact assessment and monitoring strategies. Our experience suggests that by providing a record of the location and magnitude of anomalous environmental conditions, this monitoring initiative will contribute northern planning and decision-making, and the communication of TEK and observations among northern stakeholders. Overall, this research highlights the effectiveness of using the web-based PPM tool to document and share Inuvialuit observations. A monitoring program built around TEK and observations that are linked to geo-referenced images (and other media) will significantly improve our capacity to detect the impacts of environmental change. (1) Because chapters 2 and 3 were co-authored, plural was used throughout the entire document. / Graduate

This thesis seeks to highlight the importance of a geographic and culturally specific knowledge base to guide natural resource management and governance policy, particularly within the West African context. In order to demonstrate the level of complexity that may exist within this realm, the Kedougou region of Senegal is used as a case study. Traditional Method of Subsistence (TMoS), Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), and ethnic diversity are considered in order to validate the need to go beyond a superficial involvement of community within models such as Community-based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM). Focus groups were conducted for this case study in order to identify areas of similarity and difference that exist along ethnic lines. Two areas of concern that all ethnic groups agreed upon was a depletion of water resources and a diminished growing season that leads to an annual food shortage in the region. Three primary areas of difference were found to coincide with traditional ethnic boundaries in the region: traditional religious belief, wealth accumulation and social hierarchy. The findings of this research demonstrate that while areas of cohesive community concern may serve as a focal point for CBNRM programs, it is also important to consider areas of ethnic difference which hold the potential to significantly influence sustainable and equitable resource management. For example, while traction methods for intensified agriculture are identified as important by all ethnic groups represented in this thesis: (A) traditional agricultural ethnic groups already have experience with these methods, and may only need access to assistance such as micro-credit opportunities, (B) the pastoral ethnic groups already have an abundance of traction animals, and so equipment may be what is primarily needed, while (C) the horticultural group may not have access to the land necessary for optimal traction agriculture. It is therefore suggested that CBNRM programs must be structured around community variables found along cultural lines in order to be of value to government and non-government conservation programs and policy formation in the region.

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008. / Full text also available online. Scroll down for electronic link.

Submitted by Vasti Dinizmm (vastijpa@hotmail.com) on 2017-07-26T13:42:42Z No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 5779145 bytes, checksum: 5cbba6d3ca6627f2bed031fdbe1ef424 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-26T13:42:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 5779145 bytes, checksum: 5cbba6d3ca6627f2bed031fdbe1ef424 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-04-19 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The artisanal fishing is a secular activity developed by men and characterized by small scale exploitation of fisheries that serves as family income and subsistence. Currently, the coastal marine environment of Brazil has been suffering substantial degradation processes, due to the growing anthropic pressure and over-exploitation of natural resources. In the State of Paraiba, relevant studies suggest significant declines in fish catches by artisanal fisheries. Thus, the development of fisheries management plans that involve the interests of all individuals is critical, aiming the sustainability of fisheries. To achieve this, it is necessary to prioritize the use of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) of the local fishing communities, which is characterized as a set of knowledge and practices developed through adaptive processes in the relationship of living beings and the environment. Therefore, this study aims to characterize the artisanal fishing of Penha and Ponta do Seixas communities, located in Joao Pessoa, Paraiba State, through the description of their ethno-ecological aspects and the possible relationship between the amount of fish caught and overfishing. Artisanal fishery communities of Penha and Ponta do Seixas, located in the south of João Pessoa coast, in Paraíba state, were characterized by the use of scientific knowledge and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) of local fishermen. The TEK proved to be essential in the data collection, perception of fish stocks, and overfishing of certain species. The study was conducted through landing reports, unstructured interviews, participant observation, structured, and semi structured interviews. Motorized boats were the main vessels used by fishermen. Eight different fishing strategies have been identified, and the most used were the handline and bottom gillnet. Fifty three species of fishes were recorded, 24 through the monitoring of landings (captured with handline) and 29 from interviews. In total 7,670.4kg of fishes were sampled in 28 landings between February 2015 and January 2016. Among the 27 recorded families: Carangidae, Lutjanidae, and Serranidae stood out. The most captured species were: ‘guarajuba’ (Carangoides bartholomaei), ‘arabaiana’ (Seriola dumerili); ‘peixe-rei’ (Elegatis bipinnulatus), and ‘xixarro’ (Carangoides crysos). Most of landings were recorded during the summer, although no significant differences were observed between biomass and species richness captured during summer and winter. It was proposed the Index of the Fishery Importance (IPP) in order to highlight species, according to their biological, ecological, and commercial characteristics, that are more valued in the studied communities. According to the criteria of the IPP, five species stood out: ‘guarajuba’ (Carangoides bartholomaei), ‘arabaiana’ (Seriola dumerili), ‘xixarro’ (Carangoides crysos), ‘cioba’ (Lutjanus analis), and ‘peixe-rei’ (Elegatis bipinnulatus). Furthermore, it was used the Smith’s salience index (IS), which is based on higher frequency values and coincidence of items, by which: ‘cioba’ (Lutjanus analis), ‘guarajuba’ (Carangoides bartholomaei), ‘cavala’ (Scomberomorus cavalla), ‘xixarro’ (Carangoides crysos), and serra (Scomberomorus brasiliensis) stood out. In order to get more information on the biology, ecology and fisheries aspects of these species, an ethnobiological study was conducted with local fishermen. It was observed that fishermen have a vast knowledge of fish species, especially those considered most important according to the values of the IPP and IS. Therefore, it is suggested that fishermen’s TEK should be used in aid of scientific research conducted in the region as well as in discussion of fisheries resources management that may be developed in the area. / A pesca artesanal é uma atividade secular desenvolvida pelo homem, caracterizada pela exploração em pequena escala dos recursos pesqueiros, que servem como renda e subsistência familiar. Atualmente, os ambientes costeiros marinhos do Brasil vêm sofrendo consideráveis processos de degradação, decorrentes da crescente pressão antrópica e sobre-exploração de recursos. Na Paraíba, importantes trabalhos apontam para o declínio considerável nas capturas de peixes pela pesca artesanal. Assim, torna-se urgente o desenvolvimento de planos de manejo pesqueiros que envolvam os interesses de todos os indivíduos, buscando a sustentabilidade da pesca. Para tanto, deve-se priorizar a utilização do Conhecimento Ecológico Local (CEL) das comunidades de pescadores, caracterizado como um conjunto de saberes e práticas desenvolvidos através de processos adaptativos na relação dos seres vivos com o ambiente. Desta forma, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo a caracterização da pesca artesanal das comunidades da Penha e Ponta do Seixas, localizadas em João Pessoa, Paraíba, através da descrição de seus aspectos etnoecológicos e, a possível relação entre a quantidade de peixes e a sobrepesca de espécies. O estudo foi realizado através de acompanhamentos de desembarques, entrevistas não estruturadas, observação participante, entrevistas estruturadas e semiestruturadas. Barcos motorizados foram as principais embarcações utilizadas pelos pescadores. Foram identificados oito diferentes estratégias de pesca, com destaque para a linha de mão e rede de emalhe afundada. Foram registradas 53 espécies de peixes, 24 através do acompanhamento de desembarques (capturadas com linha de mão) e 29 a partir de entrevistas. Ao total foram amostrados 7.670,4kg de peixes, em 28 desembarques realizados entre fevereiro de 2015 e janeiro de 2016. Dentre as 27 famílias registradas, destacaram-se: Carangidae, Lutjanidae e Serranidae. As espécies mais capturadas foram: guarajuba (Carangoides bartholomaei), arabaiana (Seriola dumerili); peixe-rei (Elegatis bipinnulatus) e xixarro (Carangoides crysos). A maior parte dos desembarques foi registrada durante o verão, embora não tenham sido observadas diferenças significativas entre a biomassa e riqueza de espécies capturadas durante o verão e inverno. Também foi utilizado o Índice de Importância Para a Pesca (IPP), a fim de revelar as espécies que, de acordo com suas características biológicas, ecológicas e comerciais, são mais valorizadas nas comunidades estudadas. Segundo os critérios do IPP, cinco espécies se destacaram: guarajuba (Carangoides bartholomaei), arabaiana (Seriola dumerili), xixarro (Carangoides crysos), cioba (Lutjanus analis) e peixe-rei (Elegatis bipinnulatus). De maneira complementar, foi proposto o Índice de Saliência (IS), que se baseia nos maiores valores de frequência e coincidência entre os itens citados, destacando-se: cioba (Lutjanus analis), guarajuba (Carangoides bartholomaei), cavala (Scomberomorus cavalla), xixarro (Carangoides crysos) e serra (Scomberomorus brasiliensis). Com o objetivo de obter maiores informações quanto à biologia, ecologia e aspectos pesqueiros destas espécies, foi realizado um estudo etnobiológico junto aos informantes chave. Observou-se que os pescadores possuem um vasto conhecimento sobre as espécies de peixes, especialmente àquelas consideradas mais importantes segundo os valores do IPP e IS. Desta forma, sugere-se que o CEL dos pescadores seja utilizado no auxílio de pesquisas científicas desenvolvidas na região, bem como em discussões de manejo de recursos pesqueiros que por ventura sejam desenvolvidos na área.

This thesis looks at the impact of migration and place on the traditional healing knowledge and practices of a Mexican immigrant mother from Guanajuato, Mexico: Sofia Perez. Through the use of oral history methodology and the application of the Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Wisdom (TEKW) model and the Social Ecological Model (SEM) to analyze the narratives, this study looks at the origin of Sofia's healing knowledge and practices and at how she has managed to keep these traditions alive despite migrating to the United States and living in a society that may not believe in the efficacy of these healing traditions. The application of the Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Wisdom (TEKW) model provided insight into the healing traditions of Sofia's home community and the ways in which these were learned, practiced, and preserved and proved useful in looking at how this was done by Sofia before and after migrating. Next, the Social Ecological Model (SEM) proved useful in looking at how place and its various social, cultural, and ecological aspects have influenced Sofia's use of traditional medicine since she migrated. Overall, Sofia's knowledge and practices have been impacted by migration and place; however, she continues to practice these traditions as best as she can.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / It is well established that the modern global food system is highly unsustainable, distorted by industrialisation and corporate consolidation, with negative repercussions on the environment and biodiversity as well as human health. Innovative approaches are necessary to push food systems to be more sustainable, equitable, and healthy for all people regardless of income and wealth. In the Cape Town area, the food system is failing to adequately nourish the poor, while climate change poses increasing challenges to the region’s agricultural system. Conceptualising food systems as complex adaptive social ecological systems and utilising the Multilevel Perspective (MLP) framework, this thesis looks at the burgeoning economy in neglected and underutilised species (NUS) in the Cape Town area as a potential innovation that could make the local food system more socially and ecologically resilient. Though at present NUS are only marginally included in the local food system and policy debates, they are increasingly appearing in the food service industry, driven by international gastronomic trends. They hold potential as climate resilient, nutritionally dense, and socially and culturally significant foods in the region, but also carry ecological and social risks. This thesis critically examines the fledgling NUS economy in the Cape Town area, using participant observation and semistructured interviews to unpack its primary motivations and challenges, and ultimately contributes towards a better understanding of the NUS economy as it develops locally. This research shows that the main risks associated with NUS are negative ecological repercussions, privatisation of the NUS economy, and the reproduction and further entrenchment of unequal power dynamics in the region. In order to mitigate these risks and actualise the related benefits associated with NUS, engagement with the ecological, social, and political context of NUS needs to be significantly deepened. This is particularly true for those working in food service, who appear to be driving the NUS economy, and will require education around sustainability and TEK as well as a foregrounding of power-awareness.

Recent decades have marked growing academic and scientific attention to the role of indigenous knowledge in climate change adaptation, mitigation, and detection strategies. However, how indigenous knowledge is incorporated is a point of contention between self-identifying indigenous groups and existing institutions which combat climate change. In this thesis, I argue that the full inclusion of indigenous knowledge is deterred by certain aspects of modernity. In order to overcome the problems of modernity, I argue that a recognition theory of justice is needed as it regards to indigenous knowledge. Recognition justice calls for indigenous groups to retain meaningful control over how and when their indigenous knowledge is shared. To supplement this, I use the Marshall Islands as a case study. The Marshall Islands afford a nice particular case because of their longstanding colonial relationship with the United States and the impending danger they face of rising sea levels. Despite this danger, the Republic of the Marshall Islands calls for increased recognition as leaders in addressing climate change.