Thanks for publicizing this, Nancy. Caught the interview and it is well worth a listen.
In my experience, most local and/or traditional knowledge tends to get validated when it gets subjected to rigorous scientific scrutiny. Local folks have the most comprehensive knowledge of their circumstances and it’s normal to look for plausible explanations. The unforgiving real world imposes a need to be objectively critical and another need to gather lessons as they get delivered and to put them together. The local/traditional explanations don’t always match what conventional science (if it’s lucky!) discovers, but more often than not, comes pretty close. It’s prudent to be very cautious before dismissing perceived truths as superstitions. Where did they come from and why?
The Mi’kmaq concept of two-eyed seeing (“To see from one eye with the strengths of Indigenous ways of knowing, and to see from the other eye with the strengths of Western ways of knowing, and to use both of these eyes together”) makes enormous sense, but needs to be both appreciated as a universal truth and extended.
Fisheries managers these days, for instance, finally get it. If you ignore the wisdom and knowledge of local fishers (who, by the way, have the biggest stake in sustainable management), you are almost certain to make serious mistakes. Ditto if they aren’t involved in management decisions. Yup, besides sustainability, there are some other ethical questions at play. …
Thirty-five years ago, I was working directly with rice farmers in Northeast Thailand, testing the viability of rice-fish culture in their fields. Our field staff officer told us the farmers would always know best, but would respect our knowledge. I asked him what the best way of giving advice was.
He said, “By asking questions.”
A year later, one farmer was hauling out 1 Kg. common carp while his neighbours were catching fish about a tenth the weight.
He asked me, “Why are my fish so big?” (I’m translating!)
I said, “Your field is big and holds water well. Also, your stocking density is low.”
He said, “Nope. I have neighbours who stocked the same way and got smaller fish. But my water’s saline.”
He was right; his salinity was barely measurable, in contrast to that of other fields. Fish physiologists will see that his explanation makes sense.
This from a rice farmer in NE Thailand with a good brain and four years of formal schooling.
But I digress!
From: N Robinson [mailto:nrobbyn@gmail.com]
Sent: May 2, 2021 10:40 AM
To: Mary Macaulay
Cc: naturens@chebucto.ca
Subject: [Naturens] Re: Orchestes is out and about
An important book will be published Tuesday: Suzanne Simard from UBC is the author of Finding the Mother Tree. She has studied the interconnectedness of trees, how they help each other through the underground fungal network, and the importance not only of DIVERSITY, but of the MOTHER TREE, hence backing up our pleas to retain old growth and especially older trees, with scientific evidence.
Dr. Simard was interviewed on Quirks and Quarks yesterday.
Of course this research has been around for a while and nothing has changed. Perhaps this book will make a difference if we "propagate" it.
There is a good article here: https://www.the-scientist.com/reading-frames/book-excerpt-from-finding-the-mother-tree-68727
Excerpt:
".... The trees soon revealed startling secrets. I discovered that they are in a web of interdependence, linked by a system of underground channels, where they perceive and connect and relate with an ancient intricacy and wisdom that can no longer be denied. I conducted hundreds of experiments, with one discovery leading to the next, and through this quest I uncovered the lessons of tree-to-tree communication, of the relationships that create a forest society. The evidence was at first highly controversial, but the science is now known to be rigorous, peer-reviewed, and widely published. It is no fairy tale, no flight of fancy, no magical unicorn, and no fiction in a Hollywood movie. "
I have ordered my copy! Paperback will be out in June.
Nancy
On Sun, May 2, 2021 at 8:57 AM Mary Macaulay <marymacaulay@hotmail.com> wrote: