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Different epistemologies bring different kinds of insights to problems. New insights into complex large-scale practical problems in environmental science and resource management are dearly needed. I am particularly interested in Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Wisdom (TEKW, also: indigenous knowledge, IK), and strive to include tribal perspectives in my projects if/as interest exists. In the late 1990s, I developed an Invited Feature for Ecological Applications on traditional knowledge, ecosystem science, and environmental management, as non-arctic ecologists seem largely unaware of this relevant area. I invited Dennis Martinez (O'odham/Chicano) to be my co-editor. The resulting 92-page feature appeared in 2000, and included 10 papers in addition to our overview (Ford, J. and D. Martinez. 2000. Ecol. Appl. 10:1249-1250). This project helped create the momentum to establish the Traditional Ecological Knowledge section within the Ecological Society of America. Ecologists ask whether traditional knowledge has relevance in today's rapidly changing environments. I addressed this question briefly in a subsequent paper (Ford, J. 2001 The relevance of indigenous knowledge for contemporary sustainability. J. Northwest Sci. 75(2):183-188). |
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(1) the role of whitefish in contaminant movement, 2) ecology and population dynamics of Pacific walrus, (3) names, uses, and preparation of plants traditionally used by the King Island Native Community. In 2010 I was honored to be invited to give an address at the 1st Annual OSU Conference on Traditional Knowledge and Ecosystem Sustainability. That talk, and links to others in that series, can be found here. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: This material is based in part on work supported by (1) the National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs under Grant No. 9979695 to Oregon State University; (2) the Pacific Walrus Conservation Fund Project 1997-0292-005 to Oregon State University; 3) National Science Foundation Grant #OPP 0328234 to Oregon State University. |