ALTER-Net. A Long-Term Biodiversity, Ecosystem And Awareness Research Network

ALTER-Net A Long-Term Biodiversity, Ecosystem And Awareness Research Network

ALTER-Net first period (2004-2009) financed by the EC s Sixth Framework Programme AIM: develop durable integration of biodiversity research capacity at a European level. THROUGH integration of: institutions and their researchers; environmental and socio-economic research; scientist to investigate long-term biodiversity processes; science and communication; science and policy

ALTER-Net is about: 4 overarching goals Institutional integration Inter-disciplinary Research & Common Research Strategies Communication & Knowledge transfer Network of Long-term Ecosystem Research sites (LTER) 2008

ALTER-Net 2004-2009 The ALTER-Net Partnership 24 organisations in 17 European countries 24 institutes 17 European countries >500 scientists

Results ALTER-Net 2004-2009 Establishment of Europe s Long-Term Ecosystem Research and monitoring network (LTER-Europe) linked with ILTER (global network) ALTER-Net introduced the concept of European LTSER platforms

ALTER-Net founder member of LifeWatch LifeWatch: Bringing the Community Together To Deliver Data and Information An ESFRI project on e-science and Technology Infrastructure for biodiversity data and observatories Terrestrial LTER sites Marine reference and focal sites Natural science collections The LIFE WATCH architecture Specialized User portals Enabling and acceleration of data generation Data management Data integration and interoperability Portal interface Grid workflow management Analytical and Modelling tools Ontologies for metadata Interoperable tool repository Service Center Construction Phase 2009-2015

ALTER-Net and awareness communication tools for society and politicians/managers Website (www.alter-net.info) Cooperation between scientist and nature information centres (musea, zoos etc) Interactive web discussions; News and Views IPCB (Intern Press Centre for Biodiversity)

ALTER-Net and training Training and Development: the ALTER-Net Summer School Training the next generation of scientists, resource managers and policy makers in inter-disciplinary approaches 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

ALTER-Net 2009-2012 22 institutes from the first ALTER-Net period support durable integration and further activities of ALTER-Net (cash contributions and in-kind) Secretariat of ALTER-Net from CEH to NINA with financial support from the Norwegian Science foundation and the Directorate for Nature Management From April 2009 ALTER-Net continues without EU financial support Long-term institutional integration During 2009: 2 new partners (IFF, EMU)

ALTER-Net 2009-2012 The ALTER-Net partnership 24 partners 18 countries

Aim ALTER-Net 2009-2012: Further develop and promote durable integration of biodiversity research, monitoring and communication capacity at a European level

ALTER-Net continues to support:

ALTER-Net works closely together with:

New in ALTER-Net: 3 & 4 November 2010 Conference on Ecosystem services and biodiversity: what is the link between the two? Strategic planning for engagement with IMOSEB / IPBES A second European multi-site Experiment (decomposition and climate)

New research integration opportunities: Mobility fund New Research Initiative fund Thus.. BECOME MEMBER OF OUR WEBSITE Latest news on biodiversity (interdisciplinary) research Conferences, workshops, meetings Vacancies Funding opportunities

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Integration of traditional and scientific knowledge in human-wildlife conflict management

Sheep (half June half Sept 2009): Fylke År Antall søknad er Sluppet Tapt Erstattet Sau Lam Sau Lam Sau Lam Beløp Hele landet 2009 2399 218287 370950 12381 49470 7120 27356 75466809 600.000 60.000 ± 9 mil Fylke År Antall sau/lam erstattet, fordelt på skadevolder Gaupe Jerv Bjørn Ulv Kongeørn Uspes Hele landet 2009 10152 9793 6955 1759 1361 4456 Reindeer (04.2008-03.2009): 80.000 animals lost, 20.000 compensated = 57 mil NOK = ± 6,5 mil

A nightmare summer for sheep farmers!

Wolverine in a changing world (2003-2008)

Persistent & inherent A reproducing female wolverine is the one to blame for lamb depredation! No it is not only her! There more to it! No way! A reproducing female wolverine is the one to blame for lamb depredation! Oh well, I might as well become ALTER-Net coordinator!

Questions I had preparing this talk: - What can TEK contribute? - What can SEK contribute? -TEK versus LEK - Can TEK, LEK and SEK meet? - How can we use TEK, LEK and SEK in human-wildlife conflicts? -Where are we and how far have we come anyway? Change in thinking

Acknowledgement Figures and photos: - Frode Nyhagen & T. Vihovde - Raymond Sørensen - Arne Nyaas - Einar Ese - Per Jordhøy & Olav Strand - Bård Bredesen - Edith Södergran. 2007. Människan och fauna. Etnobiologi i Sverige 3.

TEK: The knowledge and insights acquired through extensive observation of an area or species. This may include knowledge passed down in an oral tradition, or shared among users of a resource. The holders of TEK need not be indigenous (Huntington, 2000). A cumulative body of knowledge, practice, and belief, evolving by adaptive processes and handed down through generations by cultural transmission, about the relationship of living beings (including humans) with one another and with their environment (Berkes et al 2000). LEK: Systematic, based on observation and analysis, very extensive, imminently practical, and relevant to the management of resources ; used by local resource users, and communities of resource users, to enhance sustainable resource use (Feit, 1998).

Article 8(j) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) The Government of Canada passed the Species at Risk Act (SARA, 2004?) The Swedish government decision (2005) The Norwegian nature diversity law (2009)

LOV 2009-06-19 nr 100: Lov om forvaltning av naturens mangfold (naturmangfoldloven) 1.(lovens formål) Lovens formål er at naturen med dens biologiske, landskapsmessige og geologiske mangfold og økologiske prosesser tas vare på ved bærekraftig bruk og vern, også slik at den gir grunnlag for menneskenes virksomhet, kultur, helse og trivsel, nå og i fremtiden, også som grunnlag for samisk kultur. 8.(kunnskapsgrunnlaget) Offentlige beslutninger som berører naturmangfoldet skal så langt det er rimelig bygge på vitenskapelig kunnskap om arters bestandssituasjon, naturtypers utbredelse og økologiske tilstand, samt effekten av påvirkninger. Kravet til kunnskapsgrunnlaget skal stå i et rimelig forhold til sakens karakter og risiko for skade på naturmangfoldet. Myndighetene skal videre legge vekt på kunnskap som er basert på generasjoners erfaringer gjennom bruk av og samspill med naturen, herunder slik samisk bruk, og som kan bidra til bærekraftig bruk og vern av naturmangfoldet.

Benefits of TEK: -Significant amounts of knowledge on the environment held by local people -The inherent characteristics of the knowledge -Often based on empirical observations of the surrounding environment -TEK is often described as historic, providing longterm data over specific areas -It can also provide annual information in places where scientific studies are limited

What do we find in history? Use is the central driver of the relationship between human and wildlife Knowledge is a necessity to adequate use of wildlife

Saami mytologi (150-900 AD)

Hate and conflicts

The historical perspective of human-wildlife conflicts Domestication process Land use changes (abrupt loss of TEK!)

Care and sorrow

Guarding your flock

Challenges and Implications of Using ATK for Species Conservation: a Case Study of Northern Canada Wolverines by Nathan Cardinal, 2004. Results: -extremely descriptive and detailed, more than currently available - the information provides for a longer timeline of data than currently available Much of the information obtained from participants supports and agrees with previous scientific studies on denning, diets, home ranges of wolverines, dispersal, foraging behaviour and wolf predation

The way to go

- Recognize TEK and LEK as another source of information to better our understanding of species, and consequently improve our decision-making and management for that species - Recognize those who own the information rather than see them as users of the information - Take benefit; comparing sources of knowledge at similar temporal and spatial scales allows us to gain confidence in our conclusions and to identify areas of disagreement that should be studied further - DEVELOP METHODS FOR SYSTEMATIC COLLECTION OF TEK/LEK

Combining SEK, TEK and LEK can not only build partnership and community consensus, but also, and more importantly, allow local sheep farmers / reindeer herders users to critically evaluate scientific predictions on their own terms and test / using their own forms of adaptive management.

Yep it will work!!!!.....or...well...no?..

Thank you Jiska van Dijk, ALTER-Net coordinator