INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

Indigenous peoples with a historical continuity of resource-use practi ces often possess a broad knowledge base of the behavior of complex ec ological systems in their own localities. This knowledge has accumulat ed through a long series of observations transmitted from generation t o generation. Such ''diachronic'' observations can be of great value a nd complement the ''synchronic''observations on which western science is based. Where indigenous peoples have depended, for long periods of time, on local environments for the provision of a variety of resource s, they have developed a stake in conserving, and in some cases, enhan cing, biodiversity. They are aware that biological diversity is a cruc ial factor in generating the ecological services and natural resources on which they depend. Some indigenous groups manipulate the local lan dscape to augment its heterogeneity, and some have been found to be mo tivated to restore biodiversity in degraded landscapes. Their practice s for the conservation of biodiversity were grounded in a series of ru les of thumb which are apparently arrived at through a trial and error process over a long historical time period. This implies that their k nowledge base is indefinite and their implementation involves an intim ate relationship with the belief system. Such knowledge is difficult f or western science to understand. It is vital, however, that the value of the knowledge-practice-belief complex of indigenous peoples relati ng to conservation of biodiversity is fully recognized if ecosystems a nd biodiversity are to be managed sustainably. Conserving this knowled ge would be most appropriately accomplished through promoting the comm unity-based resource-management systems of indigenous peoples.