Relating to our ecosystems: People and places

The Pacific Northwest bioregion’s pre-contact indigenous societies exemplify the tight coupling between the local culture and traditional ecological knowledge of its inhabitants to sustainably harvest natural resources from the land and sea.  How we relate to our ecosystems is explored in the context of sense of place and evolutionary eco-cultural niche construction, i.e.:  the cultural adaptation of people to construct spaces of symbolic meaning, knowing, and living.  We experience places as sources of shelter, food, resources, and knowledge.  Ecological restoration conflicts arise when differences in resource valuation are not integrated into policy affecting diverse resource users.  Two relevant concepts include:  cultural property, a way of knowing, with non-market value, intimately connecting people to local natural resources; and ecosystem-based governance, regionally-based strategic planning and joint jurisdiction of ecosystem resources challenging each constituency’s sense of place.  A more inclusive, cooperative, and sustainable culture of science and policy-making is advocated, based on mutual respect for unique senses of place that shape our diverse values, belief systems, and ways of knowing.  This may be achieved by culturally responsive, experiential, place-based curricula to engage and retain students, particularly those underrepresented, to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education, research, and careers.  Examples will be drawn from integrated science and mathematics courses with field capstone experiences in the North Cascades National Park and a marine research experience being designed to examine the sustainability of Pacific Northwest fisheries from diverse disciplinary, cultural, and organizational perspectives.