The contributions of Indigenous Peoples and local communities to ecological restoration

Background

Indigenous Peoples and local communities often rely on their local environment to meet their basic needs, and so are affected by global environmental change. They also contribute to ecological restoration through supporting species selection and providing information on the historical state of the ecosystem. However, the authors point out that involving IPLCs does not always lead to improve restoration outcomes. They outline strategies to integrate indigenous and local knowledge into programs to improve restoration outcomes.

Research goals and methods

A literature search was conducted in Web of Science, and 120 articles were selected for a detailed review, out of 413 papers. 

Conclusion

Restoration outcomes are more likely to be ecologically successful when IPLC and their knowledge is integrated at the design stage of projects, when short- and long-term social and ecological benefits are ensured, and when cultural elements such as local traditions or customary institutions are integrated into restoration efforts. On the basis of their review, the authors suggest that IPLC and their knowledge should receive greater attention in global efforts to meet the target to restore 15% of degraded ecosystems across the world, as a part of the Convention on Biological Diversity.