Sustaining the plants that sustain us: The philosophy and practice of reciprocal restoration

Background/Question/Methods

A survey of general ecology students reflected the prevalent attitude that the ecological role of humans is primarily that of consumption and that interactions between humans and ecosystems are largely negative. Most students could not identify processes by which human culture can sustain ecosystems. This perceived pattern of unimodal interaction has significant consequences in limiting the scope of our vision in seeking and deriving sustainability solutions.

Results/Conclusions

Traditional ecological knowledge is rich in prescriptions for the practice of reciprocity between cultures and landscapes which can lead to the flourishing of both. The philosophy of reciprocity is fundamental to many indigenous cultures, in which humans are not passive consumers, but exercise responsibility to sustain the land which sustains them. Plant harvesting and tending protocols associated with the principles of the “Honorable Harvest” provide examples of reciprocity between culture and plant populations.

Ecosystem restoration is an act of reciprocity, but often it is not only the land which is broken, but our relationship to land. Incorporation of traditional ecological knowledge as a partner to contemporary restoration science enables us to expand the vision and goals of ecosystem restoration to encompass renewal of relationships. The loss of tending relationships with certain plant species has been associated with decline of cultural keystone species. For example, in experimental restorations of culturally significant sweetgrass, we observed that plots harvested according to traditional practices exhibited a significantly higher rate of recruitment and lowered mortality compared to unharvested controls, which declined in vigor. Culturally informed harvesting practices were a stimulus to population growth. Similar results are reported for a range of culturally significant species. Effective restoration strategies for such species may include restoration of traditional harvesting practices.

Reciprocal restoration is the mutually reinforcing restoration of land and culture such that repair of ecosystem services contributes to cultural revitalization and renewal of culture promotes restoration of ecological integrity. In indigenous communities these reciprocal relationships may include return of subsistence activities, practice of traditional resource management, restoration of traditional diets, language revitalization and exercise of spiritual/ethical responsibility. Concepts of reciprocal restoration also have application in mainstream society by re-engaging people with land, renewing place-based connections and supporting cultural practices that sustain the land. Integration of traditional ecological knowledge can support this new direction in restoration ecology, as a model for restoration of reciprocal relationships.