Arguments based on biocultural diversity to cease abandonment of traditional agricultural systems: Lessons from Poland

The Polish rural cultural landscape is inherently linked to a special, centuries-old system that combines agricultural tradition and biodiversity. One of such environmentally, ecologically, agriculturally, historically, and culturally unique areas is the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland. Home to small agricultural holdings, this diversified mosaic is where agricultural, husbandry, craft, and local industry experience is handed down the generational chain. Developmental changes and progress are becoming the gravest threats to the area. The purpose of the paper is to assess traditional agricultural systems in the Lesser Poland part of the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland considering landscape features, agricultural biodiversity, food and livelihood security, traditional local knowledge systems, cultural values—in particular, systems of values—and social organisations that promote them. The research shows that biodiversity is entwined with cultural diversity. The vanishing of agricultural systems due to changed socio-economic conditions and environmental overprotection is a serious threat to the biological and cultural diversity in the upland. The authors employed a SWOT analysis—a tool that can investigate interactions and determine the best development strategy—to identify relationships between cultural and biological diversity.

Features of Tourist Routes in the Republic of Sakha: Extreme Tours, Unique Natural Sites, Archaeological and Ritual Attractions

Tourism is an important element of the social and economic development of Russia. The northern territories play an important role in the development of the Russian economy in general and the tourism industry in particular. Nordic tourism involves careful respect for environmental and social sustainability, the promotion of traditional local knowledge and value systems, and the preservation of local cultural heritage and cultural landscapes. The article analyses the promotion of the tourism potential of Yakutia. The northern territories of Russia are rich in natural resources and economic potential but do not have an effective tourist infrastructure due to the harsh climate and vast territories of permafrost. The study presents the results of the analysis of the main tourist routes of the Sakha Republic. The main factors for the development of tourism were determined by a set of landscape characteristics (unique nature of the Lena River, biological diversity of flora and fauna), ethnocultural and historical context, as well as infrastructure considerations (proximity to the capital, inexpensive transport, and engineering systems). The study demonstrated that scientific tourism in Central Yakutia is quite real and has great prospects due to the unique landscapes. It can also give impetus to new scientific discoveries. Defining and describing cultural landscapes, collecting field materials and mapping cultural and landscape zoning can simplify the work for the creators of tourist routes in the future.

Environmental management within the indigenous perspective

The environment (nature) is one of the most important aspects of life that needs to be considered when referring to and regarding sustainable development. This article aims to describe environmental management based on local knowledge using the case study conducted focusing on Mbatakapidu. The environment, which is a space for people to create a sustainable livelihood, is increasingly being disturbed by the acts of humanity itself. However, we cannot deny that in addition to these conditions, there are still local communities that always strive to create a balance between human and the environment. One of them is a local community in Mbatakapidu. This study used a qualitative approach with a case study perspective. The data collection was done by conducting in-depth interviews with the informants. The six informants were determined purposively. The results of this study show that people of Mbatakapidu trust that there are spirits who inhabit the springs and forests. This is a form of local wisdom that makes them tend to hold on to destructive action against the forest. The people of Mbatakapidu make nature their friend, and seek not to exploit but desire to maintain the sustainability of nature with the traditional local knowledge that they have. It implies that the Mbatakapidu people are obedient to Marapu. The values embraced by Marapu makes people harmonise their life with the natural environment. Therefore, the act of field (savannah) burning turned out to be mobilised by the individual and not at the instigation of local values as believed by the Mbatakapidu.

Ethnic Migration, Embedded Settlement and the Development of Low-Carbon Willingness: A Field Survey on the Reservoir Emigrants of She Minority and the Inhabitants of Immigration Areas in Longyou County, Zhejiang Province

The development of low-carbon willingness is one of the inherent conditions for the construction of low-carbon cities. This paper focuses on a case study of the embedded settlement of She immigrants from Muchen Reservoir (in Zhejiang Province) and inhabitants of immigration areas. Based on a survey sampling of the above-mentioned She emigrants and inhabitants, the author conducts an experimental study, which divides research subjects into four groups: A1 of Han ethnic group settling in single-Han communities in immigration areas; A2 of Han ethnic group settling with She immigrants in immigration areas; B1 of She immigrants settling in single-She communities after migration; B2 of She immigrants settling with Han ethnic group after migration. A1 and B1 are reference groups, while A2 and B2 are experimental groups. The study analyzes and compares the low-carbon awareness of Han ethnic group and She minority in different modes of living (single-ethnic settlement and embedded settlement) in the immigrant area after the reservoir resettlement, so as to identify whether embedded settlement helps foster low-carbon awareness. The results show that Han ethnic group settling with She immigrants consumed less luxuries and is better at applying traditional local knowledge compared with its reference group; meanwhile, She minority settling with Han ethnic group has more low-carbon knowledge and stronger low-carbon willingness. The study proves that when an ethnic minority migrates from a single-ethnicity community to one featuring embedded settlement of different ethnic groups, the communication among them helps to spread and strengthen low-carbon awareness; besides, traditional local knowledge of ethnic minorities contributes to the low-carbon development of the immigration areas.

Traditional knowledge and artisanal fishing technology on the Xingu River in Pará, Brazil

In artisanal fishing, the techniques used by a community reflect the characteristics of the natural environment, in particular the distribution and availability of resources, as well as local traditions and customs. However, economic development may result in the loss of these traditions. The present study documents the fishing techniques used by the communities on the Xingu River in the Brazilian state of Pará (Maribel, Altamira, Belo Monte, Vitória do Xingu, Vila Nova, Senador José Porfírio, Porto de Moz, and Gurupá). Interviews were used to investigate traditional local knowledge and the distribution of the different fishing methods within the study area. The local fishers described the use of 12 different types of net, 10 hook and line techniques, and eight kinds of spearfishing. Free diving and scuba diving are also used for the capture of ornamental fish.

Comparative Analysis of Traditional House at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah with Modern House

House is one of the most basic needs of human life other than food and clothing. House comfort can be studied in house ergonomic. In House Ergonomic, research of the various factors that can be called decent house would have to meet the criteria of ergonomic house. Indonesia is a country with many different cultures, each of which has a typical traditional house for the region. In the days before globalization began, people of Indonesia had to build their own houses. The traditional house of the culture diversity is constructed without researching the science of ergonomics and modern architecture in theory, but is built from traditional local knowledge based on the philosophy and beliefs.

Linked hydrologic and social systems that support resilience of traditional irrigation communities

Southwestern US irrigated landscapes are facing upheaval due to water scarcity and land use conversion associated with climate change, population growth, and changing economics. In the traditionally irrigated valleys of northern New Mexico, these stresses, as well as instances of community longevity in the face of these stresses, are apparent. Human systems have interacted with hydrologic processes over the last 400 years in river-fed irrigated valleys to create linked systems. In this study, we ask if concurrent data from multiple disciplines could show that human-adapted hydrologic and socioeconomic systems have created conditions for resilience. Various types of resiliencies are evident in the communities. Traditional local knowledge about the hydrosocial cycle of community water management and ability to adopt new water management practices is a key response to disturbances such as low water supply from drought. Livestock producers have retained their irrigated land by adapting: changing from sheep to cattle and securing income from outside their livestock operations. Labor-intensive crops decreased as off-farm employment opportunities became available. Hydrologic resilience of the system can be affected by both human and natural elements. We find, for example, that there are multiple hydrologic benefits of traditional irrigation system water seepage: it recharges the groundwater that recharges rivers, supports threatened biodiversity by maintaining riparian vegetation, and ameliorates impacts of climate change by prolonging streamflow hydrographs. Human decisions to transfer water out of agriculture or change irrigation management, as well as natural changes such as long-term drought or climate change, can result in reduced seepage and the benefits it provides. We have worked with the communities to translate the multidisciplinary dimensions of these systems into a common language of causal loop diagrams, which form the basis for modeling future scenarios to identify thresholds and tipping points of sustainability. Early indications are that these systems, though not immune to upheaval, have astonishing resilience.

Hydrological, ecological, land use, economic, and sociocultural evidence for resilience of traditional irrigation communities in New Mexico, USA

Southwestern US irrigated landscapes are facing upheaval due to climate change-induced water scarcity and economic change-induced land use conversion. Clues to community longevity are found in the traditionally irrigated valleys of northern New Mexico. Human systems have interacted with hydrologic processes over the last 400 yr in river fed irrigated valleys to create linked systems. In this study, we asked if concurrent data from multiple disciplines show that human adapted hydrologic and socioeconomic systems have created conditions for resilience. We identify and describe several areas of resilience: hydrological, ecological, land use, economic, and sociocultural. We found that there are multiple hydrologic benefits of the water seepage from the traditional irrigation systems; it recharges groundwater that recharges rivers, supports threatened biodiversity by maintaining riparian vegetation, and ameliorates impacts of climate change by prolonging streamflow hydrographs. In terms of land use and economics, place-based adaptability manifests itself in transformations of irrigation infrastructure and specific animal and crop systems; as grazing has diminished over time on public land watersheds, it has increased on irrigated valley pastures while outside income allows irrigators to retain their land. Sociocultural evidence shows that traditional local knowledge about the hydrosocial cycle of acequia operations is a key factor in acequia resilience. When irrigators are confronted with unexpected disturbances or changing climate that affect water supply, they adapt specific practices while maintaining community cohesion. Our ongoing work will quantify the multiple disciplinary components of these systems, translate them into a common language of causal loop diagrams, and model future scenarios to identify thresholds and tipping points of sustainability. Early indications are that these systems are not immune to upheaval, but have astonishing resilience.