High overlap between traditional ecological knowledge and forest conservation found in the Bolivian Amazon

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552Altres ajuts: FBBVA research grant (BIOCON_06_106-07)It has been suggested that traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) may play a key role in forest conservation. However, empirical studies assessing to what extent TEK is associated with forest conservation compared with other variables are rare. Furthermore, to our knowledge, the spatial overlap of TEK and forest conservation has not been evaluated at fine scales. In this paper, we address both issues through a case study with Tsimane' Amerindians in the Bolivian Amazon. We sampled 624 households across 59 villages to estimate TEK and used remote sensing data to assess forest conservation. We ran statistical and spatial analyses to evaluate whether TEK was associated and spatially overlapped with forest conservation at the village level. We find that Tsimane' TEK is significantly and positively associated with forest conservation although acculturation variables bear stronger and negative associations with forest conservation. We also find a very significant spatial overlap between levels of Tsimane' TEK and forest conservation. We discuss the potential reasons underpinning our results, which provide insights that may be useful for informing policies in the realms of development, conservation, and climate. We posit that the protection of indigenous cultural systems is vital and urgent to create more effective policies in such realms

What motivates urban dwellers to adapt to climate-driven water insecurity? An empirical study from Lima, Peru

This paper reports on a study of the determinants of adaptive behavior in face of climate-driven water insecurity, using a survey of 400 urban dwellers in Lima, Peru. Lima is characterized by continuous water stress and is at risk of permanent water scarcity due to climate change. Residents show a general understanding that the climate is changing and have recent experience with climate extremes. We use regression analyses to identify the socioeconomic, socio-institutional, and psychological determinants of adaptive behavior. We examine the differences between climate-responsive and general adaptive behavior, using five indices -- structural, knowledge, consumption, planning, and environmental -- to identify and compare the determinants of both behaviors. Our findings show that education, extended water availability, climate change concern, and cultural environmental values influence adaptive behavior, and each thematic index has distinct set of significant behavioral determinants. We discuss the importance of water-related determinants, the intentionality of adaption behavior, and the need to contextualize the social and psychological realities of urban dwellers in the Global South

Enhancing the ecological value of oil palm agriculture through set-asides

Agricultural expansion is the primary driver of ecological degradation across the tropics. Set-asides—uncultivated parts of agricultural landscapes, often on steep slopes and alongside rivers—may alleviate environmental impacts but can reduce the area cultivated. Here we model an approach to configuring set-asides aimed at optimizing ecological outcomes (biodiversity, above-ground carbon storage and nutrient cycling) without reducing net cultivation area. We compare set-asides in an oil palm landscape where all plantations adopt the same configuration (‘uniform’ approach) with a scenario where there can be variation in configuration among plantations (‘variable’ approach). We find that all set-aside configurations support substantial ecological values but that the best strategies involve set-asides, particularly alongside rivers, that are spatially targeted and variable among plantations. This ‘variable’ approach can increase ecological outcomes twofold over the ‘uniform’ approach without reducing net cultivation area. Our findings underscore the potential importance of well-planned set-asides for enhancing agricultural sustainability