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FS 3.140

Indigenous and Local Knowledge for Mountain Resilience and Adaptation

Details

Full Title
FS 3.140: Harnessing Indigenous and Local Knowledge for Resilience: Community-Based Strategies in Mountainous Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Adaptation
Scheduled
TBA
Location
TBA
Convener
Lina Rodriguez
Co-Conveners
Paola Fontanella Pisa, Simon Allen, Neera Shrestha Pradhan, Stefan Schneiderbauer,
Assigned to Synthesis Workshop
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Thematic Focus
Adaptation, Equality, Hazards, Policy, Socio-Ecology
Keywords
Indigenous local knowledge, Resilience, Adaptation, Disaster Risk Management, Participatory approaches

Description

In hazard-prone mountain regions, there is an increasing recognition that Indigenous and local knowledge plays a crucial role in effective disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA), forming a cornerstone of community resilience. Mountain communities, often living in high-risk landscapes shaped by steep terrains and extreme weather, have developed intricate understandings of their environment. This knowledge, rooted in centuries of living with harsh climatic conditions, is the result of social, cultural, spiritual, political, and economic spheres, shaping community norms and land management practices throughout generations. However, despite growing recognition of the value of community-derived knowledge, systematic methods to effectively capture, integrate, and operationalize this knowledge within formal DRR and CCA frameworks remain underdeveloped. This session welcomes presentations on innovative, participatory approaches aimed at establishing conditions that foster dialogue between diverse actors, enabling the co-production of place-based and context-sensitive DRR and CCA strategies. By presenting examples from diverse mountain regions, we will explore how knowledge, practices, environmental cues, and community-driven adaptation actions can inform broader policy and scientific efforts. Participants will gain insights into the challenges and successes of integrating scientific and Indigenous and local knowledge systems to strengthen resilience, ultimately fostering sustainable, locally grounded DRR and CCA solutions for mountain communities.

Submitted Abstracts

ID: 3.5324

Enhancing Flood Resilience in the Himalayas: A System-based Collective Action approach

Sabuhi Essa

Abstract/Description

Flood risks in the Himalayan Mountains regions are exacerbated by climate change, underdevelopment, and rapid urbanisation. This highlights the need for improved infrastructure planning and decision-making to strengthen resilience to flood impacts. Traditional “predict-and-control” approaches and top-down frameworks demonstrate limitations in addressing the multifaceted nature of the flood resilience concept. While existing literature focuses on technical aspects of flood resilience, such as risk assessment and providing physical reinforcements, it lacks a holistic consideration of social, environmental, geographical, and technical dimensions. This study addresses this limitation by integrating Grid-Group Theory within the Participatory system dynamics (PSD) approach. The new system-based collective action approach helps to understand diverse perspectives, develop a shared understanding around complex issues such as flood risks and enables collective action for the co-development of flood resilience infrastructure solutions. This research applies this method in underdeveloped, high-risk regions such as Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, in the Himalayan Mountains region. The research uses a mixed method to employ qualitative methods (participatory workshops, site observations, and project-specific interviews) to develop the system dynamics models with stakeholder participation and quantitative methods (statistical and sensitivity analyses) for data analysis and model validation. In a recent field campaign conducted in Gilgit Baltistan, diverse stakeholders (Local authorities, NGOs, private sector, and local communities) were engaged in 13 system-based collective action workshops, 25 site observations, and 63 interviews. Preliminary findings reveal a heavy emphasis (83%) on engineering resilience (resist and bounce back) in current flood resilience interventions, with limited consideration (17%) for ecological resilience (bounce forth) and a complete absence of socio-ecological resilience (adapt and transform into a new normal). Furthermore, the system dynamics model identified critical interdependencies and root causes, highlighting leverage points for improved resilience outcomes. This multidisciplinary research contributes to knowledge surrounding resilience, infrastructure planning and participatory system dynamics modelling methods for enhancing decision-making in flood resilience infrastructure planning and implementation.

ID: 3.8447

Natural hazard management in the Hindu Kush-Karakoram region: A historical early warning system for glacial lake outbursts

Lasafam Iturrizaga

Abstract/Description

Glacial lake outbursts are among the most devastating natural hazards in the Hindu Kush-Karakoram region and have led to widespread destruction of settlements, particularly in historical times. The study presents a historical optical long-distance communication system for early warning of glacial lake outbursts, which was used until the end of the 1960s. The warning system consists of fire signal chains with warning posts at altitudes of over 4000 m a.s.l. and had a total transmission range of more than a hundred kilometers. The locations of selected fire signal chains were reconstructed in the field as e.g. for the Shimshal, Karambar and Rupal Valleys. Interviews with the local population, the analysis of historical travel reports and articles in international daily newspapers show that the fire warning system was widespread across the entire Hindu Kush-Karakoram including Ladakh. The beacon chains represented a community-based, cooperative early warning system that involved various ethnic language groups. Peripheral mountain societies, which were perceived as isolated communities due to the physical barriers of the high mountain relief and therefore in need of help in dealing with natural hazards, were already in earlier times in communication with each other through a fast optical communication system. In regard to the current risk of glacial lake outbursts in the region in combination with expanding settlement areas, large-scale infrastructure projects and the introduction of modern early warning systems controlled by external actors, the question of how to deal locally with natural hazards is of current relevance with regard to the conception of future sustainable strategies in natural hazard management.

ID: 3.10330

Community Resilience in a Mountain Community in Nepal

Rongkun Liu

Abstract/Description

This study delves into community resilience by examining the influences of social capital in a mountain community facing challenges related to landslides and livelihoods. The findings revealed that functioning community groups facilitated collective responses, reducing environmental risks and economic hardships, thus enhancing the community’s resilience potential. The study also stressed the significance of understanding the dynamic nature of capacities, recognizing that their mixed dynamics might not always enhance resilience and could even hinder the process. This understanding is crucial for devising effective policies and programs to build resilience, which is relevant for the ongoing resilience building efforts in Nepal and the broader Hindu Kush Himalaya region.

ID: 3.10527

Ten years of participatory approaches in a climate mitigation project in the Gaurishankar Conservation Area, Nepal – lessons learned

Mohan Prasad Devkota
Bruckman, Viktor; Bauer, Andreas; Katzensteiner, Klaus

Abstract/Description

Sustainable utilization of forest resources and biodiversity protection are guided by Conservation Acts and Conservation Guidelines in Nepal. The success of conservation projects depends strongly on community participation at all stages of planning and implementation. In a long-term BOKU-University led climate mitigation project, in collaboration with academic partners and local stakeholders of the target region in the Gaurishankar Conservation Area, Nepal, we ask the following research questions: Are carbon offset programs a way to meet the needs of mountain societies and a chance for mountain ecosystem restoration? What are the social and economic implications of voluntary offset projects? How big is the carbon sequestration potential? How do biodiversity and other ecosystem services evolve? How can the resilience of communities towards natural disasters be strengthened? The basic conditions for the project implementation were multi-faceted and strongly guided by post-Earthquake conditions 2015. The forests within Gaurishankar Conservation Area were historically managed and utilized by local communities under the Community Forestry Program of the Government of Nepal. After the establishment of the conservation area 15 years ago, it has been felt that multiple legal conservation acts have triggered conflicts between the local communities and governments’ policies, adversely affecting the conservation activities, despite conservation interests shown by the local communities. Nevertheless, several adaptive and transdisciplinary interventions in the frame of our project, such as trainings, the establishment of a nursery, altered management of forest resources, afforestation and enrichment planting to increase forest resilience (including prevention of landslides) are carried out by actively involving the mountain communities. The project activities are successful in raising awareness for the need to build resilient mountain communities in the context of global climate change. Over the past decade, with low investment and high engagement, our approach has broadened the toolset of local communities for sustainable utilization of forest resources. At the same time demographic and socioeconomic changes (out-migration) alter land use intensity and practices. The case study demonstrates the multi-faceted aspects of climate change adaptation and highlights the importance of participatory approaches in strengthening the resilience of mountain communities.

ID: 3.11014

Climate Adaptation using indigenous techniques- A Case Study of Gilgit Baltistan Pakistan

Attaullah Shah

Abstract/Description

Pakistan is faced Abstract with impacts of Climate Change and has been placed in the ten most climate vulnerable countries in the world. To respond to these Climate related challenges in the Norther areas of Pakistan called Gilgit Baltistan, various interventions have been made by the Government academia and societies. The Cryosphere and Climate group of Karakoram International University worked with the Government and community for revival of the Climate Adaptation measures have been implemented. The indigenous techniques for Glacier grafting, Avalanche harvesting and Ice stupa development were employed in different valleys of the region. These techniques were used centuries back by the local communities for Climate Adaptation. In this paper important attributes of site selection, methodology and techniques for revival of these indigenous approaches are discussed. Various communities have taken been interest in the revival of these techniques and approaches. It has been observed the these techniques can contribute to glacial mass balancing, reduction in avalanches and resolving the challenges of climate change on water supply systems. .

ID: 3.11135

Public warning and evacuation during the past GLOF event: Insight from the local of Lunana, Bhutan

Sonam Rinzin
Dunning, Stuart; Carr, Rachel; Dorji, Tshering; Cheche, Cheche; Rai, Jeewan; Allen, Simon; Sattar, Ashim

Abstract/Description

Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) are significant natural hazards, posing substantial threats to mountain communities worldwide. Early Warning Systems (EWS) are essential in reducing loss of life during GLOF events. However, efficacy of EWS is contingent upon factors including how warnings are disseminated and how communities respond. Despite the crucial role of EWS, there remain a paucity of study examining community experiences with GLOF early warnings, imperative for improving existing systems and making them more efficient. This study presents for the first time comprehensive documentation of public warning issuance, dissemination, and evacuation during the June 2019 Thorthormi GLOF event in Lunana, Bhutan. Through a household survey covering 102 at-risk households (over 70% of the affected population), we gathered detailed data on community perceptions of the warnings, the channels and sources of information, subsequent warning messages, evacuation processes, and actions taken by the at-risk people before evacuation as well as their future preparedness. Our preliminary analysis featured natural indicators such as unusually loud sounds from the river and ground vibrations served as the main source and channel of first warnings during the GLOF event. Additionally, mobile phone calls emerged as a common channel for disseminating both initial and subsequent warning messages. Notably, 37% of respondents reported helping others in evacuating, 29% told others to evacuate, and 24% packed their belongings before evacuating themselves. Although government’s outreach program has achieved instilling high-risk awareness, preparedness among the at-risk people was inadequate: evacuation to higher ground was the sole widely recognized action, with many uncertain about additional protective measures. Alarmingly, some individuals risked verifying floods by physically inspecting rivers before evacuating. Our study demonstrates the importance of integrating the firsthand knowledge and lived experiences of downstream communities affected by natural hazards (an element frequently overlooked in current approaches) into efforts to enhance scientific and institutional understanding of GLOF risks.

ID: 3.11142

Ask those who feel it & teach Indigenous and local knowledge on climate risks in mountains

Jakob Steiner
Mohadjer, Solmaz; Koch, Inka; Parveen, Fozia

Abstract/Description

Higher education course content on mountain risks in a changing climate is often bound to mono-disciplinarity with limited inclusion of Indigenous and local knowledge. In this presentation, we show that teaching about climate risks in mountain regions is an ideal domain for developing inter- and transdisciplinary course material. We draw on our recent teaching experiences at Global Awareness Education, which is part of the Transdisciplinary Course Program at the University of Tübingen in Germany, and at the Institute of Educational Development of the Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan. The courses we have developed and taught at these institutes address specific universal risk chains (e.g. damaged social dynamics and access to basic necessities months and years after hazard events related to the changing cryosphere in High Mountain Asia) based on a multitude of experiences and scientific material and include case studies from several regions of the world, integrating other ways of knowing from Indigenous knowledge holders (and scientists working with them). By using interactive instructional tools and experiences such as serious games and field-based learning, we aim to interact eye-to-eye with students combining their experiences with academic work from different disciplines to critically reflect on potential climate change adaptation and mitigation measures. Our course implementations show that increased engagement between academics with teaching responsibilities in the domain of mountains, as well as knowledge holders from mountain regions, can benefit the development of inter- and transdisciplinary teaching material, preparing future academics and decision makers to engage with mountains in an equitable and interdisciplinary way.

ID: 3.11165

Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Alpine forest commons: how is it faring?

Giacomo Pagot
Pisani, Elena; Gatto, Paola

Abstract/Description

Indigenous Ecological Knowledge, often referred to as Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), is a defining component of most rural communities and their natural resources management. TEK has had a key role in sustainable management of natural resources through time, but its status has been dwindling since major changes started to happen in rural communities. Emigration to urban areas, changes in livelihood and climate change are affecting how mountain communities manage their resources. Loss of TEK due to these changes is not a concern only for those communities, but also for urban societies who benefit from ecosystem services generated in mountains. It is often assumed that TEK is disappearing or is largely lost in wealthy communities or in industrialized countries, such as in the European context. However, there is limited knowledge on the status of TEK in rural communities who still have a role in managing natural resources, such as the case of forest commons. Our current research investigates the composition, status and transmission of TEK in two forest commons in the eastern Italian Alps in San Vito di Cadore. We also explore potential strategies for TEK conservation within the community of the two forest commons. We employed a qualitative and quantitative methodological approach. First, we conducted in-depth interviews to experts to collect information of what TEK is in San Vito di Cadore, focusing on forests and pastures resources. Scientific and local literature was also consulted. A questionnaire was developed to explore TEK usage status at community level to manage key natural resources and channels and actors involved in TEK transmission. The questionnaire was administered to the whole community of the two forest commons examined. Finally, a focus group was organized with local stakeholders, including forest commons administrative staff, a forester, a local ethnographic museum director, a farmer and a forest worker. The focus group aimed to generate qualitative information about the structure of TEK, its application, concerns about its disappearance and exploring strategies for conserving key pieces of TEK. Our results should support the community in engaging in TEK conservation and preserve their role in resource use and management.

ID: 3.11220

Social Cohesion Structures and the Tonari Gumi System in Tadami, Japan

Paola Fontanella Pisa

Abstract/Description

Tadami is a municipality comprising 27 settlements situated in a mountainous valley in Japan’s Fukushima Prefecture. This study explores the cultural expressions of social cohesion identified in Tadami, and their contribution to community resilience to natural hazards, and in response to climate change and rural outmigration-related challenges. It focuses on the tonari gumi system, a neighborhood-based mutual assistance network, and its role towards disaster risk reduction. The research highlights the importance of acknowledging local resources to social capital as a key element in enhancing community resilience. The research was conducted adopting anthropological methods including participant observation, in-depth interviews and a participatory workshop that allowed to map the key disaster risk reduction measures employed at different levels of governance: national, prefectural, municipal, village, and individual.

Key findings based on the analysis of interrelations of these levels of measures implementation revealed that Tadami’s disaster management system relies on three interdependent approaches: self-help (jijyo), mutual help (kyoujo), and governmental aid (koujo). These interdependencies are aligned with Japan’s disaster management system. The tonari gumi system is representative of mutual help actions, where neighbors regularly meet to support one another throughout all phases of disaster risk management. Due to the harsh living conditions due to the topography and climate of Tadami, local communities place great value on this system, considered crucial for maintaining social cohesion and ensuring effective disaster preparedness and response, as it was seen during the July 2011 flood disaster that hit the area.

The study has however also revealed existing challenges posed by rural outmigration and aging population, threatening the continuity of the tonari gumi system. These changes impact social cohesion-based disaster preparedness, increasing vulnerabilities to natural hazards and climate change. The research underscores the need for a balanced disaster risk management system that integrates self-help, mutual help, and governmental aid. Findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how social cohesion and cultural heritage influence disaster risk reduction strategies, offering valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners involved in community resilience and disaster management.

ID: 3.11273

From Vulnerability to Resilience: Community-Based Approaches in Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) Risk Mitigation

Rayees Ahmed
Lukarni, Anil V.

Abstract/Description

Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) are catastrophic events that disproportionately affect vulnerable downstream communities. While there has been a boom of research into physical risk assessments, such as mapping, change detection analysis, hazard modelling and Risk Analysis, there has been little practical implementation on the ground, with only a few structural measures in place. This article emphasises the importance of social factors in GLOF mitigation, which should complement physical assessments. Empowering downstream communities through workshops, training programs, and awareness campaigns can help to increase local disaster preparedness. Community-based approaches, such as participatory hazard mapping, localised early warning systems, and frequent evacuation drills, offer realistic and highly effective alternatives to mitigate GLOF impacts. This study further highlighted the importance of bridging the gap between scientific research on GLOFs and the downstream communities most at risk, stressing the need for increased community involvement, improved communication, and the redistribution of resources to enhance disaster preparedness and resilience. The paper also identifies recurring gaps in current GLOF mitigation frameworks, including inadequate institutional support, limited funding, and the marginalization of vulnerable communities. By incorporating social strategies into current frameworks, we may assure more sustainable, inclusive, and effective GLOF risk management, eventually reducing the vulnerability of at-risk communities.

ID: 3.11278

From Vulnerability to Resilience: Community-Based Approaches in Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) Risk Mitigation

Rayees Ahmed

Abstract/Description

ID: 3.11527

Sustenance of Social-Ecological Systems and water resources in areas of Himachal Pradesh.

Akshita Sharma

Abstract/Description

Humans though part of the ‘organisms’ inhabiting the earth, have a very complex and meticulous social, political and economic standing which entail can lead to an isolation of self, and the preemptive feeling of alienation from the system could tail into developing an indifference towards nature. This indifference has impacted all ecosystems, mountainous hydrological ecosystem being one of them. The research area of this study, Shimla (rural), in Himachal Pradesh, situated in the Western Himalayas, deals with the complexities that changing water patterns bring along. More than 90% of the people in the region are directly dependent on spring water, but over two thirds of the springs of Himachal Pradesh, are now defunct. Shimla district, now faces a pressing water shortage and reviving the traditional water systems have become an ardent need. The numbers of springs in an area are unknown as there is no formal inventory of the springs in place. This study focuses on making a spring inventory, along with studying the land use systems as different ecological and social systems will affect the local water resources differently. Springs of the villages are generally associated with a local deity and are therefore considered holy, which prevents it from getting polluted but any rejuvenation or restoration of the resource then is opposed due to its sanctity is opposed too, it also thence becomes inaccessible to certain casts of the village, who then become not only geographically separated but socially separated as well. The resource conservation comes in mind when the resource is seen as exhaustible, people of an isolated selfreliant system, were more mindful about the exhaustible resources than the ones who don’t see its scarcity. This theory gets challenged when a deficit resource becomes abundant (constant water supply at home, as to fetching water from a microsystem, here spring), and increase import of packaged food, due to shift in traditional multi-cropping self-reliant agriculture practices, to mono culture of a cash crop. This study aims to draw attention on the crucial microsystems of water and devise a way forward.

ID: 3.13173

A dual system of knowledge and information for early warning systems in the Rimac River Basin of Peru

Sofia Foladori-Invernizzi
Jurt, Christine; Cristobal, Katerin; Nieves, Johana; Avalos Roldán, Grinia Jesús

Abstract/Description

The Rimac River Basin in Peru is characterized as an area highly prone to flooding and landslides. Located in the Andes Mountain Chain and adjacent to the country’s capital, Lima, the effects of these events include infrastructure destruction, health impacts, absence of drinkable water, and isolation of cities, among other consequences. In the context of these challenges, the University of Applied Sciences of Bern (BFH-HAFL) and SENAMHI Peru carry out a case study of assessing socio-economic benefits of climate services (CS) in the framework of the projects ENANDES “Enhancing Adaptive Capacity of Andean Communities through Climate Services” and ENANDES+ “Building Regional Adaptive Capacity and Resilience to Climate Variability and Change in Vulnerable Sectors in the Andes”. A CS comprises a User Interface Platform (UIP), which facilitates the development of customized services and fosters stakeholder interaction. In the Rimac case, the CS is an Early Warning System disseminated as a bulletin from the National Meteorology and Hydrology Service of Peru (SENAMHI). This EWS passes through various institutions until it reaches the local governments, which have the decision-making power over the emission of the alert to the population. However, given its heterogeneous nature, with multiple municipalities dispersed across the basin, the cities have different exposure patterns to the events. Initial research findings have revealed the existence of a dual CS, with the official system administered by SENAMHI complemented by an unofficial practice among the local population. This alternative system of knowledge encompasses traditional practices, which employ observations of precipitation patterns and the color of mountains as indicators of landslides and floods. The coexistence of these two systems complements the data availability from SENAMHI, particularly in areas lacking sufficient hydrometeorological stations to provide accurate and timely CS. Consequently, local communities have developed community-level mechanisms to reinforce their resilience. The findings indicate a substantial potential for knowledge co-creation processes for CS based on the two parallel systems including scientific, administrative as well as local knowledge which can effectively reach out to the communities and take up the users’ needs at the same.

ID: 3.13174

Climate Change, Disaster, and the Memory of the Land: Local Perspectives on Archaeological Heritage and Changing Landscapes in the Central Andean Highlands

Amanda Brock Morales

Abstract/Description

In this paper, I examine the role of place-making practices, landscape memory, and cultural heritage on community resilience in the face of disaster and Climate Change. In 1970, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake destroyed numerous towns throughout the Callejón de Huaylas, Peru. In the search for new land and new lives, many of the displaced families began to settle on elevated archaeological sites of monumental architecture located in alluvial plains and near urban centers throughout the region. Melting glaciers and long periods of drought caused by climate change have also contributed to the active and dynamic landscape of the Callejón de Huaylas, fraught with huaycos (landslides), earthquakes, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFS). Through multiple periods of reoccupation, reconstruction, and reuse, monumental sites in the Andean highlands persisted since the third millennium BCE and have become a part of multi-temporal landscapes that past and present communities have created through social relationships, recursive activities, material projects, and storytelling practices. These processes of place-making at archaeological sites, however, do not occur in a vacuum, but have been shaped by their surrounding environments through Climate Change, seismic activity, and human landscape changes. Further, they are a testament to the complex and dynamic nature of human and environmental relationships over time.

The relationship between the builders and occupants of the archaeological site of Chupacoto and the Huaylas River Basin in the highland town of Huaylas, is one of these places that have been occupied, shaped, and transformed over the longue durée by past and present landscape changes, ceremonial practices, and human impact. In the following paper, I weave together local Central Andean perspectives of landscape and place, paleoclimate data, results from archaeological investigations, and local narratives of community relationships with Chupacoto and their broader landscape. As a result, I aim to highlight how collaborative archaeological work that combines western and indigenous knowledge can reveal new insights on the role of heritage places and memory on human resilience and response to disaster and climate change.

ID: 3.13220

From the Himalayas to the Andes: Implementation of ice stupas as a climate adaptation measure in arid mountain regions

Juliane Dame
Nüsser, Marcus; Schmidt, Susanne

Abstract/Description

Adaptation to climate change remains a pressing issue for mountain communities across the globe. Especially in cold-arid settings, where livelihoods depend on scarce water resources, changes in the cryosphere and increased variability in snowfall and temperature as well as a higher risk of extreme events put communities at risk. The presentation focuses on the case of ice stupas as a type of ice reservoir, which have been increasingly implemented as a technological adaptation measure over the last ten years and have gained international attention as “artificial glaciers”. Originally developed and introduced in the Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh, the growing interest in this innovative technology has led to the implementation of ice stupas in other Himalayan regions, in the Alps and in the Andes. Based on an integrative and multi-sited research approach, the presents highlights findings on the benefits and challenges of the implementation of ice stupas in Ladakh and shows how the concept and technology have travelled to different sites with a growing number of actors involved. The case of Chile illustrates how the idea of this adaptation measure has been modified to the context-specific environmental, socio-cultural and political settings, meanings and interests.

ID: 3.13708

Reviving Mountain Ecology through Water Resource Management: Integrating Local Knowledge and Geospatial Tools for Resilience in the Himalayas.

Suresh Kumar Bandooni
Rongpi, Rumi; Bisht, Hemant Singh

Abstract/Description

Nature and Natural resources provide the foundational support to life and socio-economic systems on the earth. This foundation is coming under increasing pressure from mismanagement, a rapidly growing population, a changing climate, higher levels of economic activity per capita, and the complex interactions of these phenomena. Soil and water resources are at the core and play a vital role in the sustainability of life-supporting systems on Earth. Evidence of the degradation of these natural resources is all around the globe. Despite receiving adequate annual precipitation, which is higher than the global average, an abundance of natural resources, and comparatively fewer anthropogenic disturbances, the Himalayas are no exception to this growing crisis, with many regions experiencing shrinking water reserves and deteriorating ecological systems. In such a scenario, watershed management has emerged as a vital strategy for sustaining water resources and restoring ecological balance. The watershed is considered an efficient and appropriate unit for the necessary survey, monitoring, and investigation of the assessment of these resources as they have optimum interaction and synergetic effect when developed on the watershed basis where local traditional knowledge and community-based initiatives play a crucial role in ensuring the sustainability of these efforts, particularly in mountainous regions. The case of Gad Ganga, a once-drying rivulet transformed into a perennial stream through collective community efforts, exemplifies the power of local action in reversing environmental degradation. This study builds upon the successes of Gad Ganga by integrating geospatial data analysis tools to prioritize vulnerable micro-watersheds and optimize conservation strategies. By leveraging geospatial analysis such as Morphometric and Topo-hydrological analysis, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and Weighted Sum Analysis (WSA), the research aims to refine resource management approaches and expand this model to other regions facing similar challenges. Through this combination of traditional knowledge and modern geospatial tools, this work proposes an actionable framework for enhancing water resource management and climate resilience in mountain ecosystems globally.

ID: 3.13808

Understanding the Production of Local Knowledge to Address Global Environmental Change: Leveraging the Case of Bolivian Aymara Expert Farmers

Julio Postigo
Quispe, Mariaq

Abstract/Description

Western science is foundational to the economic development that is driving the planetary crisis and many proclaimed solutions. The shortcomings of Western science-based solutions have engendered recent attempts to incorporate local knowledge into efforts to address global environmental change. In these efforts, local knowledge is often conceptualized as separate from Western scientific knowledge, a distinction that generates an inherent power imbalance between local and scientific knowledge. We use data from surveys and interviews with farmers from 46 Bolivian Aymara communities to analyze the yapuchiri process of knowledge production. This study blurs the distinction between local and scientific knowledge systems by unveiling shared characteristics by these systems. For instance, Aymara farmers developed their own rigorous institutionalized system for producing local knowledge through “expert farmers” or yapuchiri. Like Western science, this process privileges experimentation, rigor, replication, and dissemination. We also find that local knowledge is open, dynamic, and hybrid as it synthesizes Western science. This case also highlights how local knowledge is situated geographically, culturally, and socially, shaping the kind of knowledge produced and by whom. By examining how local knowledge is produced we can better understand the power relations and inequalities in knowledge production while also identifying commonalities, knowledge producers, and research priorities, which are fundamental to bridge knowledge systems for addressing global environmental change.

ID: 3.13812

Comparative study of indicative aspects of ethnozoological knowledge in the Carpathians (Romania) and the mountains of Mörön region (Mongolia)

Viktor Ulicsni
Molnár, Zsolt; Avar, Ákos; Batdelger, Gantuya; Babai, Dániel

Abstract/Description

Since the dawn of humanity, the natural world has played a crucial role for people to sustain their livelihoods, and predict a wide variety of changes. As a result, knowledge of wildlife species has also evolved in different landscapes shaped by local conditions. A comparative study of this knowledge can offer valuable insight to identify common experiences and coping mechanisms across different landscapes.
Our studies were carried out among Hungarian peasants practicing traditional farming in the Eastern Carpathians (Romania) and transhumant Mongolian pastoralists (Mörön region). Although the two landscapes share many similarities in morphology (a mosaic of mountainous pine forests and grasslands), their cultural and economic characteristics are sharply different. We conducted in-depth, structured and semi-structured interviews with the most knowledgeable local people, focusing on positive or negative impacts, perceived or real indicative characteristics of wildlife species, mainly affecting traditional agriculture.
In Romania and Mongolia, a total of 238 and 184 wildlife species were recorded, respectively. However, only a small fraction of these species were associated with detailed knowledge of the impacts and relationships that influence management. In both regions, a significant proportion of species are associated with weather prediction. While in Mongolia, dzud (severe winter conditions) is the main weather risk predicted, in Romania also the main weather risks, rain and harshness of winter, are the main predicted aspects. In Mongolia, most perceived or actual impacts are related to mammals, while in Romania they are predominantly associated with amphibians. Interestingly, some smaller, distinct species that occupy similar ecological niches have surprisingly identical descriptions and assessments, such as dragonflies. Taboos exist in both landscapes for some species to prevent fire or the destruction of domestic animals. The influence of mythical species appears in both landscapes, but only to a minor extent.
This survey confirmed that individuals with a high level of traditional ecological knowledge, regardless of their cultural backgrounds, sometimes share surprisingly similar attitudes toward agriculturally similar species. At the same time, local key threat factors have proven to be the most important determinant of the perceived or real impacts and predictions of locally known species.

ID: 3.13815

From Ladakh to the Andes: Indigenous Water Management Strategies for Climate Adaptation

Maja Antic
Fischer, Christian

Abstract/Description

Mountain communities have long developed innovative strategies to adapt to extreme environments and shifting climatic conditions. As climate change accelerates glacier retreat, disrupts water cycles, and increases disaster risks, harnessing Indigenous and local knowledge is essential for building resilience. This presentation explores community-led solutions in different mountain regions, as captured through the Walk of Water photostory contest organized by Onewater and UNESCO’s World Water Assessment Programme. In Ladakh, India, communities construct ice stupas—artificial glaciers that store winter water and release it gradually for crops in spring, securing irrigation during critical months. Additionally, local water watchmen redirect streamflows to shaded areas, extending the lifespan of seasonal ice and optimizing water availability. In the Peruvian Andes, Indigenous communities in Cusco revive ancestral practices by planting Queñual trees, a high-altitude native species that enhances water retention and ecosystem stability. They also implement traditional rainwater harvesting techniques, reinforcing both environmental conservation and cultural identity. These examples underscore the importance of integrating traditional ecological knowledge with modern climate adaptation strategies. By amplifying these stories and fostering cross-regional knowledge exchange, this session aims to highlight how Indigenous and local wisdom can complement scientific approaches, shaping more effective and community-centered solutions for disaster risk reduction and climate resilience in mountain regions.

ID: 3.14060

Disaster Resilient Planning for Hill Areas: A case of Kohima City

Viyienuo Mere
Ramya, Sakkeri

Abstract/Description

Kohima, a rapidly urbanizing hill city in Northeast India, faces recurring landslide threats exacerbated by fragile terrain, unregulated development, and shifting climate patterns. This study investigates the key factors contributing to landslide vulnerability, using hazard mapping, social vulnerability assessments, and infrastructure analysis to identify high-risk areas and critical instability triggers. Beyond physical hazards, community perceptions and preparedness play a crucial role in resilience. Through field surveys and stakeholder engagement, this research examines how indigenous knowledge, governance structures, and infrastructure influence risk mitigation efforts. The study also evaluates gaps in existing disaster management frameworks and the challenges communities face in responding to landslides. The findings will contribute to strategic, locally grounded planning and policy interventions aimed at reducing long-term landslide risks. Rather than focusing solely on mitigation, this research advocates for integrated, community-driven approaches that align scientific assessments with local knowledge and socio-economic realities.

ID: 3.14604

Understanding climate change impacts and adaptation through Cultural Keystone Places: Inuit Knowledge and repeat photography in Nunatsiavut

Taylor Montgomery-Stinson
Cuerrier, Alain; Trant, Andrew; Way, Robert

Abstract/Description

Nunatsiavut is a mountainous and self-governing Inuit region in northern Labrador, Canada, home to the Torngat Mountains and featuring the highest mountains in mainland Canada, east of the Rocky Mountains. This region is experiencing rapid climate-driven environmental change, posing risks to Inuit livelihoods, culture, identity, health, and safety. These changes have profound implications for travel, subsistence hunting, and land use, highlighting the urgent need for locally grounded climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction strategies.
This project weaves place-based Inuit knowledge of Cultural Keystone Places (CKPs) with repeat oblique photography to co-produce knowledge of long-term socio-ecological change. CKPs serve as critical indicators of environmental transformation, linking broad ecological shifts with local cultural and safety concerns. Through semi-structured interviews and participatory mapping, Inuit Knowledge Holders identified key places, described their changes, and contextualized the implications for adaptation and risk reduction.
Repeat historical oblique photographs provide a century-timescale record of landscape change, while offering higher-resolution elevation gradients in mountainous terrain than aerial imagery for quantitative analysis of landscapes. These images are also effective communication tools, presenting changes in a way that is immediately visible. Photograph pairs were analyzed quantitatively to measure changes in landcover including treeline advance, and shrub expansion. Pairs were then reviewed by Inuit Knowledge holders to contextualize and situate these changes within Inuit Knowledge. By weaving scientific analysis with Inuit Knowledge, this research fosters dialogue between diverse knowledge systems to co-produce insights for community-driven adaptation.
This talk will present findings from both Inuit Knowledge and photo pair analysis, revealing the long-term impacts of socio-ecological change and their implications for risk reduction and adaptation planning. By strengthening community-based knowledge-sharing and co-producing climate knowledge, this work contributes to the development of locally tailored, culturally relevant resilience strategies for Nunatsiavut communities.

ID: 3.18686

Community Resistance and Resilience through Appalachian Mountain Music Traditions

Trevor Mckenzie
Shepherd-Powell, Julie

Abstract/Description

Like many mountain regions around the globe, the southern Appalachian Mountains in the United States are known as a wellspring for musical traditions. Joe Wilson, music scholar and former director of the National Council for Traditional Arts, acknowledged the diverse cultural significance of the Appalachian subrange of the Blue Ridge stating: “The music of this region is historic, known by millions… its roots are grounded in the British Isles, in Europe, and in Africa” (2017, 3). While deeply connected to a diverse and expansive history, these music styles are still a functional part of communities and are constantly being reimagined in the 21st century, playing a crucial role in social and environmental movements in the region. This presentation acknowledges Appalachia’s music traditions as a form of creative placemaking. As defined by the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts, placemaking “requires partnership across sectors, deeply engages the community, involves artists, designers and culture bearers, and helps to advance local economic, physical, and/or social change, ultimately laying the groundwork for systems change.” Through grassroots organizations and programs such as Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) and the Mountain Music School, Appalachian music traditions have been an active part of revitalizing arts in regional communities as well as in recovery efforts from natural disasters such as Hurricane Helene. Music as a form of placemaking has been leveraged by many contemporary environmental groups, including the central Appalachia-based POWHR (Protect Our Water Heritage Rights) Coalition. POWHR’s key struggle has been against the building of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a fracked gas pipeline whose construction has devastated communities and environments across southern and central Appalachia. This presentation further shows how power is situated at the center of contestations over natural resources, environment, and economy–revealing the ways that power holders disregard local ways of knowing that are imbued with cultural value. While the fight was ultimately unsuccessful in stopping the pipeline, it was successful in building community, reinforcing a strong sense of place, and valuing local knowledge. For residents along the path of the pipeline, protecting the environment goes hand in hand with protecting their cultural heritage.

FS 3.138: Mountain Echoes Beyond Boundaries: Writing, Stories, and Archives in Transnational Mountain History Research

FS 3.141: From seeds to saplings. Challenges and innovations in regenerating mountain forests

FS 3.140

Indigenous and Local Knowledge for Mountain Resilience and Adaptation

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