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Incorporate Indigenous perspectives for impactful research and effective management

Nature Ecology & Evolution volume 2, pages 1680–1683 (2018)Cite this article

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Indigenous knowledge and ecological science have complementary differences that can be fruitfully combined to better understand the past and predict the future of social-ecological systems. Cooperation among scientific and Indigenous perspectives can improve conservation and resource management policies.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Natalie C. Ban, Alejandro Frid.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

    Natalie C. Ban & Alejandro Frid

  2. Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance, Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada

    Alejandro Frid

  3. Heiltsuk Integrated Resource Management Department, Heiltsuk First Nation, Bella Bella, British Columbia, Canada

    Mike Reid

  4. Kitasoo/Xai’xais Integrated Resource Authority, Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation, Klemtu, British Columbia, Canada

    Barry Edgar

  5. Wuikinuxv Resource Stewardship, Wuikinuxv Nation, Wuikinuxv, British Columbia, Canada

    Danielle Shaw

  6. Nuxalk Stewardship Office, Nuxalk Nation, Bella Coola, British Columbia, Canada

    Peter Siwallace

Authors
  1. Natalie C. Ban
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  2. Alejandro Frid
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  3. Mike Reid
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  4. Barry Edgar
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  5. Danielle Shaw
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  6. Peter Siwallace
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Contributions

Our contributions to this piece come from three perspectives: an academic who partners with Indigenous peoples in her research (N.C.B.), an ecologist who conducts and facilitates research collaboratively with an organization of four Indigenous peoples (A.F.), and resource managers and Indigenous knowledge-holders from the Heiltsuk, Kitasoo/Xai’xais, Wuikinuxv and Nuxalk First Nations of British Columbia, Canada (M.R., B.E., D.S. and P.S., respectively). N.C.B. and A.F. drafted the paper (equal contribution). M.R., B.E., D.S. and P.S. guided the appropriate representation of Indigenous perspectives and edited the paper.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Natalie C. Ban.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Ban, N.C., Frid, A., Reid, M. et al. Incorporate Indigenous perspectives for impactful research and effective management. Nat Ecol Evol 2, 1680–1683 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-018-0706-0

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