Biocultural Diversity Conservation: A Global Sourcebook (review)

“The diversity of life in all of its manifestations - biological, cultural, and linguistic” constitutes biocultural diversity, as described by Maffi and Woodley (p. 5) in their new book showcasing conservation projects from around the world. The range of biocultural diversity projects in this compilation serves to teach both the public about this crucial, burgeoning field and practitioners seeking inspiration and techniques. Ecologists, environmentalists, agronomists, educators, anthropologists, linguists, and policymakers—all of these audiences and more will find relevant material in this sourcebook.

Maffi and Woodley include sufficient background for readers unfamiliar with the field of biocultural diversity conservation. The first 2 chapters define it and explain why conservationists should work on biodiversity and cultural diversity in concert. I was particularly intrigued by the discussion about hotspots of biodiversity often overlapping with linguistic diversity concentrations. Following a brief chapter about survey methods, there is a detailed overview of each project.

Education is a common theme for many of the case studies. Elders may teach children about traditional ecological knowledge, such as medicinal uses of native plants. Communities might document culturally important species or create communication materials in aboriginal languages. Some of the projects involve teaching participants new skills, like conducting ecological research, building capacity for ecotourism, and mapping culturally significant sites with global positioning systems (GPS). Environmental educators scanning these pages will discover creative approaches for reaching students by connecting natural history to the profound values of heritage.

Several communities described in the sourcebook proceed beyond education to restore ecological systems. For example, Apache (Native American) students initiated a several phase project that focused on areas of cultural importance. They recorded ancestral stories connected to the places, studied how the sites had changed by employing traditional ecological knowledge, the scientific method, and community interviews, and, then undertook measures to repair the sites. Another project focuses on increasing the critically endangered Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) population, which has declined recently due to economic, demographic, and educational change. Reviving traditional ecological knowledge, instilling pride about their local aquatic resources, and basing laws on traditional cultural practices is allowing crocodile numbers to rebound.

I appreciate that the bulk of this book is devoted to describing genuine projects. In addition to highlighting the field of biocultural diversity in general, it serves to publicize quality work being conducted in all regions of the world. I believe that practitioners will find the Challenges portion of each project overview particularly useful for planning feasible strategies. The book’s photos are fabulous, truly showcasing the diversity of life. They accompany many of the sourcebook’s project descriptions, typically showing people in their native dress holding local species or handicrafts. While it would have added to the cost of the publication, I wish more of these photos were displayed in color.

Although learning about specific on-the-ground projects is essential, the 2 chapters that I believe will be most informative for ecological restorationists focus on analyzing the projects and revealing lessons learned. For instance, the authors explain reasons for biocultural diversity loss, list the reported causes for each project, and compare these to known reasons for biodiversity decline. The section, “conditions for success and challenges in biocultural diversity conservation,” includes guidance relevant for anyone interested in conservation. As readers will glean, creating and maintaining strong relationships is at the heart of community-based resource management.

To accompany the book, Maffi and Woodley developed Terralingua (www.terralingua.org/bcdconservation/), a website where enthusiasts can read about additional projects, share their stories, view recent research, and engage in online discussions about biocultural diversity conservation. This website provides much of the information presented in the sourcebook and will be dynamic as new developments occur. It is a superb resource that demonstrates the commitment of the authors, and Maffi’s non-profit organization, Terralingua, to advancing biocultural diversity conservation.

One avenue for expanding biocultural diversity may require going beyond preservation and revitalization. Heavily urbanized communities, particularly those built by immigrant populations...