Bridging western science and indigenous traditional ecological knowledge: What works and what doesn’t

Recent interest by some Western scientists in indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) has raised expectations that some level of integration between two very different cosmologies is possible and together can address current problems of ecological degradation. Issues include the strengths and weaknesses of Western scientific generalized theories and mathematical modeling, long-term diachronic observations by indigenous cultures, modern scientific technology field applications, and indigenous land management systems. Western science and TEK will be defined with attention to the theoretical and practical limits of each way of knowing.

The perceived dichotomy between 'indigenous traditional’ and 'Western science' exists because knowledge of indigenous peoples has been viewed as a cultural commodity and Western science is grounded in the mistaken belief of universal truth. If the concept of knowledge in all societies is understood by how we know through the mode of engagement within the ecosystem, and not as an objective truth, then there is some common ground to enable multiple perspectives to contribute to ecosystems management. Safeguarding TEK within indigenous communities and integrating it more broadly with Western science is the key. Specifically, this talk will focus on the Namsaling Project in Nepal and its use of TEK, which has lead to significant behavioral changes that are motivated by spiritual leaders and integrated into social forestry. The Namsaling Project has been working to preserve the ecology of Nepal’s forests, restoring forests, controlling landslides, promoting conservation education, and offering holistic environmental assessments for development planning.