Traditional ecological knowledge

Traditional ecological knowledge can be defined as ways of understanding one's environment based on detailed personal observation and experience; knowledge about the land and ecosystems that is passed down through the generations, - Indigenous Corporate Training, adapted by Michelle Xie

Examples of traditional ecological knowledge

Knowledge about changing climates	Indigenous Peoples hold critical knowledge based on years of observations on the land and a passing down of this knowledge related to how the climate and our ecosystems are changing. For example, "several observations from Indigenous people located below the 60th parallel indicate increased incidences of milder winters, changes in wind and precipitation patterns, less snow in the winter and changes in ice-depth." -Indigenous climate hub
Controlled burns	Indigenous Peoples have known for a very long time that controlled fires can help prevent large, devastating forest fires, in addition to providing other benefits. Controlled fires help to; manage the buildup of combustible materials, manage regeneration, manage pests, stimulate productivity of berry patches, stimulate growth of medicinal plants and rejuvenate forage.
Medicinal plants	In so-called Canada, more than 1,400 medicinal plant species have been identified by Indigenous Peoples. These plants are used to treat a variety of ailments including nosebleeds, warts, frostbite, and headaches.

If you have any suggested revisions or additional resources to share related to the above content, please email them to kenzie@lehub.ca.

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