Biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation

TLDR: In this article, the authors used the Conceptual Framework of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) to analyse the biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation by indigenous peoples and local communities globally.

Abstract: Pollinators underpin sustainable livelihoods that link ecosystems, spiritual and cultural values, and customary governance systems with indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) across the world. Biocultural diversity is a shorthand term for this great variety of people–nature interlinkages that have developed over time in specific ecosystems. Biocultural approaches to conservation explicitly build on the conservation practices inherent in sustaining these livelihoods. We used the Conceptual Framework of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services to analyse the biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation by IPLCs globally. The analysis identified biocultural approaches to pollinators across all six elements of the Conceptual Framework, with conservation-related practices occurring in 60 countries, in all continents except Antarctica. Practices of IPLCs that are important for biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation can be grouped into three categories: the practice of valuing diversity and fostering biocultural diversity; landscape management practices; and diversified farming systems. Particular IPLCs may use some or all of these practices. Policies that recognize customary tenure over traditional lands, strengthen indigenous and community-conserved areas, promote heritage listing and support diversified farming systems within a food sovereignty approach are among several identified that strengthen biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation, and thereby deliver mutual benefits for pollinators and people. Pollinators are integral to ecosystem functions and human wellbeing, yet conservation approaches often ignore indigenous and biocultural perspectives and practices. This Analysis uses the IPBES framework to categorize biocultural practices and identify policies to support their roles in pollinator conservation.

Figures

Figure 2 Global patterns of the contribution of biocultural approaches for pollinators and pollination 88 to quality of life, from studies/sites identified in the analysis: (a) beekeeping; (b) honey hunting; (c) 89

Figure 1 (a) IPBES Conceptual Framework5 and (b) analysis of biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation according to 69 this Conceptual Framework 70

Full text

Biocultural approaches to pollinator
conservation
Article
Accepted Version
Hill, R., Nates-Parra, G., Quezada-Euán, J. J. G., Buchori, D.,
LeBuhn, G., Maués, M. M., Pert, P. L., Kwapong, P. K., Saeed,
S., Breslow, S. J., Carneiro da Cunha, M., Dicks, L. V.,
Galetto, L., Gikungu, M. G., Howlett, B. G., Imperatriz-
Fonseca, V. L., Lyver, P. O.'B., Martín-López, B., Oteros-
Rozas, E., Potts, S. G. and Roué, M. (2019) Biocultural
approaches to pollinator conservation. Nature Sustainability, 2.
pp. 214-222. ISSN 2398-9629 doi:
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0244-z Available at
https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/82035/
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1
Biocultural approaches to pollinator 1
conservation 2
3
Abstract 4
Pollinators underpin sustainable livelihoods that link ecosystems, spiritual and cultural values, and 5
customary governance systems with indigenous peoples
a
and local communities (IPLC) across the 6
world. Biocultural diversity is a short-hand term for this great variety of people-nature interlinkages 7
that have developed over time in specific ecosystems. Biocultural approaches to conservation 8
explicitly build on the conservation practices inherent in sustaining these livelihoods. We used the 9
Conceptual Framework of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services to 10
analyse the biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation by indigenous peoples and local 11
communities globally. The analysis identified biocultural approaches to pollinators across all six 12
elements of the Conceptual Framework, with conservation-related practices occurring in sixty 13
countries, in all continents except Antarctica. Practices of IPLC that are significant for biocultural 14
approaches to pollinator conservation can be grouped into three categories: the practice of valuing 15
diversity and fostering biocultural diversity; landscape management practices; and diversified 16
farming systems. Particular IPLCs may use some or all of these practices. Policies that recognise 17
customary tenure over traditional lands, strengthen Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas, 18
promote heritage listing and support diversified farming within a food sovereignty approach, are 19
among several identified that strengthen biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation, and 20
thereby deliver mutual benefits for pollinators and people. 21
a
Here we follow the global norm of using lower case for “indigenous” while recognising the norm in Australia and New
Zealand is to use upper case, following Johnson, J.T. et al. (2007) Creating anti-colonial geographies: Embracing indigenous
peoples' knowledges and rights. Geographical Research 45 (2), 117-120.

2
22
23
24
25
Keywords: biocultural diversity, indigenous peoples, local communities, conservation, biodiversity, 26
governance, cultural values 27
28

3
Introduction 29
Pollinators are integral to a good quality of life for people globally, contributing to sustainable 30
livelihoods, maintenance of ecosystem health and function, food production, cultural, spiritual and 31
social values
1
. Inclusive policy for their conservation requires innovative, multiscale assessments that 32
include evidence from science and other knowledge systems
2
. Yet conservation science has often 33
neglected societies’ values, world views and knowledge systems and ignored culturally-grounded 34
approaches
3
. In this context, biocultural approaches to conservation, which explicitly build on local 35
cultural perspectives and recognize feedbacks between ecosystems and quality of life, have emerged 36
as key to the necessary inclusivity
4
. Biocultural approaches are underpinned by the concept of 37
biocultural diversity, which recognises that culture and biodiversity are linked and may be mutually 38
constituted
5
. Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) are integral to the biocultural 39
diversity that has developed in ecosystems over millennia, including large areas of the globe, many 40
with high biodiversity, over which IPLCs have management responsibility
6
. The Intergovernmental 41
Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services (IPBES) is promoting inclusivity in 42
assessments through the IPBES Conceptual Framework
5
, their valuation approaches
7
, and by 43
providing space for context-specific culturally-grounded ways of assessing nature’s contributions to 44
people (NCP)
8
. In this paper, we provide the first global analysis and review of current literature 45
about biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation, drawing on and augmenting work 46
undertaken for the first IPBES assessment
9
. 47
48
For the first time in any global environmental assessment, the IPBES global pollination assessment 49
included indigenous and local knowledge (ILK)
b
. This incorporation of ILK focused on the 50
contributions of pollination and pollinators to two elements of the IPBES Conceptual Framework—51
good quality of life and nature’s contributions to people
10
. For this paper, we analyse biocultural 52
approaches, based on ILK, according to all six elements of the IPBES Conceptual Framework (CF)
5
53
(Figure 1). We focus on the knowledge of IPLCs, both groups identified essentially by their (multi-54
scalar) linkages with their traditional territories (see Methods, Box 1). Our analysis demonstrates 55
that practices of IPLCs that are significant for pollinator conservation can be grouped into three 56
categories: (1) the practice of valuing diversity and fostering biocultural diversity; (2) landscape 57
management practices; and (3) diversified farming systems. Particular IPLCs may use some or all of 58
these practices. Seven policies to strengthen these approaches are presented, followed by 59
concluding comments about implications for future science and policy. Methods for analysis, 60
literature review and (self)-identification of IPLCs are presented at the end of the article. 61
Results of the Analysis 62
All six elements of the IPBES CF are presented in Figure 1(a); and Figure 1 (b) presents the analysis of 63
IPLCs’ biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation into these elements, which includes 64
b
Indigenous and local knowledge is defined here in accordance with Diaz et al. 2015 as “A cumulative body of
knowledge, practice and belief, evolving by adaptive processes and handed down through generations by
cultural transmission, about the relationship of living beings (including humans) with one another and with
their environment. It is also referred to by other terms such as, for example, Indigenous, local or traditional
knowledge, traditional ecological/environmental knowledge (TEK), farmers’ or fishers’ knowledge,
ethnoscience, indigenous science, folk science.”

Frequently asked questions

Q1. What contributions have the authors mentioned in the paper "Biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation" ?

21 a Here the authors follow the global norm of using lower case for “ indigenous ” while recognising the norm in Australia and New Zealand is to use upper case, following Johnson, J. T. et al. ( 2007 ) Creating anti-colonial geographies: Embracing indigenous peoples ' knowledges and rights. 

Q2. How many species are used by IPLCs to classify?

205 ecological and behavioural characteristics as well as seasonal occurrence are used by IPLCs to classify 206 different plant and animal species, resulting in unique understandings of the systems of life45,46. 

Q3. What is the role of the IPLCs in reducing pollinators?

Invasive species, such as African and European bees, are recognised 174 by IPLCs in South and Central America as driving declines in native pollinators and their products, 175 including stingless bee honey10. 

Q4. What is the role of the FAO in promoting pollinator-friendly farming?

Participatory evaluation of pollinator-friendly farming 321 practices has been used by the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) as an 322 effective framework for co-producing knowledge between scientists and farmers63. 

Q5. What is the key requirement for the UN?

The United Nations 402 recognizes that no formal definition of whom are indigenous peoples and/or local 403 communities is needed—self-identification is the key requirement. 

Q6. What are examples of cultural heritage that rely on pollinator-dependent resources?

Examples of Intangible 94 Cultural Heritage that rely on pollinator-dependent resources include knotted bag-making by forest 95 peoples of Papua, and barkcloth-making by the Baganda people in Uganda. 

Q7. How many peoples are deeply grateful for their contributions?

Their contributions to the sustainable use and 440 conservation of biocultural diversity over millennia benefits many peoples globally, and the authors are 441 deeply grateful. 

Q8. What are the main reasons why traditional farming systems are undervalued?

Traditional 163 farming systems are undervalued relative to commercial, industrial and trade-oriented resource 164 exploitation of the same spaces, despite the ecosystem services that traditional farming protects. 

Q9. Who provided the knowledge and practices underpinning conservation of pollinators?

The authors thank the indigenous peoples and local communities globally who provided their knowledge of 438 practices and philosophies underpinning conservation of pollinators and pollination to the hundreds 43913of publications that the authors reviewed for this article. 

Q10. What is the 550 historical political ecology of Tsimane' lands?

Indigenous land reconfiguration and fragmented institutions: A 550 historical political ecology of Tsimane' lands (Bolivian Amazon). 

Q11. What are the common land tenure systems in the Philippines?

Land tenure systems are often multi-layered, for example in the 138 Philippines people can have tenure rights to communal, corporate and individual lands30. 

Q12. What are examples of sites that recognise biocultural approaches?

Examples of sites that recognise biocultural approaches include the Coffee Cultural 101 Landscape of Colombia, and the Osun Sacred Grove protected by Yoruba peoples near Osogbo, 102 Nigeria. 

Q13. What was the final step to enable this analysis?

The final steps to enable this analysis involved firstly updating 422 the review with publications since 2015 (the cut-off date for the IPBES pollination report), and 423 heritage sites and elements listed in 2016-17; and secondly re-analysing the data gathered through 424 the dialogues11 and literature to respond to all elements of the IPBES CF. 

Q14. What are the three groups considered to be part of the NCP approach?

Their analysis identified three such bundles or 236 groups that are considered NCP as part of, and ways to foster, biocultural approaches to pollinator 237 conservation: (1) the practice of valuing diversity and fostering biocultural diversity; (2) landscape 238 management practices; and (3) diversified farming systems. 

Q15. What was the first step in the IPBES global pollination assessment?

a global call was issued for indigenous and local knowledge holders from IPLCs and 385 experts who wished to contribute information relevant to pollinators and pollination, to participate 386 in global and community dialogues. 

Q16. How did the IPBES global pollination 377 assessment achieve such engagement?

While the IPBES global pollination 377 assessment did not fully succeed in achieving such engagement, as knowledge-holders and their 378 institutions were not involved in the latter parts of the assessment, several methods, including 379 global and community dialogues in the early phases and tailored literature analyses, ensured a high-380 degree of rigour in their approach to working with ILK 67.