Traditional Indigenous Approaches to Land Management (HL) (DP IB Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS))

Traditional Indigenous Approaches to Land Management

• Traditional Indigenous land management refers to the methods used by Indigenous communities to care for and sustain the natural environment over generations

  • These methods often focus on long-term sustainability, ensuring the land remains productive and healthy for future generations

  • Indigenous practices maintain balance in the ecosystems in which they occur and include:

    • Rotational farming

    • Controlled burning

    • Sustainable fishing and hunting

  • These methods are often based on a deep connection to the land and a holistic understanding of ecosystems

Sustainability in Indigenous land management

• Indigenous approaches to land management are often viewed as more sustainable than many modern, industrial practices

  • Rotational farming:

    • Some Indigenous groups, like the Kayapo in the Amazon, use shifting agriculture to allow soil to regenerate between planting cycles, preventing nutrient depletion

  • Controlled burning:

    • Indigenous Australians have used fire-stick farming (controlled burning) to manage forests, prevent large wildfires, and promote the growth of certain plants and animals

    • This promotes biodiversity and reduces the risk of catastrophic wildfires

• These methods focus on working with nature rather than over-exploiting it, helping preserve biodiversity and ecosystem balance

Challenges to Indigenous land management

• Despite the sustainability of traditional Indigenous methods, they face significant challenges:

External threats

• Population growth and economic development:

  • As populations grow and economies develop, there is greater pressure on Indigenous lands for resources, agriculture, and infrastructure development

  • E.g. deforestation in the Amazon threatens Indigenous farming and hunting practices as large areas of forest are cleared for cattle ranching or soy production

• Climate change:

  • Climate change is disrupting traditional weather patterns and natural cycles that Indigenous practices rely on

  • E.g. in the Ecuadorian Amazon, Indigenous communities have historically used river flooding during the rainy season to increase the effectiveness of their fishing practices

  • However, due to climate change, flooding is now more extreme, submerging farms and affecting the growth of vital crops, leading to food insecurity in these communities

• Government policies and lack of support:

  • Many governments do not recognise Indigenous land rights or they prioritise economic development over traditional land management

  • E.g. in parts of Canada, government-sanctioned logging and mining on Indigenous lands have caused degradation of ecosystems essential to Indigenous hunting, fishing, and spiritual practices

Internal threats

• Aspiration for economic development:

  • As Indigenous societies become more integrated into the global economy, there can be pressure to adopt modern development models that may not align with sustainable practices

  • E.g. younger generations within some Indigenous communities may prefer industrial agriculture or other economically profitable but less sustainable forms of land use, leading to overuse of natural resources

• Erosion of traditional knowledge:

  • The spread of modern education systems and cultural influences can lead to a loss of traditional ecological knowledge

  • This is making it harder for Indigenous communities to maintain their sustainable practices over generations