Workshop related to the 5th World Conservation Congress Strengthening Biocultural Diversity and Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Asia-Pacific Island Regions

Sun-Kee HONGThe Ecological Society of KoreaInstitution for Marine and Island Cultures, Mokpo National Univer-

sity, Republic of KOREA

Island Biocultural Diversity Initia-tive

Necessity and Goal

Grazing is one of traditional landscape management in Mediter-ranean islands. How to sustain the balance of resource use and ecosystem, especially in small islands, is common question to ecologists

(Palea Kameni near Santorini, Greece. This islet was created by eruptions of 46-47AD and 726. Photo by SK Hong).

Contents

1

2

3

Background

Goals

Plan

4 Strategies

5 Methods

6 Expected Effects

Relationship between biological diversity and cultural diversity. Interaction of biocultural diversity from local to global levels (Adopted from Maffi and Woodley 2010)

CAUSAL RELATIONSHIPSAT THE LOCAL LEVEL

BIODIVERSITY LOCAL CULTURES

Ecosystem, species &genetic richness

Ecological knowledge,Cultural values and practices,Institutions, language

GLOBAL, REGIONAL &NATIONAL LEVEL CORRELATIONS

BIODIVERSITY CULTURAL DIVERSITY

Ecosystem, species &genetic richness

Languages and cultures

Definitions of Biocultural diversity

The inextricable link between biological diversity and cultural diversity received international recogni-tion through the Declaration of Belem (1988). Loh and Harmon (2005) define Biocultural diversity as the total sum of the world’s differences, no matter what their origin. This concept encompasses bio-logical diversity at all its levels and cultural diversity in all its manifestations. Biocultural diversity is derived from the myriad ways in which humans have interacted with their natural surroundings. Their co-evolution has generated local ecological knowledge and practices: a vital reservoir of experi-ence, methods and skills that help different societies to manage their resources. Diverse worldviews and ethical approaches to life have emerged in tandem with this co-evolution of nature and culture. The bio-cultural concept is critical to making progress on building mutual understanding and support be-tween these two diversities.

1 Convention on Biological Diversity http://www.cbd.int/ 2 UNESCO Declaration on Cultural Diversity http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001271/127160m.pdflink 3 Loh, J. and Harmon, D., 2005. A global index of biocultural diversity. Ecol. Indic. 5(3):231–41.

International Conference on Biological and Cultural Diversity: Diversity for De-velopment- Development for Diversity (8-10 June 2010, Montreal, Canada)

Working Document A PROPOSED JOINT PROGRAMME OF WORK ON BIOLOGICAL AND

CULTURAL DIVERSITY LEAD BY THE SECRETARIAT OF THE CONVEN-TION ON BIODIVERSITY AND UNESCO

Major reasons of disappearing Biocultural diversity

• Human impact (human history and land use)

• Socioeconomic reasons are important driving force

• Unstable cultural diversity like biodiversity

• Losing indigenous knowledge

• Urbanization

Understanding of mechanism for biocultural dynamics

Interaction

Land use

BiodiversityNatural process

SocietyEconomyCulture

Nature Man

Changing in-teraction

ChangingBiocultural

diversity

Cultural diversity

Ecological diversity

Man

Nature

Lan

dscap

ech

ange

Loss of balance and interaction

Climate change

1. Background

Bio-logi-cal

diver-sity

Cul-tural di-

ver-sity

Tradi-tional knowledge

Biocul-tural di-versity

IUCN and UNESCO ‘Biocultural diversity’

Ecosystem + Natural Resource + Adaptation = Culture

The attention of international organizations on biodiversity

The UN declared 2010 to the International Year of Biodiversity and International Year of Rap-prochement of Cultures

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) held the international conferences in Mon-tréal, Canada (8-10, June, 2010)

Beyond the natural resource, biocultural diversity is daily life and education fields for transferring traditional ecolog-ical knowledge

Ecological knowledge is driving force and stimulus to cre-ate biocultural diversity

Cultural diversity with ecosystems become extinct in hu-man history accompanied with biodiversity loss

Global changes on seascape are threatening biological-cul-tural linking heritages

Ecological knowledge of forest use

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve: Experimental laboratory of ecological knowledge and biocultural diversity

“Blue-Green-Human Network”

2

Suggesting proposal of mo-tion development in WCC

Propagating the agenda re-garding to biocultural diver-sity to the world

1

2. Goals

Goals

Discussing the devel-opment of biodultural diversity and its mecha-nisms for maintaining ecocultural integrity

Research and policy work for sustainability of island-coastal regions

Agendaand Network-

ing

A. Case study areas

B. Contents

Getting information of ecological knowledge of biodiversity, vegetation, and resource management in international island-coastal areas

Organizing of national and international organization and research network of Asia-Pacific island-coastal areas

Holding international symposium titled “vegetation resources and ecological knowledge in island-coastal regions” dur-ing in IAVS2012 (International Association for Vegetation Science, Mokpo, 23-28 July 2012) in conjunction with WCC

Model development of “sustainability of island-coastal regions” in cooperative with international organizations (IUCN, UNESCO, FAO, and all related subjects by experts)

3. Plan

Asia-Pacific island-coastal countries

(Korea, Japan, China, Micronesia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines,

Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, USA etc.)

Study range

Greece, Italia, Spain and North Europe

South America and Africa

Regional cooperation Other regions

4. Strategies

Establishing “Island-Coastal Biocultural Diversity Initia-tive” in conjunction with in-ternational organizations such as IUCN, UNESCO, FAO, INTECOL, EAFES etc.

Discussing about theoretical basis on “Island-coastal vege-tation resources and ecologi-cal knowledge in Asia-Pacific regions” during IAVS2012

Organizing workshop with institutions as well as re-searchers of IUCN, UN-ESCO, FAO, INTECOL and initiating agenda

Submitting agendaInternational networking

ABCD(Asia-Pacific Biocultural Diversity) Group in INTECOL, Brisbane 2009

ABCD(Asia-Pacific Biocul-

tural Diversity)

5. Methods

A. Understanding ecological knowledge for natu-ral resource use in island-coastal regions

Finding researchers on biocultural diversity in island-coastal regions

Collecting literature data through national and interna-tional network

Obtaining information of ecological knowledge of re-source management and biodiversity

B. Strengthening of national and international network

Strengthening the network through mutual visits of the main spots

Holding the international symposium as a “Island-coastal vegetation resources and ecological knowl-edge” during the IAVS2012

Proposal the motion during WCC

Propagation of integrity and excellence of ecologi-cal knowledge and biocultural diversity through in-ternational networkC. Literature utilization and

workshop programming

Literature review progress

Organizing of national and international workshops

Publishing by papers and books

6. Expected Effects

55th IAVS 2012 (www.iavs2012.org)

Promotion of Initiative on biocultural diversity in Asia-Pacific is-land regions

International networking for research development on biocul-tural diversity

Developing effective strategies for conservation and develop-ment on island sustainability (ecosystem conservation, quality economy related to local activity and life standard, and eco-wel-fare)

Model development of sustainable island-coastal regions

Expanding our action to local to global level

THANK YOU