Solutions Piece
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Traditional Ecological Knowledge:
Getting to the Heart of Climate Solutions
Born in Okeechobee, FL at a time when its habitat was wild and rich, I can remember running through the tall, overgrown grass on our property with my five dogs. Blackberries grew wild in our yard and I would rush outside to pick them off the tree with my father. Their red juice would run down my face as I tried to get as many into my mouth as possible. In the distance, I could hear the gallop of horses as they rode by on the dirt road in front of my house. I would race to the gate just in time to catch them as they emerged from the dust cloud left by the horses before them. I could feel the vibration of their hooves on the earth in the soles of my feet, like an internal drumbeat. The smell of fertile soil below me and freshwater around me, my connection to the environment felt perfect. As Kimmerer wrote in her book, Braiding Sweetgrass “Breathe it in and you’ll start to remember things you didn’t know you’d forgotten.” (2015)
We must remember. The wildness I grew up with is the motivation behind my path today. Nature still sparks an insatiable freedom that can only be satisfied by immersing myself in its elements. There’s a sovereignty that rises up from the dirt between my toes, from the wildness around me, and from the environment itself that I feel a deep love and respect for.
Since then, I’ve taken my love of nature into the field of Environmental Science. Learning about climate change and the issues we are facing can often feel like doom and gloom. It seems like the more facts and figures I study, the more I feel like something is missing from the climate crisis approach. Perhaps that missing link is Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). “Traditional ecological knowledge has been defined as a cumulative body of knowledge, practices, and beliefs evolving by adaptive processes and handed down through generations by cultural transmission, about the relation of living beings (including humans) with one another and with their environment.” (Berkes et al., 2000, p.1252) Some of us might think of traditional ecological knowledge as an education of nature, however, indigenous communities have their own definition of TEK. “In essence, they express TEK as a “way of life”; rather than just knowledge about how to live, it is about the actual living of life.” (McGregor, D., 2004, p.78) Spanning back more than 12,000 years, they have been dealing with environmental change and cultivating symbiosis with their environment for centuries. In practicing intellectual humility, I realize that climate change isn’t new, it’s the lack of understanding of how to cope with those changes that is. To recognize that modern science doesn’t have enough historical knowledge of the environment to make the necessary decisions to create resilience is the first step. “For indigenous people, TEK is the root of their resilience, i.e., their capacity to adapt to environmental change and uncertainties based on an in-depth understanding of the land.” (Scaddan, C., 2008) Because Indigenous people have been cultivating a relationship with the land for generations and consider it essential to their spirituality; this is what establishes them at the heart of climate solutions. Could the lack of spiritual connection to nature be the root of what’s missing when we consider climate change? Are we forgetting that humans and the environment are interrelated? “But we make grave error if we try to separate individual well-being from the health of the whole.” (Kimmerer, 2015) It’s only by understanding our interconnectedness with the environment that lasting climate solutions will be found.
Photo Credit: Celeste Vitello
Photo Credit: Celeste Vitello
Climate change isn’t just an environmental and spiritual issue but a human rights issue as well. We can't talk about TEK without discussing the damage done to Indigenous people and their land. Currently, there are tribes in North America that face poverty and exploitation of their land for resources. This is an important issue to address based on human rights alone but is also crucial for climate justice. According to National Geographic, Indigenous people make up only 5% of the world population, they protect 80% of global biodiversity. This illustrates how intertwined indigenous people are with the environment and how important it is for their culture and quality of life. Indigenous Environmental Network is a great place to start if you want to learn more or get involved.
(Sidenote: click on images for more resources)
Understandably there will be challenges combining TEK with western science. Traditional knowledge is a different way of experiencing and connecting with the environment, a worldview that modern scientists have yet to adopt. Because Western science isn’t based on this worldview and uses an objective approach to climate solutions, this is also where we run into problems integrating TEK. However, because indigenous people are interested in protecting the environment we can seek community partnership with them. In fact, some organizations are already working with indigenous people to integrate TEK into their solutions for climate change. The USGS National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASC) is supporting and partnering with Tribal nations and Indigenous communities to address issues of adaptation and conservation. The Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services and the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) recognize the importance of TEK and the need to include indigenous people in the climate solution.
How do we know if TEK works for climate solutions? According to United Nations Climate Change News, there are several tested indigenous practices that effectively combat climate change: “Native tree plantation in Nepal which helps store carbon and promotes cultural values associated with forest stewardship, community-managed natural forests (or village common forests) in Bangladesh which provide vital services to meet the daily needs of community members and help conserve local biodiversity, active revitalization of traditional technologies connected to agriculture, aquaculture and natural resource management in the Pacific, which is a key strategy to mitigate climate change, and restoration of sustainable loko i’a or fishpond system done by the Native Hawaiin community, which has the potential to produce thousands of pounds of sustainable protein annually, while mitigating coral bleaching, beach erosion, fish population overkills, and other imbalances in the marine ecosystem.” (UNCC,2022). These practices have been implemented to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. This has also been proven effective for New Zealand since it established the avenue for the governance of natural resources by indigenous people. In response, the Maori shared some of their traditional knowledge “The content of Whakatauki (proverbs) have been examined in this special issue to illustrate the rich oral history regarding marine and freshwater resources in particular.” (Whaanga et.al 2018) And in the United States, California is now using TEK to help manage wildfires. Organizations like Indigenous Climate Action are working to achieve climate justice.
You don’t need to be a scientist to get involved, just love and respect for the environment. It’s an initiative we need to get involved in and bring awareness to if we want to make a lasting positive impact on our planet. “Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I may not remember. Involve me and I’ll understand.” (Native American proverb). With Traditional Ecological Knowledge paving the way for environmental scientists, we can get to the heart of climate solutions. After all, Indigenous people have the traditional knowledge to achieve the results needed to create an environment that can adapt to the rapidly changing seasons of modern times.
Works Cited:
Kimmerer, R.W.. (2015). Braiding sweetgrass: Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teachings of plants (First Edition ed.) Milkweed Editions.
Berkes, F.; Colding, J.; Folke, C.(2000,Oct.1) Rediscovery of traditional ecological knowledge as adaptive management. Ecol. Appl. 2000, 10, p.1251–1262
McGregor, D. (2004) Traditional ecological knowledge and sustainable development: Towards co-existence. In The Way of Development. Indigenous Peoples, Life Projects and Globalization; Blaser, M., Feit, H.A., McRae, G., Eds.; Zed Books: London
Scaddan, C. (2008) Climate change and indigenous peoples. In United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues; United Nations: New York, NY, USA.
Clapcott, J., Ataria, J., Hepburn, C., Hikuroa, D., Jackson, A., Kirikiri, R., et al. (2018). Mātauranga māori: Shaping marine and freshwater futures. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 52(4), 457-466. doi:10.1080/00288330.2018.1539404
UNCC. (2022,Aug.9) How indigenous peoples enrich climate action. Https://Unfccc.Int/News/how-Indigenous-Peoples-Enrich-Climate-Action
Image Credit: California State University Fullerton/Creative Commons https://elective.collegeboard.org/why-we-celebrate-indigenous-peoples-day
Image Credit:: Light Brigading/Flickr/cc) https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/10/12/red-deal-why-indigenous-communities-belong-center-climate-action
Image Credit: The Climate Reality Project https://amazonwatch.org/news/2014/1119-climate-change-and-the-importance-of-indigenous-peoples-in-seeking-solutions
Image Credit: Allan Lissner/IEN https://indianz.com/News/2015/019925.asp
Image Credit: Tribal College Journal https://tribalcollegejournal.org/five-questions-for-rosalyn-lapier-on-native-americans-in-science/five-questions-for-rosalyn-lapier-on-native-americans-in-science-2/
Reflection:
The goal of the Solutions Piece was to bring awareness to the idea of Traditional Ecological Knowledge as a valuable way to find climate solutions. It’s intended for anyone who cares about the environment and wants to get to the heart of the problem. The most successful part of this piece is the hyperlinks and resources included in the project to guide those interested to get involved. Significant changes I made from the initial draft to the final draft are the add-ins of native american writers to bring the project together. Highlighting my love of nature in the beginning is meant to remind the audience of their connection with nature and I feel that works well with the overall meaning of this piece, which is to care for nature the way it cares for us. If I had more time I would probably include more scholarly sources and experiences of my love of nature throughout. The skills practiced in this project were a lot of research, proofreading, revision, peer review, and citations of scholarly sources properly. It was also helpful to have the knowledge from LANG 120 about understanding what a reputable source is and what isn’t. All of these skills I’ll build on in the future as I further my education in Environmental Studies.