Relating Traditional Ecological Knowledge to Western Science

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Relating Traditional Ecological Knowledge to
Western Science

• Brenda Brandon
• TOSNAC Coordinator
• Technical Outreach Services for Native American
  Communities

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Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)

• Collective knowledge acquired as a result of a
  communitys interaction with the environment and
  occupation of a region over many generations
• TEK is applied to resource management and
  environmental decision-making processes
• Fisheries, wildlife, water resource, fire
• Agriculture, forestry, and mining projects
• Environmental impact, health risk studies

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Study of Contaminants in Environmental Systems
Impact of Contaminants in Specific Media
Effect of X in Air
Effect of X in Water
Effect of X in Soils
Western Science- Remedial Investigation
Effect of X in Biota
X contaminant
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Study of Midnite Mine Contaminants
Dust
Radiation
Air
Ore
Waste Rock
Surface
Water
Soils
Surface Subsurface
Ground
Sediment
Biota
Human Health
Aquatic
Terrestrial
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Remedial Investigation

• Air- radiation, dust (on-site and downwind)
• Water- surface, groundwater, seeps
• Soils- ore, waste rock, surface soils, subsurface
  soils, stream sediment
• Biota
• Human Health Risk Assessment
• Ecological Risk Assessment

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Integrating Western Science and TEK
Effect of X in Air
Effect of X in Water
Effect of X in Soils
TEK-gt Natural World Science-gt Contaminants
Effect of X in Biota
X contaminant
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Environmental Impact and Cultural Risk
Considerations
Environmental Justice
Sustainability
Natural/Cultural Resources
Social Enhancement, Economic Opportunity
Health Environment
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Natural Resource Preservation Central to
Sustaining Tribal Culture

• Water quality/quantity
• Land protection and management
• Biota plants, animals, ecosystems
• Other cultural resources
• archeological, historical, ceremonial,
  recreational, fishing, hunting and gathering
  sites

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Defining Tribal Environmental Justice Concerns
Environmental Law Action
Tribal EJ Lens
Natural Resources
Sustainability
Social Economic
Envt Health
TEK value in terms of defining Preservation of
Health Environment, Maintenance of Subsistence
and Cultural Lifestyle Practices
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Value of TEK in Superfund Cleanup

• Background- history, resources, cultural and
  ecological relationships
• Examination health environmental status
• Communication-scientific information
  (incorporating TEK into decisions)

• Development- sound community-based risk
  management practices for use over many generations

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TOSNAC Program

• Hazardous Substance Research Centers
• Outreach www.hsrc.org
• Haskell Indian Nations University
• Haskell Environmental Research Studies Center
• Kansas State University
• Center for Hazardous Substance Research
• http//www.engg.k-state.edu/CHSR/
• www.tosnac.org

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www.tosnac.org

• Technical Outreach
• Services for Native
• American Communities
• (TOSNAC)
• BrendaBrandon_at_msn.com
• Toll Free 1 [phone]