Chapter 1: Origins of Conservation: Indigenous Landscapes & Traditional Knowledge
(part of the "Inclusive History of Conservation GIS")
(photo courtesy of Animesh Ghose, 2018 SCGIS scholar, Creative Conservation Alliance, Bangladesh, & Scott Trageser of NatureStills photography)
Unlike the traditional view that conservation began in the writings of a few globally important figures, I consider it's true origins lie in the beliefs and practices of hundreds of thousands of human beings as they adapted, survived & expanded across increasingly diverse habitats that began to appear after the ice ages. What early humans learned about the essential behaviors, social rules & living traditions of their landscapes has much to teach today to a dominant society flailing and failing to adapt and survive. Fortunately this body of knowledge is finally beginning to be recognized and valued in modern
