The words about a “sea of trees”. Colonial and post-colonial narratives about Gorongosa (Mozambique)

8º Congresso Ibérico de Estudos Africanos (CIEA8). Madrid, 2012A "sea of trees" was the term chosen by Lynne Tinley (wife of the environmentalist Ken Tinley), in 1968, to describe the nuances of the colors of the Gorongosa National Park (Mozambique) environment. Observed colors, but mostly sensed colors. This communication will give voice to the testimonies of different social actors (hunters, journalists, writers, tourists, conservationists) trying to understand the views and feelings of nature in colonial and postcolonial eras. The reports of those who were, however briefly, in Gorongosa, allow us to understand emotions, nostalgia, differences and recurrences in the way of appropriating nature. These experiential narratives give us historical and ideological constructions of Africa

Parques Nacionales y Naturales en Portugal. Una breve historia para entender la apropiación por parte del estado de territorios humanizados

The text examines legal frameworks in Portugal to discuss how nature conservation has been managed from a state perspective. Natural Protected Areas correspond to a desire of the political sphere to match an international environmental agenda. However, they have been implemented mainly in private properties or in "baldios" (communal, though not public lands). Therefore, in practical terms, a tension has been always present between the state and the communities and/or private owners since the beginning of the 20th Century with the creation of ‘forest perimeters’. The article flies over the critical turning points in Portuguese conservation policies from the seventies of the 20th Century to present-day with the recently created diploma of co-management for Protected Areas.El texto examina los marcos legales en Portugal para discutir cómo se ha gestionado la conservación de la naturaleza desde una perspectiva estatal. Las Áreas Naturales Protegidas corresponden a una voluntad del Ámbito Político de estar a la altura de una agenda ambiental internacional. Sin embargo, se han implementado principalmente en propiedades privadas o en baldíos (tierras comunales pero no publicas). Por lo tanto, en términos prácticos siempre ha estado presente una tensión entre el Estado y las comunidades y/o propietarios privados desde principios del siglo XX con la creación de “perímetros forestales”. El artículo sobrevuela los puntos de inflexión críticos en las Políticas de Conservación portuguesas desde los años 70 del siglo XX hasta nuestros días con el diploma de cogestión de Áreas Protegidas, recientemente creado

Ethnobiological research and ethnographic challenges in the “ecological era”

Local knowledge and the ecological practices have been important matters in the study of the ways that people make places and feel the world. Nowadays, in the “ecological era,” this subject gained new prominence. However, different dynamics emerge that, in some way, can seem epistemologically ambiguous. Ethnobiological studies, heirs of linguistic and cognitive anthropology, are permeable to deductive logics and etic approaches. The ethnoecological paradigm is associated with the rhetoric of “indigenous rights” and is politically situated. The applied ethnobiological surveys are engaged in global nature conservation programs and in intangible cultural heritage safeguarding initiatives, but also in community development projects. Therefore, we can consider the ethical and political dimensions of research relationships and the relevance of ethnographic approaches in contemporary ecological research. Taking data from different contexts and focusing in personal fieldwork experiences, some of these theoretical and methodological challenges are outlined and the ethnobiological construction of how people make the places is discussed.O conhecimento local e as práticas ecológicas têm sido elementos importantes no estudo das formas como as pessoas “fazem lugares” e sentem o mundo. Na atualidade, na “era ecológica” que agora vivemos, este assunto ganha nova importância. No entanto, estamos a assistir a diferentes dinâmicas que, de alguma forma, podem parecer epistemologicamente ambíguas. Os estudos etnobiológicos, herdeiros da antropologia linguística e cognitiva, são permeáveis à lógica dedutiva e a abordagens etic. O paradigma etnoecológico é associado à retórica, politicamente situada, dos “direitos indígenas”. As pesquisas etnobiológicas aplicadas fazem parte de programas, marcadamente globalizantes, de conservação da natureza e de salvaguarda do património cultural imaterial, mas também de projetos de desenvolvimento comunitário. Assim, podemos considerar as dimensões éticas e políticas das relações de pesquisa e a relevância da abordagem etnográfica na pesquisa ecológica contemporânea. Partindo de dados de diferentes contextos e de apontamentos de experiências de terreno pessoais, são descritos alguns desses desafios teóricos e metodológicos e é discutida a construção etnobiológica de modo como as pessoas “fazem os lugares”

Etnobotânica do Nordeste Português: saberes, plantas e usos

Publicação complementar em papel do Relatório final das actividades do projecto entregue à FCT on-lineEsta publicação descreve todas as actividades realizadas no âmbito do projecto Etnobotânica do Nordeste Português e em particular os resultados obtidos através da realização de estudos de caso e da aplicação de diversas metodologias etnográficas.FC

When the young think that every plant is parsley. Social variability of ethnobotanical knowledge and plant categorization in two rural areas from Portugal

Resumo de comunicação oral apresentada no V ICEBThe ethnobotanical research in two Portuguese natural protected areas allows us to discuss the process of perceiving plants and building plant knowledge and the cultural transformations in the conceptions of plant, nature and environment in rural contexts that face social and economical changes.FCT e Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciênci

Why is wild-life more important than people? Conservation strategies, perceptions and contradictions in two protected areas from Trás-os-Montes

Portuguese authorities for nature conservation have been engaged in comprehensive resource networks and effective legislation and regulations for protected areas putting together different efforts to sustain biodiversity and to enlist the full range of partners. It appears that the involvement and participation of local communities was the essential basis on which protected areas would build a system of management which has integrity, security and success, particularly those including human settlements. Nevertheless, conservation measures were mostly designed by outsiders who were culturally detached and parks boundaries were mainly based on environmental criteria. Two important natural protected areas, located in the most north-eastern part of Portugal (Trás-os- Montes), have a great diversity of natural and semi-natural habitats and humanized landscapes which are repositories of nature and cultural heritage. The territories of the Natural Park of Montesinho and the Natural Park of Douro International are the result of many geographical and historical factors and represent harmonious integration of human activity with nature, allowing ecological diversity to be maintained and valued. Based on key-informants' opinions we explore their personal experience with the parks authorities and their ideas about the management of these protected areas. Key-informants main argument is that national conservation networks and strategies did not take into account regional identity, people background and local believes and habits. Moreover, it is perceived that most of the initiatives have never recognized the vital role of human activity in such areas maintenance and the contribution of local knowledge (LK) to the current environment. Many occurrences decreased the intrinsic value of regional landscapes which were considered part of the cultural heritage and had embedded intangible values such as dwelling, spiritual and aesthetical values, local tradition, neighborly and inter-generational relations. Local ideas of nature have determined distinguishable values of plants and animals and outlined different orientations towards predatory actions.Cultibos yerbas i saberes Fundo EDP Biodiversidad

When the young think that every plant is parsley! Social variability of ethno-botanical knowledge and plant categorization in two rural areas in Portugal

Ethnobotanical research in two Portuguese natural protected areas (Montesinho Natural Park and Douro International Natural Park) is the basis to discuss the process of perceiving plants and nature in rural contexts facing social and economic changes. The main argument is that people select and invoke different ethnobotanical knowledge and classificatory principles which are required considering different social attempts and activities in plant categorization. Pile sort tests carried out with 79 informants show that people develop concepts and integrate a diversified knowledge during plant categorization processes. The social variability of plant categorization seems to be related to age and gender differences. Younger people who are nowadays driven away from agricultural activities have quite different perceptions of plants. Criteria of categorization are different when applied by men or women. Cognitive mechanisms addressed during categorisation tasks are influenced by each person’s social background and daily practices. Data also reflect the cultural dynamics in rural contexts: non-transmitted practices, transitional knowledge and changes in nature conceptions

Importance of local knowledge in plant resources management and conservation in two protected areas from Trás-os-Montes, Portugal

Many European protected areas were legally created to preserve and maintain biological diversity, unique natural features and associated cultural heritage. Built over centuries as a result of geographical and historical factors interacting with human activity, these territories are reservoirs of resources, practices and knowledge that have been the essential basis of their creation. Under social and economical transformations several components of such areas tend to be affected and their protection status endangered

Gendered plants and plant categorization by gender: Classificatory and “storied” knowledge in trás-os-montes, portugal

Background: An anthropomorphizing process arises out of classification systems, whereby analogy is drawn between the social differences of gender and the morphological and biological characteristics used to designate or classify plants. On the other side, it is observed that men and women categorize plants differently on the basis of their practices and knowledge. This paper addresses two assumptions: the consistent cognitive mechanisms of attributing gender to plants in classifications and the local differentiation of knowledge and social variability of categorization of plants based on gender. Methods: The data presented results from research carried out in Portugal in two rural villages, using participant observation, structured ethnobotanical interviews and free pile sorting task (79 interlocutors; among them 11 local experts). A literature review provided some examples from studies conducted in other contexts, which have been used to analyze and discuss our findings. Results: Gender differentiations are present in plants naming and identification. Plants morphologically similar can take different designations or have the same name with gender variations depending on people’s perceptions of female or male features. The survey conducted in these Portuguese case studies shows also a gender variability of knowledge, although knowledge about plants is usually quite shared. Conclusions: The mechanism of plant differentiation using gender attributes seems to be transcultural. However, the plant classification by gender must be explained from a local standpoint and knowledge about plants should be understood as a “storied knowledge”.The data presented were collected in the project “Ethnobotany of the Northeastern Region of Portugal: local knowledge, plants and uses”, founded by FCT - Fundação Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal (References: - POCTI/ANT/48629/2002; POCI/ANT/59395/2004). The Frazão-Moreira personal data from Wadane (Mauritania) were gathered in the micro-project “Arabic gum. From caravans to the local appropriation in Mauritanian oasis modernity”, included in “Portuguese castles abroad. Heritage and cultural cooperation between Portugal and Arab-Islamic countries”, founded by FCT (Reference: POCTI/ANT/48629/2002; Silva 2013).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio