Rich local knowledge despite high transience in an Arctic community experiencing rapid environmental change
Abstract Environmental monitoring and long-term research produce detailed understanding, but its collective effort does not add up to ‘the environment’ and therefore may be difficult to relate to. Local knowledge, by contrast, is multifaceted and relational and therefore can help ground and compleme...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer Nature
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02310-9 |
| _version_ | 1827770753870725120 |
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| author | Ann Eileen Lennert René van der Wal Jasmine Zhang Vera Helene Hausner Francisco Javier Ancin Murguzur Martin W. Miles |
| author_facet | Ann Eileen Lennert René van der Wal Jasmine Zhang Vera Helene Hausner Francisco Javier Ancin Murguzur Martin W. Miles |
| author_sort | Ann Eileen Lennert |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Environmental monitoring and long-term research produce detailed understanding, but its collective effort does not add up to ‘the environment’ and therefore may be difficult to relate to. Local knowledge, by contrast, is multifaceted and relational and therefore can help ground and complement scientific knowledge to reach a more complete and holistic understanding of the environment and changes therein. Today’s societies, however, are increasingly fleeting, with mobility potentially undermining the opportunity to generate rich community knowledge. Here we perform a case study of High Arctic Svalbard, a climate change and environmental science hotspot, using a range of community science methods, including a Maptionnaire survey, focus groups, interviews and cognitive mapping. We show that rich local knowledge on Svalbard could indeed be gathered through community science methods, despite a high level of transience of the local population. These insights complement environmental monitoring and enhance its local relevance. Complex understanding of Svalbard’s ecosystems by the transient local community arose because of strong place attachment, enabling environmental knowledge generation during work and play. We conclude that transience does not necessarily prevent the generation of valuable local knowledge that can enrich and provide connection to scientific understanding of the environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:44:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b2dac160e5ba4cc7b0e79ff4806a9509 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2662-9992 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:44:02Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Springer Nature |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-b2dac160e5ba4cc7b0e79ff4806a95092023-11-05T12:10:34ZengSpringer NatureHumanities & Social Sciences Communications2662-99922023-11-0110111510.1057/s41599-023-02310-9Rich local knowledge despite high transience in an Arctic community experiencing rapid environmental changeAnn Eileen Lennert0René van der Wal1Jasmine Zhang2Vera Helene Hausner3Francisco Javier Ancin Murguzur4Martin W. Miles5The Arctic University of NorwaySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesThe Arctic University of NorwayThe Arctic University of NorwayNORCE Norwegian Research CentreAbstract Environmental monitoring and long-term research produce detailed understanding, but its collective effort does not add up to ‘the environment’ and therefore may be difficult to relate to. Local knowledge, by contrast, is multifaceted and relational and therefore can help ground and complement scientific knowledge to reach a more complete and holistic understanding of the environment and changes therein. Today’s societies, however, are increasingly fleeting, with mobility potentially undermining the opportunity to generate rich community knowledge. Here we perform a case study of High Arctic Svalbard, a climate change and environmental science hotspot, using a range of community science methods, including a Maptionnaire survey, focus groups, interviews and cognitive mapping. We show that rich local knowledge on Svalbard could indeed be gathered through community science methods, despite a high level of transience of the local population. These insights complement environmental monitoring and enhance its local relevance. Complex understanding of Svalbard’s ecosystems by the transient local community arose because of strong place attachment, enabling environmental knowledge generation during work and play. We conclude that transience does not necessarily prevent the generation of valuable local knowledge that can enrich and provide connection to scientific understanding of the environment.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02310-9 |
| spellingShingle | Ann Eileen Lennert René van der Wal Jasmine Zhang Vera Helene Hausner Francisco Javier Ancin Murguzur Martin W. Miles Rich local knowledge despite high transience in an Arctic community experiencing rapid environmental change Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| title | Rich local knowledge despite high transience in an Arctic community experiencing rapid environmental change |
| title_full | Rich local knowledge despite high transience in an Arctic community experiencing rapid environmental change |
| title_fullStr | Rich local knowledge despite high transience in an Arctic community experiencing rapid environmental change |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rich local knowledge despite high transience in an Arctic community experiencing rapid environmental change |
| title_short | Rich local knowledge despite high transience in an Arctic community experiencing rapid environmental change |
| title_sort | rich local knowledge despite high transience in an arctic community experiencing rapid environmental change |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02310-9 |
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